Testimonies of Healing

While the boom of cannon and fireworks sound in my ears, proclaiming liberty, in mortal's sense fashion, is it not an appropriate time for me to recall my independence day? The July Journal has just come to hand "with healing in its wings. " Two years ago I was a sufferer from nervous prostration, attended with its usual company, indigestion, headaches, kidney troubles etc.

I gladly embrace this opportunity to bear grateful testimony to the blessed results, so far in my experience, of Christian Science. On the 10th of July 1871 I fell from a tree, about ten feet, striking my spine on chips of wood with such force as to completely paralyze my lower limbs, having no use of them for weeks.

My heart is so overflowing with love and gratitude that I can keep still no longer, so will add my testimonial, hoping to lead some one into the Light. It is my desire to do all the good I can, since God has so wonderfully blessed me.

Although I am not a student of any Christian Science School, I am an earnest seeker for Truth; and I have thought that if I could cast in my mite as an encouragement to others to seek for help in Truth, I would gladly do so. It has been something over a year since I first began the study of Christian Science.

In November, 1890, my wife and I began taking treatments in Christian Science. My wife had suffered from rupture, and other claims, for more than twenty years.

A stranger to the Truth said to me recently, "I am much interested in Christian Science. Can you tell me of any positive cures or demonstrations by Christian Science treatment?" "Most certainly I can," I replied, naming many instances of so-called disease in its most alarming manifestations; among them, fractured knee-pan, congestion of lungs, severe inflammation of stomach and bowels, diphtheria, inflammatory rheumatism and asthma; all made whole by a few treatments.

A few years ago, I joyfully perceived in Christian Science the promised Comforter. Until then I had long been despondent, hating this mortal life (this routine for self), and was barely able to go through with it, even including Church going—so tired mentally! Yet because I thought God had made it, and had put me here, I kept on, thinking (for five years) I had to wear glasses to see; had to be deaf; could remember nothing; had to be too nervous to write legibly; to lie down and rest, if I swept a room, and so on, until I heard the voice of Truth call, to halt; "Be still, and know that I am God!" The light of understanding came to me, through the revelation from our Teacher, presented to the world in Science and Health.

According to mortal belief, I never had the gift of expressing my thoughts; but through the understanding of Christian Science we learn that we are Spiritual, and are "governed by divine Intelligence; that our Father guides His children to do all things right. The more we realize of this grand Truth, the more we see the nothingness of mortal belief.

I have often felt that I would like to send my bit of experience to the Journal; but have put it off for a more favorable opportunity, thinking that anything I might write would do no good, and that I had better keep still and let those with more experience do that kind of work. Reading the open letters in the last Journal made me think that such reasoning was a claim of error which ought to be overcome, and that because some one else could do better than I, did not in any way excuse me from doing what little I could.

Previous to three years ago last February, I was a member of the Methodist church of Canada, and had been from the time I was able to understand anything of what religion meant (at least as it was viewed by that people). While I tried to live a consistent, godly life, during these years, how often that "aching void" filled my breast, till I would cry out for deliverance and for light.