In gratitude for the many blessings received through the application of Christian Science I desire to give my testimony. In boyhood I studied the Bible at school, as is required in my native country, and was very fond of religion. After reading about the healings performed by the prophets and the apostles, as well as by Jesus, I asked my parents why people did not heal now. The answer was that Jesus only gave the apostles power to heal, and that God now healed through medicine. I continued with great faith in the religion of my youth for a number of years, after which I became dissatisfied and did not attend services for two years. In the early part of 1913 I began to hunger and pray for the true religion. I attended several churches, but could find no satisfaction. Then one day while on a train a gentleman said that he had cut himself and that the cut had been healed through Christian Science, but I said it would be impossible to be healed without medicine. Another gentleman told me kindly that I had better investigate, but I was at that time too set in the old teaching to heed the advice.
On the first Sunday in October, 1913, I attended service in the church to which I belonged, but I did not listen to the service much; instead I prayed to God that I would be shown the right way. The question came to me as to whether I would believe if it were shown me, and I decided that I would wait patiently on God for guidance. The following day I was introduced to a Christian Science practitioner, whom I immediately engaged to treat a member of my family. I had no treatment myself, but felt very much uplifted from the loving talk. A week later I purchased a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and began to read it faithfully. I had used tobacco and intoxicating liquor to a great extent for a number of years, and had tried material means and will power to overcome these habits, but nothing helped me. After reading Science and Health for a few days I found to my great surprise that I had lost all desire for either tobacco or liquor. It is now over four years since this occurred and there has been no return of the habits.
In July, 1915, my right arm was broken. I at once treated myself as we are taught to do in Christian Science, and soon I felt that my arm was healed; but there was considerable pain in the side where two ribs had been broken a few days previous, so I asked for help from a practitioner. I attended to the superintending of a building that afternoon, and continued to do so. The arm was never set or carried in a sling, and no material remedies were used, but after a week and a half I used it in cranking my automobile. I have never had any trouble from the break, and the arm is as strong as ever. The side kept paining me for a week. I then discovered that I had been holding a little resentment toward the one whom I held responsible for the injury. When this thought was corrected and I reflected love to this person, my side was healed, and it has been well ever since.
