Testimony of Healing January 8, 1910 Issue

In looking over the half score of years since I first heard...

Harry C. Burbridge

In looking over the half score of years since I first heard of Christian Science, I can now see that its beneficent influence upon my life began even then, though it was years afterward that I came to accept its teachings. When about fourteen years of age, I went to live with an aunt who, after nearly twelve years of invalidism, had been healed through the ministry of Christian Science and had become an earnest student. Coming under this influence, as I did, with my thoughts filled with self-will and conceit of knowledge, my attitude was one of criticism and ridicule. But my criticism never started the argument for which I hoped, nor did the jibes evoke any angry replies. Such a reception soon silenced my efforts, and my attitude began to be one of interest. I wondered how such kindness could be shown in return for so much unkindness, but I realized that my aunt had found a religion which was real and vital.

I had been raised by a mother who was a devout worker in an orthodox church, but her religion had never appealed to me. As far as I could see, the members of the church, despite their frequent and fervent prayers, had more trouble and suffering than those outside it, so I turned away from it. Nevertheless, in my heart there was a longing for a religion which would give a satisfying concept of God, hence I began to look into Christian Science. What little I learned of its teaching was so satisfying, it was evident that should I ever accept a religion, it would be this. I was, however, willing to let the matter rest there and continue to give my whole attention to the search for what the world calls pleasure.

Some of the Christian demands of this Science were becoming evident to me, and I was not ready to meet them; but a few months' experience convinced me of the folly of seeking pleasure, and the necessity of complying with these demands as well as the blessing to be gained thereby. As I now know, it was that little of the truth which I had learned from Christian Science, that brought this early awakening. I then took up the study more earnestly. From almost a child I had been subject to frequent attacks which affected my breathing, often so severe that I was compelled to sit up in a chair all night. With my more earnest study of Christian Science these attacks became much less frequent and severe, but another lesson was still to be learned before my healing was complete, an experience which was to teach me the inadequacy and falsity of those systems often said to be "like Christian Science" or "along the same line as Christian Science."

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