I had excellent health until about forty years of age, when a serious heart trouble began to develop, and from that time my health and strength seemed to fail. I had neuralgic, kidney, and stomach trouble, besides many other ailments that I had only known by name before. About this time we suffered severe financial losses, and it seemed to me that I had never needed my health and strength as I did then. I honestly tried in every way I knew to help myself, but I grew so nervous and irritable, and was so weak and miserable, that life seemed a burden.
One day I was taken quite ill, and after trying what I could do for myself, a physician was called in, and for eight weeks I was under his care. I seemed to get better at times, but would always have a relapse and be worse than before. I became so weak that I would faint as I lay in bed, and so discouraged that when I was alone I shed many bitter tears. One day the doctor talked to me very seriously, yet kindly. He assured me he had done all that could be done for me; that it was useless for me to think of doing any kind of work. He also told me I would probably continue to be subject to such attacks, and that I might as well abandon all thought of usefulness—for several years anyway. I could see very plainly that he did not expect me to get well, and I resolved to die as quietly and make as little trouble as possible.
When I told my daughter that I was not going to take any more medicine, she asked me why I did not try Christian Science. She said she had a friend at school whose family were Scientists, and had often heard them speak of it. I did not know anything at all about it, but told her I was willing to try it. She went at once for her friend's mother, and then—how can I tell what happened! Even yet, after four years, 't seems to me like one of the beautiful, wonderful miracles I used to read about when I was a child. The lady came; she told me of Christian Science; she sent me a practitioner, who treated me, and I was healed. I was told that if I had any work to do, to do it; that I was well; and I found this to be true, although at the time I did not believe it.
