Testimony of Healing January 13, 1912 Issue

I wish to offer to the readers of the Sentinel the first...

C. M. Merica with contributions from Estella Merica-Huni

I wish to offer to the readers of the Sentinel the first testimony I ever gave for Christian Science. It was not given in a Christian Science church, nor was it given to a Christian Science audience. While coming into Chicago on a train some time ago, a number of gentlemen swung their chairs round facing one another and entered into conversation. The subject of Christian Science came up, and while some were inclined to ridicule it, one especially was quite free in his condemnation and denunciation of what he supposed to be Christian Science.

After listening to the conversation for a time, I laid down the reading matter which I had, turned round and said, "Gentlemen, I would like to ask a question. Suppose you had a daughter who seemed to possess some talent along a certain line, and who was ambitious to improve that talent and prepare herself for a definite work in life. This preparation would require years of very close application, hard work and study, much self-sacrifice upon her part and practically all your income for the time. You and your wife would be in full sympathy with her ambition, she would take up the work, pursue it diligently, meeting your expectations in every respect; but just when she was reaching the goal of her ambition, when she was beginning to realize upon her efforts and upon your investment, she would break completely down in health, would become almost blind and suffer intensely at all times. You would take advantage of the very best medical assistance of which you knew in Chicago—both physicians and oculists; and they would all agree that she was suffering from a breakdown of the nervous system, partial paralysis of the nerve centers, and that dreaded disease, anæmia, in a very aggravated form. The only encouragement they could offer was that they might give her relief, but they could not cure her; that she would never be well and could never again take up her work. Knowing no other recourse, she would continue this treatment for nearly five years, with varying results; sometimes being apparently very much improved, only to relapse again whenever she attempted to work. But suppose that, while away from your home, in your absence and without your knowledge, she took up the study of Christian Science, and in a short time came back perfectly healed, able to do and actually doing as much work as ever, and now after nearly four years has had no return of her former troubles, is still enjoying good health and is going right on with her work, would you then ridicule, condemn, and denounce Christian Science?"

The gentleman who had been the freest in his criticisms answered, "I surely would not." "Well," I said, "that has been my daughter's experience." He replied, "If she were my daughter, I would be a Christian Scientist." I said, "I am trying to be." A gentleman who up to this time had not entered into the conversation, quietly remarked, "That was error." I said, "Yes, that was error. Are you a Christian Scientist?" "No," he said, "I am a physician." I asked why then he should say it was error. He said that the physicians had erred in their diagnoses. I asked if he knew Dr.——, naming one of the physicians who had treated our daughter. He said he did. I asked if this doctor was not a recognized authority on nerve and kindred diseases and whether he was not a noted instructor and lecturer on such diseases in some of our leading medical colleges and universities of the West. He said he was, but that he had erred in his diagnosis. I then named one of the oculists who treated my daughter and inquired if he knew him. He said he knew of him, but that he, too, had erred in his diagnosis. "Well," I said, "Christian Science did not err, either in its diagnosis or its treatment."

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