I shall never forget the joy with which I first heard of Christian Science. For many years I had been sadly conscious of a hunger and thirst for an understanding of God and the Bible; so I grasped at this Science almost greedily, and exclaimed, "It is what we should always have had; I don't know how we ever lived without it." I caught a glimpse of the more abundant life which Christ Jesus promised.
When I settled in a country town here, I found no one interested in Christian Science, but I continued to study the Lesson-Sermons from the Christian Science Quarterly, and read all the literature, for which I subscribed at once. As my understanding grew, I was able to apply it to problems as they came up. One instance stands out vividly. I sprained an ankle severely, and as I did not then know how to treat myself, I simply read Science and Health for hours. When I experienced no relief from the severe pain and swelling, I questioned myself as to what was in my thought to hinder the work of Truth. I realized I was believing in a man-made law by having my foot wrapped up and on a chair and my shoe off. So I declared that God's law only was active, put my foot down, and literally jammed my shoe on with a stamp; then, knowing that God was the only power, after one second of agony I found I was healed. I walked out free and had no further trouble. The discoloration left in a day or so. I walked miles the next day just for the joy of it.
Later I had an instantaneous healing of influenza, when I was lying helpless. I was trying to help myself, as I was not in touch with a practitioner, when, like a clear voice, the words came to me, "Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good" (Science and Health, p. 393). With the command came the strength to obey. I threw off the bedclothes, and sprang out of bed, absolutely healed.
