With a heart filled with love and gratitude to God, I feel it a duty and a privilege to give to others my experience in Christian Science. In 1891, Science and Health was placed in my hand by a dear friend. For three years I had fought against my own concept of Christian Science, but two weeks after this book was in my hands, I began to read it in connection with the New Testament. The work in a church for over thirty years had been a striving, in my ignorance of God, to live a Christian life that I might gain heaven after death. I was then treated for three weeks by one of Mrs. Eddy's students, and when he said, "I will treat you no longer," I did not ask him why, but came home feeling worse than ever in body.
I kept on reading, however, and then came the glorious awakening which I cannot describe, — the sweet visions of the new heaven and the new earth, the inspiration of the word of God, which came as the healing balm of Love divine to my body: loving much; as much had been forgiven. Glasses had been worn for fifteen years, as I could not see to read even the large gilt letters on the Bible without them, but it came to me then that if this teaching was true I must trust wholly to Truth to set me free. As days and weeks went by, five weeks or more of doing the things I could see to do about the house, the prayer went out to high heaven that if only God would open my eyes that I might see to read the Bible and Science and Health, I cared for no other reading. With the book open, a bright light shining on me, with tears falling, yet expecting to see, the letters came. I rose to my feet and said, "Thank God, I see!" In one week I went to Buffalo, read Science and Health all the way, one hour's ride on the cars, and have never placed glasses on my eyes since. This was eighteen years ago!
I had been given up by the physicians, although my husband had secured the best medical aid; but I was still a sufferer. My only hope was to turn to God wholly, and this was where Christian Science found me. First the abnormal growths disappeared, also extreme nervous conditions of three years, and a bowel trouble of fifteen years standing which physicians said might end fatally. It was indeed a legion of ills, but one after another disappeared, the bowel trouble being the last to go. When I lost my fear, realizing that matter could not destroy life — for real Life is God — this ailment was overcome. I am so thankful for all Christian Science literature, for the Manual that guides us all in the right way, for the connection with The Mother Church, for the faithful work of its Board of Directors, also the lecturers, under the spiritual guidance of one who has given to all followers the admonition to follow her only as she follows Christ. My desire is that every one may understand the peace and comfort that comes to those who believe, understand truly, and serve God in humility and love.— Batavia, N. Y.
