Throughout my life I have had many demonstrations of the healing effectiveness of Christian Science. Each experience has been a milestone in my spiritual progress and has provided me with inspiration and proof of the utility of this revolutionary religion.

When I was a small child and had just begun school, I became seriously ill with measles. This condition was complicated by apparent pneumonia and a severe infection in both ears. The symptoms were alarming.

My parents, earnest students of Christian Science, adhered exclusively to Christian Science treatment. A Christian Science practitioner was employed to prayerfully work for me. And I was made comfortable and given a great deal of attention and care.

As a result of my parents' firm and courageous stand in practicing Christian Science, I had a beautiful healing. I woke one morning to find that a small blister had formed on my right leg and had burst. For a number of days, all of the noxious fluids in my body drained from this small opening and from my ears. I was soon well, and I returned to school and participated in all my usual activities.

However, as so often occurs in Christian Science, the most remarkable aspect of this healing was not the physical rejuvenation of my body but the marvelous change that took place in my thinking. Before this healing I had been a sullen, unhappy child, unable to make friends. In fact, I clearly remember that I had despised other children, which was certainly not a normal attitude. With my healing came such a complete transformation of thought that I began to make friends and to have experiences normal for my age. And since that time I have continued to find much joy in sharing lovingly with others.

In more recent years, when my own daughter began nursery school, I arrived after her first day of classes to find that she had fallen from the top of a large playground slide. She had struck her head and face on the asphalt below. The injury was considered serious, and the child was manifesting symptoms often associated with a concussion.

My mother was with me, and as we drove home with my daughter, we both prayed quietly and calmly. In my work, this statement from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy came clearly to mind (p. 424): "Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God's unerring direction and thus bring out harmony."

When we arrived home, I called a Christian Science practitioner, who lovingly agreed to prayerfully support us and to pray for my daughter. I was impressed by the practitioner's serene conviction that in her true being my daughter was free from all claims of mortal belief. Any feeling of fear on my part was greatly lessened. I felt a deep awareness of the Father's love and protection for all His children.

After a brief nap the child woke and was quite distressed. Because she was having trouble seeing, I asked her where her sight really came from. "Why, from God," she replied. With that, she was once again calm and soon fell into a more natural sleep. When she woke again, she was able to see perfectly, and she asked to read some of her books. There was never another complaint of a vision problem. Later in the afternoon the unpleasant symptoms left, and my daughter was able to go outside to play with a friend.

Despite my daughter's healing of the injuries sustained in the fall, two days afterward she still had some bruises on her face that were readily apparent. Because of this I questioned the wisdom of allowing her to attend her weekly ballet lesson. However, she was so obviously free and happy about going to this lesson that I felt I should not deny or limit in any way her ability to fulfill her proper activity. I felt that if I were really to accept the spiritual fact that an accident had never taken place in the realm of divine Mind, then I couldn't give validity to the claim of mortal sense called bruises.

When the youngster did go in for her lesson, no one seemed to notice her appearance, and no questions were asked. That entire hour I prayed, endeavoring to see this child as a spiritual, unblemished idea of God. These words from Hymn No. 51 in the Christian Science Hymnal came to me as I drove to pick her up from her class: "The clouds of sense roll back, and show/The form divinely fair." I knew that my daughter was truly perfect—at that very moment and eternally. When she came out to the car, the bruises were gone, and only a slight discoloration remained, which soon disappeared.

Through the demonstration of Christian Science in our family, meaningful companionship, satisfying jobs, and provision for our financial needs have all been evidenced. There have also been healings of grief, severe burns and cuts, and internal disorders. And I am very grateful for the painless and harmonious births of my three children.

I feel very blessed for having been raised in Christian Science, and for having had class instruction in this Science from a consecrated teacher.

BARBARA R. PETTIS
Norman, Oklahoma