Testimony of Healing November 16, 1912 Issue

Two years ago, while I was out one afternoon, the maid...

Ethel S. Ackley

Two years ago, while I was out one afternoon, the maid who took care of my children came after me, very much frightened, and told me that the little boy had cut his hand very severely while playing with the lawn-mower. I went home as quickly as possible, to find that the little fellow had been taken to a doctor's office near by. When I reached the office the doctor met me at the door and told me how badly two of the fingers were cut. He said he had done nothing at all, but had been waiting for me, as he knew I was a Christian Scientist and he did not want to do anything until I had told him. The dear baby (only three years old) was terribly frightened, and held up the injured hand to me. I was anxious to quiet him, and forgetting the doctor, I took him in my arms, declaring the truth. I then asked the doctor to tie the hand up and let me take the child home; but he looked anxious and told me that the fingers were in a dreadful state and must be amputated, as they were cut through the bone. This I told him would not have to be done, but he said that if they did grow together they would give much trouble, as the lawn-mower was rusty and the wounds were full of dirt.

I wanted to be alone with the child, and on reaching my house I went into the parlor, closed the doors, and gave orders that under no consideration was any one to come in. I then commenced to declare God's presence and power, and repeated the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation as given in Science and Health (p. 16), especially the first two lines. In a few minutes the child stopped crying and put his arms around my neck, and a few minutes later I laid him on a couch in the adjoining room and went on an errand. When I returned he was, to my surprise, out in the yard playing with the other children, and he slept well all night. He never from that time complained of his fingers, and used his hand in playing. The next day I took the child over to the physician, and requested him to clean the wounds and place the fingers so that they would grow together. The doctor said that it was a pleasure to have a child who was not least afraid of him, as he sat perfectly still while the wounds were being dressed. I knew that not one of Mind's ideas can be lost, and this gave me courage to work for the manifestation, to human sense, of the child's hand as perfect. The fingers healed rapidly, without any trouble at all, and the hand is as perfect as before the accident, except for a slight mark on one finger, and that is disappearing, in spite of medical laws so called.

This demonstration of the power of God in Christian Science was watched by many people. I had not lived in the neighborhood long, and the people had a very erroneous opinion of Christian Science. This, however, has been entirely destroyed. Before this experience the neighbors were not friendly to me, would not even allow their children to play with mine, but before I moved into another part of the town I knew that every one loved me and that their thought of Christian Science had changed, as they were most kind and friendly and asked many questions. One family sent a little girl who was very nervous to a friend of mine (a teacher) because she was a Christian Scientist, and, as the mother expressed it, "The influence of having the child with a Christian Scientist would be beneficial;" and this proved to be true. As our beloved Leader has taught us, and has so fully exemplified by her life, Love always is "the master of hate" (Science and Health, p. 44).

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