When I first came to Christian Science, eleven years ago, I was healed instantaneously of a so-called incurable disease. I was just about as ill as any one could be who was still able to get about. For several years I had been living on a special diet, as I was unable to eat any kind of solid food without intense pain; and latterly it had become impossible for me to eat even carefully prepared food without the same result. I had undergone two operations, and there was a suggestion of a third; but I knew I was much too weak to live through it. The last doctor I went to said there was so much wrong there was nothing either doctors or medicines could do for me. He ended by saying that, considering all I had suffered, I ought to be thankful that I knew nothing about nerves. I said, "I am not thankful for that or anything else to-day;" but as I walked up the street something kept saying, You are thankful for all the love and kindness you have had from friends during these years of ill health.
A few days after that a friend brought me a message from some one I had met only a few times, who had heard how ill I was. She said to ask me to come and have a "health talk" with her before doing anything more about another operation. The friend who gave me the message said, "I did n't want to give you her message, as she is a Christian Scientist and I don't agree with those people; but I did n't think it would be honest not to give it." She then said all she could to warn me against Christian Science. I assured her there was no need to warn me, as I thought it one of the funniest things I had ever heard in my life that a religion of any sort could help one who was seriously ill. I was so amused by it all that I told another friend about it, expecting her to laugh too. She, however, took it very seriously, and told me of several cases of healing by Christian Science which she knew of. Then she told me that when she was a child she had overheard her nurse talking to some one about Mrs. Eddy and saying some very unkind things of her, and she had said to herself: I 'm sure Mrs. Eddy is good, and when I am a big girl I will find out. So she asked me to go to see this practitioner and find out about Mrs. Eddy for her. I said I would do that with pleasure, and wrote that day to make an appointment. That night I had the most wonderful relief from pain,—a sense of peace and rest that I shall always remember. I went to see the practitioner as arranged; and I liked so much all she told me of Christian Science and of Mrs. Eddy that I asked her to give me treatment, explaining that I did not have any pain then, but it was sure to come back, as I had had it for so long.
The pain never returned. Some time afterwards I asked the practitioner if she had given me treatment the night she had received my note, and she explained that no practitioner would do that without being asked; but she added: "I remember the night I received that letter very clearly. I just lay awake and 'rejoiced greatly/ because I felt sure you were coming to the truth." She reminded me that Jesus gave thanks before he raised Lazarus from the dead; and a little while after that I noticed for the first time the promise in Isaiah, "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Very soon I was able to eat any kind of food without the slightest pain. Since then I have been healed of influenza, a bad cough, constant colds, as well as indigestion, and have become healthy and strong.
