I have for some time felt it a duty to give to others who may be in affliction the benefit of my experience, and tell what Christian Science has done for me. In order to make this clear it is necessary to go back a little. Until eighteen years old I was quite a student of the Bible, and tried hard not only to make it my "rule and guide to faith" but of life also. I was also very fond of the study of the natural sciences (so-called) and philosophy, but I viewed and interpreted the Bible from the standpoint of orthodox Christianity. I tried hard to find some positive proof that the Bible was true, but it seemed that the farther I investigated natural science the less it appeared to agree with the Bible. The old school Christians could furnish me no satisfactory proof that the Bible was true, even if it did not agree with natural science. And after a time it seemed to me only a blind faith with a moral code like that of other religions. As natural science appeared to give me some satisfaction (all things must stand or fall before reason and common sense), so I turned to natural science as a stepping stone to ontology, and became what is called an infidel.
During these later years, while working one winter in a mine that contained foul air, my companion and myself incurred what is called "minor's consumption," also inflammatory rheumatism. My companion died in consequence, and I suffered with these complaints for some years, nearly dying, when the disease seemed to change into consumption of the intestines. This, it was claimed, caused my many other minor troubles, such as chronic constipation, dyspepsia, kidney trouble, etc. I spent considerable time going to health resorts, consulted the best physicians, and in order that I might do more, began the study of materia medica, physiology, and anatomy with the help of a well-known local physician, bought a number of books and charts on the subject, yet all this time I grew steadily worse in health. Finally I went to one of the best known specialists in one of our large cities for examination and treatment. Upon examination I was told that my intestines were very badly ulcerated, some of the ulcers being over three inches long; that if I could be helped at all it would take years to effect a cure, that in his twenty-two years of extensive practice he had seen only five cases of that kind. I was given little encouragement that a cure would be effected, but was led to hope that my mortal existence might be prolonged. On account of the attending chronic constipation and inflammation, I was ordered to use hot medicated injections daily. This I did for about two and a half years; if I missed two or three days I would begin to suffer from the inflammation and constipation. Any one who has taken this kind of medical treatment for two and a half years steadily, will realize how unbearable it becomes. To make matters worse, my wife had been an invalid for the last eleven years, with an internal hernia, and for two and a half years had been bed-fast. It would be hard to find a family in a worse physical and mental condition.
When we had nearly abandoned all hope of ever recovering our health, it was then that a friendly messenger appeared with "good tidings of great joy." A business friend came into my office one day, and after I had related some of my woes to him, he suggested Christian Science treatment. I felt inclined to laugh at him and told him that I was what they called an infidel, and did not even believe in the Bible, much less in being healed through it. "Well," said he, "let your wife try it first, and if she is healed you can believe that, or if you are healed you will believe it, will you not?" I told him all infidels were supposed to be liberal and ready to acknowledge what is proven and in accord with common sense. After some deliberation and assurance on his part, my wife called for a practitioner in Christian Science and I watched for a failure, for I did not expect she would be healed.
