It is about nine years since I became interested in Christian Science. My husband was a soldier in the Civil War. He was early mustered in and served to the end of the war. This gave him five years of the exposure and hardships of a soldier's life. He contracted liver, stomach, and kidney disease, for which he could get no benefit through materia medica. For eleven years he was under the doctor's care. Six months out of each year, he was confined to bed. At one time he had four of the best physicians in the city. Each one had his opinion as to the nature of his sickness. One said he had chronic stomach trouble; another, catarrh of the stomach; another, neuralgia of the stomach; and still another pronounced his disease cancer of the stomach, and each one treated him for what he thought was the disease. He finally pulled through the miserable existence. After six months he was again taken sick and was confined to bed two weeks.
One day a friend of ours who was a Christian Scientist met me and said: "Where is your husband? I have not seen him for some time." I told him that he was sick in bed and had been for two weeks, and I supposed he would be for six months, as he always was. He spoke of Christian Science, and after talking a while I said: "My friend, I do not understand you, I am a Presbyterian and you are a Christian Scientist, you go and talk to him, perhaps he can understand you." That afternoon he called and explained Christian Science to my husband. The next morning my husband arose at nine o'clock, the next day at seven, and after that as usual. The Scientist told him to eat anything he wanted, which he did, and it did not hurt him. He ate potatoes, bacon, and cabbage. He soon regained his lost flesh. We then began to see that Christian Science is the religion of Jesus Christ as found in the Bible. We attended the meetings and read Science and Health. I then took my letter from the Church that I had been a member of for twenty-five years and joined the Christian. Science Church, and I find it fulfils the Scriptures, because it both preaches and heals. Having taken class instruction under one of Mrs. Eddy's students, I am able to do much good for humanity, for which I am very grateful.
A young man came for treatment for stomach trouble and constipation; he said he was melancholy and had had the tobacco habit for sixteen years. He came next day to say he was better, and that he had no desire for the filthy weed. That was two weeks ago, and now it disgusts him to see any one using tobacco. A lady passed my home one day using a cane. She was bent almost double. I spoke to her and asked why she used a cane; she told me she had sprained her back and could not walk without it. I said, "Oh yes, you can." She knew I was a Christian Scientist and said, "I wish you would treat me." When she returned she came in to tell me that before she had gone half way she handed the cane to her husband who was with her, and said, "You take this; you need it, but I don't." She was as straight as is usual for a woman of her age (seventy years), and walked as well.
