Early in 1920 my health began to fail. I had very little faith in drugs, and still less in Christian Science, of which I knew little, although I thought I knew much. I believed in a strict diet to correct illness; and so I began the usual care in regard to food; but it had no effect whatever. I was troubled with indigestion, which caused gas pressure on the heart; and this increased to such an extent that I lost strength and flesh rapidly. My appetite left me at the first attack. Constipation added another ill. This went on for several months. My husband suggested a doctor, but I refused to have one.
Then one day my husband said that a friend had told him of a healer in Portland who had cured his wife, although the healer had never seen her until she was well again. But I told him I wanted nothing like that. However, I continued to grow worse, and finally lost faith in my own methods. Soon after this I was seized with an attack of tonsillitis. A local physician was called, but my condition became more serious.
A dear friend who was staying with me was called away for twenty-four hours, and the night following her departure I sat up in bed most of the time because it was difficult for me to breathe while lying down. Sleep had been impossible for several nights. In the still watches of that memorable night a voice said to me, Take no more medicine. In the morning I told my husband that it would be easier for me to die than to take any more medicine. He prepared a dainty breakfast for me, but it was set aside untouched. He then asked me if I could remain alone for a while. I told him I could, and he said that he had decided to go and consult the person his friend had told him about. He had been away an hour or more when I began to have a strong desire to leave the bed, to get up and move about. That morning I had been unable to stand without help. I found it quite easy to rise and to sit in a comfortable chair near the bed. I had been in the chair but a few moments when a delightful feeling of ease and comfort came over me, impossible to describe. Then the pain in my throat suddenly disappeared, and large quantities of mucus came away from it. A blinding headache was next to go; and then the fever disappeared in the same way. The bitter taste on my tongue was gone so quickly that I could hardly believe it to be true, for it had been with me for many days. Now for the first time in many months I was hungry, so I decided to go in search of something to eat. I went to the kitchen, found the discarded breakfast, carried the tray to my easy chair and enjoyed what seemed the best meal I ever tasted. Not long afterward I lay down and went to sleep. When my husband returned he said, "You don't look at all as you did when I left." I answered, "I am well." He gave me a little book, and remarked: "You must read this. The gentleman I went to see is a Christian Science practitioner." I then realized that I had been privileged to receive Christian Science help, which had freed me from bondage, and this with the practitioner many miles distant. I took the little book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and it has been my constant companion ever since. All medicines were discarded that day, and we have never since had any desire to use them. Not the least indication of throat trouble has ever again manifested itself. When my friend returned in the afternoon, she remarked that had she not seen my condition both before and after this healing, it would have been hard for her to believe that it could have taken place in so short a time and in such a way. She, too, has been a student of Christian Science since that day.
