In 1954 I returned from a short summer trip so sick that I went to bed immediately. The severe abdominal pain I was experiencing grew worse. At that time my mother was already a member of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, and I had often seen the healing effect of Christian Science. Nevertheless, I did not really understand it, and I still felt linked to my own Protestant church.
Thus I tried to get along without Christian Science help. But when my condition got even worse and the symptoms pointed to appendicitis, it became clear to me that I would have to make a decision between an operation or Christian Science treatment. As a surgical operation did not appeal to me, my decision was for Science. But soon I realized that my own understanding was not sufficient. So I asked my mother to call a practitioner for help.
On that very day the practitioner paid me a visit. He explained man to me as he is described in the record of creation in the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible where we read (verse 27), "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him." To give a better explanation of God the practitioner pointed to the seven synonyms which Mrs. Eddy uses to explain God. She writes (Science and Health, p. 465), "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." It became clear to me that sickness is no part of eternity. The practitioner's explanations were logical and easy to understand, and I readily accepted what he told me.
