Testimony of Healing July 29, 1905 Issue

I owe every moment of my life for the last two years to...

Catharine Johns

I owe every moment of my life for the last two years to God and His truth as revealed in Christian Science. Only those who have experienced the awfulness of facing death can appreciate with what gratitude I can say this. I was resuced from what seemed to me then to be death's portals closing about me caused by hemorrhages after premature birth. I was alone in the house and not able to call any one; when my husband did come he called a physician as quickly as he could. I had been feeling ill through the day and had sent word to a practitioner, who received my letter about the same time that the physician arrived. I heard the physician calling my husband and saying he was afraid I would not "pull through." This roused me from a sort of stupor,—my heart went out in prayer to God for help through Christian Science, and I declared with all the strength I had: God is my Life. This statement of the truth, together with the faithful work done by the practitioner, so completely changed the conditions that I felt quite strong within half an hour, and the doctor left, stating that everything was right. The loss of blood was so great from the hemorrhages that I looked like a corpse and could not get warm. Notwithstanding all this, the word of Truth was all-powerful. The third day I was up about the house all day, doing the work, and within a week was as strong as I ever was and a picture of health. I have never suffered from any of the ill effects that are common in such cases.

The spiritual awakening at this time was so great that material things appeared in their native nothingness. It was surely a realization of the kingdom of heaven within (consciousness), and I have been a different woman ever since, as those of my immediate household could testify. God has indeed bound the stubborn will, an in great measure roused me from the stupid rest of materiality. I used to say that, even if I could, I would not practise Christian Science healing. Now I can say that the voicing of the truth for others brings to me the greatest joy I have ever known.

I could no longer honestly remain a member in my former church, as it denied the power of Christ, Truth, to heal in the present day, of which I have had such powerful proof. To break my former church connections was to me the greatest cross, but I knew that I ought to take my stand and acknowledge Truth, and I felt sure that if I would grow in understanding I must obey. One dark hour when I felt that I could not stand the seeming shame and persecution, I prayed to God for help to do what was right, and the burden was lifted. Since that blessed hour, I have never doubted, or felt like turning back, for I know that divine Love has directed me, and will guide me in this straight and narrow way. Being the first to bring Christian Science into this community, we were persecuted; but those days were the happiest I have known, proving the truth of the Scripture, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you . . . for my sake."

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