This testimony tells how one healing in particular brought me into Christian Science. My father had been adopted by a Christian Scientist, a woman whom I never met. Dad probably attended Christian Science Sunday School (I have his copy of the textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy). But he never mentioned this Science, and my brothers and I grew up attending another church.

Shortly after my first investigation of the Christian Science textbook, I was instantaneously healed of a hand injury. The healing served to intensify my interest in the book.

Not too many days later, while at my job of driving a taxi, I was robbed, held captive by a gang, and finally stabbed. Just prior to the stabbing, the assailants were running their knives back and forth across my back as if to sharpen them. I most definitely recall that at that moment I asked God for protection.

After the attack, I got up, went to my cab, calmed myself, and drove toward the nearest hospital. On the way, I stopped a police car, and the officers took me to an emergency room at the hospital. It took some time to clear admissions, and through all this I remained calm. Finally the wound was packed, and I rested the night in a room.

Early the next morning a surgeon came to see me. Right out of the blue, my first words to him were, "I am a Christian Scientist, and you are not to administer any more medication, drugs, or painkillers, please." He agreed and left after some light conversation. That was that, but I thought to myself, "Why did I ever say that?" Yet I still felt a certain calm about what had happened to me.

In two days I left the hospital. I had received no further medical attention, just the removal of the packing. The wound healed fully, and I was back at work in a few weeks.

This healing through prayer marked the beginning of my firm stand for reliance on Christian Science. Thought became less material and more spiritual. I continued to read Science and Health and began attending a branch Church of Christ, Scientist. Then one evening I stood and gave a testimony at a Wednesday testimony meeting. Eventually I sent in my application for membership in The Mother Church. And with the encouragement of a practitioner who later became my teacher in Christian Science, I joined a branch church, where I am very active. I have become a serious student of Christian Science.

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health (p. 555), "Creation rests on a spiritual basis." It is reasoning from this spiritual basis that has made me realize that I and all others are, in reality, the reflection of God. In fact, the powerful truth that creation is spiritual is what brought me into Christian Science. God is All-in-all, God is Mind. I know this because I am a Christian Scientist. I feel much gratitude to God for showing me the light.

RICHARD MEARS
Los Angeles, California