LIKE many others, I had been through long years of suffering, and like one anciently had "spent all my living and was nothing better but rather grew worse." No physician gave me any hope of recovery. After ten or twelve years of trial and suffering I was nothing but an object of pity; but through it all I kept hold of the Bible. I read it much, especially the Psalms, the book of Job, and the teaching and healing work of Jesus. I had become convinced that "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever," could not change, hence had lost none of his power to bless.
While down sick in bed, as I often was, I received a short letter from friends that read in part like this, "All is Mind, God is your life." Oh, how changed everything was! God my life! And the spirit of the words of Jacob as he awaked out of his sleep or vision in Bethel, "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not" (Gen. 28:16), filled my whole being, and the word Immanuel was in my mouth, whether awake or asleep. Before twenty-four hours had passed I was, as another has expressed it, "in a new world." I was asked to tell how I had been helped. I had no story for them, could tell them nothing. I was like the man that was born blind, "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25).
The flight of error with its falsities vanished so quickly I never have been able to trace its flight, only this, God was with me, Immanuel, I was in health! But unlike others I never had heard of Christian Science, did not know there was such a book as Science and Health, or a Mary Baker Eddy, but I immediately began to search for the cause of the great change, and was not long in finding Science and Health, in two volumes. I was exceedingly careful at first, fearing I should be drawn away from the Bible. I was confident that the change had come some way through the Scriptures, because my mind was overflowing with Scripture language. Whether awake or asleep, thought kept the same channel. It was really quite hard for me to realize that I had any need of Science and Health, but by my friend's advice I concluded to purchase the two volumes and very cautiously began to read and compare with the Holy Bible. While reading I began to experience a new light, a reality in the Scriptures, and although ten years have passed I am in health and now am conscious that the Holy Bible and our text-book are inseparable. I am thankful, not only for Science and Health, but for all the writings of Rev. Mary Baker Eddy .— Bradford, Vt.
