Testimony of Healing January 19, 1907 Issue

From early childhood my wife was afflicted with an...

Francis W. Fox

From early childhood my wife was afflicted with an eruptive disease for over thirty years, for which she tried materia medica without obtaining permanent relief. In October, 1900, through curiosity, we ventured into Second Church of Christ, Scientist, of this city, and found the First Reader to be a friend of many years gone by. Later my wife called on her and decided to take treatment for her various afflictions, including a chronic disease of twenty years' standing, besides the trouble already indicated. I am more than happy to say that she is thoroughly healed of all her diseases; and what is vastly more important, she has been led by Christianly loving-kindness and patience to know her relation to God, and to understand the life, teachings, and works of Christ Jesus as a comprehensible verity. During her treatment it was kindly suggested that the study of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and attendance at the church services would facilitate and hasten her healing. Of course, as every decent man should, I accompanied her, more as an act of American gallantry than from enjoyment of the services. Soon, however, I noticed a change; I saw that she was responding to the treatment. With the keenest anxiety I watched the improvement. She asked me to read the text-book. I glanced over it, replying that it was too deeply metaphysical for me to comprehend, busy as I was at the time. Later on I took up the study, anxious to know how my wife had been healed, and if it was by divine Mind.

While studying the text-book, attending the services, etc., I experienced the workings of Truth in my own body. I had served in General Grant's Army of the Tennessee from May 26, 1861, to the close of the war, and exposure and hardships developed rheumatic trouble. I have lived on this coast thrity-six years, suffering more or less with this disease, which was becoming more severe in its attacks. In February, 1900, I was suddenly prostrated with sciatic trouble of an acute type; was for three months confined to the house, and was six weeks in bed, experimenting with materia medica. When able to walk with a cane, my physician told me that my limb was in a serious condition; that if I were a young man it might possibly be restored, but at my advanced age it never would.

I am happy to say that although five years older, for over three years I have not had a pain; the attenuated limb has filled out, and my weight is one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Concerning my present health, I can say that it was never better. Although I am now seventy-two, I cannot realize it. When I meet friends who have not seen me for some years past, they remark that I am looking as young and vigorous as I did twenty years ago. After wearing glasses for nineteen years, I laid them aside four years ago, and have never used them since. I was not treated for my sight, so I suppose it was part of "the redemption of the body" of which Paul speaks, and which comes to us through the study of the Bible and our textbook. I am writing this without glasses on a cloudy day. My wife has been so rejuvenated that she looks the young woman I married over eighteen years ago. She has good health, as have also our two boys, aged ten and thirteen; and with increasing happiness we are striving "for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus" (Science and Health, p. 497).

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