It has been over thirteen years since I took up the study of Christian Science because my husband thought it might help him. He seemed in a very serious condition, both bodily and mentally, and no longer cared to live. To the dear friends who awakened us to this wonderful truth, I am deeply grateful. How true is that passage of Scripture, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The light of Truth which shone forth from that home of our friends was our inspiration, and we witnessed a beautiful healing in Christian Science. As a result of that young man's healing, my husband requested Christian Science treatment. I took up the study of this truth and read to him, as he was too ill to read for himself. He was suffering from a nervous condition and stomach trouble. We had many discouraging moments, as his was a slow healing; but the faithful work of a practitioner and the reading which we did finally brought it about. Before my husband's healing came I found I had been healed of a habit of taking laxatives, and I could hardly realize that I had forgotten all about my pills. Since that time Christian Science has been our only physician in a family of five. So-called diseases of childhood were quickly overcome simply by reading and studying the Bible and our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy.
I should like to relate a healing which is outstanding in our experience. Our little girl, then aged four, complained of a very sore mouth. I denied this error immediately and affirmed the truth, as we are taught to do in Christian Science; but she grew steadily worse until her mouth was in a terrible condition. My husband became alarmed and asked me to take her to a dentist and have a diagnosis made of the case, which I did. The dentist was not a Christian Scientist, but he was in sympathy with it; however, he could not understand why the child was not suffering. He said a grown person would suffer terribly with a mouth in that condition. Of course we knew that to be the result of the work already done. He asked if that condition could be healed in Christian Science. I told him it certainly could be, but that I should like to have him examine the child thoroughly. This he did, and he said that according to materia medica it was a form of rickets. He of course felt we should use some material means, but we thanked him and left the office.
On the way home it occurred to me that I should ask for help instead of trying to do the work myself; that perhaps I was trying to undertake more than my understanding of Truth would permit. I talked with two Christian Science friends on the way home and following their advice called a practitioner. The practitioner was out of the city. Then it became very clear to me that the work was mine to do. We continued our journey home, and I was earnestly and prayerfully trying to know the truth; and when I "listened" these words by our Leader came clearly to me (Science and Health, p. 463), "A spiritual idea has not a single element of error, and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive." With this thought came a great sense of peace, for I knew our demonstration was made. I had uncovered fear in my thought because of the odor, and I instantly knew that odor had no power. The scientific diagnosis of the case had proved to me that divine Love was right there to give me what I needed to know, and the child's mouth was normal within four days.
