Back of this testimony is the same motive which I suppose prompts every one that is written—the desire to help others who have like problems. "A great sacrifice of material things must precede this advanced spiritual understanding," Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 16). Such was certainly my experience after taking up the study of Christian Science.
I had seen my sister and others healed of diseases that physicians had pronounced incurable; I had been the recipient of a copy of Science and Health, which I had read; but being physically robust I continued to use materia medica when I needed help, feeling that should the time ever come when these material remedies failed me I would certainly turn to Christian Science. That time did come ; and in such a way that we were without time to try first one then the other. Our son, two years old, was taken suddenly very ill. We called for the services of a physician. We also engaged the services of a Christian Science practitioner, taking care not to tell her we were using material means. My thought was that if one did not heal, the other would. But while we were trying to serve God and mammon the child passed from our view.
But the practitioner had done some good work; for it was then that I began to strive for spiritual understanding. I went to see a practitioner near me, and treatment was given for five weeks. During that time I discarded my spectacles, which I had worn since early childhood on account of astigmatism; and I have never felt the need of them since. Other physical conditions, not considered serious though very annoying, were also overcome.
