It is a long time since I first became interested in Christian Science, and I have been called upon to prove its efficacy in almost every direction. When I look back upon the condition in which Christian Science found me. I often think it would be hard to find anyone who was in greater need of help. physically I was a complete wreck. I had been delicate from birth and as years went by grew worse, until my condition seemed to be past help and I was in bed for many months. It was simply the old story of suffering and despair, and no help or relief to be found in material remedies, although everything was tried.
At last I was persuaded to try Christian Science, but while I accepted at once the religious teachings, feeling sure that I had found the truth, the physical condition did not seem to respond to any perceptible degree. This, however, did not discourage me. as I felt sure the healing would be manifested in due time. The opposition to Christian Science by the members of my family was intense from the first, and finally their fear for my recovery was so great that they insisted on my having a doctor. Our old family physician was called in. and as he guaranteed to cure me in a year, I consented to submit to his treatment. The result was that my condition became gradually worse, and fur seven long, weary years I was confined most of the time to a darkened room and a bed of pain. The doctor came for the greater part of that period every day, doing all in his power to relieve my sufferings,—which were almost unbearable,—but nothing seemed to help me. My ailments were so many that I would not attempt to enumerate them, the leading ones being inflammation of the bladder, intestinal trouble, biliousness and sick headache, an affection of the nerves, and pain in the eyes and head which was so intense that I could not bear a ray of light. Added to all this was great physical weakness and constant fear.
Now the best part is to be told. I felt sure that there was help for me, and that God would heal me if I could only apply the truth in the right way. I therefore decided to say nothing about it but to stop using mate vial remedies and apply the truth as I had learned it in the Bible and Science and Health. I began repeating the "scientific statement of being" (Science and Health, p. 468), also some other statements from our textbook and the Bible, and I got a glimpse of God's creation: I saw God as the only creator and man as His spiritual child. I continued to think along this line, with the result that I arose from my bed, dressed, and went downstairs. to the utter astonishment and alarm of the family, as every previous attempt to get up had caused a long relapse. I continued to get up every day, however, and instead of becoming worse my condition gradually improved, until I was around helping with all the household duties and taking short walks, a thing I had not been able to do for years, having been obliged to be wheeled in an invalid's chair when not in bed.
