Many of the testimonies recently published in the Journal and Sentinel have expressed the various writers' sense of gratitude for the Christian Science practitioners. I am especially glad to see this, because we cannot be too grateful for the consecrated, loving, tireless work done by many of these practitioners, the world over.
The physical healings which I have experienced from the application of Christian Science have been numerous. Two winters ago I had an attack of inflammatory rheumatism in one knee. It was so severe that I could not even touch my foot to the floor. One night the pain was so intense that I scarcely slept. In the morning a member of my family telephoned to a Christian Science practitioner for help; and in less than an hour the pain was gone. Within two weeks I returned to work, although still slightly lame; and a few weeks later the healing was complete: I could walk without the least difficulty.
Later in the winter I had a cold that I tried to conquer with my own understanding of Christian Science. I had been able to destroy the same false sense many times before with the knowledge that in the tender warmth of divine Love there is no place for cold. Many colds had melted into nothingness before that clear thought; but this one, instead, grew worse—probably because unconsciously I may have used the words as a formula. Finally, after coughing incessantly all one day, I went to a practitioner's office in the evening. Choking back the cough as much as possible, I made little explanation, merely saying that I needed help. Instead of commenting upon the cold in any way, this wise advocate revealed to my thought something of the magnitude and wonder of the great mission of Christian Science—the redemption of the world. As I welcomed these inspiring thoughts my own little problem dwindled to its proper proportions: namely, merely one more falsity to be destroyed, thereby lessening by just so much the sum total of human misery. Soon I realized that the strangling irritation in my throat was beginning to pass off; and although J listened attentively to what was being said, I was also conscious of the physical healing as it was taking place. I could almost watch it go, as one would watch the rolling away of a cloud. In less than five minutes the cough had entirely gone! I was so overawed by this instantaneous healing that I could not even mention it; and the practitioner did not know it until I telephoned him the next day. Other members of my family also have received remarkable help.
