Two years ago I was suddenly stricken with severe physical disorders. The illness was never medically diagnosed. I telephoned a Christian Science practitioner at once for treatment. My breathing was labored, I had great difficulty talking, eating, and sleeping, and had a persistent cough. I remained in bed and needed nursing assistance. My mother came to my aid, and two of my sisters traveled from a distant state in order to help for short periods.
One day I felt especially uneasy and troubled and asked my mother to stay close by me. In the afternoon I urgently asked her to get the practitioner on the phone. As she reached him, I felt that I was passing on. I had great difficulty hearing him or my mother speak, and I asked him to talk louder. I did hear him say, "Sometimes it takes an effort." I gave the phone to my mother and made a strong effort to hold to my understanding of God, Truth.
At my request my mother repeated from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy "the scientific statement of being." It includes these words (p. 468): "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all." I asked her to say it louder. She did, and in just a few minutes my hearing became normal again and I knew that the crisis was over.
