During World War I, my dad became interested in Christian Science. When he returned to civilian life and married, he continued his interest. But he ran into one stone wall: My mother would never let him bring any Christian Science literature into our home.

When I was 11 or 12, because of an ear condition that caused me to miss a lot of school, my parents put me into a hospital. At length, the doctor told my parents they had done all they could and didn't expect me to live more than six hours. It was then my dad asked Mother if they could try to heal me through Christian Science treatment. In later years my mother told me that she didn't know what that meant, but that she agreed anyway.

They called a practitioner of Christian Science, who came right to the hospital. She helped my parents take me home and stayed with me all night, praying.

The next morning she continued to pray for me, and by 3:00 that afternoon, I was jumping on the couch. I was completely healed and never missed another day of grade school or high school or college because of illness.

Having seen this healing, Mother started studying Christian Science.

I was never aware of the particular things the practitioner had discussed with my parents, but I was well aware of the love she showed to us. That healing showed me how practical it is to understand the concept of the Christ, which is sustaining and leading me today.

As a young sailor during World War II, I was stationed on an LST (Landing Ship-Tank) in New York Harbor. This ship had just returned from Italy and was being repaired and refitted with a new engine. One evening a shipmate and I went outside to see what was going on. A tugboat had been docked alongside our ship, and a hot steam line was connected from the tug to our LST. I did not notice how close the steam line was to the protective railing, and I grabbed it with both hands, mistaking it for the railing. I remember my friend asking me, "Do you smell something burning, like leather?"

By that point I had attended Sunday School for about eight years, and I'd had many healings through prayer. A practitioner had always been there to help me pray for the answers to my problems. But now I was on my own and facing a most unexpected challenge.

I immediately took my hands off the pipe and answered my friend with a "No!" With my hands tightly closed, I made my way down the ladder to my bunk. Although I was in great pain, I never looked at my hands during this time. I managed to get up on my bunk, and between tears of pain told myself: "Now, Bud, it's your turn. There is no one here for you to call on."

Then two thoughts came to mind. The first one was the Bible story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They would not bow down to a false god, and as a result were thrown into a "fiery furnace." I started asking myself: "If this Bible story is true, could it be true for me now; if the three men were protected like that, couldn't I also be protected; if they came out of that furnace without 'the smell of smoke' on them, couldn't I be free from any effects of grabbing that pipe?"

As I was praying in this manner, the second thought came to mind, a statement from Science and Health: "Mind [God] is the source of all movement, and there is no inertia to retard or check its perpetual and harmonious action" (p. 283).

After being alone in prayer for only about 15 or 20 minutes, I was called for watch duty. I can still remember opening my hands for the first time. I rubbed them together, and onto my white Navy blanket fell all the black burned skin. I collected it up and threw it in the closest trash basket. There was no sign of a burn on either hand, and no scars. I was not disabled in any manner. I was immediately able to use my hands normally.

I am still so grateful for this healing, and continue to study and practice Christian Science.

Charles "Bud" Trick
Cape Coral, Florida