Testimony of Healing December 14, 1912 Issue

About five years ago my wife, who had been an invalid...

W. Truman Green

About five years ago my wife, who had been an invalid for several years, was healed through one or two treatments in Christian Science of a so-called incurable disease which medical science had not only failed to cure but even to relieve. While I realized that a great change had taken place in her physically. I also noted with a sense of apprehension that a great change was taking place spiritually. I then knew nothing of the teachings of Christian Science, and feared that possibly she might be getting into something which would do her far more harm than good, as all that I had ever read or heard of Christian Science was in the nature of ridicule. In order to avoid as far as possible anything of this kind, and to get my wife our of what I thought Christian Science to be, I began the study of the text-book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, in order to be able intelligently to show my wife the falsity of its teachings.

At the time I began this study I was manager of a drugstore, having been engaged in this profession about twenty years, with two years' experience as steward of a hospital. I was at the time addicted to the drink and tobacco habit, which had held me in its grasp about fifteen years. So I was the antipode of a Christian Scientist, yet I shall never forget the assurance which came to me as I read the opening sentence of the Preface of Science and Health: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings." Like Saul of Tarsus, the very sense of the largeness of evil in my consciousness was forcing me to see the allness and omnipotence of God, good, and with the falling away of the scales of preconceived material beliefs from my eyes, I began to realize the nothingness of these material so-called pleasures which had held me. I fairly devoured the literature; I carried it to the drug-store and studied it with a heart full of gratitude for every ray of light that it brought to me. Even then I believed it was the truth, but now I write this testimony understanding the absoluteness of the teachings of Christian Science in so far as my experience goes. The desire for drink and profanity went out with the first influx of truth, and ere long the tobacco (cigarette) habit was gone also. The true understanding of God began to dawn, and I began to love my fellow men.

The great proof of God's allness and matter's nothingness was, however, yet to come. One day I had to liquefy some carbolic acid crystals, and as the sun was very hot I placed the bottle upside down on the roof of the shed, back of the store. I forgot about it until the bottle had been in the sun several hours, and as I reached to get it and lifted the bottle, the gas formed by the heat blew the stopper out, the hot acid being thrown in my face and over my hands. For a moment the pain was severe, and through force of habit I rushed into the store to apply the material antidote. As I was about to reach for it, I was overwhelmed with the thought that I was about to forsake God at a time, when if ever I needed Him, I did then. I began to declare the truth, and in a few moments all pain was gone. I was so filled with joy that I told a friend who was in the store, one whom I had interested in Science, and he remarked that my eye and face were discolored. At this I was mstantly filled with fear. I tried to work for myself, but could not; the pain began to get severe, and a film formed over the eye so that I could not see.

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