It was in 1942, whilst I was serving in the National Fire Service of Great Britain, that I discovered I had a painful eruption of the skin which it was my duty to have examined by a doctor. I was obliged to leave my station, report sick, and submit a medical certificate giving the name of a contagious disease, which led to the fumigation of my service quarters. The doctor I visited was a friend of my parents, who at that time were not actively interested in Christian Science. I felt that I should tell him I was a Christian Scientist, and he replied in a kindly fashion that he was not forcing me to do anything against my will to remedy the condition, but simply explaining what treatment he advised.
With a prescription in my pocket I went to my rooms to face up for the first time to a real testing time for my convictions. Fear began to creep in that I would delay my recovery and return to duty by not following the doctor's advice. I knew, too, that service friends were interestedly watching the outcome of this incident. The need for help from a wise and loving practitioner was apparent at this stage. This I soon obtained, and I was able with renewed confidence to leave the prescription form unused on my bureau while I followed her advice in study of the Bible and the works of Mary Baker Eddy. This quiet time away from the turmoil of service life enabled me to consider aspects of my thinking which needed purification, and I humbly thanked God for the opportunity to cast out every unclean thought.
The disease, however, did not disappear until the fear I had allowed to enter was completely uprooted. I knew the second when I was healed, in spite of continuance of material blemish. Within a short time my skin was clear and I was able to revisit the doctor for my recovery note. This he gave me unhesitatingly after his examination. He never asked me what course I had adopted. I left his consulting room filled with thankfulness and inspiration to go back to duty. The healing was the first my mother had seen, and it gave her much joy. This was the only sick leave I took during seven years' service.
