In 1887, Sarah Battey, an MD in New Hampshire, sent her five-year-old son to a nearby Christian Science Sunday school for three Sundays in a row. Her son wanted to go there, even though Sarah and her husband had no interest in attending church.
On the third Sunday, her little son said, “Moma, I was sick when I got up this morning, but I am all well now.”
Sarah asked, “What was the matter, and how did you get well so quickly?”
The boy replied, “Oh I said something to myself, and I am all right now, something they teach you at the Christian Science Church.”
Sarah pressed for more information, for her curiosity was piqued.
The boy answered, “Well, there are different ways of doing. If, when you feel sick, you quit thinking about yourself, and think about God the first you know you will be well.”
He filled in further, “Sickness is error, and error is nothing, but you have to know that it is nothing and when you know that it is nothing you say ‘Go away error, come back Love,’ and that will heal you. I know it will for I healed myself that way this morning.”
(In my true light and life, Mary Baker Eddy collections, p. 527-528).
Sarah Battey soon became a dedicated Christian Scientist, a successful practitioner and productive worker in the field.
Thank you Evan for this reminder, it’s one of my favs regarding Sunday School and the childlike thought. Some of the details of this are really interesting as this little boy ‘asked’ if he might attend the CS Sunday School, even though they had no previous knowledge of it. To start with his nanny took him there as both parents were medical doctors and no doubt busy. The conversations this little boy had with his mother, and the way she shared her own thoughts of inadequacy to heal as her young son had proved, are deeply touching. Well worth reading the whole entry.
Thank you to Evan and everyone for all your loving, helpful comments, hugely grateful 🙂
That is awesome, simply wonderful, thank you Evan for posting this great testimony in your SpiritView today!
This simply reminds me at the Bible verse from Matthew 11: 25, 26, and I take the liberty to quote it here: “At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way” (from the NLT). And Mrs. Eddy also says in Science and Health, to teach the little ones the Science as they are open for the Truth and understand it more quick than some adults; and they have no prejudice yet, so in that sense.
Thank you all for your comments, looking forward to them – with Love!
This is very dear. I had not heard this experience before, and thanks also to Annie for adding amplifying details.
“Go away error, come back Love”
Perfect!
Thank you, all
So touching isn’t it!
“And a little child shall lead them”. I am indeed grateful for the dedicated Sunday School teachers I have had as a base of learning this wonderful Christly Science throughout my life. I have found that true CS thinkers radiate a warm, loving attitude that is like a magnet to these Truths… the beatific presence of this divine Love that pours it’s affection to all it meets. Has it always been easy? No. Sometimes it seemed like the entire world was going in another direction as it still often seems, but like in mathematical principle, it has been proven to be true when we stick to these teachings that Mrs. Eddy (and Jesus) so kindly shared with us so many years ago, but is still as relevant as always.
Considering how Ms. Eddy also observed that children so easily let go of material errors, and mentioned this is why Jesus loved children so much, I wish I could read a lot more quotes on how children see life through CS.
Which also reminds me of the story where the little girl told her mommy “When I pray, I don’t think. I listen!” That quote changed my whole life.
Truth is so simple. Maybe we complicate it too much in giving “treatment”. A good lesson here in childlike trust.
Thanks Evan! I haven’t heard this one before. Wonderful! Great daily bread! 🙂
Wonderful!! Being reminded of the simplicity can’t be done too often.
This message came at the most perfect time!
Love this message! Simple trust in the rule of healing. Children accept the truth so readily and trust our Father-Mother God’s care, We are all children of God and can trust wholeheartedly also. Thanks!
Thank you for the truth, that we are a l l children of God and can trust wholeheartedly our Father-Mother God!
Am so grateful for helping each other lovingly with the right spiritual ideas on this wonderful SpiritView blog – thank you very much dear Evan!
Gratitude to all. I wasn’t familiar with the healing.
Children get it!
I took a little girl to Sunday school 3-4 times. Her family did not go to church and she had never been to a Sunday school before. Her cat had run off after her brother got a dog and had been gone about 6 weeks. I told her to talk to her Sunday school teacher about the situation. We also talked about her cat being ok and to know God was taking care of her cat and her. On the second Sunday as we talked, she told me she was praying to God about her cat …. the next day, her cat reappeared on the front porch. She was so happy and thanked God for helping her cat come home. A bonus … her brothers dog and her cat got along well and became good friends. A Christian Science Sunday school is a good place to take children to. A very good place
Thank you Evan again and again and again❤️
Much appreciation for SpiritView!!!
caydee
What a beautiful and pure demonstration. Thank you for sharing.
When my daughter was 4 yrs. old, she attended a private Christian Science school, Daycroft, in Darien, Conn. For a short time I had no way to leave work to pick her up and nobody to help me. So the school bus brought her to my work and she stayed in the nurse’s office until I was off duty. One day a man came in with a headache and asked for an asprin. My daughter asked him if a pill was more powerful than God who heals all of our diseases. He said he guessed not and left without taking the asprin. The nurse told me about this in amazement. Out of the mouths of babes!
That is awesome! A simple, pure without sense of ego, challenge to mortal mind.
It is sometimes make to look that Christian Science involves no suffering. Some accounts of healing seem like the person is saying, “I was in pain, I pretended it wasn’t there, and it went away–poof!” But in our approach to Truth, we can experience the pain of letting go of our mortal ideas. Mrs. Eddy frequently says suffering is the way to finally destroy sin. In the end, the suffering is replaced with Truth and we see it for the lie it was–but the path to get there can be difficult and painful. I need to grow beyond the stereotype of the Christian Scientist who always has an artificial smile and appears to be in denial of what’s happening. For me, the only way out is through–I have to remember sometimes I have to walk through the valley to get to the mountain.
Hi Ashpenaz,
You might enjoy “A solid basis for emotional well-being” by Larissa Snorek, in the June 10, 2019 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.
(https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/2019/6/121-23/a-solid-basis-for-emotional-well-being).
She writes that ‘we can overcome what feels like a tyranny of positivity.’ And: ‘Accepting an all-good God does not mean also accepting toxic positivity. It doesn’t advocate for ignoring negative emotions and just trying to not see them.’
The whole article is so very helpful, as is John Biggs article about self-knowledge in the same Sentinel.
Sounds good! Thanks!
Yea! Thank you so much Evan for this post today on the simplicity of Truth to heal. I was thinking deeply about this a while back when I found some great ideas on this subject in Miscellaneous Writings that helped me so much with the idea that we don’t have to struggle or work very hard all the time to find harmony, health, and a deep understanding of Christian Science. The following is a part of what I read, but I would encourage anyone who is interested to look it up and read the whole account. (Miscellaneous Writings, Letters from those healed pgs. 463-471)
“Truth is, and ever has been, simple; and because of its utter simplicity, we in our pride and selfishness have been looking right over it. We have been keeping our eyes turned toward the sky, scanning the heavens with a far-off gaze in search of light, expecting to see the truth blaze forth like some great comet, or in some extraordinary manner; and when, instead of coming in great pomp and splendor it appears in the simpleness of demonstration, we are staggered at it, and refuse to accept it; our intellectual pride is shocked, and we are sure that there has been some mistake. (Pg 469)”
Again thank you for today’s post. I so needed to refer to these ideas again today. I’m so grateful for God’s angel messages that come to us in so many different ways.
The Truth is simple and all-powerful and I am just in awe at how we can feel the complete harmony, comfort, and support from it. And what a beautiful Bible lesson this week on “Christian Science,” the comforter.
Thank you Evan for today’s inspiring post. For a good part of my career, I worked with young children between 2-6 years old. I saw early on that these dear children were kind, innocent, loving, trusting, pure and forgiving. They were excited to learn and wanted to know what was real. What a wonderful example was set! When there seems to be a challenge in life..quickly turn thought, and
become as a little child. Except only what is true, trust and know God is there.