A Testimony

I'm so grateful for Christian Science which teaches us Jesus' point of view--God's perfect creation--and the necessity of seeing this so that we may keep right with God and experience the joy and peace and well-being He wants us to have.

As "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" points out, the religion I practice not only cures disease, it prevents it. A neighbor of ours who was struggling with poison ivy reminded me recenty of both aspects of Christian Science help.

When we moved to the South several years ago, I happened to wander into a patch of poison ivy while exploring the woods behind our house. I was healed of this finally, but it wasn't much fun working out of. Our real estate agent had invited us to dinner, and I could tell she was quite alarmed at the physical appearance. But I assured her something was being done for this condition.

There are any number of truths that may come to the thought of a Christian Scientist when overcoming some physical difficulty. But the way I prayed was along these lines. Earlier in the week while I was studing "Science and Health" one evening this statement stood out to me: "When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them. The issues of pain or pleasure must come through mind, and like a watchman forsaking his post, we admit the intruding belief, forgeting that through divine help we can forbid this entrance." (Pages 392, 393)

The words above helped me see that disease was not any part of my real and only selfhood as made in God's likeness. By accepting the premise that God is perfect Spirit, as the Scriptures teach, I recognized the fact that the creations of Spirit, namely me, can only be spiritual, perfect. And this was the reality of my being, despite appearances to the contrary, I knew. I credit the inspiration gained from these truths with my restoration to complete freedom from the discomfort.

Then last spring every one was talking about how prolific poison ivy was this year and people were being warned to steer clear of it. I realized the importance of not opening thought up to suffering this time around, and began applying some of the truths I knew from my study of Christian Science, as a preventive measure. I prayed from the Christly standpoint of man's exemption from disease due to his eternal unity with God. I realized the reassuring fact that as divine reflection, we enjoy uninterrupted protection from mortal mind fears and false beliefs and the attendant suffering.

It dawned on me when the neighbor I mentioned earlier was telling me about how careful she had been while gardening, to wear long sleeves, gloves, long pants, and had still caught the poison ivy, why I've gone all summer, been in woods countless times with our dogs, even been unexpectedly dragged through thickets with the feared plant when the chase was on for a cat or rabbit or squirrel and not been affected at all.

I can't express enough thankfulness to Mary Baker Eddy for what she has given the world of God's healing truths which she and so many others before me have proved. I feel so blessed. As the Bible brings out, God does give His angels charge over us and they do keep us in all our ways.

The truth Jesus taught - truth that sets free

Would it give you hope to learn that the Master's healing truths are available today? It did this for a woman I know. More, it completely delivered her from a disease declared to be incurable.

My friend was teaching school when she contracted tuberculosis. She was put in a sanatorium, and even her doctor father could offer no hope of cure. They told her she had about 6 months to live. Then, someone she knew came to visit her one day and told her about a book that was bringing back health for people. My friend said, "Oh, give me the book that can do that for me!" She got "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy and began devouring it. She wasn't all the way through, reading and pondering the spiritual truths therein, when she was able to walk out of that facility permanently healed. And she devoted her life from then on to helping others find the freedom God had brought her.

I couldn't help thinking of this woman's wonderful experience when I read in the Wall Street Journal a report on the growing cases of TB around the world, especially in India and China.

"Science and Health" can show you how a change in your concept of God and man--of yourself--can bring healing and freedom from sickness. This book brings to light God's goodness, power, and love, illustrating how the Bible's promises of God's ever-present help are fulfilled.

The teachings contained in this unique volume stress that Christ Jesus' life purpose was not only to inspire, but to show how to be free from every form of material bondage, physical suffering included. He promised, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also" (John 14:12).

As thousands upon thousands of readers of "Science and Health" have found to their great joy, when the divine facts that Jesus illustrated and practiced are brought into contact with one's fears, beliefs, and attitudes about disease, the result is a change of thought, a spiritualization of thought, a removing of he mental state causing the physical difficulty. This book explains: "The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these might works are not supernatural, but supremely natural " (p. xi).

Through the understanding that Christian Science affords, anyone may gain a correct, spiritual view of man as the image of God. One comes to realize that disease is not any part of our real and only selfhood as made in God's likeness. This spiritual concept of man is basic to scientific Christian healing, and this is why it is helpful to go back time and again to the Bible record that man is made in God's own image (see Genesis 1:26). Accepting the premise that God is perfect Spirit, as the Scriptures teach, one recognizes the fact that the creations of Spirit can only be spiritual, perfect. And this is the reality of man's being, despite appearances to the contrary.

The need in healing is always for a change of mental standpoint. Christ Jesus himself enphasized that what we entertain in thought has its effect. He said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man" (Matthew 15:11).

The discovery that Mary Baker Eddy made, that matter is really a mental phenomenon, was and is revolutionary. Though you may never have considered it in this way before, both the image of disease and its expression in the body are false beliefs about you and me--not actual conditions. The understanding of this fact is a potent force in destroying disease.

Christ-healing is dependent on the removal of disease beliefs and fears. And it is the activity of divine truths in human conscousness that removes these false beliefs. As the divine facts of existence displace mortality's lie in our thought, a more normal, harmonious sense of being inevitably appears.

At the close of the preface to "Science and Health", its author states: "In the spirit of Christ's charity, -- as one who 'hopeth all things, endureth all things,' and is joyful to bear consolation to the sorrowing and healing to the sick, -- she commits these pages to honest seekers for Truth."

Rebounding from injury

There is a profound spiritual prerogative for denying the supposed power of an accident. It is described in the first chapter of Genesis, which says that God made man in His image. This is not to suggest that we ignore accidents but that we can find healing from the effects of them, as we're receptive to the truth that our real being is not material or subject to chance or injury.

No matter what situation we may find ourselves in--even should help be urgently needed--we can turn in complete confidence to God, divine Love, who, as the Bible assures us, is an ever-present, unfailing help in trouble.

Knowing that man is God's child, whole and safe in the care of his creator, regardless of appearances, Christ Jesus was able to heal physical troubles. His works brought to light the fact that man has never really fallen from his original spiritual state of perfection and that nothing can interfere with his freedom and well-being as the offspring of God.

Each one of us who discerns his real being and strives to live in accord with it through following the teachings of our Master can know the comforting assurance of divine Love's care.

In line with Jesus' teachings--his statement, for example, that God is Spirit (see John 4:24)--Christian Science brings out that our true selfhood, as the outcome of Spirit, is spiritual, not material, that man is not bound by human circumstances, is not at the mercy of accident and injury. In a comforting sense, then, we don't have to go somewhere else to find help. We need to open out thought to the reality of our being in God's care, inseparable from Him, inseparable from divine Life and Love. God's child can never, for an instant, be deprived of his Father's loving care, can never be out of his God-provided niche of spiritual security.

THe Psalmist sang, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." (Psalms 90:1) It is for this very reason that in truth we are eternally exempt from mishaps of any kind. We have never actually been apart from our divine source, God--not even for a moment. As God's man, dwelling in Him, we are and always have been preserved by His unerring laws of order, safety, and exemption from harm. Equipped with this knowledge, we can find quick and complete healing of injuries.

And Mary Baker Eddy in her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" brings out something that has helped me when I've needed to bounce back from bodily injury. "When an accident happens, you think or exclaim, 'I am hurt!' Your thought is more powerful than your words, more powerful than the accident itself, to make the injury real."

"Now reverse the process. Declare that you are not hurt and understand the reason why, and you will find the ensuing good effects to be in exact proportion to your disbelief in physics, and your fidelity to divine metaphysics, confidence in God as All, which the Scriptures declare Him to be." (page 397)

Let Christ have the credit

When misunderstanding with a neighbor gives way to "How can I show kindness to this person", let Christ have the credit.

When a tendency to criticize someone gives way to "Such was I at one time", let Christ have the credit.

When a feeling of illness gives way to healing through reliance on the teachings of Christian Science, let Christ have the credit.

When resentment toward someone who has wronged us gives way to heartfelt forgiveness, let Christ have the credit.

When complacency toward what Jesus taught gives way to an earnest desire to obey these commands, let Christ have the cedit.

When irritation with other drivers gives way to patience and non-condemnation, let Christ have the credit.

When "What's in it for me", gives way to "How can I give to others", let Christ have the credit.

When what we thought and did last year, we would never think of thinking or doing now, let Christ have the credit.

(There are so many more entries I could make along these lines. But you no doubt have things you could add to this list, and I would be happy if you emailed them to me.)

The Cure for Depression

Life for all at times is rough,

But if we go down into depression,

We just have to lift ourselves up.

I say ourselves because

No one can do this for us --

No one, that is, but Christ.

As Jesus said, our joy

Can't be taken from us*

This is divine law,

And being so,

It can be counted on

To save us a from a descent

We do not have to make.

It keeps us out of that valley.

So when mental clouds gather,

Think about this:

We can rely on Christ's promise,

And not go miserably down

Into that darkness at all.



*John 16:22

God's Immediate Help

Last week I really needed to feel God's help at once. And I got it. While clearing some brush in our woods, felt a sharp sting on one of my hands and saw a creepy crawly thing run away. Whatever this insect was, I don't know. But the pain was intense. I went in to the house and sat down, and began praying in earnest.

This thought came to me and was a basis for my knowing the truth about the situation. It's from Mary Baker Eddy's book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" where she says: "All of God's creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible." I worked with this, endeavoring to know that nothing in God's kingdom could harm me, that even this little bug could poison my system or cause unfortunate repercussions bodily.

The quotation above continues: "A realization of this grand verity was a source of strength to the ancient worthies. It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor to emulate the example of Jesus. 'And God saw that it was good.'" This is found on page 514, 515 of "Science and Health".

I worked metaphysically for about 2 hours to overcome the pain and swelling, and to alllay any fear of "what if?" and then the whole thing dissipated. No evidence remained that anything had happened. I was so grateful to God for His everpresence and healing power, which I have been the recepient of many times in my life when mishaps have occurred.