From boyhood I was afflicted with so-called stomach trouble, supposed to have been inherited. I never knew what it was to be entirely free from pain, and as I grew into manhood it stayed with me. Christian Science found me, ten years ago, a most miserable man, without God, without health, and without hope in this world; the vision before me then was nothing but misery.

Twenty years previous to this time I left the church to which I belonged, because I could no longer believe in the concept of God as there taught. Many times I prayed earnestly to God for healing, but He seemed to be too far away for any prayers of mine to reach. I had been trying for years to live a Christian life, but I made a most miserable failure of it, for I could not harmonize the teaching of the church and the teaching of the Bible. I was taught that I should be contented; perhaps it was God's will that I should suffer. To my way of thinking, this seemed very unreasonable, for I as human parent could not see my own child in misery when it was in my power to prevent it; so I finally did not believe in any God at all. I left all religion, Bible study included, behind me, and went from bad to worse. Many a time I thought seriously of ending it all, and if it had not been for leaving my dear family in poverty, I undoubtedly should have done so; but during all these years there was a "still small voice" which said there was yet hope for me, and that some day I should find the true God.

It is perhaps needless to say that I had tried all kinds of physicians and remedies. At first, some of the remedies seemed to help me somewhat, but after taking the medicine for a time I would feel worse than I did when I began, so I left the physicians as I did the church, but continued to take great quantities of medicine, although I received no lasting help. I will say, however, that I have nothing but respect and love for the honest physicians who endeavored to help me, and did what they could and what they thought was right. I know what it is to go with one or two hours' sleep for night, after night, until my condition became unbearable, and I was irritable and disagreeable to my family, and to those with whom I came in contact in business or otherwise; at times I could not attend to business at all.

Any one who has suffered as I did, knows that it is a living hell; but thanks be to God and His Christ, I can now say with our revered Leader, "Glory be to God, and peace to the struggling hearts! Christ hath rolled away the stone from the door of human hope and faith, and through the revelation and demonstration of life in God, hath elevated them to possible at-one-ment with the spiritual idea of man and his divine Principle, Love" (Science and Health, p. 45). I am now a free and well man. I came to Christian Science for healing, and I have found it; but great as the physical healing is, it is not to be compared with the spiritual blessings which the knowledge of this Christ, Truth, has brought to me. It is not possible for me to describe in words the blessings I have received in these ten years, and during this time I have gone through deep waters, as some dear ones have been taken away; but I have proved that "divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (Science and Health, p. 494).

Christian Science was brought to me in this way: I boarded a train at a mining-camp in Colorado, to go to Denver. In walking through the car an acquaintance called me, and invited me to sit beside him. After I was seated he asked me how I felt, and my reply was that I felt miserable. He then began to tell me about Christian Science and what it had done for him. I was very much surprised indeed, because I was then under the impression that he was interested only in making money. He gave me the name and address of a practitioner, and I promised him to see her next day. We arrived in Denver late that evening, but

I had the most restful night that I had had for years, and the next day I called the practitioner at her office. She talked to me for nearly an hour, and I drank in every word she said, as I was hungering and thirsting for the truth. During all the years that I was far away from our Father, I was never at peace; I was always wishing and looking for something better.

The practitioner advised me to procure a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and she also invited me to come to church the next Sunday. I bought the book and went to church, and I shall never forget that first Christian Science service. The church was the most peaceful place I had ever entered in my life, and it seemed so like heaven to me that I forgot my troubles. Since that time I have been diligently studying the Bible, together with Science and Health, and the other writings of our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, as well as the periodicals, and have been a constant attendant at church.

My healing has been slow, but I thank God for it, as it has shown me the necessity of studying diligently and persistently; but I never once became discouraged, because there was nothing for me to go back to, so I am still striving for that understanding whereof Jesus spoke in these words: "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." I have had so many proofs of the omnipresence of God, good, that I know if we listen to the "still small voice," God will us into all truth. Four years ago I was healed of appendicitis. It came on suddenly, in the night, with very severe pain. A practitioner was called, the pain was relieved instantaneously, and healing was complete in about two weeks.

I will say for the encouragement of those Christian Scientists whose healing is slow, Do not be discouraged, for if you diligently and persistently study Science and Health in connection with the Bible, the understanding will be yours, and you will be as free as I am today. Mrs. Eddy says, "We must recollect that Truth is demonstrable when understood, and that good is not understood until demonstrated" (Science and Health, p. 323).

Charles G. Carlson, Denver, Col.