A short time before Mrs. Eddy ordained the Bible and ''Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" to be the pastor of the Christian Science church, a minister came to the place where I then lived and preached what he at first called "the truth." Many people were interested to hear him and came from the adjoining towns until the old white church was filled to overflowing. Finally he announced that he was preaching Christian Science, and it came out that he was taking his sermons from Science and Health, written by Mrs. Eddy; that he was practicing healing from the book, in his own family and among a few of his most confidential friends. The people could not accept what they believed Christian Science to be. The information of where to obtain a copy of the book was not made public in that community, but the prayerful desire of one who was seeking for the truth was not to remain unanswered. Some years later a copy of Science and Health was brought into my home and left with me. I at once recognized it as the book the minister hadtaken his sermons from, and it brought me deliverance from evil.
At that time I was not able to do much work and had been very sick at times. I had suffered a great deal from sick headache, stomach trouble, catarrh, severe attacks of influenza, hernia, and finally an abnormal growth said to be incurable except by an operation. I began reading Science and Health, but with no expectation of being healed, for I had given up all hope of ever being well again. I however believed there was a beautiful life after death and that this book would give me light on that subject. The Bible soon had a new meaning; and it was a great discovery to find that we can learn to know God and begin eternal life here and now. I had been under treatment by a specialist using all kinds of material remedies, with the result that I was finally worse off than before. When I commenced the study of Christian Science, I gave up all material remedies and regained strength rapidly, so that I became able to do my own housework and care for an invalid mother.
I had been reading alone for a year when a complete change came into my life. I moved to a town where I could attend the services, visit the reading room, and have the benefit of the Christian Science literature. A year later with the help of a practitioner I was able to dispense with a truss that had been worn for five years, and later I left off glasses after using them for twelve years, and have never had occasion to use either since. That was eight or nine years ago. At what particular time the complete healing of the chronic ailments took place I could not say, but they have all been overcome. Four years ago I was very sick with an acute form of illness. Absent treatment was begun and in a few days I was able to arise, dress, and attend the testimony meeting that evening, permanently healed.
