Marian Warfield and John Hefferlin met in Southern California in 1939. Marian had come from a wealthy family in Denver and John had just graduated from ministerial school. It was love at first sight and Marian immediately helped John start a new church in Santa Ana, California. He was 35 and she was 31. John very quickly built the membership up to 150.

The Hefferlins were married on July 14, 1941. Both were close friends of Dr. Ernest and Hazel Holmes. On one occasion Marian asked Hazel what she considered the most important thing in a minister's wife. Hazel answered without a moment's hesitation: "the skin of a rhinoceros, my dear."

In 1944, John Hefferlin had the opportunity to take over the Long Beach Church of Religious Science from Dr. Frederick Bailes. During the next 16 years he continued to build a very successful work. In 1960, John decided to retire as the minister of the Long Beach Church and he and Marian moved to Palm Springs.

In his parting letter to his congregation, John stated:

"Religious Science is founded on principle and not personality. It is the power of Love expressed to the presence of Law which provides for the Healing Consciousness. Ministers will come and go, but the church will stand on principle and grow with its teaching."

John could not stay away from the Ministry and started a small church in Palm Springs in October of 1960. The Hefferlins loved living in the Desert and enjoyed a rich semi-retirement which included a lot of travel. John was elected to the Board of the United Church of Religious Science and on occasion spoke at Founders Church for Dr. William Hornaday.

On August 8th, 1984, John wrote this note to Marian.

"To my beloved wife Marian on her 77th birthday. After 43 years of marriage I love you more than ever, and my love for you is everlasting and eternal as it is forever and ever binding us together so that we are but one. Without you I am nothing. With you I am complete and whole.

May you always remember this. Your devoted husband, John H. Hefferlin."

John Hefferlin died on November 18, 1987. He was 84 years old. Marian Hefferlin died in February, 2003.

It was the dream of both John and Marian to help spread the teachings of Science of Mind to the world. They especially wanted the United Church of Religious Science and Religious Science International to work together towards a common purpose. Marian had the gift of making excellent investments. In order to fulfill their dream, Marian decided to create and endow the Hefferlin Foundation.

Today, the Hefferlin Foundation is dedicated to carrying out the plan of John and Marian Hefferlin. The life of John and Marian Hefferlin stands for the proposition of eternal love in unity. Religious Science was not only their spiritual philosophy, but their way of life. Thanks to the generous endowments to the Hefferlin Foundation, Religious Science and Science of Mind continue to thrive into the 21st century.

This short biography is taken from the book, A Time to Remember, by Marian Warfield Hefferlin, published by Science of Mind Communications in 1991.