I desire to express my gratitude for what Christian Science has done for me, through the pages of our periodicals, in the hope it will catch the eye of some poor sufferer, and bring him to the truth which makes free. About eight years ago I was afflicted with what is termed blood poison. The attending physician made the usual law in such cases, saying it was incurable, and that the only treatment was mercury and potash, which was really worse than the disease, as it would eventually leave me in a badly crippled state of rheumatism. He said then there would be nothing to counteract the bad effect it would leave on the system. Nevertheless, the treatment was commenced and followed faithfully for more than two years and the disease seemingly overcome, except at intervals when it would reappear, then the treatment would again be resorted to and followed just as faithfully as before. During this time, thinking it would be but a short time until the terrible disease would cause death, I tried to drown my sorrows and console myself by using intoxicating liquor, caring little what the outcome was to be, and looking only for my own pleasure, paying very little attention to my wife and child, who knew nothing of the real condition.
About this time Christian Science was brought to our attention, and the book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" was purchased and eagerly read. After reading the book through twice, I concluded to stop the use of tobacco and liquor, and did so for some three months, apparently without the usual struggle when trying to give them up. But when the old symptoms of the dread disease would again appear, or when manifesting hate, anger, or dishonesty towards my fellow-men, then I would again resort to my old friends, tobacco and liquor, for solace, and would use them more than ever. These conditions continued about six months. Then I applied to a practitioner for treatment, for the tobacco habit, saying nothing about the other conditions, as I was apparently in good health, yet at the time taking the mercury regularly as usual, and not thinking it possible that Christian Science could help that trouble. Inside of three days, I was confined to my bed, unable to move hand or foot, and suffering terribly with mercurial rheumatism. Knowing there was no use to call a physician, as the verdict had already been given me two years previous, and knowing what medical books taught in regard to such cases, as I had studied medicine almost four years, I gave up to what I thought was the inevitable, and was waiting for death, and hoping it would soon come, to end all. The practitioner came, but of course I said nothing to him as to the original cause of the trouble. I sank rapidly for over three weeks, not eating anything, and not an organ of my body performing its proper function. During this time I did not sleep more than one hour in the twenty-four. Meanwhile the practitioner worked faithfully, coming to see me almost every day. My wife was very attentive and kind, waiting upon me, moving my aching limbs every few minutes day and night, and getting no more rest than I, but she clung closer to Truth as the conditions seemed to grow worse, and used every means to encourage me.
I read Science and Health at least twenty-two hours out of the twenty-four, until the practitioner bade me stop, saying it was not the letter that would heal me, but the spiritual understanding to be gained by reading and studying the book, and said, "Do not read any more for a time, but think over what you have read and learned by heart."
