My gratitude is great indeed for the many blessings that have come to me through Christian Science. My heart overflows with thankfulness to God for the wonderful exaltation of thought that has been mine during the eleven years since Christian Science came into my life. The rapid improvement in the health of one near and dear to me caused me to turn with eagerness to the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, that I might find therein how this remarkable healing was being accomplished. Many times have I thought of that morning in which I opened our text-book for the first time. For months previous I had suffered mental tortures over my own supposed wrongs and the discords and inharmonies of existence. I thought I had reached the limit of my endurance, and could see only two exits for me, either the asylum or annihilation.
For years I had been unable to feel that God cared, or even knew, how some of His children suffered, but I did not believe that He was punishing me, for the punishment seemed so out of proportion to my sins and mistakes, as I had always tried to follow the teachings of Jesus. As I began to read, the unusual beauties of Mrs. Eddy's diction were apparent to me; then, in my pride of opinion, I began to see what seemed to be inconsistencies and contradictions many, but I am glad to say that Truth healed me in that moment. My false sense of my own knowledge, my pride of opinion, went down, and in deep shame and humiliation I closed the book and remembered that I had been unable to accomplish what my dearest hopes and ambitions had striven to attain. Then I recalled the little I had heard of this noble woman's work; that she had founded a religion and had written a book which would teach the reader how to follow the teaching and practise of Jesus the Christ.
That was enough. I reopened the book and began all over again, and never from that day to this have I doubted that Christian Science is the truth, nor have I found a single contradiction in any of Mrs. Eddy's works. Five hours passed before I was conscious of the outer world, though I had been called a number of times to luncheon, and the family had finally gone in without me. The glories of that awakening I shall never forget. I knew that I had found the truth, that I was being born anew, and I am still in awe when I recall the spiritual light which came into my consciousness that day of my first real acquaintance with our Father-Mother God. I at once stopped taking drugs or using any material remedies, and began the work of correcting my thoughts. When problems came up which I could not handle, I went to a dear Scientist who knew the way and who patiently guided my thought aright; so growth was made hourly and daily, and during the first two weeks' reading many physical ills disappeared. A catarrhal condition of the head and throat, which had been a great annoyance for years, was gone, also a serious nervous condition, and my feet were freed from corns.
