When Christian Science first came into my experience, I was most miserable. Through misunderstanding, willfulness, selfishness, and stubbornness I had been separated from family and home. Because of this condition I was filled with bitterness, resentment, self-pity, and self-righteous condemnation. The consequence of this state of thinking was a most serious and painful illness, from which I had been suffering for ten months. I had been having what was considered the very best of medical treatment. Finally two surgeons advised an immediate operation.
At this point a very dear friend, who knew nothing of the teachings of Christian Science, was critically ill with influenza and double pneumonia. After physicians had despaired of saving her life, help was asked of a Christian Science practitioner and a remarkable healing followed. This healing convinced me that Christian Science had reestablished the teachings of Christ Jesus in a demonstrable way. Therefore I decided to have no more medical treatments, but to investigate this Science. The nurse who attended my friend gave me a Christian Science Sentinel and two pamphlets. Although this was all the literature I had, I read it over and over again. I was so eager to be convinced that this teaching did not in any way conflict with the teachings of the Bible that I thought little of gaining physical healing. At the end of about three months I found myself completely healed of the illness from which I had suffered so much pain. Very soon I began to realize that I was more calm than I had been in all my life. I had had repeated periods of nervous disorders and stomach trouble. These disappeared, and I began to realize that this glorious truth which I had been reading and studying was indeed the truth that Jesus said would make us free.
Soon after my first healing I visited a Christian Science practitioner and poured out my sorrowful story of separation from home and family. She explained the necessity of studying the Bible and the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, together with Mrs. Eddy's other writings, in order to be freed from every discordant condition. She also awakened my thought to use all of the channels provided by our Leader in order to learn more of this healing truth. Then in a very loving, gentle manner she helped me to understand how to love in the manner Jesus taught us to love. I learned that I must learn to love as Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane, which Mrs. Eddy defines in part as "love meeting no response. but still remaining love" (Science and Health, p. 586). Then I began to understand how to love in an unselfed manner; to love those who did not act as if they loved me. This was a long, slow lesson, but a most beautiful one—with such a rich reward. After about ten years my family turned to me for help, and I then saw how Love had been preparing me so that I might share with them this blessed understanding of Life, Truth, and Love that had come to me through Christian Science. Our family was reunited, and healings and an abundance of blessings have been the rich reward.
