Testimony of Healing October 4, 1913 Issue

I am a Norwegian and have been in America a number of...

Marie Eriksen

I am a Norwegian and have been in America a number of years, but never heard of Christian Science until four and a half years ago. I have been a seeker after truth almost from childhood, and went from one church to another before coming to this country, but found nothing to satisfy me. In 1897, after a severe illness, a lady asked me if I had heard of Christian Science, and said that it was not necessary for any one to be sick. I answered in the negative and nothing more was said on the subject.

This was in Portsmouth, N. H., and I thought no more about Christian Science, although my health was continually poor and I was more or less unhappy all the time. I was employed as fitter on ladies' garments and had planned to leave New Hampshire to go to Chicago to seek similar work, as I had some very good friends there, but everything seemed to hinder and I was prevented from going. I did not wish to return to my own country just then, but I finally went, very unwillingly, feeling as if some unseen power compelled me. While at home I searched the library for good books and read the Bible often, but was unable to understand it. For the next three years my only prayer to God was to ask Him to teach me how to pray and to lead me into the truth. I was very down-hearted and unhappy, when one day, all of a sudden, those two words, Christian Science, came to me and I decided to find out what they meant, if I should ever go to America again. I did not know that Christian Science was a religion, but I was determined to find out what it was.

Feeling restless and dissatisfied I went to Christiania to find employment, and one evening while reading Aftenposten, I glanced over the notices of the different church meetings. At the end of the column I read the following: "Christian Science meetings at Frogner School." This was a great surprise which made me happy and expectant, and as soon as possible I started out to find the place. It was Sunday, and although I went early in order to have plenty of time, it was half past eleven when I found the place, and the service commenced at twelve. Sweet music greeted me as I stepped inside, but no one had yet arrived except the lady who was playing the organ. I took a seat and she came smilingly toward me and shook hands, asking if I knew anything about Christian Science. She spoke kindly to me about God as Love. The service impressed me very much, as did also the happy expressions of those present, and at last I felt as if I were standing at the door of happiness. My next move was to go to the reading-room for something to read.

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