FOR the good received through Christian Science I offer the following from my own experience.
About eight years ago, before knowing anything about Christian Science, I was most miserable in mind and body. I had no faith in medicine, hygiene being my only remedy, and I was considered a perfect crank on the subject. I had for years been trying to take good care of my body, but as time went on I found it difficult to live up to what I believed to be right, circumstances at times making it impossible. This caused me constant suffering from what I then thought "breaking a law of nature" and also the suffering of self-condemnation for so doing. Despondency was a constant companion. Thoughts of the misery and suffering of mankind were ever at hand, so I was never happy. My search for perfection was a continual disappointment, and finally I became disappointed in myself as well as others. Evil seemed the real, and Good a miracle not to be trusted in.
Once in a very dark hour something seemed to say that some day, in some unexpected way, I should be happy and well, living in the light, and that all darkness would flee like a shadow. This gave me great hope for a time, but the more rest and care I had, the worse seemed my condition. I could eat nothing without being distressed by it, and could not think of anything without fear and suffering being connected with it; everything in the universe seemed to suffer and cry for help, and where was the something to bring relief? Where was God? surely He did not create or send evil, but why did He allow it if He were almighty, leaving man in the most helpless condition. I feared insanity.
