Many times I have tried to formulate a statement of the facts concerning my experience both before and after turning to Christian Science for physical healing, and I must confess my inability to express one half of my gratitude for the truly wonderful physical, mental, and spiritual healing experienced. Prior to the fall of 1915 I was in very poor health. Twelve years had been spent in doctoring for one ailment after another, until I was in a far worse condition than before. Among the many things from which I suffered were muscular rheumatism, severe stomach trouble, chronic bowel disorder, and a very defective heart. Finally swollen glands developed in the side of my neck and continued to increase in size for five months, despite constant treatment by a physician, who at last informed me that I must submit to a surgical operation within three days.
This information left me very despondent, and my sister suggested that I try Christian Science. A practitioner was called and came at once. I told him that I did not believe in God or in the power of prayer to help me, whereupon he very gently explained that my beliefs had nothing whatever to do with the healing power of Truth. The next day I read from Science and Health as he had requested, and on the following morning kept my appointment with the physician as agreed. I was told that there was no necessity for an operation as my neck was again nearly normal. This was my last visit to any physician. That one Christian Science treatment, followed by the reading of Science and Health, healed me, in about two weeks, of every physical ill; but upon becoming physically at ease I soon forgot the wonderful power that had freed me and again took up my old mode of life, in which material pleasure and gain were my only gods.
The fall of 1917 found me living at Port Conclusion, Baranof Island, Alaska, about two hundred miles by boat from either a Christian Science practitioner or a surgeon. For four months there had been another swelling forming, this time on the back of my neck; and it had become so large and was so painful that I realized it was to material sense even more dangerous than the others had been. Ever since its first appearance I had been reading from Science and Health and other writings by Mrs. Eddy, also the Sentinel, but apparently without results. On December 21, 1917, I knew my condition to be critical, and knew also that at last I must decide either to try to get to Juneau and obtain surgical aid or to follow Mrs. Eddy's advice and turn whole-heartedly to God.
