About nineteen years ago my father, after years of suffering from asthma and after all remedies known to materia medica had failed to give relief, was passing along a street in the city of Denver in a state of abject despair, when the sign of a Christian Science practitioner arrested his attention. It instantly occurred to him that Christian Science might do for him what medicine had failed to do, and though he knew nothing of it the name bespoke a super-human power which roused his weary sense and led him to seek divine aid. This was but another instance of the truth of the statement, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity," for in his extremity my father stepped aside from the beaten path of materialism and took refuge "under the shadow of the Almighty," where he has since abode in freedom. The cure was completely made, the disease being eradicated in, I think, three treatments.
My mother, who had been for years a member of an orthodox church, marveled at the cure which Christian Science had wrought in my father's case, and in the case of my two-year-old sister a few days later; but when she learned that Christian Science purported to be the Science of God, as taught and demonstrated by Christ Jesus, her wonder ceased. She at once took up the study of Christian Science—the home was cleared of all material remedies, and was transformed from an apothecary-shop into a habitation where the presence of "the most High" was felt to be the guardian of those who had experienced Truth's healing power. Six months after my mother's course of instruction in Christian Science a dear old German lady who did her washing came to the house with twenty-five dollars in gold as an expression of gratitude for one week's treatment which had removed a cancer from her sister's tongue,—nor would she leave without placing one of the five-dollar gold pieces in the baby's hand.
With shame I come to speak of myself, but I do it that others may not suffer such deep regrets as follow in the wake of conscious ingratitude. For eighteen years I was about as firm a believer in the healing power of Christian Science as one could be without an understanding, but I was content to rely upon my mother for help when any trouble presented itself. I had no time or inclination to study the subject, or even to attend the services or a lecture, though often requested so to do in the sweetest way by my mother. I went on about my worldly affairs, firm in the belief that I must first make a success in my profession (the law) before I could afford to devote any time to the study of Christian Science.
