It was in July, 1905, that Christian Science was brought to my notice. Six months prior to that found me in very poor health, with a troublesome cough and unable to eat or sleep as a healthy person should. I was at that time living in the north of Queensland, and after obtaining leave of absence from my employers I spent the holiday with my people in New South Wales. While there, I placed myself in the hands of the family doctor, and the certificate he gave me for my employers read in part that I was suffering from a severe attack of bronchial trouble, was in a weak state of health, and was threatened with a serious breakdown. He treated me for several weeks, but in spite of this, and the best attention that my people could give me, I steadily got worse. The doctor then expressed grave fears concerning my health, and giving me the names of two of the leading Sydney doctors, told me to see one of them. I did so, and this doctor diagnosed my illness as tuberculosis. He said it was not worth while giving me any directions about diet, etc., but told me to go inland for awhile, and if I got better, to live in New Zealand. He said that I could not live in Sydney, and stated, "If you return to Queensland, you will die."
After a further rest in the mountains, my employers for the sake of my health sent me to New Zealand as a relief duty. While there I got so much worse that in utter despair I decided to return to my family in North Queensland. On my way through Sydney, and only two or three hours before my steamer sailed, a friend whom I met by chance asked me to try Christian Science, and lent me some books. I returned to North Queensland, and it was nearly two years later that I again visited Sydney and had an opportunity for the first time of attending Christian Science services and meeting Christian Scientists. During that interval I had absent treatment twice, on one occasion for a fortnight and at another time for six weeks. And for the rest, the healing work was done by reading the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which together with "Miscellaneous Writings" and several copies of the Journal comprised my stock of Christian Science literature.
The healing was very slow, and at times I felt greatly depressed, almost hopeless; but from the first I felt sure that Christian Science was the truth, and I clung to it with all my might. Every day all my spare moments were given to the study of the literature, and I was incessantly declaring the truth with the small understanding I was gaining. It was in the first instance a battle between a few small grains of Truth opposed to a mountain of error,— a mountain which materia medica said was insurmountable. But, although it was a long fight and many times I felt that I must give in, divine Love always met my need, and the ultimate result justified the claims of Christian Science as a means of healing. Now, looking back, I feel grateful for the slow healing, which taught me many useful lessons and gave me a working knowledge of Christian Science which has been a great blessing ever since.
