Montana labor news., 1945-10-25
A Lecture
CHRISTIAN \ SCIENCE
Continued from Page Three
Mary Baker EDDY

Mary Baker Eddy
Mrs. Eddys love of God was early
instilled in her by a devout mother, and
before she was ten years old she had
already become a devout student OF the
Bible. The inspiration she gained from
the Scriptural example OF Daniel, who
withdrew three times a day to pray,
aroused in that little girl desire to do
likewise. So, up in that New England
farmhouse she retired to the woodshed
where she could pray without being
disturbed, not three times day, but
seven. Each time after praying, she
made a chalk mark on the side OF the
woodshed lest she forget to fulfill her
fully daily obligation of prayer. Isn't
if natural that the child-heart that
reached out in trustful prayer to God
TO bless a needy world should be re-
warded by that spiritual light through
which God revealed to her the Com
forter. Christian Science? This unfold
ment came as soon as her more ma
tured spiritual thought enabled her to
nurture, protect, and demonstrate it.
Thus God prepared and selected her as
the revelator of His Science Of the
Christ. Thus she also became recog-
nized by the world as the Discoverer
Of Christian Science.
AS a result of her devotion there is
found nowhere in modern history an
other such record Of answered prayer in
healing the sick, Transforming the sin
ner, and awakening the deadened con-
sciousness, as we find recorded and
authenticated in the works of that dear,
unselfish woman. Were it not for her
prayer-inspired conservation to God,
which caused her to spiritually discern
and freely share Christian Science
would not be here today. Neither would
many Of you in this audience
She gave US a prayer of which she
spoke as my prayer" It is the last
verse Of her poem Christ My Refuge
1t would be wonderful if everyone here
called it my prayer" and lived it. 1t
reads Poems, p. l3):
"My prayer, some daily good to do
To Thine, for Thee;
And offering pure of Love, whereto
God leadeth me-"
Mary Baker Eddy is gratefully rever-
emily. and universally recognized today
not only as the Discoverer Of Chris
tan Science and the Founder OF the
Church of Christ, Scientist but, through
her inspired writings, as the present
and forever Leader of this great world
wide Cause Of Christian Science. Chris
ton Scientists are deeply grateful to
her for what she has done, and tor
what She through her writings, is doing
for them and for the world today.
Healing Power of the
Prayer of Gratitude
Have you ever realized that gratitude
to God is prayer? 1t is most effective
PRAYER; perhaps much more SO thap
many of you realize. 1t is the fourth
kind of prayer I wish to tell you about.
Some years ago, woman was con-
fined to her bed with a condition OF
malignant growth, She was under the
care of a Christian Science practitioner
and a Christian Science nurse. They
worked faithfully, but months passed
with no progress. She became dlsheart-
ened. The practitioner prayed for more
spiritual light. He came to her home
one morning and he said, Il want you
to do something today more than you've
done heretofore" She said, I'll do any
thing; Pm desperate" He said, 81 want
YOU to open your heart in gratitude to
God, and pour it out continually" She
shook her head. She said: "Please
don't ask me to do that. I'll do any
thing | can, but I can't do that. l
haven't got anything to be grateful for,
truly | haven't" She said: "Here
am, in such a desperate condition. We're
head over heels in debt. There is SO
much discord around Truly, haven't a
thing to be grateful for" He said: Lets
see, now; let's just lift our thought and
see. Can you be grateful to God, car
you thank God that right here where
you are is the healing presence OF God
and that you are living, moving, breath
ing, and having your being in that pres
ence and nowhere else?" She thought q
moment, and then said "That is true
l can be grateful for it. can thank Goo
for it, and | will" "All right" he said
Lets lift our thought again Can yor
thank God, can you be grateful to Goo
that every bit Of this oppressive sense
is not Of Gods creating, therefore is moi
real or true, and can no more stand If
your experience before the conviction oi
the truth than darkness can stand wher
you bring in light% She said: -
know it. I know it's true and if know
it's true, of course | can be grateful foi
it, and l will" He said Lets lift oui
thought again. Can you thank God tha
God alone created you? Can you b'
grateful that God has maintained His
perfect and unchanged creation? Tha
you are wholly spiritual, perfect free
joyful, triumphant, now" She said 20.
course | can. l see what l need to do
1t isn't difficult I've only got to recog
nize what is actual and be grateful toi
it. ! can do it, and l will do it." Th'
practitioner had the nurse get a pad anC
pencil Then he started that woman
scribbling off her thoughts of gratitud,
as fast as they came to her. Then he sale
Tonight, and each succeeding nigh
until you are healed, and know it,
want you to have those sheets put int,
an envelope and mailed to me-" TIL
next morning in the mail was an envel
ope from that woman The practtione
opened it, and there we're sixteen letter
size sheets filled with gratitude to Goo
That very day that condition Dissolve
and passed out Of that women's expert
ence. don't think we half realize wha
potent spiritual force we have here a
hand to work with Cultivate that atti
r. -