When Christian Science was presented to me over twenty-five years ago, I had investigated almost every known religion but had found nothing tangible or satisfying in any of them. From childhood I had always loved to attend church and Sunday School, but as I grew older, questions would come to my thought which could not be answered by any of these religions. In Science, however, these questions have been answered, and I saw from the start that here was a religion that could be called upon to help in time of need. I had previously undergone almost a year of hospitalization because of arthritis, lying most of the time in a cast up to my hips, and at times my heart would cry out at the injustice of my being compelled to lie in such a condition, suffering excruciating pain. I voiced this to a friend who came to see me, adding that there must be something wrong with religion when it said that God would send such suffering to one of His loved ones. Like Job (10:15) I cried, "I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction."
I can see now that the way was being prepared for my acceptance of Christian Science. I remembered that my mother had a book about Christian Science, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, and one day after nearly a year of this suffering, I asked her if she still had that book. She clasped her hands and with tears of joy said, "Thank God." She had had beautiful healings in Christian Science, and it was her prayer that I would accept it. She went to her room and returned with a copy of Science and Health, and from that day to this I have never been without one.
I started to read, and within a few weeks a brother took me out to his ranch home, about sixty-five miles from the nearest town. I took the book, but left all medicines behind, and there had been many of them. This dear brother, while not a student of Christian Science, was a firm believer in God, and he was wholeheartedly in accord with my decision to abandon medicine. The healing was slow, but permanent. Each step of progress was a staff to lean upon.
