Several years ago I wrote a testimony of my first healing, which was published in the Christian Science Sentinel, and it is only recently that the thought has come to me that we owe it to the Cause to bear witness more than once through the pages of our periodicals, just as truly as it is our duty and privilege to give our testimonies in our Wednesday evening meetings.
It is over twenty years since I was healed of a so-called incurable disease through the reading of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. There has been no return of that trouble, I am happy to say, but there have been many other problems to work out, as must be always the case in our journey from sense to Soul.
One of the problems that seemed very slow in working out was a deep sense of personal responsibility for the welfare of others. This sense had been magnified by the church in which I was brought up, as we were made to feel responsible for the salvation of the whole world. While I saw the error of this in a degree, it has demanded much prayerful watchfulness to keep this out of my practice of Christian Science, both in my family relations and in my other associations. As the result of this overanxiety, at one time in my experience I came under what might be called a nervous breakdown, and before I got through with it the conditions were exactly similar to what under medical treatment had been pronounced pneumonia several years previous. I am very grateful for this experience, as I was able to prove my faith in Christian Science and my utter freedom from reliance on doctors, for there was never a moment when I doubted the power of Truth to meet my needs, even though there were three times when I seemed to be passing on; but thanks to the work of a faithful practitioner and the freedom from interference on the part of my family, I was lifted out of the dark shadow of the valley and restored to health and usefulness.
