Testimony of Healing June 29, 1907 Issue

From my earliest recollections until I found Christian Science...

Alice Viola Hopkins

From my earliest recollections until I found Christian Science I hardly knew a day free from pain, and never a time when I felt really well. I was repeatedly under different physicians, but their treatment hardly relieved the suffering, even for a season. All that kept me from utter despair was my trust in God, as I then understood Him, and the hope of relief after death. When a very small child I had hip and spinal disease, which necessitated the use of a crutch. Later, heart and kidney trouble developed, together with inflammation of the hip joint. As I grew older the burden became heavier, even though I was not expected to be self-supporting, for I felt I was of little use to any one or even to myself. I prayed only for something to relieve my suffering, no matter what.

In June, 1904, at the time when things seemed the darkest, a dear Christian Science friend invited me to visit her in her home near Boston. She, through her love and patience, gave me my first glimpse of what God's love can do. I began treatments with a Christian Science practitioner, at the same time studying our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." In six weeks the heart trouble was completely healed, while the kidney trouble and inflammation of the hip were healed in a few months, and there has been no return of them. In the September following I went to work for a dressmaker in Boston, staying until the next May and losing very little time because of sickness. I then went into business for myself, and have had all my needs supplied in proportion to my faithfulness to the teaching of Christian Science and my trust in God. Sometimes the way did not seem clear and I was tempted to be discouraged, but after each struggle I had cause to rejoice. Many minor troubles, including a very sensitive throat, have yielded to the power of Truth. I was enabled after a time to give up my crutch, and the shorter limb has grown nearly three inches. While I am deeply grateful for the physical healing, it cannot be compared with my new understanding of God and the peace that comes from knowing that whatever the conditions may seem to be, over, under, and around me is an infinite, ever-present Principle,—Love,—that is guiding me safely.

I hardly know how to express my love and gratitude to God for this wonderful gift, Christian Science; neither can I express my deep love to our Leader, who has given us our text-book. I can only strive to grow more worthy of the blessings I have received, and watch every opportunity to prove by my life a portion at least of what Christian Science teaches, so that I may be an avenue through which others may be led to their Father, as I have been.

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