About eleven years ago I heard of Christian Science, and although there was a great deal in it that I did not understand, still there were many things that gave me satisfactory answers to my questions. When I entered the army I despised the "duty" of religious exercises and religious teaching, and only to please my mother did I become a member of a Protestant church.
During my stay in Holland, shortly before going back to the Indies, I met some Christian Science students. But I was skeptical; I could not understand why it was not necessary for people to take medicine. My wife bought a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and shortly afterward (in 1918) we went to the Indies via the United States. In a Reading Room we heard that a Christian Science student was going to make the same trip, and from her I received my first Christian Science treatment during an attack of influenza on board ship. Never will I forget the suddenness of the healing. During my stay in New York I attended a Wednesday evening testimony meeting, and what I was told there of experiences during the war made a deep impression on me. It became clearer and clearer to me that God is Love, and that there is no God of revenge.
Upon arrival in the Indies I became overconfident. I thought that I could "remove mountains" with the little understanding I had of Christian Science. I did not protect myself enough. The consequence was that after a year we were attacked by malaria. Through the fear of one member of the family we called in a doctor and got his medicines. After struggling for months we realized that only Christian Science could help us, and we then honestly gave this healing method a fair chance. Although slowly, the complete healing was realized. The last flicker of malaria was in 1921. As I am a military officer, I had to call the army doctor. I did not use his medicine, and in a few days was entirely healed. Since then we have never been troubled with malaria.
