I attended the Christian Science Sunday School from the age of four and also had the guidance of two devout students of Christian Science, my grandmother, who was a practitioner and pioneer in the movement, and my mother. However, it was not until the following incident occurred that I realized the full import of Mrs. Eddy's words inScience and Health (p. 462), "Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every statement, and advance from the rudiments laid down."
Some months after the birth of our son I found myself unable to carry on even the simplest household tasks without severe fatigue, pain, and other distressing symptoms. The physician who had delivered the child advised an operation to restore an internal organ to its normal position, but he added that it might not give permanent relief. My husband was overseas on Army duty, and I did not want to have the operation at that time. Mechanical support was tried, but the doctor removed it, as it afforded no relief. Then I halfheartedly applied the truths of God and man which I had learned in Christian Science; but I made no progress.
In consulting a practitioner prior to making a long trip I mentioned my physical difficulty. I shall always be grateful to her for arousing me to the necessity of being healed rather than enduring discomfort and wavering between medical means and Christian Science. She also admonished me to be consistent in the daily reading and study of the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly and to adhere strictly to the rules of Science.
