Testimony of Healing June 28, 1913 Issue

In October, 1911, I had occasion to have my arms in...

Bernetta Gearhart

In October, 1911, I had occasion to have my arms in five gallons of gasoline when, through friction, it ignited and I was enveloped in flames. Notwithstanding the fact that my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, and portions of my dress were on fire, I did not lose consciousness of the ever-presence of divine Principle. I at once withdrew my arms from the fluid, as the flesh seemed on fire from the elbows down. As I glanced down and heard the roar of the flame, the thought flashed through my mind that Spirit is the only substance; that these flames could never destroy an iota of good, that there is no intelligence in matter, and that I could not suffer unless I admitted the belief of pain.

I extinguished the flame by rolling my arms in the folds of my dress, entered the house and threw water on my hair, while the household stood aghast at the spectacle I presented. One nostril was scorched, my eyes were inflamed, while my arms were purple and in portions deeply burned. Refusing the urgent request of neighbors to apply material remedies, I quickly telephoned a Christian Science practitioner. I was assured that I would at once be given absent treatment, and I then took "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and attempted to read; but my arms jerked so that I could not hold the book steadily enough to do so. In fifteen minutes, however, this nervousness ceased, and the soreness was also disappearing very rapidly.

I then dressed and called on the practitioner, as I wished present treatment. While I was entirely free from pain, I yet voiced the fear that portions of the arms had been burned so deeply that if the truth were not perfectly realized, complications would set in. The Scientist turned at once to page 447 of Science and Health and read this to me: "The recuperative action of the system, when mentally sustained by Truth, goes on naturally." He then turned to page 423 and read: "The metaphysician, making Mind his basis of operation irrespective of matter and regarding the truth and harmony of being as superior to error and discord, has rendered himself strong, instead of weak, to cope with the case; and he proportionately strengthens his patient with the stimulus of courage and conscious power." This truth was conveyed to my consciousness with such clearness that I at once lost all fear, and went home and used my arms with impunity. Within four days they were perfectly healed, the accident leaving only a depression in one arm, which disappeared entirely within a few days.

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