As "a just acknowledgment" I submit my tribute for the Journal. Some six years ago, at a time of deep despondency, in the recognition that materia medica. could do no more for me, and expecting at any time a return of the maladies which would end my life, I, like many others when all material means have failed, turned my hopeless gaze upon Christian Science. A copy of the Christian Science Journal had lain upon my table for many days, this periodical, accepted through courtesy, having been sent to me by a friend who was a student of Christian Science. One memorable day, having nothing to do, I listlessly turned its pages, and found therein what to me were wonderful testimonies of healing. Among them was one from a person whose trouble had been very much like my own, and this of course appealed most strongly to me, at least it aroused more interest than did the others. Looking in the list of practitioners, I found there was one who lived quite near us, and wrote a letter telling my trouble and requesting treatment. A brief reply came back, the principal statement being, "God is Love." I felt very much disappointed. Had I not heard that all my life, and yet had I not been taught to be patient in sickness and suffering. and virtually believe that He sent as well as permitted humanity's woes? Yet the proof that "God is Love" was to be brought practically to my experience.
I will state briefly my physical condition: a diseased organ, supposedly caused from an injury received when a young girl, had produced excrescences of various kinds which frequently caused me days of pain. Bowel trouble had many times endangered my life. For many years I had suffered almost continually from a throat trouble which one specialist declared had caused partial paralysis of the vocal cords; and so it seemed, for I could not sing a note and be sure of the tone. My nerves seemed completely unstrung The last serious illness had been a swelling of the knee-joint, which kept me bedfast for weeks and from which none thought I would recover. I had no conscious fear of death, but neither had I any ambition to get well, for it looked as if I was sentenced never to touch my right foot to the floor or to use the limb again. I did, however, get about the house again on crutches, but the limb was flexed at a right angle and perfectly stiff. At this point everything in the way of material aid — from massage and lotions to Betz hot air and the X-ray — was tried, with no apparent result, and I had discontinued them all.
Right here Christian Science found me, through the Journal above referred to. I received the treatment for two weeks, at the end of which I saw our wonderful textbook for the first time. It was put into my hands by the practitioner, with the astonishing statement, "I do not think you need treatment any longer; just read this book." I made up my mind that she considered my case hopeless, but the direction to read the book was simple and direct, so every day found me reading and assimilating, a little at a time, the contents of the "little book." It was some two or three months before I awoke to the fact that I was healed, but when I did take an "inventory" I discovered several things missing; viz., severe headache, backache, heartache, crutches, sleepless nights, the throat trouble, fretfulness, and other things, and with satisfaction I could realize increasing physical vigor as well as increased weight. I discharged my servant, and have done my own work and taken care of my family ever since. I will state here that the knee-joint recovered all its former suppleness and its normal size as time went on, and among other things bicycle riding is one of my most frequent enjoyments. Not even a limp is left me; I walk upright and free, as God's child is intended to do. A serious uterine trouble was also overcome, and two children have been born to us since my healing. In the second instance delivery was entirely painless and after the second day I was dressed and took the entire care of the babe and myself as well as attending to other duties.
