It is now four years since we began our investigation of Christian Science. It was through the healing of a neighbor who had suffered many years from different diseases and for five years had been an invalid. She, like the woman in the Bible, had suffered many things of many physicians, neither could be healed of any, but rather grew worse. When I heard of her healing a ray of hope rose in my heart and I said, "God is no respecter of persons, if He has healed her He will heal me." I was very much in need of healing, both physically and mentally.
From a little girl I had longed to know and serve God. For many years I had been searching for the Truth as taught in the Bible among different denominations, but the way of salvation as taught by them did not seem plain to me. I had been praying to God for many months to lead me in a plain path, and I had earnestly prayed that if there were a denomination that really had the Truth that I might be led into it. While I had found much that was good in the different denominations, I never found a complete salvation, as was evident; for my physical condition grew worse continually. I was trying to overcome the enemy with material means and by studying medical books, but the more I studied and the more I applied, the deeper in the slough of despond I got, until I needed a remedy far superior to material means to lift me out. I had always believed in the power of God to heal, and had been helped many times when in despair I cried to Him, but never until I learned the Truth in Christian Science did I understand it. I am truly thankful for the physical help received through the understanding of Christian Science, but I am far more thankful for the spiritual blessings which I have received, for a knowledge of God and His righteousness; for before I came to Christian Science I was ignorant of the righteousness which is of God and was trying to establish my own righteousness.
Oh, what a relief to learn that our righteousness is already established and our work is to put off the old man with his deeds that it may appear. Truly I can say, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new, for all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. My healing and enlightenment was not instantaneous, but slow; and I learned what Jesus meant when he said, "Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free."
