Testimony of Healing March 11, 1911 Issue

It is with feelings of thankfulness to God for Christian Science...

Walter M. Gaines

It is with feelings of thankfulness to God for Christian Science that I write this testimony, stating the facts as briefly as possible. I had been a drinking man for nearly twenty-five years, though I took a so-called "cure" twice and was twice in an inebriates' home; but none of these things did me any good, and the lurking desire and intention to drink were ever with me. About the middle of October, 1909, I commenced to drink very heavily. I had a little money in a savings bank, and that all went; then I began to pawn things, and kept it up as long as I had anything left that I could raise any money on. The last thing that went was my artificial teeth, for which I got the price of about two drinks of whisky.

Some time before I started on this last terrible "spree" a young man who worked in the same place where I did and who knew something of my habits said to me, "Why don't you try Christian Science? It will cure you and make a man of you." I paid little attention to it at the time, but after I had lost my position, friends, and as I thought everything, I remembered his remark and where he had told me that I could find a Christian Science reading-room. I went there and was kindly treated and directed to a practitioner. I had never heard of a practitioner before, but I went there, and the man prayed for me and spoke to me in a new way. I was under the influence of liquor, but I was impressed. He noticed that I did not speak quite plainly, and I told him what I had done with my teeth. He said I must have them by all means, and gave me the money to get them; but when I left him I spent this money for the strongest milk-punches I could get made. I had been living on nothing else for weeks. I had taken no food, never sat down to a table. Next day I saw the practitioner and told him what I had done, but he did not even scold me. Instead he asked me where the teeth were, and when I told him he went over to Brooklyn and got them himself, and had them for me next morning.

I kept going to see this practitioner every day for several weeks, but I had to confess every day that I was still drinking. I went to the reading-room often, and read a good deal of that wonderful book, Science and Health; but I continued to drink. On the night of Dec. 21, 1909, I went to bed on a little cot in the "People's Hotel," near Brooklyn bridge, after drinking all the whisky I could get, and the next morning I awoke to find myself hungry. Other mornings, my first waking thoughts were how, where, and when I was going to get the next drink, but this morning I was hungry, and to my surprise I found I did not want a drink. I said to myself, "Maybe I am cured;" and I hurried into my clothes and went downstairs. The first person I met was a man with whom I had often drank, and he invited me to go with him and have a drink. I said, "If you want to spend a dime or so on me, take me to a restaurant and get me something to eat. I'm hungry;" but he would not do this, and I finally got rid of him and went round to see the practitioner. I met him just as he was going into his office, and reaching out my hand I said to him, "I'm cured. I know I'm cured. I never felt like this about it before." We had a long talk, and he told me I must go to the mid-week meeting of First Church of Christ, Scientist, and give my testimony. This was Wednesday morning, and I did not think I would have the courage to do what he asked; but I testified before the great congregation that night practically the same as I have written here.

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