IN the latter part of 1894 I was taken with heart trouble, the doctors called it. With hard struggling I kept at work through the winter, under medical treatment all the time. In the spring, I think April, I broke down completely; had a number of doctors who sent me to the hospital where I had the care of nuns as nurses. At different times I had twelve of our best physicians. Six examined me at one time as a final test, but only to say it was impossible for me to live; that I was liable to go at any moment. All that medical skill could do had been done. Then I turned to the church, only to be told if the doctors had given me up, and it was God's will, I would have to go; but I insisted on their doing something; so I then received the united prayers of two large congregations, together with a society of forty priests, but received no help as far as I know; I was then anointed for death and told I was ready to go. Then as a last resort I tried Christian Science. Christmas Day, 1895, I could not raise my head, and was being fed with a spoon. When the Christian Science healer came in, to my great astonishment I found relief at once. In three days I walked to the healer's house, about half a mile.
After many trials, that is, up and down, I found myself, in the month of May, with pick and shovel in the water works' drain, and continued to improve all summer. Now I am as well as I ever was and very much happier, for where I once saw death, hell, witches, evil spirits, and many other objects to fear, I now see, in a slight degree at least, that God is everywhere, and there is no place for fear nor the terrible objects I once thought were all around me. I owe all this to the blessed Truth as revealed and taught in Christian Science.
In the winter of 1895 my food was bread and water, six of a family living on one dollar per week from the church society; even that they cut off when I declared for Truth. But now our debts are paid, our children clothed, and plenty to eat,—thank God! I can scarcely keep from exclaiming aloud, Praise to God, and hope to be of some use in leading others to this light of Truth and Love, which is still growing brighter and more beautiful as I hear it read, and read it myself from the "little book." My only advice to those I meet who say they are sick is, Try Christian Science! yon see me,—one snatched from the jaws of death. — Ottawa, Can.
