Testimony of Healing March 20, 1909 Issue

It has been my custom for over two years, upon the...

Julius Poore

It has been my custom for over two years, upon the receipt of the Sentinel or Journal, to scan the index in order to ascertain if there was any message from Mrs. Eddy, and if there was, to read the same. Then I would look over the names of those who offered testimonies, to see if there were any who were living in the same township or county in which I live, but in the six years that I have been reading the Sentinel, only one lone testimony has appeared in its columns from a person living in my home county. To me this has seemed very strange, and I found the question seemed to address itself to me, Why have you not offered a testimony? As I pondered the question, many sayings of the Master came to me, which made me feel that I was not a very faithful disciple. For instance, "Freely ye have received, freely give;" and again, "Feed my sheep." Then Paul tells us that if we sow sparingly, we shall also reap sparingly. I began to realize that if I would behold the harvest, I must do my part in the seeding of the field.

In June, 1902, I learned that a dear friend had been restored to health and happiness through Christian Science, yet what Christian Science was I knew not. My informant, a sister of the person healed, told me that the treatment was through prayer. I inquired how a Scientist's prayer could have any more healing in it than any other prayer. To which question she frankly admitted that she did not know. All she seemed to be sure of was, that whereas her sister had been ill,—dangerously ill,—she was now well. After thinking for a moment, I remarked that I had always told learned divines, when they sought to interest me in the gospel of Jesus Christ, that when they could heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils, or do any of the many things which he said they could do if they believed on him, I would listen; but until they could do these things, in proof of their faith, it would be but a waste of time for all concerned to talk to me. I was perfectly willing that they should get all they could out of his doctrine, but I then thought Moses' doctrine was much more practical than that of Christ Jesus. To shorten my story I will say that I bought a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and commenced to study it to the best of my understanding. I am glad to say that I have proven beyond a possible doubt, to my thinking, that Mrs. Eddy has indeed found the Key to the Scriptures. In a word, she has brought to light the truth, the word of God, which heals all our diseases. We read in the Scriptures, "He sent his word, and healed them." If the word of God ever healed mortals from their sick and discordant conditions, it should not seem strange that it is again not only healing the sick, but the sinful as well.

When Science and Health came to my hands, in July, 1902, I was laboring under the belief that I was losing my eyesight. I could not see to file my saws, nor could I read by lamplight for any length of time. I began to realize, as did Job, that the thing I greatly feared was fast coming upon me. I had already sent for an oculist to come and fit my eyes with glasses, but, thanks be to God, He "sent his word" and healed me; and He sent it through the teachings of that godly woman, Mrs. Eddy, who has lived such a pure and holy life that she has been able to apprehend that which was in the beginning, "the Word." Within thirty days from the time I began to read and apply the teachings of this wonderful book, which speaks as never book spoke before, my eyesight had come back to me, and the tobacco habit, which had been a part of my existence since I was eleven years old, had vanished like the mist before the noonday sun. Six years have gone by, and for aught I know I can see just as well as I could twenty-five years ago, and never for one moment have I wanted to use tobacco.

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