It has been my desire for some time to express my deep gratitude for Christian Science and for all that it has done for me, and particularly for my first healing, which stands out as the most beautiful experience in my life.
For many years I suffered from what physicians told me was an infected tube in my left side. At times I was not able to eat any kind of solid food without much pain and often high fever lasting for days. I had treatments from several physicians, but none of them gave any relief. Finally the last one I had told me that I could never be well again without an operation. All my life I had felt a great horror at the thought of an operation, so I had decided that if this was my only chance of living, I would just pass on before I would consent to have one, although I was very miserable and knew not which way to turn.
It was at this time that Christian Science was presented to me by a near relative who had undergone many operations without any relief. She gave me "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and told me that if I would read it it would form me anew. Knowing what she had suffered and seeing her so well and happy, I accepted the book, saying, "I will read it, but I know it can't help me." I began reading it, and I shall never forget the sense of peace and joy that came over me after reading the first words in the Preface (p. vii), "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." This made me more eager to continue reading, although I then had much prejudice towards Mrs. Eddy, in fact so much so that I would not even call her name in reading her book and the literature where her references were given. I read for about a year and was much benefited in every way, but the question kept presenting itself to me, If you were to become more seriously ill, would you call a doctor or would you be willing to rely wholly on Christian Science for help? Not only did this question come to me, but friends who knew I had taken up the study of Christian Science were asking me the same thing. I did not have to ponder over this very long, for there was a testing time ahead of me in which I was to choose whom I would serve.
