My childhood was darkened by false theological teaching. At the early age of seven I began secretly to repudiate these beliefs, and with tears besought God to show me the truth about Himself. I became an earnest church worker, and at the age of twenty was a deaconess in an orthodox church and spent all my time in some of the worst slums in London, telling the people about God, praying with them, teaching them, and loving them. But sin, sickness, and poverty were very real to me, and after my marriage the doctor was constantly summoned to our home on account of sickness, and operations were frequent.
All these trials were borne patiently and cheerfully, for I believed God sent them. I knew we ought to be obeying the Master's command, "Heal the sick," but how to do the works he said we should do, I did not know. Then in 1918 I heard of Christian Science. But I was kept from studying it for a time because I was told that Christian Scientists did not honor Christ Jesus, but put Mrs. Eddy first. I borrowed Mrs. Eddy's book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and began to study it, for I had to admit that these people were doing the works that Jesus did. To my deep joy and gratitude, after careful and prayerful daily study, I found that Christian Science is based on the teachings of Jesus, and that it honors him as no other religion does, by demonstrating the truth of his words, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also."
I gratefully acknowledge that every problem, personal or general, is being solved through the study of the Bible and our Leader's books. No doctor or medicine has entered our home since 1919. On pages 476 and 477 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." This truth was beautifully demonstrated on one occasion when my husband was taken very ill with heart trouble; he had to be propped up with pillows, as he breathed with pain and difficulty. He asked me to help him, and I went into another room and there, after prayer and study, caught a glimpse of "the perfect man," and this "correct view" did indeed heal the sick. Within two hours my husband was using his typewriter, and that afternoon we went out together. The healing was complete and almost instantaneous.
