Testimony of Healing April 10, 1909 Issue

One night I went to bed in my usual health, but in the...

Edith S. Darlington, Mary F. Baldwin

One night I went to bed in my usual health, but in the middle of the night I was awakened by a miserable feeling in my head and ear. I treated myself in Science and slept interruptedly until morning, when I discovered that I was entirely deaf in one ear, and was suffering acutely with a sense of numbness of the whole head. Many years previous to this, I had suffered during a long period from a catarrhal condition of the other ear, and was finally healed in Christian Science without the loss of hearing which materia medica had predicted. After breakfast I worked for my patients, and then went to the piano, but finding I could not hear a familiar and brilliant etude, I began to study carefully the Lesson-Sermon for the week.

I had recently passed through what I consider the greatest of human losses, and I had realized that I must make a better demonstration over the belief in death and separation. In the Lesson was this reference from Science and Health (p. 190), "This mortal seeming is temporal; it never merges into immortal being." I paused to consider these words, and at once the voice of Truth spoke clearly and reassuringly to me, telling of man's immortality in Spirit, God. Simultaneously with this, a sharp report, as of a pistol, was heard in my ear, and I was entirely free from the sense of deafness. I was overwhelmed, not only with the physical freedom, but with all that had been so suddenly unfolded to me. I saw clearly, mentally, that the only heaven there is, is here and now; and the only separation is in a different consciousness. I abandoned all plans for the day, wishing to abide by this high and sacred experience until it was mine, not to be forgotten nor lost. For a month, however, the physical healing was not entirely retained; one night the original suffering awakened me, but a prompt and short declaration of the truth preceded its final destruction. The sense of grief was by no means so quickly healed, but by reverting to the blessings of that experience I always found reassurance in "the law of Love" (Science and Health, p. 384).

This hearing of the word of God and being able to keep it at once and forever, is to me one of those "greater works" to which Jesus referred. I know that I have heard the voice of God, and my daily prayer has been that I might keep it, and profit by all it unfolded to me; never be tempted to waver or to look backward, nor be depressed in renouncing in my thought the loss of material objects of affection. The companionship in thought is never lost, nor changed but for higher proofs of God's love and care and presence. I have learned that in the truth no one ever suffers in vain. I only hope that this assurance which came to me from above will prove to some other a stepping-stone to spiritual comfort and joy.

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