About eight years ago I found myself in an alarming physical and mental condition. I could scarcely sleep, eat, breathe, or walk without great suffering. I became extremely morbid in regard to life and its prospects, and super-sensitive to every word spoken. I was afraid of everything. At this time I went to a hospital for a minor operation and the physician who administered the anesthetic told me, before I left his care, never again to take an opiate, even in the mildest form. He also told my sister that I was suffering with organic heart disease and that it was with great difficulty he succeeded in reviving me from the effects of the anesthetic. Later on I consulted a conservative lung and throat specialist, who told me that I could never live through another winter in Michigan. He advised the climate of Salt Lake City, and, resigning my position, thither I turned, weary and disconsolate.
Here my condition became very alarming. When I walked slowly upstairs, it was always with untold agony; sometimes to stagger and almost fall with the pain of the heart action when I reached the top. After a three-weeks stay in the West, I was advised to return to a lower altitude at once. With my return to Michigan conditions became still worse, but at the darkest hour my sister brought into our home a copy of The Christian Science Journal. When I sought admission at the door of the loving Christian Science practitioner who fed me with living bread, I felt that "the everlasting arms" of divine Love were about me. It was as if a sweet message of confidence had been sent to me from "a new heaven and a new earth" of health. Later, circumstances placed me in a small town, far removed from all Christian Scientists, but I had gained enough of the truth to know that the Christ-healing was for me; and I want to bear loving testimony that "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy revealed to me "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." I read this book during the night watches, when those who scorned my faith that Truth would heal me were asleep. I prayed the words while my heart called aloud for peace from the awful stress of a dreadful disease, and from the torturing thoughts of self-pity, malice, fear, and hate. Little by little I saw the signs of promise through the dark night of materiality, and after a year and a half of prayer and study, I was healed, absolutely healed—through reading Science and Health. I found that I could "run, and not be weary." I have found also that the atmosphere of divine Love is in Michigan as truly as elsewhere, and there I have spent every winter; while the chronic cough, the throat and lung trouble have vanished. I have found, too, that God is very good, and that His mercy does endure forever.
Our Father in heaven alone knows the infinite debt of gratitude and love I owe to the one whose words have so revealed God that all who pray aright may see Him face to face as infinite, ever-present Life, Truth, and Love.
