The following accounts of Mary Baker Eddy are offered for their informative value.
In 1886, Miss Anne Dodge, daughter of General Grenville M. Dodge, who was famous as a soldier and a builder of railroads, went to Mrs. Eddy for Christian Science healing. Miss Dodge's homes were then in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and New York City. In 1888 and 1889, she received Christian Science teaching from Mrs. Eddy in the Massachusetts Metaphysical College. Afterward, Miss Dodge practiced Christian Science in Denver, New York, London, and Washington. She has related her first interview with Mrs. Eddy as follows:
"When I was about sixteen years of age I had been ill for two years of a disease my doctors said was incurable and which was most alarming to my parents. After a premature adolescence, a normal physical function had ceased and I was anemic. I had been given electrical treatments and my mother had taken me to famous baths in Germany and in other parts of Europe. After returning from Europe, my mother and I heard of a woman who had not walked for eighteen years and had been healed through Christian Science. My mother knew her family. Then my mother took me to Boston to Mrs. Eddy for treatment. After a week, mother got an appointment for me, and we went to Mrs. Eddy's home, where she received me in her office or library. I had not cared much about going, as I felt so ill. My first thought on seeing her was what a spiritual woman she was and what wonderful eyes she had. Her curly hair at that time was still dark. She sat in an easy armed chair, and invited me to sit opposite her. She impressed me as being very sweet, loving, and tender. Her part of the interview, which lasted an hour or longer, was more mental than audible. She put her hand over her eyes, and I thought she was praying. At first I felt rather restless, and then I felt it was all right to be there. I looked around the room at the pictures and so on. Very soon I had a wonderful feeling of peace, and I felt uplifted. The flesh didn't seem real to me any longer. It was a wonderful experience. At the conclusion of her mental work she said, 'Now, my dear, you may get up and you are perfectly well.' She also said she would see me again soon. That evening the illness vanished for all time. It never came back. Mrs. Eddy had healed me in one treatment."
