When quite young I became afflicted with a rheumatic trouble which was attended by painful swelling of the joints. This ailment became very serious as years went on, and I would often suffer dreadfully for weeks at a time, my condition being such that I had difficulty in moving my hands and limbs. Together with my mother, who for years had been afflicted with the same trouble in its severest form, I visited several famous resorts in my search for health, since as time went on my heart, liver, head, and stomach became very much affected; but it all proved of no avail. Nothing in the way of materia medica remained untried; then a desire for narcotics began to assert itself, though these not only failed to bring definite relief, but often had very bad after effects. We finally lost all hope of ever being freed of our infirmities, and one day my mother passed away in a state of complete paralysis and weariness of life.
As for me and my family, the thought was prevailing that I would have to share my mother's fate, and this would doubtless have been the course of events had not a Christian Science practitioner been led through divine Love into our home. She directed my thought in a comforting way to this new-old religion and I learned of the healing power of divine Love. I however hesitated, for despite all failures my faith in materia medica was still greater than my trust in God, of whose nature I had a very mistaken conception, and I therefore could hardly be said to know Him at all. But when to these ills were added most bitter experiences, as well as a malignant inflammation of the skin extending over the body, I became willing to ask for help in Christian Science and for further elucidation of the subject. Both were given lovingly, and soon afterward my body began to heal. The serious character of the trouble was evidenced by the discolored spots which for a long time remained visible on the skin, but they finally disappeared. They did not, however, cause further discomfort after the healing began, and the same was also true of the rheumatism.
My improvement went on slowly, in the measure in which I acquired a clearer understanding of the teachings of Christian Science, as I proved a faithful student of the text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy; as I gained the practical knowledge 'that all the pain and inaction which seemed to originate in the body were resident in mortal consciousness, and that I must direct the light into every nook and corner in order to detect and destroy all the breeders of disease, such as fear, self-pity, self-justification, and above all, lack of love to God and man. It often seemed an insupportable task, but the weight grew less with every succeeding step. I improved in understanding, and the proofs which I received corresponded to this larger and higher sense of things. Peace, joy, and confidence began to be established in my consciousness, which until then had been filled with thoughts of unbelief, bitterness, and egotism.
