"Science rests on Principle and demonstration. The Principle of Christian Science is divine. Its rule is, that man shall utilize the divine power." Thus states Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, on page 69 of her book Miscellaneous Writings.

The wonderful fact that man has been given the right to use and benefit from this divine power was proven to me last summer. On military leave orders, I arranged to travel as a "space available" passenger on military aircraft from my overseas base to a city in the vicinity of Chicago. The occasion for this journey was my association meeting.

I had prayed diligently as we are taught to do in Christian Science to know that the mortal sense of distance had no power to keep me from being present when the meeting was called to order. I realized that in this, as in all things, God's promises are kept. This grand promise in Exodus had proven a strong staff for me in the past, and it was now (23:20): "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared."

On the day of my departure I was flown in a United States Marine Corps aircraft from my overseas base to Newfoundland and from there the next morning to the crew's home base in North Carolina. Very shortly after my arrival there, a seat on an Air Force plane leaving for Washington, District of Columbia, became available, and minutes after my arrival at the nation's capital, a flight in another Air Force plane departing for Dayton, Ohio, was announced. Again, within minutes after my arrival at the Air Force base in Dayton, the flight of a Navy plane departing for a naval base on the outskirts of Chicago was announced. I arrived at my hotel in the city of my destination well before midnight.

From Newfoundland to Chicago by way of North Carolina, Washington, District of Columbia, and Dayton, Ohio, in one day by using four different military aircraft, none of which was flying a regular schedule! It would have seemed incredible from the standpoint of human planning, but knowing that "with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26), I gratefully acknowledged this as one more proof of God s loving care.

Christian Science has been my only physician during the last fifteen years of my military career, and I have experienced some wonderful healings during that time. Two years ago it was necessary to undergo one of the periodic physical examinations required by the military. During its course, the medical examiner noted an outbreak on my left temple which I had negligently failed to handle, although it had annoyed me for some time. His recommendation was that I have a dermatologist examine it to make certain that it was not malignant.

That was sufficient to awaken me, and I went right to work spiritually. Great inspiration and strength were found in the following sentences on page 276 of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy: "Material beliefs and spiritual understanding never mingle. The latter destroys the former. Discord is the nothingness named error. Harmony is the somethingness named Truth."

After prayerful consideration of this and other truths I had learned, I began to see clearly that man is, and always has been, without fault or blemish. He is a divine idea, and therefore he cannot reflect anything unlike his Maker. A skin blemish, malignant or otherwise, is certainly unlike God. I stood on this truth, and in less than a week the outbreak had disappeared, never to return.

It is a wonderful thing to know that the Comforter promised by the Master, Christ Jesus, is here and known to us as Christian Science, and that this great discovery made just over one hundred years ago is capable of healing all the world's sickness, sorrow, and sin. I am everlastingly grateful.

Richard E. Lyons, Riverside, California