When Christian Science was presented to me, it found me almost a mental wreck, in prison to false beliefs and illusions, a captive to sickness and wrong thinking. But God in His mercy set the captive free. How many are in prison who are not behind material bars! I had left the church of my childhood, and had ceased to pray to a God who I thought sent sickness and trials upon my loved ones and myself. And when these trials increased, I had nothing to hold to. I became more confused as time went on, until I did not know which way to turn.
I had suffered many years, during which time I had tried different kinds of treatment, but to no avail. So I had consented to an operation— which proved to be nine. These had left me in the mental state mentioned; and for three years, as the world counts time, I was a restless, miserable mortal. In desperation I prayed for the first time in years to a then unknown God to take me out of my misery; for I saw no other way out. The day the prayer was made the answer came. A loyal Christian Scientist extended to me the cup of cold water. So, weary and athirst in the desert of human hopes and fears, I drank freely; and one healing followed another in rapid succession. At once I regained my mental poise, and turned trustingly to God for help in working out my problems; and I know now that giving up my will for His and coming as a little child brought its fruit of quick healings.
At the end of the operations it had been feared that the bowels would be paralyzed, and the statement was made that they would never be normal again. But when I took up the study of Christian Science, I intended to prove its truth. I had been a medical nurse, and medicine had failed me; so there was nothing to turn back to. I trusted God fully, and in four months had a complete healing through reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and Mrs. Eddy's other writings. I read all the literature and studied the Lesson-Sermons, striving to apply that which I understood. Rheumatism, which had previously kept me crippled for weeks at a time, was instantly overcome by reading a letter from a practitioner, dealing with the unreality of matter and stating that it was therefore impossible for it to take cold. These are only two of the many physical healings I have had, and they were only the "signs following." The spiritual uplift and regeneration of thinking which came into my life are beyond expression.
