"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Ps. 103:2). I desire to take advantage of the privilege of expressing my gratitude for all the benefits received through Christian Science. Many times during the years I have been blessed by studying this Science, and healings have always resulted when its truths have been earnestly applied. I have received much encouragement from the helpful testimonies in the periodicals.
When a problem involving financial expense arose, I endeavored to work prayerfully on the thought of supply and to understand Mrs. Eddy's statement in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 307): "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for tomorrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment. What a glorious inheritance is given to us through the understanding of omnipresent Love!"
I began to realize that God's spiritual ideas are available at every moment and that man, as a spiritual idea, has no unfilled need, because all that God has is already man's by reflection. The perception of these truths at that time cast out fear of financial lack, and the expenses were taken care of without hardship. Through this experience I gained a better understanding of God and of man's relation to Him and learned that one can have no greater need than to know his Father-Mother, Love.
I should like to tell of my first instantaneous healing, which came through my own understanding of Christian Science. I was returning after lunch hour to the office where I was employed, and as I stepped off the elevator in the building and started to walk on the marble floor of the corridor, I slipped. In order to keep from falling I braced myself against a wall, but in so doing I twisted my ankle and felt very severe pain. At that moment the thought presented itself that this was the ankle which had been injured in a previous accident.
Immediately I denied that there was any weakness of any kind due to a former injury, as mortal mind would suggest, because there never was an accident in divine Mind. I walked from the corridor and into the reception room of the firm, where I sat down on a chair to regain composure. Then I silently declared "the scientific statement of being," found on page 468 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. By the time I had finished declaring the truth of this statement of man's spiritual being, all sense of pain had completely vanished, and I arose from the chair entirely calm and free. I walked along another corridor to my desk, thanking God for this healing. During the afternoon I carried on my duties with no further thought of the ankle, and no discomfort was experienced then or later. I have never ceased to be grateful for this proof of instantaneous healing.
Through the consecrated work of practitioners I have been healed of colds and hemorrhoids. Many times I have proved that God is always at hand, lovingly protecting us, and this understanding has prevented accidents and solved daily problems in business and in the home.
I am grateful to God for Christ Jesus, our Way-shower, and for Mrs. Eddy, through whose unselfish and untiring devotion to all mankind we now have Christian Science. Because of its activities we are instructed and led into harmony. My gratitude is great for the privilege of membership in The Mother Church and a branch church, for class instruction, and for the practitioners and friends who have helped me along the way. In addition, I am grateful for visits I have made to the Sanatorium of the Christian Science Benevolent Association, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and for the benefits received as a guest there.— Brooklyn, New York.
