About thirteen years ago through curiosity I began reading the Christian Science Lesson-Sermons from my stepmother's books. From the very first I was interested in the just views of God that Mrs. Eddy expresses throughout her works. Six months later I went to Los Angeles and began attending First Church of Christ, Scientist. Very soon I bought "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science Quarterly, and then commenced a systematic study, never doubting that Christian Science was the truth. Several months later it occurred to me that I had not had a sick headache since leaving home. For years previously I had suffered very frequently from this trouble, and each attack had kept me in bed for a day.
On New Year's Day, however, I went to Pasadena to the flower carnival, and while standing in a crowd, began to see dark spots before my eyes, the symptoms of the approach of the old headaches. The first sensation was of fright, for I wondered where I should go; but immediately came the thought that God was right there and I need not go anywhere or do anything; that God is the healer of all our diseases. I was so filled with gratitude that I forgot where I was, but kept constantly declaring the truth. The excitement of the crowd called my attention to the parade that was coming, and I forgot the headache until I was on the car going home in the evening; and again I was grateful that the threatened attack had for the first time in my life failed to follow the symptoms. Only once afterward did I have a headache, and through the help of a practitioner it was very light indeed compared to former attacks. Later, I was healed of a chronic pain under my left shoulder blade through the words of our Leader's "Communion Hymn" (Poems, p. 75), which came to me one day as I was studying the lesson and unconsciously trying to ease the pain by shifting my position.
About five years after beginning this study, I was in a bathroom with the door locked when suddenly a chill seemed to shake me and my whole right side became cold and limp. My first thought was, God is my help in every need. The next thought was that the people in the house must never know of it. I never knew just how I got out of the bathroom and into a chair by a table, where my Bible lay. With my left hand I opened the Bible at the ninety-first psalm, and read it over and over, trying harder each time to realize its promises through the understanding which Christian Science gives. In a short time I could feel the blood circulating and warmth coming back. I succeeded in getting a message to my brother without arousing curiosity. He came and worked in Science to allay the fear I still seemed to manifest. I worked in his store, and it was the day before Christmas. I went on duty at half past eleven that morning and stayed until ten o'clock in the evening, when I went home for Christmas Day, feeling fine. A few days later, as fear seemed to cling to me, I asked a practitioner for help. Very soon the fear was gone, and I have not had even a touch of the fear or of the trouble in the nearly eight years since.
