When four years ago I first heard of Christian Science I had been more or less of an invalid for five years, and had been on my back for fourteen months without putting my foot to the ground, in the hope that the reclining position and the entire rest would help to right the internal troubles from which I had been suffering; but at the end of the fourteen months I was no better, and the doctor said the only thing that could help me was a severe operation, but as my health at that moment would not stand it, the best thing would be to get up, and see if I could perhaps get better that way, and if not, in six months' time the operation would have to be performed.
I got up feeling miserable in mind and body, wretchedly weak, and seldom out of pain. It was at this point that Christian Science was suggested to me by a friend, who had heard of its cures, and had been helped a little herself, although she really knew very little about it. On asking her what it was, she said, "Oh, it has all to do with mind," upon which I thought, "At last I have found something which will help me, and mesmerize or hypnotize me, and relieve me of my pain." I asked her a few more questions. She then said she would fetch the book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which would tell me what it was better than she could. On opening the book, the first word I saw was "God," upon which I am ashamed to say I shut it with a bang, and returned it to her, saying, "Oh, that is not what I want, I have had enough of God; I have tried Him, and He has never helped me." However, she left the book with me, and I took it up again, and read. Some statement—I cannot now remember what—struck me, and I thought, "Well, if that is true, and they can prove that it is, it is very nice and very beautiful."
After some thought, and saying nothing to anybody, I wrote up to London for treatment. The first week of my treatment I felt happier, and as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders; but my healing was very, very slow, so slow that at first it was hardly perceptible to myself, and certainly not to those around me. My husband, who did not know I was being treated, in four months' time said to me, "You do not seem to be getting much better. I think in six weeks' time we must have the doctor out to see if this operation is to be performed."
