It is with a great sense of gratitude that I write this testimony. I had been ill for about eight years with valvular heart disease and the many conditions which accompany that trouble, such as indigestion, nervousness, sleeplessness, difficulty in breathing, and so on. At intervals there were acute attacks, when I was in bed sometimes for months at a stretch; and at the best I was able to be up only part of each day. I had reached a point where there seemed to be no hope of my finding health or happiness in this world. I looked ahead to the possible years with dread; yet I feared to die, thinking God would hold me responsible for the wasted time. I was in bed and growing steadily weaker. Everything I ate caused so much distress that I could not sleep either night or day. Two doctors said they had done all they could for me, because I had lost my courage.
It was in this extremity that I finally turned to Christian Science for help, as there was no other hope, and I thought it would, perhaps, allay my fears at least, and maybe give me a little peace. So I asked my mother to borrow the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, from the public library. She did so. I can never forget the happiness that came with that first reading. A door was opened, and I saw through that door a slight vision of the possibilities of man's existence, governed by a God who is All-power, and who created only that which is good. It was a beautiful revelation to me, that there is in reality nothing to fear, and that man made in God's image and likeness must be perfect.
Before I had finished the first reading of the textbook (which I read in conjunction with the Bible), I was up and dressed part of each day, eating everything without inconvenience, and sleeping well; and before a month had passed I was perfectly well and leading a normal life. At this time I was also healed of an eruption on my face of about fifteen years' standing, which various remedies had failed to help, and which was very disfiguring. It was unnecessary in these instances for me to have any help other than the truth, which is explained in Science and Health.
