For many years I lived and worked in Central Africa, often in remote areas, and during that time I became increasingly aware of the practicality of Christian Science as a religion and the way of Life.
Without the support of the Bible, Mrs. Eddy's works, and the weekly Lesson-Sermon, contained in the Quarterly, my family and I would have found the many problems of health and human relationships confronting us during that period almost overwhelming. When we were ourselves unable to solve problems, we had the immediate help of practitioners, who lived usually many hundreds or even thousands of miles away and with whom we communicated by letter or by cable.
A healing which I received as a young man impressed me deeply. I was then a keen athlete. At a particular athletic sports meeting one day I had won one middle-distance race and was coming up toward the last hundred yards in a second race in order to try and overtake the two competitors in front of me, when suddenly I pulled an Achilles tendon. Medical people on the spot informed me that I would be out of competitive athletics for a month or two.
I had only recently come into contact with Christian Science, but I realized that here was an opportunity to use it. I wrote that evening to a practitioner and asked for help in healing the ankle injury. A reply advised me to acknowledge my true selfhood as God's image, perfect in every way, then and there. I was told to deny any suggestion that man could have been injured or disabled at all. With the practitioner's help and by doing my best to hold to the truth of man as God's ever-perfect child, I found that the ankle immediately began to respond.
Within twelve days I had not only recommenced hard training but also taken part in an important championship in London in which I was placed in the final— a better place than I had ever achieved in such an important meeting before. I was tremendously grateful for this healing, not only because of the ankle but also because a start had been made at the same time toward overcoming a sense of overanxiety or nervousness before sports events.
A more recent healing was that of influenza some three years ago. At the time I was extremely busy not only during normal office hours but often at night and during part of each weekend too. One Friday morning I heard that several people known to me had been taken ill with influenza. Being busy I failed to deny the suggestion of mortal mind that there was an epidemic. I was serving as a Reader for a group of Scientists who met informally to hold services, and I was due to read over the Lesson-Sermon with the other Reader that afternoon in preparation for the Sunday service.
Shortly before I left my office, I suddenly felt extremely ill and decided to go home. I endeavored to deny this suggestion of illness, and on my arrival my wife helped me to continue declaring the truth that man is always perfect and that influenza cannot touch him. I was able to read over the lesson in due course with the other Reader, but later I felt very ill again and decided to rest in bed.
It was essential that the influenza should be overcome without delay; so I asked my wife to send a cable for help to a practitioner several thousands of miles away. I continued to affirm the truth and to deny the mortal mind picture of illness and suffering. As a result of this, my wife's support, and, later, the help of the practitioner, I had a good night's sleep. Next morning I was able to go to the office and deal with a very busy program. I also undertook the running of a lengthy outdoor sports meeting that same afternoon with practically no discomfort, and on the following day, Sunday, I was able to fulfill my duties as a Reader. I was overjoyed that the truth as taught and practiced in Christian Science had completely destroyed the influenza.
Many problems of supply in our family have been solved, harmonious traveling conditions have been experienced, and many other difficulties have been overcome through the study and application of Christian Science. I was called up for Army service before the Second World War and had many healings through Christian Science during the ensuing six years.
For the wonderful help received from Christian Science through the study of the Bible, together with Science and Health and the other works of Mrs. Eddy, for our literature, for class instruction, and for the faithful help of a teacher of Christian Science and various practitioners, I am ever grateful. I bless the day when my attention was drawn to this completely practical religion.
Fence, Lancashire, England
