Sunday, August 5, 2001

Dr. Stuart Grayson made his transition on Thursday, July 12, 2001, peaceably with his family nearby.  A memorial service will be announced at a later date for September.
(Dr. Domenic Polifrone reviewed and approved this message prior to publication.)
                                
                       Dr. Stuart Grayson was a leading authority in the area of mental and spiritual self-development. He was a Minister and also Director of the Center of Creative Living and Pastor of First Church of Religious Science in New York. He remained Pastor Emeritus up until his transition. A renowned speaker, he was a frequent lecturer on the Science of Mind across the United States and abroad. He spoke weekly at Alice Tully Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center for thirty years. Many thousands of people have attended his lectures which explain how the principles of health, prosperity, and fulfillment may be used in their lives.  Dr. Grayson authored several books during his career.  His book,  "Spiritual Healing" is one that I, and I am sure countless others, have studied extensively.  Dr. Grayson truly never retired from his life's work.  His web site, www.stuartgrayson.com is still available to the public and contains a treasure of information regarding healing and Religious Science.

                      A little over a year ago, I sought advice and guidance from Dr. Grayson.  I didn't know him personally, but he was my teacher's teacher, as I was studying with Dr. Domenic A. Polifrone of the Hollywood Church of Religious Science in Hollywood, California.  Dr. Domenic completed his ministerial classes with Dr. Grayson.  Dr. Domenic related to me that Dr. Grayson was a very strong teacher with extremely high standards for his students.  This had great appeal to me as I have often been strengthened by Emerson's statement, "God does not give His work to cowards."  This is the truth and a truth that I do not lose sight of.  At the time I sought Dr. Grayson's guidance, Dr. Domenic had moved into an experience of healing and the ministerial classes at the Hollywood Church were cancelled since there was no one else available at the church qualified to teach the ministerial classes.  Without the strong guidance and loving leadership of Dr. Domenic, the Hollywood Church was in a state of chaos with egos the size of watermelons rolling around the church.  This is not opinion folks, the demonstrations prove this to be an accurate assessment.  "Oh, what a web we weave when at first we do deceive," this old cliché is a truism that played itself out from one soap opera to the next at the Hollywood Church during this time.  Since I was on the Board of Directors of the church, the PR Director and the Director of the book store, and did and still have great loyalty to Dr. Domenic, leaving this church and moving on was not something to undertake lightly. On the other hand, my progress towards becoming a minister was at a stand-still.  This I could not live with, so I sought the advice of Dr. Stuart Grayson, who knew Dr. Domenic personally and had great warmth and respect for his work.

                       Even though he was still extremely active with his work, Dr. Grayson took my calls and email messages and was very generous with his time and understanding.  Acting on his guidance to understand fully and completely the importance and magnitude of the vision I have for my ministry, I made the decision to resign from the Hollywood Church as a Practitioner and contacted Dr. O. C. Smith at the City of Angels Church of Religious Science, where I was welcomed with open arms.  This move was a first-step that was extremely important as I now had a firm footing of support and love from a spiritual director and group of ministers who felt my passion for healing and ministerial work. I found the spiritual support that was no longer available to me at the Hollywood Church.  Although my spiritual practice was now moved to the City of Angels Church of Religious Science, I remained on the Board of Directors and in the other positions at the Hollywood Church as service to Dr. Domenic who was still absent from the church.  But as the motion of movement to expand my ministerial progress was uppermost in my mind, Spirit brought me even more dismaying displays of ego at the Hollywood Church which caused me to turn to Dr. Grayson once again.  He was able to separate for me the need for emotional loyalty versus loyalty to the greater good to be accomplished.  The path for greater good was clearly at the City of Angels Church of Religious Science and the great teacher, Dr. O. C. Smith.  This time, Dr. Grayson's advice was very clear, "onward and upward," or as Jesus stated, "shake the dust off your feet and move on."  I did.  Dr. Grayson's sage advice has served me extremely well and I will always feel the blessing from his generosity and wisdom.

Note:  As Love Always Knows Its Own, Dr. Domenic is now back, gloriously,  at the Hollywood Church of Religious Science.
                                 
 And So It Is!           

Letting Love use me in Its own Good Way,
Henry Lee Bates