Dear Journal:—I should like to add my testimony to that of the many happy and grateful mortals who have been helped by Christian Science; and, feeling that it may be helpful to some to know "just how it happened," I give my experiences somewhat in detail. My life had been clouded by ill health for over twelve years. I suffered much, occasionally, but life was not wholly dark, for I had resources in which I took much pleasure. Reading, especially, was a great comfort and delight to me. But, alas! there came a time when all these things had to be given up, for my eyes began to fail me, and, for a long time, I could not use them at all. At last they improved slightly, and I could use them a little now and then; but it was so very little that, as time passed on, I despaired of ever being able to read or work as I had formerly done. The days dragged heavily, and my life became more clouded than ever. But how true is the saying: "It is always darkest just before dawn," and my dawn began to appear, when, in a happy hour a dear friend—who had lately come into Christian Science—persuaded me to read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. At first I could not believe it possible to do this, not understanding Christian Science in the least. "Read it!" I exclaimed, "Why how can I read it? It would put my eyes out!" For reading always tried my eyes more than anything else, causing sharp pains and weakness in them which lasted several days. But I entreated my friend to see what she could do for me, as she had had good success in healing. I also requested her to explain Christian Science to me, as really wished to understand it; to which she replied, gently but firmly: "Read the book and learn all about it for yourself." For which "kindly cruelty," if I may use such a term. I afterwards blessed her.
I asked some ladies, who had some acquaintance with Christian Science, if they thought there was any good in it, or was it all nonsense? They assured me they thought there was a great deal of good in it, and one of them said: "I hare a copy of Science and Health which was lent me, and I would like to read a little of it to you. I do not understand it very well myself, but perhaps you can." She brought the book, and, lo! she had read but a few pages when I became perfectly absorbed in it; and, after that, nothing would do but that I must try to read it myself for it haunted me constantly. "After all," I thought, "Why should I fear to do as N. wishes? Does not the Bible tell us that all things are possible with God?" So I procured a copy of the book and began to read, having nothing but blind faith to start with. I found that I could read three or four pages without trouble, and the next day, I read again, though this time there were pains in my eyes once or twice; but I disregarded them, and they troubled me no more. The next day I went on, and the next, and the next, and still no pain, no weakness, no discomfort whatever. The understanding which I gained as I went on gave me much greater courage than mere faith had done; for now I knew why it was that I need not fear. Grand and beautiful truths were being revealed to me, and I caught glimpses of a splendor such as I had never thought to see in this life. Not that I experienced any "delirious ecstasy," or saw any wonderful "vision," in the ordinary sense of that term; but I knew that henceforth the words, Truth, Heaven, and Love, would have a new meaning to me. I had never known what they meant before, though I thought I did.
One evening I resolved to try to read by lamplight—something I had not done for nearly five years, as artificial light had been particularly trying to my eyes. For a moment I hesitated—then I resolutely thrust fear aside. "No!" said I to the enemy, "my sight is spiritual, and there is no reason why I should not read just as well by that light as by the light of day." So I sat down and read as I had done in the daytime, with no pain at all. After a few days I sat up until twelve o'clock to pore over the precious book, literally burning the midnight oil, and before long I had finished it. How happy I was, I cannot tell; not merely because my eyes were cured—though that was a great joy, as the inability to use them had been even harder to bear than my ill health—but because I knew that I had found the "pearl of great price," which should never be taken away from me. My physical ailments are gradually disappearing, one after the other, and I am now stronger and better than I have been for many years.
