Testimony of Healing September 12, 1908 Issue

I take a great deal of pleasure in reading the testimonies...

Charles T. Dickinson

I take a great deal of pleasure in reading the testimonies of healing that appear in the Sentinel each week. It gives me courage to work and labor that I may reach a higher and better spiritual understanding of the truth,—the truth that makes one free from all belief in the reality and power of sin, sickness, and disease, and brings a full realization of the allness of God, good. Having received so much benefit from these testimonies, I feel that I should give to the Field my own experience, hoping that it may be of assistance to some one struggling for relief as I struggled and fought. I pray God that it may, and with like results; and I know that it will, if they will only rely fully and wholly upon divine Love.

For many years prior to December, 1906, I had been addicted to the use of intoxicating liquors. The appetite for liquor grew as time passed on, though I believed (as all who use liquor believe) that I could stop drinking at any time I desired to do so, and that I was in no danger of its getting control of me. I labored under this delusion until some time in 1906, when I was awakened to the fact that according to belief I was in the clutches of this demon and could not escape. How many, many times did I try to break loose and free myself from this appetite, only to fail each time and find myself plunging deeper and deeper into bondage. Many times during the year 1906 did the thought of ending it all find lodgment in my mind, and it was given serious consideration; but the thought of my loved ones, my wife and children, was strong enough to save me from this, though it did not save me from the awful and consuming appetite for drink. How I prayed God for help time and time again, resolving and determining in my own mind that I would drink no more; but my prayers were seemingly unanswered, and my will-power was gone, undermined and consumed by alcohol. I finally was in such a condition physically that I could not sleep, and was compelled to have stimulants to use during the night in order to allay my nervous condition, while my appetite for food was practically gone.

This was my condition in the fall of 1906, when I again made a desperate effort to quit the use of liquor by the exercise of will-power. I left home, went away where I thought that by having new surroundings and being away from old associations I would be able to overcome this appetite. I remained a month and was somewhat benefited, but it did not last long, for in a few days after my return I was as bad as ever, if not in a worse condition. At this time my wife, who had commenced reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and was attending the Christian Science meetings, asked me to read the chapter on "Prayer." I did so, and thought it good, but it did not appeal to me very much. At that time I had never heard of a case where a person had been healed of the liquor habit through Christian Science, but had always believed that Christian Science was only good for nervousness and other minor troubles. I continued, however, to read the book, and the more I read the more I wanted to, but I kept up the drinking just the same.

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