Part 85 (1/2)

A little over two years ago, while living in Pittsburgh, my wife and I had Christian Science brought to our attention. We were at once interested, and bought a copy of ”Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.”

At the time, Mrs. A-- was suffering with severe belief of astigmatism of the eyes. She had been treated by a number of specialists, during seven years, the last being the late Dr. Agnew of New York, who prescribed two sets of gla.s.ses. He said that he could do nothing more for her, as the trouble was organic; that she must wear gla.s.ses constantly; that if she attempted to go without, she would become either blind or insane. The gla.s.ses were in operation, and still life had become a burden from constant pain, when Christian Science came to our relief. Mrs. A-- had not in years read for two consecutive minutes, and could not use her eyes in sewing at all. The lady that told us of the Science, insisted that she _could_ read Science and Health, which she actually did,-reading it through twice, and studying it carefully each time. After the second reading, there came the thought that she did not need the gla.s.ses, and she at once abandoned them, and went about her usual duties. In about two weeks from that day the eyes were perfectly healed, and are well and strong to-day.

E. G. A., New York City

_My Dear Teacher:_-Yours without date is at hand. Could you know out of what depths of material _debris_ the first reading of the first volume of Science and Health, six years ago last December, lifted me, you would believe it had always been ”all I could ask.” It was _only_ words from the pen of _uninspired_ writers that gave me pain. As the revelation of the All-good appeared to me, all other books, all forms of religion, all methods of healing, to my sense became void. Chronic beliefs of disease of twenty years' standing, dimness of sight from the belief of age, all disappeared _instantly_; indeed, material life seemed a blank. The _why?_ I could not explain, but this I did know, in this realm of the real I found joy, peace, rest, love to all, unbounded, unspeakable. Human language had lost its power of expression, for no words came to me; and in all this six years of bliss I still have found no words to tell my new-found life in G.o.d. The most chronic forms of disease have sometimes been healed instantly and without argument. With great love and grat.i.tude.-M. H. P.

I take great comfort in reading ”Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” and will cling firmly to the light I have, knowing that more will be given me. While in Salt Lake City, I met at the hotel a lady who had been an invalid all her life. I talked with her about Christian Science, and loaned her Science and Health, together with the _Journals_ I had with me. She had become very much discouraged, having lost all faith in doctors and medicine, and did not know where to turn next. She became very much absorbed in the book, feeling she had found salvation. She at once laid aside the gla.s.ses she was wearing, and now reads readily without them. She and her husband have accepted this truth beautifully.-Mrs. G. A.

G., Ogden, Utah

On a trip through Mexico I met a woman who told me that, although she did not believe in Christian Science, on her way from Wisconsin, her home, she had bought a copy of Science and Health. When she reached M--, she met a minister from the North, whom the M. D.'s had sent there because of consumption,-they had given him two months to live. She gave him Science and Health, and while doing so, felt it was all absurd. The minister read it, and was healed _immediately_. Was not this a beautiful demonstration of the power of Truth, and good evidence that Science and Health is the word of G.o.d?

I had while in Mexico a glorious conquest over the fear of smallpox. There were hundreds of cases in some small towns where we were. After the fear was cast out, never a thought of it as real came to me or my husband, or troubled us in any way. On the street I met three men who were being taken to the pest-house with that loathsome disease.-F. W. C.

A lady to whom I sold ”Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,”

writes me: ”My longing to know G.o.d has been answered in this book; and with the answer has come the healing.” She is an intimate friend of Will Carleton, the poet. This is doing much good in the social circles. He has for a long time been interested, but his wife has declared it could not heal, and was not Christian. She will now be obliged to acknowledge this healing, for the lady above referred to has been, to sense, a great sufferer.-P. J. L.

Some of the experiences given in the _Journal_ have been so helpful to me, I have been moved to give to its readers a little experience of my own, which occurred when I first began the study of ”Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.”

I had already been healed of sick headache, almost instantly, by declaring that I was G.o.d's child, and, as G.o.d is perfect, His child must be perfect also. This had given me great happiness, and a quiet, peaceful state of mind I never had known before. My family did not seem to see anything good in Christian Science, but to me it was sacred.

One Monday morning, I awoke feeling very ill indeed. The morning was warm and sultry. I thought I certainly could not wash that day; but when I went downstairs, I found my daughter had made preparations for such work. I thought, ”Well, if she feels like was.h.i.+ng, I will not say anything; perhaps I shall get over this.” After breakfast I went about my work, thinking I could lean against the tub and wash with more ease than I could do up the morning work. I tried to treat myself as I had done before,-tried to realize that ”all is Mind, there is no matter;” that ”G.o.d is All, there is nothing beside Him,” but all to no purpose. I seemed to grow worse all the time. I did not want my family to know how badly I was feeling, and it was very humiliating to think that I must give up and go to bed.

All at once these questions came to me, as though spoken by some one, taking me away from my line of thought entirely: How is G.o.d an ever-present help? How does He know our earnest desires? Then, without waiting for me to think how, the answer came in the same way, G.o.d is conscious Mind. Instantly the thoughts came: Is G.o.d conscious of me? Can I be conscious of Him? I was healed instantly: every bad feeling was destroyed. I could see that the morning had not changed a particle, but I was oblivious of the weather. It did not seem that I had anything more to do with that was.h.i.+ng. It was finished in good season, while I was ”absent from the body, and present with the Lord.”

That was the beginning of the battle with sin and self, but at the same time it was the dawning of the resurrection. Since then (over four years) I have had many experiences, some of which seem too sacred to give to the world. False literature has caused me much suffering; sorrow has visited my home; but, through all this, the light that came to me on that Monday morning-that new and precious sense of omnipresent Life, Truth, and Love-has never left me one moment. It was the light that cannot be hid.

MRS. H. B. J., Cambridge, Ill.

Healing

Four years ago I learned for the first time that there was a way to be healed through Christ. I had always been sick, but found no relief in drugs; still, I thought that if the Bible was true, G.o.d could heal me. So, when my attention was called to Christian Science, I at once bought ”Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” studied it, and began to improve in health. I seemed to see G.o.d so near and so dear,-so different from the G.o.d I had been taught to fear. I studied alone night and day, until I found I was healed, both physically and mentally.

Then came a desire to tell every one of this wonderful truth. I expected all to feel just as pleased as I did; but to my sorrow none would believe.

Some, it is true, took treatment and were helped, but went on in the old way, without a word of thanks. But still I could not give up. I seemed to know that this was the way, and I had rather live it alone than to follow the crowd the other way. But as time pa.s.sed, I had some good demonstrations of this Love that is our Life.

I am the only Scientist in Le Roy, as yet, but the good seed has been sown, and where the people once scoffed at this ”silly new idea,” they are becoming interested, and many have been healed, and some are asking about it. One dear old lady and I study the Bible Lessons every Tuesday afternoon. She came to call, and as we talked, she told me of her sickness of years' standing; and was healed during our talk, so that she has never felt a touch of the old trouble since.

One lady, whom I had never seen, was healed of consumption in six weeks'

treatment. She had not left her bed in four months, and had been given up by many physicians.