The first time I ever entered a Christian Science church I did so under protest. A dear sister was to become a member, and while I was glad that she was at last connecting herself with a church, I was not very well pleased with her choice. I was at that time a teacher in a Sunday school of another denomination, as well as a member of that church, but I felt it my duty to be present on this occasion. I knew something of this religion, but was prejudiced, and had no desire whatever to investigate its teachings. In a short time, however, I was obliged to acknowledge that something was effecting a great change in my sister, and I consented to attend a Wednesday evening meeting. This service was indeed beautiful, and later I found myself enjoying the morning services.
Soon after this I experienced a wonderful healing, with this sister as my practitioner. While on my way to church one Sunday morning, I was suddenly seized with a severe pain, which continued throughout the service. On reaching home I went directly to my room, saying nothing of my condition to my parents, and threw myself on the bed, remaining there until dinner was announced. I then got up; but as soon as I stood on my feet the pain increased so that I fainted. By evening, however, I was able to join the family on the lawn, though the next morning found me in a serious condition. When on Tuesday I was seemingly worse, my mother became very much alarmed, and wished a physician called. I felt perfectly safe, however, and requested my sister, who had thought that perhaps an experienced practitioner should be called, to continue the work she had been doing for me. From that time on I began to improve, and by Thursday evening I was able to walk slowly to the car to meet my sister, though my body was still very sore and very much swollen. The next Monday I, with my mother, left on a vacation trip.
While we were away, my sister wrote me of the sudden and severe illness of a dear friend. In every detail her attack corresponded with mine. In her case, however, two physicians were called and a trained nurse was engaged. The physicians decided, after a consultation, that my friend had appendicitis, and in her case it was almost three months before she was able to resume her home duties. The same condition over which the physicians labored so long in the case of my friend, and which caused her so much suffering, had been quickly and beautifully overcome for me by Christian Science treatment and without the use of any material remedy. After the first two nights I had slept as usual, and on Tuesday morning following the attack, the cleansing which is deemed necessary in such cases was brought about for me by the power of the Word.
