Article November 27, 1915 Issue

A Wednesday Evening Healing

REV. ANDREW J. GRAHAM

In February, 1912, the writer gave in The Mother Church his first verbal testimony concerning his healing. In the preceding year he had been lifted out of a state of great physical and mental distress through the power of Christian Science. The sweetness and beauty and joy of his individual release still dominated his thought and made him feel that this, his own case of healing, was quite the most wonderful on record. He felt that all the incidents leading up to, accompanying, and following it, would loom just as large and important in the thought of others as soon as they heard the story. He began his testimony, and when but a few words, as it seemed, had been spoken, the first reader announced that only half a minute more could be allowed for its recital. This announcement was a stunning blow to mortal man's estimate of his own importance. At once an old lurking root of the "pride of priesthood" (Science and Health, p. 270), which the speaker supposed had been removed forever, rose up, flushed with a touch of resentment, and silently said: "I have been engaged in public speaking for many years and never before have been warned that it was time to stop. Now, in the presence of four or five thousand people am I brought to this pass of humiliation."

The testimony was lamely finished and the speaker sat down. He observed nothing unusual in the audience; the people seemed to pay no attention to the incident; calmness pervaded the vast congregation,—only the one who had testified was having a bitter struggle, but it soon passed. The "Peace, be still" of Christ prevailed, and almost immediately before the mental vision there rose up two stately aspects of Truth, with healing power.

The first said to the human sense of the troubled speaker: "Mrs. Eddy discovered and restored to humanity the divine Principle which healed you of your physical and mental distress. She also established the Christian Science church, and wrote the Manual by which it is governed. In arranging details for the Wednesday evening meetings, including the limiting of time for testimonies, the Christian Science Board of Directors are simply applying the wisdom of the Manual; and why should you feel wounded by the guiding voice of one who has blessed you so much? You should know that the first reader, in telling you that only half a minute remained, instead of reproving, was kindly aiding you to keep the rule." At this point the release of the speaker from his perturbed sense was begun: "And the evening and the morning were the first day."

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