Testimony of Healing August 15, 1914 Issue

It would be impossible for me to enumerate all the blessings...

Elias Hallengren with contributions from Bertha Hallengren

It would be impossible for me to enumerate all the blessings I have received through Christian Science, but I want to tell of one healing which has been more significant to me than any other event of my life. For many years I was addicted to the use of an opiate. It was primarily administered for the relief of pain, but afterward became a daily necessity. I do not need to state here the sufferings, both physical and mental, which I have undergone in past years on account of this habit,—the loss of one position after another, together with the respect and confidence of friends and relatives, although many of them tried in every way to aid me. Physicians tried to give me help and encouragement. I was treated at a local sanitarium for some weeks, and the habit was broken temporarily, but I soon relapsed and became worse than ever.

I continued in this way for some time, trying my best, but was finally reduced to destitution, unable to make a living for myself and wife. With the assistance of friends I was at length sent to one of the best institutions in the country designed exclusively for the cure of drug habits. I remained there for several weeks and was discharged as cured, but after about three months I had to resort to the drug again. For a time I struggled desperately to hold my own, but health began to fail, and everything went wrong, until I realized that I could not last much longer. I actually prayed that death would come to my relief, as all known means for a cure had been exhausted.

One day, however, I found a Christian Science Sentinel, which in some unknown manner had come into our house. I had ridiculed Christian Science so much—largely on account of knowing nothing about it, also through the reading of articles on the subject which were entirely misleading—that the contents of this Sentinel were altogether different from what I had expected. I began to be filled with hope, and decided to investigate further, for my case was so desperate that I was glad to try anything which would help me. I went to a practitioner, who with marvelous patience listened to my troubles, and kindly and compassionately assured me that help was at hand; that "with God all things are possible." She gave me a treatment, and to my astonishment a feeling of peace, strength, and courage came over me. I willingly parted with the drug, and I have never had a desire for it since. I improved immediately in physical health, to say nothing of the spiritual uplift which I have received through a knowledge of the truth. I had often sought spiritual help, but it always failed to satisfy my anxious thought.

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I want to tell of my healing through Christian Science