Twenty-seven years ago a dear relative sent me Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. Until then I did not know anything about Christian Science. It was a completely new world of thought for me, toward which I felt very antagonistic at first. But through the loving encouragement of this relative I occupied myself more and more with the truths in Science and Health.
I soon realized that I had to apply what I read in order to understand it correctly. I had plenty of opportunity at this time to do so. The aftermath of World War II left us destitute and homeless. With two small children, we had to start anew. We all suffered from malnutrition, and I myself was under constant medical care because of my very precarious state of health. In addition, I was expecting another child.
After I slowly began to understand the truths that had been presented to me, one problem after another was solved. It was not easy at times, and often required a radical reversal in my thought. But persistent adherence to the truth of God's spiritual, perfect creation led to success time after time. We had wonderful proofs of God's provision supplying our various needs. My state of health improved steadily. The childbirth took place harmoniously and without assistance from a physician. The very next day I was able to do light housework, and a week later I was taking care of my family on my own again.
Since then I have been earnestly studying Christian Science. I had a great desire to study Mrs. Eddy's writings in their original language. This desire was fulfilled in a wonderful way. Unexpectedly I was presented with the opportunity to learn the English language, and to be able to use it for seventeen years in employment which had thereby opened up for me. In spite of insufficient professional training I was always able to obtain progressively better positions in this career.
Divine Love replaced our lost home with a larger one. We literally experienced the words from the Bible (Mal. 3:10): "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Many times my husband experienced divine protection and the truth of the passage in Science and Health where Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 424): "Under divine Providence there can be no accidents, since there is no room for imperfection in perfection." On one occasion he was struck by a car and thrown into the street, which was quite heavily traveled. There were no aftereffects from the fall.
I am grateful that since knowing of Christian Science I have not needed any medication, and that for the healing of physical problems I have relied exclusively on Christian Science, which heals in the way Christ Jesus demonstrated. But I am happiest of all for having come to know aright our Father-Mother God and my relationship to Him through this study, and in this way harmony has been increasingly manifested in my life.
I am also very grateful for membership in The Mother Church and a Christian Science Society, for class instruction, as well as for activity in this branch of The Mother Church. I thank God for Christ Jesus, our Way-shower, and for Mrs. Eddy, who has made these healing truths available to us, and also for my dear relative who presented me with Science and Health.
Kaiserslautern, Federal
Republic of Germany
I would herewith like to confirm the testimony of my wife. I, too, feel impelled to express my gratitude in particular for the protection in the above-mentioned incident. I am also grateful for all the other blessings and healings which I have experienced through Christian Science. For fourteen years I, too, have been a member of The Mother Church and of a Christian Science Society where I have been, and still am, serving in a variety of offices.
As a very young child, I was sent to the Christian Science Sunday School for a brief time. Throughout childhood, I was aware of a deep and close relationship with my heavenly Father, and I talked to Him as to a human parent, always confident that He would reveal Himself in His own way, always finding what I needed to meet my childish needs. I had a great yearning to understand God better, to love more, and to see everyone manifest more love. I loved the New Testament and Christ Jesus and tried to live by his teachings.
When I went to work in my late teens, I hardly knew how to cope with the sophistication I found. In addition, our home had been under continual strain for many years because our father drank heavily and was very unhappy. At that time he was struggling, with the help of medicines, to lift himself out of his predicament and was not drinking anymore, but the home situation was still often depressing. I never lost faith in God and had continual proof of His love and care, and my life was not without joy. But I longed to see more of God's goodness manifested for everyone and personally felt the need of a deeper understanding to cope with adult problems.
One night, after praying as deeply as I knew how to, I knew my prayer was answered, and I felt very peaceful. Very soon after, I found a copy of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy in our home. It had been given to an older sister by a friend. Immediately I started to read it. I ate it up. I loved the logic of it, and many of my questions were being answered. Immediately I began to drop some of the fears I had known. I began to feel wonderful peace and freedom, and I know now that Truth's regenerating power started to change my thinking immediately.
After I had been reading for some months, I thought I would like to test it when my face erupted in an extremely ugly skin condition. I continued to read the textbook, but when I saw no improvement, I became worried and went to a doctor. He gave me an ointment, gravely saying he could not guarantee a cure. I used the ointment for some time, continuing to read, but the condition did not heal.
One day I decided I was going to throw away the ointment and rely entirely on God. On page 261 of Science and Health is written: "Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." I realized that I must watch my thoughts and not the condition. As I did this, it became noticeable that each time I was irritated my face would erupt anew. This was frequently, for I had a co-worker who annoyed me very much.
I decided that if that was the cause, I would love my way out of it by applying pure Christianity. I started to replace every unloving thought with a loving one and refused to react to the things that were said and done to annoy me. So absorbed did I become in this exercise that I hardly noticed the condition anymore. I do not know when the physical condition cleared up entirely, but one day, sometime later, I realized the healing was complete when a friend remarked on how beautiful my skin was. The inharmonious relationship improved as my thinking did and eventually, with persistence and growth in understanding, the work was complete. Each step of working out this troubled relationship through prayer proved that when we rely on God to resolve difficulties, everyone is blessed.
My father asked me if I felt Science would help him. I assured him it would. He started to study, and sometime later he lost all desire for smoking and drinking. He had always tried to be a good father, and with this help he became less stern and critical, stronger and more stable, and his relationship with the family became much happier. He bought all the Christian Science literature available and devoted all of his spare time to studying it. The sense of extreme limitation and lack which had prevailed in the home throughout the years started to lift, and the whole family gradually had a fuller sense of life. I am happy that my youngest sister has become a student of this religion.
I have become progressively less shy and fearful. I have been healed of grief and of many physical problems, and have been guided and protected. The understanding I have gained has helped me greatly in my work, bringing me much fulfillment and joy.
Christ Church, Barbados, West Indies
