Before the complete and permanent healing of a member of my family, I was much prejudiced against what I then thought was Christian Science. I loved, and shall always love, the church of which I was a member and which had done so much for me and for my children. But its teachings failed to satisfy my needs. I studied assiduously and Consecutively new-thought, Unity, and theosophy for a better understanding of Him "who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases."
I had never been considered physically strong. My father, who was a physician of considerable note, passed on in 1854, when I was nine years of age. He warned my mother of my delicate constitution, and seriously doubted that I should reach maturity. So I was made an object of special care and solicitude, nearly always ailing in some way and frequently under the care of a physician. Nearly thirty years ago, after a serious attack of what was called grippe, I was left for more than ten years with a severe after effect, from which I suffered greatly. I was subject to paroxysms of extreme pain coming at intervals of from ten to fifteen days, even more frequently and more severe if I were mentally disturbed or distressed.
I revered the memory of my father so much that I had great faith in his profession, and consulted several of those who stood highest in it, and who were all good, faithful, conscientious men. It was generally agreed the best they could do was to give temporary relief, as mine was an age disease, and not curable, they said. After a few weeks' trial my suffering returned, seemingly with renewed vigor. I grew desperate, and really felt that I preferred death to the probability of a lifetime of such torture as I was enduring.
