All the Speakers were Members of the G. A. R.

At the regular Wednesday evening meeting of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cleveland, O., September 11, 1901, the following testimonies were given entirely by members of the Grand Army, which was holding its annual national encampment in that city.

The first speaker said: "Friends, brothers and sisters of this church, of which I was recently a member, I bring you greetings from Detroit. I wish to tell you something of my experience since being away. I have been out as the Master sent the seventy. I have seen even devils subject unto the Truth through Christian Science. It is a great privilege to be with you to-night; it is a great privilege to be in Cleveland on this occasion. Here I have met men and women who knew me when I was a wreck physically, knew me when it was said that my time was short. To-day they find me in robust health. The opportunity has come to me to preach Christ, Truth, right here in this crowd. I had the pleasure of conversing with a physician to-day, who was glad to learn of Christian Science. The physicians are becoming friendly to Christian Science. All over the country we hear of their asking questions and being willing to do what they can in favor of Christian Science.

"Since I left here, it has been my privilege to be instrumental in restoring some who have been pronounced incurable. Two ladies in particular,—one has been healed of hereditary consumption. Now prosperity reigns, and she has a happy home and is presiding at her table. Another case was similar. I cannot be too grateful for what Christian Science has done and is doing for me."

A gentleman from Buffalo said: "I am glad to greet you this evening. I am a member of the Third Church in Buffalo; I am also a member of the Mother Church. I might tell many things, but I would like to hear from others. A comrade who had been prostrated for nine years was healed by Christian Science. In three weeks from the time he began treatment I walked with him about a mile to get his pension. This is why I became a Christian Scientist.

"I am glad I am here; I am glad I am in Cleveland to meet my comrades; I am glad to be here with you, and in one accord to worship the Father."

A gentleman from Albany was the third speaker. He said, "Dear friends, I am glad to be with you to-night. I bring you greetings from First Church of Christ in Albany, N. Y. It has been my privilege to march with the Grand Army in this city to-day, as I have marched in other cities for many years at the annual national encampment.

"As I was sitting here to-night, I was thinking of what Christian Science means, particularly to the old soldiers. We in the army learned, perhaps first of all, discipline,—obedience to orders. We learned that we were subject to authority, and that that authority was absolute. Had we refused to yield to that authority, we would have been in a great deal of trouble and discord, but by yielding to it, concord and harmony were brought about. Now in Christian Science, we find that we are freeing ourselves from the bondage of many ills, both physical and mental. When I came into Science something like five years ago, I might say that I was practically without hope and without God in the world. I had but very little faith in any creed, for the reason that I saw but little of the practical demonstration of that which the adherents claimed to believe. I had become almost faithless, except in the fact that I did believe that there was an omnipotent power that created all things; but that there was any particular connection between God and man, I had many doubts. I have found God in Christian Science. I have found God an ever-present help in trouble. I have been healed of many physical ills. I was instantaneously healed of the tobacco habit of thirty-three years' standing. One Sunday afternoon the appetite left me as suddenly as anything could, and I can say to-night that from that day to this, four years ago last June the sixth, I have never had the least desire for tobacco. In fact, it has been disagreeable to me. I was also somewhat addicted to drink. I have never had any desire for whiskey or beer from that day to this.

"I have had demonstrations that have proved to me the absolute power, the omnipotence and omnipresence of Almighty God,—not of a God to fear, in the sense of being afraid, as I used to be sometimes, I think, but to fear, to reverence, and to know Him as ever-present Love.

"I must tell you of one demonstration that I had three years ago in August.

"I was at Asbury Park, in the state of New Jersey. One morning I went in bathing when the surf was high. If any of you have ever been in bathing in salt water when the waves were high, you know that one has to be a little careful, or the waves will throw him in spite of himself. I was caught by a wave and thrown towards the shore, where the water was somewhat shallow, and kicked my foot very hard against something that offered a great deal of resistance.

"I went toward the ropes. A storm was coming up and the waves were getting higher, and, singularly enough, I found myself again thrown near the shore and at the same place. As I picked myself up, I dragged my foot against something very rough. I found that it was a cast iron pipe through which the water was pumped into the pools where those took their baths who did not care to go in the surf. It was very rusty and rough, and the skin was torn from the top of my toe nearly to the bottom. When I came out of the water I gave one look at it. It was very much discolored and swollen. I went from there into the bathroom. The fear came up that I could not possibly get my shoe on. I sat there perhaps fifteen minutes, trying to overcome the fear. By not looking at the foot any more than was necessary, I pulled on the stocking, and put my foot into the shoe.

Some lady friends were waiting for me, and when I came out of the little room it was storming. The wind was blowing, and it was raining very hard, also thundering and lightening, and we had to go up to the pavilion. When I started out, I could not at first avoid limping somewhat. After staying there about an hour, the stage came and took us away. That afternoon I went to New York, and nearly all the way I read and endeavored to realize the Truth. When I got to New York, I took the wrong ferry, and it took me out of my way so I had to walk about two miles. I had to hurry to get the boat for Albany. I got the boat, and went to work again. At that time I had not overcome the sense of smarting. I met a friend in the boat and we sat on deck until eleven o'clock before I went to the stateroom. While I was undressing, this friend came in and saw my foot. He was greatly astonished and he said, 'Have you been sitting on the deck and visiting all the evening with that foot? I should think you would be in such pain you could not speak. Why don't you get a doctor and have it treated?' I said, 'It has been treated. There is nothing but what will readily yield to the understanding of Truth.' He knew but little of Science and thought it rather strange, but he went to his stateroom.

"The next morning he asked how my foot was. I told him it was all right. We walked up town and breakfasted together. I went to my room afterwards, because the shoes that I had on were new and somewhat tight. I did yield enough to the sense of ease to put on an old pair of shoes, but I did not look at the foot that morning. That night when I went home from the office where I worked, there was scarcely any discoloration. There was just a little on the large toe. Otherwise the foot was perfectly normal and it never gave me a particle of pain afterwards.

"To me that was a wonderful demonstration. It is the demonstration that we have personally that is most convincing to us. While I have had many physical demonstrations, yet nothing I have realized in the material way can begin to compare with the understanding that I have of God, and of His relation to man, and of man's relation to his Maker. To me Science is everything, it is my life. And I think, as we come to understand that God is Life, we do know, as we are taught in the Ninety-first Psalm, that no evil can come to us if we are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty.

"I am thankful, friends, for Christian Science, and I cannot miss the opportunity of expressing my appreciation and love of this great Truth, and for our dear Mother, who has brought it to us."

The next speaker spoke as follows: "I am quite young in the study of Christian Science. A year ago last month, for the first time, I consulted a practitioner. I had, at that time, been out of business for about six years on account of my health. I had suffered for nearly thirty-four years, almost constant pain. At the time I took the first treatment, this difficulty had been overcome, but it had left me in a sad condition physically. For twenty-five years I had not known, but on two occasions, what it was to desire a particle of food. Headache was my almost daily companion. I desired to go on a trip to the South, but felt that I was not in fit condition to do so. After three weeks' treatment, the lady practitioner told me to go; that I was all right; but to take Science and Health with me, which I did.

"The first day I visited my healer, she prescribed a copy of Science and Health. I have done what I could toward mastering the Science, but have not made the headway which I hope all of you have made. I came a considerable distance from home, but I want to testify that although I walked from the beginning to the end of the line of march, I did not propose mortal mind should master me and say that I was too tired to attend a meeting of the Scientists. I feel now that, if it were necessary, I could go over the same march again.

"Should I attempt to tell to you the physical benefits which I have received in this year and a half, I would take up every second of this meeting and another meeting besides. A gentleman sitting at the opposite end of the table where I usually sit said to me, 'I never saw such a change in a man in my life, as took place in you from last evening to this morning.' I had every evidence of a severe attack of grip at night. I could not see, my head ached, the water was running from my nose and eyes, my back ached, and it seemed as though I was in for a long siege. I had had it twice before, on one occasion being confined to the house for three weeks. I got up the next morning, and my eyes were as clear as they are to-night. My head was as free from pain, I was in just as good condition that morning as I am now, and you can judge for yourself whether I am not in good condition now. It was a most wonderful demonstration to me.

"I will take up your time for one moment more to relate an incident which occurred in the city of Peoria. I am from the city of Chicago, but I visited Peoria last May, and a comrade told me that a short time before, he was confined to his bed with the rheumatism. He was so bad that he could not get out of bed. He was so blind that he could not see a thing. His doctor told him he had only a few days to live; and as many people, or some people, would do, he wanted to be sure that his wealth, what he had, would go to the persons whom he desired should have it. So he gave away everything he had in this world. He had made up his mind to die. He had no further use for it, so he gave it all away. A friend came and said, 'Why don't you try Christian Science?' 'Christian Science? What is that?' he asked. The friend explained. 'Why,' he says, 'I am gone. I have made all my arrangements for going, and it is only a matter of a day or two when I shall.' The friend, however, urged him to try Christian Science, and he replied, 'Why, certainly, I will try anything. It don't make any difference what it is.'

"He sent for a practitioner, and the night I was there he escorted me from the street car to the church where the meeting was held.

"I find, even though I do not claim to be much of a Scientist myself, I find that there are others wherever go. In Chicago, we are making rapid strides and I find the same thing in every town I visit; there are Christian Scientists there. They are making headway. Some of us must receive the physical benefits before we receive the spiritual. We are so obtuse, so blind, that we have got to have the arguments which cannot be overruled by mortal mind. Those arguments are coming. They are being demonstrated every day. And I look for the time to come before many years, when the question will never be asked, What is Christian Science? I hope all will know what it is and receive the benefits therefrom."

Copyright, 1901, by Mary Baker G. Eddy.