Several years ago I turned to Christian Science when I had become utterly discouraged on account of continued ills. I was under the care of a specialist, and had been for some time; and he had just told me that if the diseased condition of a bone did not heal that week he would have to operate. Having gone through a very serious surgical operation a few years before for another condition, and having been months in recuperating, I had a great horror of the after effects of operations. As I came out of the doctor's office into the reception room I met a friend, who told me he had been through an operation similar to what mine would probably be, and he was then visiting the doctor continually to have the wound taken care of. This experience only tended to increase my fear. I resolved right there that I was going to try Christian Science. I called up a dear sister, who had been interested in Christian Science for some time, and she very lovingly came to my home and helped me to locate a practitioner near me. Treatment was begun the following afternoon, and from that time no more visits to the specialist were necessary. I did have him examine me in a few days, however, and he pronounced me healed. He looked at me in a very queer way, but said nothing further.
For some time before turning to Christian Science I had been very much prejudiced against what I thought Christian Science to be, and against its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy; but when I made my decision for Christian Science my heart went out in prayer to God that He would reveal to me whether it was the truth or not, and my desire was that only as I found it to be truth would I obtain healing. The words of Jesus, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," had been with me so much for some time that I seemed to glimpse that nothing but the truth could free me. I wanted to know. I was tired of being put aside with inadequate replies to my questionings. Oh, the joy of those few days of spiritual unfoldment through the loving work of the practitioner! It seemed almost too good to be true, that God never sends suffering or trouble of any kind. I had been laboring under the thought that human suffering is the chastening of the Lord, and His means of purifying us. I had tried to be patient, but found myself becoming more and more rebellious.
Since Christian Science had met my need so beautifully, I was encouraged to ask that another problem be taken up. My dentist had been trying for some time to heal a pus bag in the roof of my mouth, and when he found I was having treatments of the specialist, mentioned above, he told me to have him look at the condition. The doctor said he would operate on this also when he took care of the other condition. Needless to say, no operation was necessary; for after a few treatments in Christian Science this also disappeared. When I returned to my dentist to have some bridge work finished he was so amazed at the healthy condition of my mouth, especially when I told him I had not been operated upon, that he did not want to go on with the work until he was sure the healing was permanent. A little later, when I called again, he had no excuse for delay, for it had been proved that what God does will stand. He marveled at the healing, however; and as he was an old friend I explained that I had had Christian Science treatment, and found him much interested. I heard some time later that he and the specialist had talked over my case, and that the dentist had told the doctor what I had done, for the doctor had expressed surprise at my quick recovery.
