Testimony of Healing December 5, 1908 Issue

Many times have I felt impelled to write of the demonstration...

E. Theo. Manning

Many times have I felt impelled to write of the demonstration of divine Love in my behalf, but have been withheld from so doing by reasons which I now see were wrong. Never strong, ambition led me repeatedly beyond my endurance into nervous trouble. When partially recovered from the third attack, and able to take a few pupils, our family circle was broken by death, and within four years five of the dear ones passed away. When the mother was gone and financial disaster added its burden, I tried to bear bravely the sorrow and anxieties which seemed heaped upon me; but my faith in a God of justice and love had been sadly shaken. For two-years I lived a busy life with household and financial cares, music teaching, and church work.

From the age of twelve years I had been a church organist; and when because of ill health I was forced for a time to give up my beloved instrument, it was a great grief to me. Later, when asked to play for a Christian Science church, which at that time held but one Sunday service, I accepted. Although I can now see that Love was leading me, yet in six months I broke down completely. A serious spinal trouble, with total inaction of liver and kidneys, accompanied by heart complications, brought me seemingly to death's door. While listening to the reading of the Lesson-Sermon, as presented from Sunday to Sunday, I had become somewhat interested in Christian Science, and I now turned to it for help. After the critical conditions were overcome my healing was slow. It was like a gradual awaking from death, but I have ever been grateful for this slow healing, for had I come quickly into the possession of health and strength I would undoubtedly have gone back to my old church, because of my love for the little ones with whom I had worked for so many years as a primary superintendent. And, going back, my life would have been filled with the old unsatisfied longings for a spiritual light, for a God whom I could love and trust. In the gradual awakening from a sense of death to the true sense of Life, and to the knowledge of a God who is Love, and in the understanding of man's at-one-ment with the Father, the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding," is growing to be mine. I have for some years been a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Rochester, N. Y., and never for a moment have I doubted the absolute truth of Christian Science as taught in our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy.

My gratitude to our Leader is unbounded. As I see the bondage of mortal mind to the sense of sickness, sin, and death, in contrast to the freedom and joy of those who have proven God's allness through "signs following," I praise God that the Christ-healing has come to this age. that the people of this twentieth century are being led from darkness into God's "marvelous light."

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