I have long desired to express my gratitude for Christian Science through the columns of our periodicals, in the hope that it may be of help and encouragement to others. For seven years I had been an invalid, unable to care for my home and family, and had been under the care of many physicians, receiving no hope from any of them that I could ever be restored to health. One physician, the last one who attended me, said that my system was poisoned and that the only sound organs in my body were my lungs,—the liver, stomach, and bowels being beyond human help of restoration, the bowels being paralyzed. This condition had so weakened my nervous system that I had no use of one limb. This physician said to my husband, "Your wife may live three weeks; but I fear, not three days."
A loving friend, who had been healed in Christian Science, often visited us, and tried to persuade my husband to try it for me; but he laughingly remarked, "I cannot see anything in it to try." One day, he called in a business way upon a gentleman, and after talking a short time my husband remarked, "I must not stay any longer, as I am afraid to leave my wife;" and explained my condition. This gentleman looked up and said, "Your wife can be healed, for my wife has just been healed of insanity through Christian Science; and I feel sure your wife can be healed in the same way." My husband was encouraged, and upon reaching home found a loving friend with me. He told us of his experience, asking her if she could help us to get a Christian Science practitioner; and she did. I began treatment the next day; and with that first treatment the stomach trouble was entirely healed. The other complications did not yield so quickly; but day by day I improved until I could walk, and then I began to care for my household. As I studied "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and gained a better understanding of its teachings, my freedom both mental and physical was very noticeable. At times I would stop the treatments, and very earnestly study the textbooks. We did not have our wonderful Lesson-Sermons at that time; but we did have our testimony meetings, which were always so helpful to me in my struggle to gain more light.
As I pressed on through trials, victories were won. The day came when our Lesson-Sermons from the Bible and Science and Health were read from the pulpit by First and Second Readers, and our Hymnal, with its beautiful hymns with healing in every word, was given to us; and then the privilege of class instruction came to me through a loyal teacher of Christian Science. I found each higher step brought more advanced healing, not only over sickness, but over trying human condition of many names and nature. It was in 1891 I took my first treatment; and from that time to this Christian Science has been my great and only physician.
