I have received so much help through my study and application of Christian Science that I feel the time has come for me to share some of my experiences with the readers of our periodicals.
Shortly after the First World War my husband and I found ourselves in a strange city with most of our savings gone and very little income. During this time I became ill with a swollen gland, high fever, soreness, and pain. I had heard of Christian Science and had attended Sunday and Wednesday services and a lecture. When this trouble came, we decided to rely on Christian Science, and a practitioner was called to work for me. She advised us to borrow the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. This was on a Monday. When I borrowed the book and started reading, I found, like so many others, that I could not stop. Through this reading and the work of the practitioner, by Wednesday evening of the same week I was able to attend the testimony meeting. In a few days I was completely healed, and there has never been a return of this trouble.
At the same time, by reading Science and Health, my husband was healed of an eye condition caused by being gassed in the war. An Army eye specialist had told him that the condition might result in blindness. After these healings our financial need was also met. Since that time our progress has been continuous.
Our only son, who is now a young man, has had many blessings from Christian Science. He was healed instantaneously of whooping cough just by my repeating "the scientific statement of being" as found on page 468 of Science and Health. Measles were healed in a week's time, with the aid of a practitioner. Both healings were complete, without any bad effects whatsoever.
When he was a small boy, he fell through a china closet, receiving a deep cut over his ear. This caused severe bleeding. On seeing this I was very much frightened. I turned him over to his father and called a practitioner. I shall never forget her words when I told her what had taken place. She quietly said, "He cannot fall out of God." This was a new language to me, but it quieted my fears. When I returned to the boy, the bleeding had ceased, and a big smile greeted me through the tears. The practitioner continued the work for several days. The healing was rapid, with no swelling, soreness, or discoloration. With the exception of a small piece of gauze used to keep the place clean, there was nothing to show that anything had occurred.
I feel this testimony would not be complete if I did not mention some of the benefits we received from Christian Science during this son's service in World War II.
When he reached the age of twenty, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Force and took the rigid physical and mental examinations. Out of approximately one hundred and fifty men only twenty-five passed the mental test and only eight the physical test. He was one of these.
The following year he was sent home from college, having been told that he would soon receive orders to report for active duty. I knew that the help we needed would be found in Christian Science, and I was not too disturbed until the morning the orders came. Then I found myself overcome with a sense of grief and fear. I turned earnestly to God for the answer and was led to the ninety-first Psalm. Still feeling the need of help, I read the one hundred and first Psalm. The following verses (2,3) met my need and completely healed me: "I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." I was able to say good-by at the time, and also when he left for overseas duty, with no tears, and ever after that I quickly routed any fears which presented themselves.
He received help all during his training period. At one time he wrote me he was having difficulty in making his solo flight. Soon after this I visited him in the training camp. We began to work in Christian Science and to realize where his help came from. While we were working this out, the story of the mother of Zebedee's children came to me (Matt. 20:20-28), and I earnestly desired only what God wanted for my son, and in no way did I try to outline what this should be or how it should work out. He had been having some trouble with his instructor, who had tried to discourage him by telling him he would never make a pilot. The next morning when he went to the flying field he had a new instructor. He made his solo landing, and the new instructor congratulated him, and the former instructor did also. He finished his training, served overseas, completing thirty-eight missions with full protection, and was the only one in his group who did not have to be sent to a rest camp.
I am most grateful for all these blessings, for our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, who has again given to the world the truths taught by Christ Jesus; for class instruction, which has enabled me to be a more useful worker in the Cause of Christian Science; for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church; and for all the activities of the movement. My daily prayer is that I may be worthy of the name "Christian Scientist," and that I may let my "light so shine before men" that they too will want to know God and learn of His blessings which come to us through the study and application of Christian Science.— Lakewood, Ohio.
