My healing in Christian Science took place eleven years ago, and the time has come for me gratefully to offer my testimony. In the midst of a busy life of consecrated religious work I was suddenly stricken with a severe illness. I had a happy home, but found myself unable to perform necessary daily duties and was obliged to withdraw from the religious work. All this was a cross to me, as I was naturally active and of a happy disposition, rejoicing in all spiritual progress both within and without the home.
My illness was diagnosed by one of the most noted physicians in my home city, who informed me that I was afflicted with hardening of the liver, severe bowel and kidney trouble, and symptoms of gall-stones. Lengthy treatment was received from him with only temporary relief; indeed as a result of taking the medicine prescribed I began to suffer terribly from stomach trouble and was unable to eat solid food. Another kind of treatment seemed to benefit me for a time; and during the summer of 1903 I had only slight attacks of suffering, so few that no attention was paid to them. When the fall came, however, I was cast down from my pinnacle of hope and faith in the belief that I had been healed, for all the previous suffering returned in an even more aggravated form.
Becoming utterly discouraged, I told my mother that if it were not for my child, a little girl then eleven years of age, death would be welcome, if it would only bring relief. Thereupon she picked up from the table a package, and placing it in my hands, told me it contained "one of those Christian Science books," and that she had heard it was known to heal people. She had found it lying in the street that day. When she asked me to read it, I expressed my surprise that she should make such a request, saying that I did not want anything to do with such a book; also that I did not know anything about Christian Science and did not want to. But she seemed to feel that as all else had failed it would do no harm to try this, and to please her I obeyed.
