Testimony of Healing October 17, 1908 Issue

I should like to testify to the healing of two little girls...

Ruth Smith Williams

I should like to testify to the healing of two little girls of a dreaded disease, one of them being thirteen, the other ten years of age. I have heard several people say that slight ailments can be healed with Christian Science, but that it could not cure a case of smallpox. About five or six years ago, I had the chance to prove what Christian Science could do in such a case. My sister went to St. Louis and left her two little girls with me. She and the children were interested in Christian Science, but as we were alone at night I had another sister, who was not in Science, come to stay with us. The mother of the children left on Sunday, and on Wednesday morning the youngest girl asked me to treat her. I did so and she went out to play. The next morning there was an eruption on her forehead, and that night the older child awoke me and said that her sister was crying, and wanted me to treat her. I did so, and she went to sleep. She played out of doors all the next day, but on Saturday morning she did not get up, and when I went to her bed, her appearance was very alarming. I sent for a Christian Science practitioner, and she said that it looked like a contagious disease. Remembering that Mrs. Eddy advises us to call in a doctor in case of a contagious disease, I sent for my old family physician. He came, looked very frightened, and said he would go for the health officer. When they came the health officer examined the child, and said it was a very bad case, and that he would have to get the flag to put on the house. When he went away the child began to cry, and said she was afraid they would take her away from home. I told her that God's children have no diseases; and she was soon as happy as could be.

When the officer came back, about four o'clock, the little girl was up and dressed. He seemed to be surprised, and said to her, "Have you had some kind of treatment?" She replied, "Yes, sir; I had Christian Science treatment." He said, "Well, my child, you are all right, but I shall have to put up this flag." She begged him not to do so, but he said that he would be arrested if he did not. So he put up the yellow flag and we were quarantined, and that night the daily paper reported the case. It was Saturday, when we always bought our supply of groceries and such things, but we had no telephone and were shut in from every one.

I shall never forget the Lesson-Sermon for the next day. It told of where Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. As I read on, I came to the words, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." How clear it all was to me then. The angels did truly minister unto us, and we lived, not by bread alone, but by the Word of God. We were quarantined thirty days, though the little girl was healed at once. Her mother came home when she saw the paper with the notice in it, but she could only stand outside and see her children through the window. Every day baskets full of nice things came from our friends and the Scientists. The Christian Science society wrote me letters of encouragement, every few days, and sent me money, saying that as I did not have a physician I should not accept anything from the city. We had plenty of money, but we could not get out to do anything. I made the remark to the children one night that we had had everything sent to us except flowers, and next morning there was a large bouquet on the porch. In about twelve days, in the case of the little girl, every bit of the manifestation was gone except a little mark over one eye. My sister, who was staying with us, not being a Scientist, had fear and mortal beliefs to combat, and she said it was impossible for the other child not to have the disease; and she did have it, though she suffered one night. The doctors did not come near us again until it was time to take the flag down.

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