Testimony of Healing May 7, 1904 Issue

I had been a minister of the Gospel for thirty years and...

C. C. Echols

I had been a minister of the Gospel for thirty years and was one of that type who think they have all of the Gospel. My wife had been an invalid for ten years and we had the services of the best medical skill at our command, but she continually grew worse. I had for the last three or four years given up preaching and had gone into the mercantile business in a little village ten miles from the railroad. I built my dwelling near the store so that I could reach my wife at a moment's call. Her physician had prescribed the lightest food, of which she ate barely enough to keep an infant in health, and any violation of this law caused such terrible suffering that she was reduced in weight from one hundred and ten, to eighty-seven pounds. The doctors said that she had a complication of four or five different diseases, and she had to take as many different medicines every day of her life.

While we were having those dark days of struggle between life and death, these was a very hotly contested congressional race going on in our county. Amongother announcements for speakers at our place was one for Hon.—of Dallas, Texas. He had lost his way and it was very late when he arrived and he did not make any arrangements for a place to stop for the night. The speaking closed about midnight, and when nearly all the people had departed I learned that the stranger had no place to spend the night. Seeing his condition, I told him that my wife was an invalid in bed, but that if he would accept, I would do the best I could for him. He accepted the invitation thankfully. Here was fulfilled the admonition of Paul in Hebrews, 13:2. Verily a messenger of Love had been sent to us and we knew it not. The next morning I told the stranger to make himself at home either at the store or at the house, as I had to go about my business. He remained at the house and after some conversation with my wife, remarked to her that she seemed to be in very poor health. She replied that she was, and that she often wished that she were dead, as she was no pleasure to herself or to those around her, that she had nothing but suffering day and night, and that she had no hope of relief, as all means had failed. Without saying anything he went to his hand-bag and took out a paper, wrote his address on it, and handed it to her, saying, "Read this; I hope it will prove as great a blessing to you as it has been to me and mine." He added, "I am a Christian Scientist, and have no patience with any religion that does not teach the healing of the sick." He said afterwards that his wife had placed that Sentinel in his grip for him to read while away from home. God bless that wife, for that Sentinel was the means, through divine Love, of bringing to our home the true knowledge of God with all the blessings of peace, joy, love, and health.

My wife read the testimonies with great interest, and they brought to her a beam of hope, as she knew that God is no respecter of persons. As she was so weak and nervous she secured the services of a lady friend to write to the stranger for more literature, which he had offered to send her if she should desire it. When she had read the Sentinels, Journals, and tracts which he sent her, a new hope and courage filled her heart and she saw that there was yet a chance for life. She wrote again to know the cost of treatment, and when she learned that it was five dollars per week she came to me for the money. And now comes the saddest part of it all. I refused to give her the money and said, "O pshaw! I believe God will hear prayer, but that He will hear mine just as readily as he will theirs. It is all foolishness, but if they will guarantee a cure I will pay them two hundred dollars." This I said more as a bluff than anything else, but I was like Paul. I did it ignorantly.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

I had been a minister of the Gospel for thirty years and...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access