With loving remembrance of the first copy of the Journal I ever saw, I wish to express my thanks for all that Christian Science means to me and in our home. It was about twelve years ago that a friend sent me the Journal, and after reading it I sent for a copy of Science and Health. I had been reading a great many attempted explanations of the Bible, and of Jesus' healing work, without finding what I was looking for, and I thought that Christian Science might offer something better on religion. After reading the chapter on "Science, Theology, Medicine," I decided that there was something in this book which I wanted very much to know.
At that time we were living hundreds of miles from any Christian Scientists, but I decided not to take any more medicine unless I should get very ill. I found, however, that medicine gave me up at that first reading, and so did the doctor, twice, but by the help of absent treatment I am now in good health. Before I read Science and Health I was troubled so much with bad dreams that I was almost afraid to go to sleep; but this difficulty was overcome in a few days, and so was a noise in my head. Later, I was healed of chills and fever, also of headache. About ten years ago a hemorrhage of the lungs was healed instantly by absent treatment. Two years later I had a severe attack of sickness. Judging by the newspapers, it seemed a bad thing to die without a doctor, and there was no one near to help me in Christian Science; but as I understood it God was surely more than a doctor, and for a little all was peace. Still I thought it best to send for a doctor, but when he came he said I was past help, and I could at the very most live only a few days, — that he had been called too late. Being a kind-hearted man, he hunted up a nurse, who was difficult to find, and he told the nurse and my husband to take good care of me till the end came. But when the time for the supposed end came, I was ready to get out of bed.
It soon became evident to me that discord and evil could be nothing to an all-loving God, but how I should ever learn to think of evil as unreal seemed difficult for a long time. When trials appeared very real and hard to bear, I still kept on with my reading in Science and Health, and said to myself that God could not see or know evil, therefore it mattered not what seemed real to mortal sense; and this thought would always help me. One day I read in a newspaper something very severe about Christian Scientists, condemning them for calling evil unreal, and it set me to thinking more than ever about that question. While at work I suddenly realized the absurdity of calling that real which we are constantly trying to overcome, and the light came to me at once. One of my great experiences in Christian Science was class instruction. I am humbly grateful for all our Christian Science literature, including the Monitor. I cannot write very well in English, but wish to express my gratitude for all the healing we have had in our home. — Oakland, Cal.
