Christian Science has done so much for me that I want to express a little of my gratitude through our periodicals. I had been an invalid since childhood, was confined to the bed ten months at one time, and had many shorter sicknesses. Each time I had gotten up and gone on with a good deal of will-power, but ten years ago I had a very sick time and my will-power would not bring me out of it. I was told "there was nothing to build upon, I could never be well." I had several diseases, the most troublesome being chronic gastritis and nervous prostration. The dieting had become so rigid that I could take no food without suffering, even a drink of water caused distress, and the physician gave no hope of freedom, although he said I might live several years.
I had been an active church member since I was eleven years of age, my father being a minister. I had been a student of the Bible and had many times found great comfort during my years of suffering in the sweet messages of love I found there. Many weary, wakeful nights were spent in repeating passages of Scripture which I had learned through the day. At the time of which I am writing, ten years ago. I was filled with an earnest longing to know more of God to be fitted to do more for others. At this time I was very ill, yet I was earnestly praying to be drawn nearer to God, and the desire became so intense that I prayed to be led in any way, however much that way might be criticised. Then a great joy came into my consciousness and I thought I had received the baptism of the Spirit which I had heard about. I immediately told my friends, but in a very few days this joy was displaced by such mental darkness, that it was more distressing than the physical trouble. I could see nothing before me and was in a worse condition than ever.
After suffering in this way for several weeks, a friend said to me, "Why not try Christian Science?" I had been prejudiced against it, and told her never to mention it to me again but I could not put it out of my thought so easily, although I tried to do so. At that time it was believed I could only live a few days, and finding that I could not banish the thought of Christian Science, I sent for a minister, who, when I asked him about it, told of several good cases of healing that he had seen, and after praying with me for light, said the answer he got was that it would be no harm to try it. I was not convinced, however, and sent for the doctor. He did not come that day, and I decided if he did not come the next day I would try Christian Science, which I did, and the improvement began at once. Then I felt afraid that if I were healed, others might be led to Science and be harmed by it.
