In the words of the Psalmist: "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise;" "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving." One of the several beautiful lessons I learned from the trying experience I wish here to relate, was that daily, hourly, our voices must be raised in thanks to God, and our thoughts filled with gratitude for the many blessings already received, if we hope by higher demonstrations to "enter into his gates" and "come before his presence."
Almost a year ago my second little daughter, then five years old, was suddenly taken very ill with a severe sore throat and high temperature. This same condition had been healed the previous week in the case of my eldest daughter, after three days' treatment; so I was not unduly alarmed. The child continued to grow worse, however; and to quiet the fear of near relatives, who are not Christian Scientists, and because in a case of contagion we need to be obedient to the law, a physician was called. He named it scarlet fever and diphtheria—scarlet fever in the worst form he had ever seen. He called in another physican, who reaffirmed his diagnosis. There seemed little hope of recovery, according to mortal theories.
Words cannot express my gratitude to God for the help received at that time through two beloved Christian Science practitioners. One treated the child absently, but was informed frequently of every change in her condition. The other came several hundred miles to be with me, and to quiet the fear in the thoughts of those surrounding the little patient. The experience to me was truly like the sacrificing of Isaac, for we went through the very "valley of the shadow." There were lessons for me to learn, as there should be from all these experiences. The healing finally came suddenly, and was perceptible at first only to the practitioners; but after that the child's recovery was rapid. Because of the nature of the case, it had been predicted that should she recover, some bad effects such as impaired eyesight or hearing would be manifested. However, her healing was perfect; and she is a healthy, normal child.
