How thankful I am to have Christian Science! It truly is my way of life.

Recently, my husband and I had an opportunity to prove the effectiveness of Christian Science treatment at the birth of our second child. We had prayed and studied in Science throughout the pregnancy to know more fully that this child's true identity was the complete idea of God, reflecting the strength and permanence of Spirit. We expected nothing but perfection! However, our expectations were put to the test when the doctor attending the birth predicted that the delivery would be extremely dangerous because I had a severely anemic condition and would probably hemorrhage. The doctor ordered an immediate blood transfusion to stabilize me for a Caesarean section delivery. This, he said, would be the safest birth for both the child and me. The doctor was firm, and humanly there seemed to be no alternative.

We contacted a Christian Science practitioner who helped us see that we did indeed have a spiritual alternative: God's healing power. We could choose the truth—man's undeviating perfection as the loved child of God. We decided to stand firm for spiritual healing.

The doctor was very disturbed by our decision. He felt we were being very unwise and urged us to reconsider, stressing the dire consequences he foresaw for me. But there was no wavering in our stand. We prayed earnestly for many hours while waiting for active labor to begin. Then the doctor informed us that since my water had broken more than twenty-four hours before, the baby was in danger of contracting an infection. He felt he needed to administer a drug to begin the labor. Again, we declined the medical treatment but thanked the doctor for his concern.

We began to feel weighed down by human opinions and predictions and, at times, found it very difficult to stay firm in our spiritual stand. Jesus' instruction to go into the closet to pray (see Matt. 6:6) awakened us to the need to shut out all the clamoring human perceptions and turn wholeheartedly to God, the one great Physician. We soon signed a medical release form, left the hospital, and went home to pray until active labor began.

At home we worked with the practitioner, refuting false mortal opinions and theories, and affirming the truth of the perfection of God's children. A number of false beliefs and fears were uncovered. A fear of death was overcome by realizing man's ceaseless identity as the reflection of immortal, omniactive divine being. Fear of infection was handled by recognizing that the "panoply of Love" (see Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, p. 571) is a seamless garment—that man can never, even for an instant, leave the care, the perfect and infinite environment, of divine Love, Spirit. Therefore, neither the child nor I could ever be outside of Love, outside of the pure qualities of Soul, which are beyond contamination.

We also realized that time is a limited, mortal measurement (see ibid., p. 595) because it indicates a beginning and an end, neither of which has anything to do with the eternality of God and man. God's ideas are not mortal and limited but immortal and limitless as reflections of divine Life.

Mrs. Eddy's Message to The Mother Church for 1902 teaches (p. 6): "Through Christ, Truth, divine metaphysics points the way, demonstrates heaven here,—the struggle over, and victory on the side of Truth." We were standing for Truth, and therefore could expect victory over fears and any discord.

Having gained much freedom from fear, my husband and I went out for a walk, rejoicing in all that we were learning of man's relationship to God. We felt peaceful, expectant. Shortly, labor began, so we quickly went back to the hospital.

We were met by some nurses and the same doctor, who predicted that labor would take quite a bit longer than normal. We silently denied this prediction on the basis that spiritual ideas move in accord with God, and therefore there could be no friction between the baby and me. This thought opened the door, so to speak, and within twenty minutes our daughter was born. The delivery was normal and harmonious; the doctor was amazed at the excellent condition of both the baby and me. Both of us, by the way, have remained in good health since.

I am so grateful that we do have a choice! We don't have to accept the predictions of material-mindedness or matter. We can rise superior to them as the forever perfect children of God. I am grateful to God for Christ Jesus and his trusting follower, Mary Baker Eddy. Words alone cannot express my gratitude for an ever-growing understanding of the truth.

CYNTHIA L. COWEN
South Lake Tahoe, California

I verify what my wife, Cindy, has shared about the birth of our second daughter. The events occurred exactly as she has described here. This experience was to us another evidence that man is truly governed by Christ, Truth, as the idea or reflection of infinite Spirit, God.

SANDY COWEN

The Mother Church is The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts. Its branches are called Churches of Christ, Scientist, and Christian Science Societies.