A few years ago I was working in the logging industry, which I had always enjoyed, but gradually I began to run into discordant conditions when dealing with certain people. One situation became very bad, with feelings of domination, self-importance, and incompetency, so that the joy I had in my work was destroyed. The location and nature of the work was ideal; the problem was strictly a case of a discordant relationship. Months went by, my experience getting fearfully worse and worse. In a moment of extreme depression I became aware that religion might help, for I had heard that one's experience could be improved by prayer.

I memorized the twenty-third Psalm and this statement from Philippians (4:13): "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." I held to these thoughts several times a day, and in a few weeks I was free of the cloud of depression and discouragement.

I found for myself that prayer does bring immediate blessings to human experience.

I had been a pupil in a Christian Science Sunday School as a child, and it was natural to turn to the textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, where I found this meaningful statement (p. 322): "The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life of matter, as well as our disappointments and ceaseless woes, turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love."

I began to study daily the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, and a few months later I was able to break the smoking habit of over fifteen years. I was impressed by this because the appetite to smoke disappeared and I did not have to struggle with the use of willpower to quit smoking.

Later the discordant human relationship evaporated, and further relations became less fearful and more interesting.

Social drinking had been having less and less of an appeal, and I stopped completely when I found this statement in Miscellaneous Writings by Mrs. Eddy (p. 289): "Strong drink is unquestionably an evil, and evil cannot be used temperately: its slightest use is abuse; hence the only temperance is total abstinence."

While parking a pickup truck in the front yard, I allowed our four-year-old son to ride on the running board. Unknown to me, he dragged one foot on the ground while the truck was in motion. When I heard a neighbor's scream, I jumped out to find our son lying on the driveway in severe pain. Fear and shock paralyzed me until the idea came that here was an opportunity for Christian Science to heal.

I calmly carried our son into a quiet bedroom and got him to repeat the little children's prayer with me (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 400):

I then read aloud to him from Science and Health. In a few minutes he was in a peaceful sleep. I removed his shoes and left him.

About an hour after the incident I looked in on him. He woke up, stood and walked without a trace of pain, as if nothing had happened. This experience made a deep impression on me.

Christian Science has brought a deeper affection and harmony to our home. I am also finding new opportunities entering my work life.

I am grateful that Mrs. Eddy had the faith and courage and love to give Christian Science to the world and to found the Church of Christ, Scientist. I have experienced blessings from this religion in exact proportion to my understanding of and obedience to it. The wonderful experience of class instruction cleared away many misconceptions, and brought a greater understanding of God for practical use in daily living.

Gary Dennis Rowland
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada