The knowledge that God is all-powerful, solely loving, and ever governing and cherishing man freed me from tobacco. The habit, which I had tried to conquer off and on for over a decade, just fell away during my first glorious reading of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. The book helped me become more aware of my spiritual selfhood as God's pure child, and the enslaving habit yielded naturally to Truth's law.

Mrs. Eddy has ordained the Bible and Science and Health to be the only pastor of the Church of Christ, Scientist, throughout the world (see Miscellaneous Writings by Mrs. Eddy, pp. 313-314). These books form the basis of the Bible Lessons in the Christian Science Quarterly. And every lesson, studied over the course of a week, offers wonderful healing insights to the student.

Shortly after I began regular study of these lessons, I gained another freedom. I realized that we can naturally feel at peace, friendly, and relaxed without the use of artificial stimulants. Also, that the strength to resist whatever is ungodlike is native to each of us, as it is derived from our Father-Mother God. This enabled me to see that I had no further desire for alcohol. In fact, both my husband and I stopped all alcoholic drinking with joy!

Christ Jesus said (John 8:32), "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The study of Christian Science continues to bless our family, increasing our dominion over the fear and false education that would keep us from enjoying our God-bestowed right to good health. One of the early healings I treasure occurred after a friend, who is a medical nurse, cautioned me that if I did not take our young daughters to a doctor for treatment of conjunctivitis, eye damage would result.

I was undergoing such a beautiful awakening to the spiritual truths of being that I could not accept this lie about our children. I refused to view them as tiny mortals liable to harm; they were really Spirit's own offspring, safe and loved by the Almighty, who was so tenderly making His power felt by us. To seek treatment on a limited material basis, I felt, would be to deny the supremacy of this healing presence. Moreover, I saw this as an opportunity to really use my budding spiritual understanding. I felt sure that as I held on to and affirmed the simple but profound truths I was learning about God's omnipotence, fear and disease would be ruled out and healing would come.

I do not remember the exact verses from the Bible or passages from Science and Health that I pondered, but I do know that I turned to our pastor continuously. Within a couple of days the conjunctivitis disappeared, and shortly after that I joined the branch church we'd been attending. Mrs. Eddy tells us (Science and Health, p. 14), "Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth." I am boundlessly grateful that Christian Science embraced my life seven years ago, liberating me and mine from all kinds of wrong concepts about God and man and opening for us the kingdom of heaven within!

WENDY M. REIN
Bend, Oregon

As Wendy's husband I am more than happy to verify her testimony. She has been an inspiration to us all because her commitment to this Science has been total. Everything she has said in her testimony is absolutely factual.

DAVID A. REIN