Once, when living in a city of one of our southern states, I was stricken with what was locally called swamp fever. It was at a time when Christian Science was hardly known there, and there were no Christian Science practitioners in the city. I did the best I could with my understanding of Christian Science, but conditions soon became serious. One morning my landlord told me that my new acquaintances had decided to take me to the city hospital, so that I could be "gathered to my fathers" under proper medical care. To add to the problem, expected remittances had not arrived; and I was almost without money. Under the circumstances, it was decided that I should go north to a Christian Science practitioner; and so I was dressed and carried aboard the train. After purchasing the ticket I had a few pennies with which to buy food, but not enough for Pullman accommodations. This meant that I had to sit up for thirty hours in a chair car.
I do not now remember the full details of that trip, except that God tenderly cared for me all the way. The next day the conductor told me that he had wired ahead to the end of the division to have an ambulance meet the train to take me to the hospital, as he did not intend that I should die on his train. He would not listen to any objections, so I had to turn fully and completely to the divine help that never fails. The ninety-first psalm came as a comfort to me, and I crept under the wings that always cover us. A wonderful sense of peace and protection came to me and I fell into the first natural sleep in weeks. Later, when I awakened, I was told that at the designated city, hospital attendants had gone through the train looking for the sick man, had paid no attention to me asleep, and had decided that the patient had left the train. I had fallen asleep with the assurance, "But it shall not come nigh thee."
After arriving in the northern city I went down into the valley of the shadow, but God's love went before me. One night no moisture was found upon a mirror when it was held to my lips. Christian Science, however, was correctly applied, and I was soon completely restored. Spoken gratitude cannot express the depth of the feeling I have for the blessings which Christian Science has poured into my life. It has healed me of sin, sorrow, and sickness, for which I am profoundly grateful.—Boston, Mass.
