Christian Science was first brought to us at a time when all material means had failed to relieve me of constant suffering in my face, which affected my eyesight to the extent that I was hardly able to see to read a letter. For this disease I underwent an operation in 1913, in one of the leading hospitals here. I suffered unspeakably for three full years, and consulted many physicians, who were kind and did their best. The last doctor said he could do nothing for me and wanted to take me again to the hospital for another operation. I refused stoutly, and wished for death. Then a lady told me of a healing she had had in Christian Science and assured me that the same healing power used by Jesus is present today. She lent me a copy of Science and Health, which I found to be the true "key" to a better understanding of the Bible, and an unspeakable love and gratitude came over me toward the author, Mary Baker Eddy. I was healed in three weeks by absent treatment, and of course I wanted to know more about this healing power.
The First Commandment was applied at a time when our baby, whose bowels had never moved naturally, needed help. As I reached out for the material remedy, it was as if someone said in a loud voice, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." I pulled my hand back, closed my eyes, and for the first time in my life I knew the meaning of the First Commandment. I had a great feeling of unfailing trust in God, and the child was healed instantly. This experience gave us a foundation of faith in and understanding of Christian Science. Our eldest boy was healed of total blindness in thirty days. His eyesight has been tested each year since then at school and each time has been pronounced perfect. Tonsils, which school authorities had ordered removed, were healed. Erysipelas, blood poisoning, and many ills were overcome, some with the aid of a practitioner, some with our own application of this practical religion.
Broken bones were healed at a time when a physician prophesied that the boy would be a cripple for life if an operation was not performed at once. The boy fell while playing, and his right arm hung helpless and twisted. We asked a doctor to put the arm in a sling, so the boy would be more comfortable. This doctor was new in town and did not know we were Christian Scientists. He said the boy had to be brought at once to the hospital, as the arm was broken in three places, out of joint at the elbow, and badly twisted; also that it needed to be X-rayed and the broken pieces of bone removed. When we told him we were having Christian Science treatment, he was alarmed, and insisted that the case was too serious, one of the worst injuries he had ever seen. However, we took the boy home. All the way I was happy to know that "with God all things are possible;" and that if we fully trusted Him, we had nothing to fear. We all declared the truth. The boy rested comfortably, and step by step improvement was noticeable. On the day following, the doctor went to the company where my husband is employed, telling those in charge of the danger and declaring that the boy could never use his arm if medical aid was not given at once. My husband told them that the healings we had had in Christian Science were too numerous and too great to let us doubt for one moment that the boy would be completely healed under Science treatment. Five weeks after the accident the boy swam across a river, took part in sports, and in the fall he entered school and used that arm in all his school work. Five months later, when the physical examination took place, he was found to be entirely normal.
