Testimony of Healing August 15, 1903 Issue

Many years ago in my brother's home I endeavored to...

Mary M. Dunn with contributions from George Kuemmerlein, Jr.

Many years ago in my brother's home I endeavored to help with the care of the children, and to control myself and them through human love and firmness. I persevered long after making repeated failures, because I knew no better way. The love and firmness with which I was successful at first (as it seemed), and for which I gave God little or no glory, I at last discovered to be wrong. Becoming more honest and truly seeking the reason for my failures, I at last looked my boasted love and firmness squarely in the face and saw that it was pride, self-love, self-will, even selfishness, for the so-called love did not extend beyond my immediate relatives.

At length, seeing the best I knew to be all wrong, and not knowing of anything higher, I decided I had no right to attempt the care of children until I could control myself better. I gave it up entirely and became discouraged and morbid over it. This caused ills unnumbered, physical and mental, until Christian Science gradually freed me more or less and gave me some understanding of love and firmness based on Principle and as attributes of God. In contrast with these failures in the past, I am grateful to be able to give an experience of a later date.

A mother whose child of four years had made a slave of her, and who had asked help for herself and child, feared the child would' not be willing to be away from her even a few hours with one she had not seen before. When told that her mother was going to another part of the house leaving her with me, she did as was her habit, threw herself upon the floor and screamed, but when she saw that I calmly sat still and read a little book she stopped short and looked at me in wonder that I did not try to pacify her with toys. Then she began again, louder than ever, to compel me to do so, and not moving me after three attempts she at length quietly arose and coming to my side gently asked if I would read to her. The above was repeated three different times in as many days, but was of shorter duration each time.

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