Testimony of Healing April 26, 1900 Issue

Three Important Lessons

H. W. E.

Some years ago, after attending the Sunday morning service in San Jose, I was taken suddenly with a severe chill. I treated myself, however, and it at once passed off and I thought no more about it until, late in the afternoon when I started to drive home (I was then living on my ranch eight miles out in the country), another severe attack came on. The day was bitterly cold, and before I had gone very far, every bone in my body was aching, and my head seemed to be on fire. I treated myself again, but in a very indifferent manner, thinking that when I got quietly in the house I would take the matter up properly. When I reached my destination I was suffering keenly, and the knowledge that the following day was to be a very busy and arduous one did not help matters. Being entirely alone I was prompted to go to bed at once, but resisted that temptation, and instead began to study Science and Health, and later, when I did retire, I felt almost well, and was sure after a good night's sleep I would awake thoroughly myself and ready for work.

My surprise was great, therefore, after sleeping soundly, and apparently restfully all night, to find I was so weak, that, when I attempted to stand up I fell over on the bed in a faint. When I regained consciousness I was completely nonplussed for a few moments, and could not understand it, it was a thing I had never done before. I had always been strong and healthy, even before coming into Science, and sickness and especially fainting was foreign to me. In a short time I recovered sufficiently to get dressed, and although the sense of weakness was very great, I managed to get breakfast ready, but I had no sooner seated myself at the table than I was amazed to find that I was once more losing consciousness. This time I was considerably alarmed, for being so alone I felt somewhat helpless so far as material aid was concerned.

However, I nerved myself sufficiently to get into an easy chair by the fire and try to realize the Truth. My thought turned to the Bible, and the statement of Jesus in his wonderful parable of the Prodigal Son came to me, "Son, all that I have is thine." I sat pondering how this "Son, all that I have is thine," could apply in the present difficulty, when like a flash came the passage from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker G. Eddy, page 160, "We must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our Being." I saw at once that that was the answer,—"Son, all that I have is thine," all health, strength, and goodness is already thine; then be a man and act as possessing them. In less time than I have taken to write this, every sense of weakness and pain disappeared. I ate a hearty breakfast and did a hard day's work without the slightest sense of weariness.

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