It has been something over a year since God, with "His great love wherewith he loved us," answered my cry from out the depths of physical suffering and mental despair by guiding me to a Christian Science service. There, for the first time, I heard the sweet assurance that God does not will that man should suffer. Oh, how cooling was the draught given me that night in Christ's name. I knew the words were true, because they answered the deep longing and craving so long felt within. Some Christian Science literature was given me, and rising early next morning, I began to read it. Among the testimonies I read was one with this Scripture, "Be still, and know that I am God," with the explanation that it meant to bid the material senses to be still, and to know that God is all. I grasped this scientific thought and declared truth mentally for a few moments, when the peace that passeth understanding filled me, and I was instantly healed of incipient tuberculosis, asthma, and congestion of the lungs, also of hereditary constipation, pronounced by physicians to be paralysis of the bowels and incurable. The strongest medicines and every material remedy had failed for a long time to give me the slightest relief. I frequently suffered greatly from attacks of nervous prostration. Added to my physical sufferings were great financial distresses from which there seemed no avenue of escape. My mental despair was such that I earnestly prayed for death, if there was not soon to come relief.
Since that sacred hour, when the living, healing Christ, Truth, came to me with such unutterable love, casting out my diseases and sins of false belief with which Satan had bound me, my one desire has been to be emptied of self that divine Love may fill the vessel, and to know the unselfed love which demonstrates truth quickly. When facing the problem of trying to express a little of my gratitude for what Christian Science has done for me, I stand helpless,—words cannot portray immortal Love or express gratitude.
For several years before I was healed through Christian Science, I had been compelled to spend much time in bed without getting needed sleep or rest and could not do my light housework, now I can do without discomfort all I find time to do; where a few hours' steady sewing caused intense suffering in chest and lungs, now I can sew all day without a suggestion of pain or nervousness; where I had not strength to walk a few blocks, now a two or three mile walk is a pleasure. Had Christian Science done nothing more for me than destroy the demon of fear, I would have great cause for rejoicing. My former life was haunted with fear. I feared the cold; I feared the heat; I feared poverty; I feared and was very sensitive to human injustice; now I rejoice in freedom from many fears. I can now be exposed to heat, cold, or draughts without fear, consequently without evil results. A temptation to sickness does not often occur, but when it does it is soon destroyed with Science, or a thought of weariness is quickly silenced.
