As an adolescent I felt positive of God's presence, but I was uncertain as to the nature of His power. My mother and I were interested in spiritualism, and we had attended some séances. I was convinced that what I saw and heard at these sessions was indeed real. Then I spent two years in a private school where reading the Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly was part of the daily morning routine; we pupils also attended a Christian Science Sunday School.

I was doubtful that I could ever accept a religion that seemed as "radical" as Christian Science. But one day I found myself listening to an explanation of spiritualism that was very logical. It became obvious that Mother and I had seen and heard at the séances only what we had wanted to see and hear. In the chapter "Christian Science versus Spiritualism" Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 80): "It is mortal mind which convulses its substratum, matter. These movements arise from the volition of human belief, but they are neither scientific nor rational. Mortal mind produces table-tipping as certainly as table-setting, and believes that this wonder emanates from spirits and electricity." And earlier she states (p. 71): "When the Science of Mind is understood, spiritualism will be found mainly erroneous, having no scientific basis nor origin, no proof nor power outside of human testimony."

Soon I found many other explanations and clarifications for my questions about God and man. And thus the leaven of Truth did its work. My belief in mysticism was replaced by a budding understanding of the Science of being.

When the time came for me to enter college, there were no funds available. I began to delve more deeply into this teaching. Faced with the prospect of borrowing money, I visited a Christian Science practitioner, who referred me to this passage in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany by Mrs. Eddy (p. 232): "The right way wins the right of way, even the way of Truth and Love whereby all our debts are paid, mankind blessed, and God glorified." These words strengthened and guided me. I left the practitioner's office assured that an understanding of God would supply me with all that I needed. Soon my high school provided me with a scholarship. I worked for room and board in a home of Christian Scientists. Though times were hard and my mother had very little to send me, she sacrificed to furnish me with what she could. Fellow Scientists were very encouraging and helpful. I did some clerical work for one individual, and he provided a fatherly influence, which I had not had. I became a member of The Mother Church. I also joined a branch church in that college education and begin a teaching career that brought me many years of joy and fulfillment.

I am deeply grateful that through reading Science and Health I have found a wonderful way of life. Consistent demonstrations of its spiritually scientific truths have resulted in many healings and solutions to various problems. Longtime service as a member of a branch church and Christian Science class instruction have also blessed me immeasurably.

At one point I began to experience an irregular heartbeat, symptoms that were quite noticeable and disconcerting. At night and often during the activities of busy days, this continued to trouble me. I sought help from a practitioner, and I studied the definition of "heart" in Science and Health (p. 587): "Mortal feelings, motives, affections, joys, and sorrows." Prayer brought the realization that I had allowed myself to be unduly disturbed when some friends of whom I was very fond had left our church to attend another. This mortal concept of things had caused my unhappiness. I knew that I had to put human yearning aside and hold only to a spiritual view of all God's children. With this correction of thought, the heart difficulty faded away.

At another time I suffered from pain and soreness in my back. A co-worker noticed the difficulty and told me of her daughter's bout with a kidney problem that had had similar symptoms. Silently I denied that God's perfect idea could be diseased. A practitioner's loving help soon removed the pain and discomfort. Shortly after that I happened on a "fact" sheet, describing kidney disease, that had been circulated by a medical organization. As I glanced at the long list of symptoms and the dire predictions, I could clearly see that these so-called facts were formulated by mortal mind about mortal mind and based on material sense testimony. God's child is entirely separate from mortal thinking and evidence, and I am God's child. I recognized my complete freedom, and this was proved in my total release from the difficulty. What a wonderful way to live—guided by the Christ in all we do!

ALETA D. ARGABRITE
Paso Robles, California