It is almost five years since I turned to God for help and began earnestly to obey Science. I had had class instruction a number of years before, but in a short time moved away to where there were no Christian Scientists, and though there never was one moment when I did not believe it truer fear kept me from proving it.
Five years ago I moved to Portland, Ore., and at that time I was a confirmed invalid, with two children, both of whom were born delicate, the girl suffering from kidney trouble and dyspepsia, and the boy with catarrh and chronic bronchitis. My husband paid the drug bill with the same regularity as the grocery bill. In February, 1898, the children were both taken very ill, and though we had two doctors to attend them they received very little benefit. The only way we could get my daughter's bowels to move was by the constant use of a drug. The doctors said it was a result of the grip from which she had suffered severely, and she coughed almost constantly.
My own health was very poor indeed, but I suffered so much mentally that I did not pay much attention to it. I longed to go to the Christian Science church but was ashamed to, because I had gone back to the doctors after having been taught the truth; but one day I plucked up courage to go to the reading room. There I met a sweet-faced lady who talked to me so kindly that I soon told her all my troubles. She invited me to come to church, and sold me a Journal. I went home and threw away all the medicines, and said, "Whether we live or die, from now on we will live in obedience to Truth." After treatment for a short time the children were perfectly healed, and have remained so.
