Over the past several years, I have become familiar with the writings of Mrs. Eddy and the Christian Science publications through my wife, who is a lifelong Christian Scientist. Although I am not a Christian Scientist, we attend a branch church together regularly and read the Bible Lesson outlined in the Christian Science Quarterly daily. On reading many of the testimonies of healing in the Christian Science periodicals, I have, in the past, looked with some skepticism on the ability of the unseen, intangible power of Christ to heal.

My life's experience has included participation in a number of areas of physical challenge and potential danger, such as mining, heavy construction, and the operation of ships and aircraft. I used to feel that survival in those situations normally lay in the use of wits, physical force, sheer luck—all accompanied by fear bordering on terror.

As an aircraft pilot, some time ago I took a refresher course in instrument procedures with a very senior and experienced flight instructor. During several hours of practicing simulated emergencies, the instructor shut off all the secondary electrical power. While it seemed at the time that it was highly improbable such a circumstance would ever occur, I went through the complex routines for meeting this emergency a number of times until I was confident that I was competent in all the necessary procedures.

Recently, I was asked to fly some business associates to a large city with a very busy airport. (The plane belonged to one of the associates; he was not qualified to fly in instrument conditions.) The sky that morning was filled with clouds, fog, and lots of unseen aircraft. It was also rush hour, and the hub operations of two large carriers were at their morning peak.

As we were turning onto the final approach course for an instrument landing, all of the secondary power in the airplane failed. As a result, the communication and navigation radios and some of the attitude instruments went dead while we were in the middle of the clouds. Once more a potentially life-threatening situation was facing me, only this time with a major difference. I felt no panic, only total calm and confidence in the harmonious outcome of the whole matter.

I turned to my two obviously alarmed companions and assured them that all was well and under control. I told them that I knew the procedures required and that the controllers knew what to do also. I assured them that we would be found by a plane, directed to our position, and guided to an area where we could land safely. "Yeah, you bet," said one. "We'll have crashed by then."

At this point, however, I was convinced that God's law was in operation right there. The harmonious control of the one divine Mind was very clear to me. No course of action other than getting human will out of the way and letting divine Principle guide and govern was even considered.

One associate asked, "Will the system work for us?" I responded that of course it would. His reference was to the published Federal Aviation Administration emergency procedures. Mine was to the system of divine guidance referred to in the writings of Mrs. Eddy.

Soon we left the center of the terminal control area, climbed into the clear, and began a prescribed circling procedure for a few minutes, still within the approach radar coverage. As I had earlier predicted for my companions, a small aircraft appeared in the vicinity and executed the universal aviation sign for "follow me" by dipping its wings. We followed this plane to a small airport that had visual conditions. There we landed.

On touchdown, my thought was fixed on the words that are written on the walls of many branch churches, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, p. 494). After silently giving thanks to God, I came away totally convinced that in possibly perilous situations it is better and easier to trust divine Mind than to try to cope through human will, panic, ignorance and, least of all, luck.

My wife and I have experienced other healings through prayer, including the healing of disease. For all of these healings we are most grateful to God.

Wilder G. Lucas
Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

When my husband told me about the failure of the electrical system in the plane he had been piloting, he kept saying that he knew he had been led to take extra training in aircraft emergency procedures and that God's law had been governing throughout the emergency. We were both awed by the obvious sense of harmony that had controlled the entire episode and annulled potential disaster.

Although my husband is not a Christian Scientist, he has benefited from study of the weekly Bible Lessons, and he freely acknowledges the efficacy of immortal Truth. We are both grateful beyond words for Christian Science and for the abundance of good it has brought to our lives.

Elizabeth Anne Lucas