Testimony of Healing October 5, 1918 Issue

I must try to express a measure of my gratitude for...

Edith B. Shreve

I must try to express a measure of my gratitude for Christian Science. It is indeed a most satisfying and practical religion, because through it we are taught to follow the true light. During the early weeks of 1917 our family became afflicted with influenza, which was then quite prevalent. I called upon a Christian Science practitioner for help for myself and four small children (my husband chose material aid) and we were soon much improved. Indeed we were nearly recovered when the children's grandfather came to visit us. He had just been with another son whose family had been suffering from the same malady. We still coughed some and my oldest daughter complained of pain in her ears and head. At this time I was boarding the school-teacher (also a preacher), who was opposed to Christian Science, and I must have allowed this with the grandfather's fears to influence my thought, for troubles multiplied for a while and only the prayers of a loving practitioner brought us safely back to sane thinking and living. My condition of thought at this time was made not a little worse by a feeling of deep resentment toward a certain person and also by a sense of being overburdened with work.

My oldest daughter seemed to have a serious time with her ear. There was much pain, with repeated gatherings and discharges. I was depending upon God, however, and in a week, despite her father's fears and threats of calling a doctor, her grandfather's feeling that I "did nothing for her," and his telling of a niece who had lost her hearing through just such an attack, my little girl came safely through with normal hearing. Hardly had this trouble been overcome when the youngest child, a boy three years of age, began to manifest symptoms of scarlet fever. I wrote immediately to this new-found friend for treatment and the symptoms vanished overnight, but the other children one after another began also to manifest the same symptoms. These were quickly overcome, except in the case of the older boy, five years old. For several days and nights I was torn with fears, yet I clung to my purpose of holding steadfast. Our fears were finally overcome and the symptoms vanished into their native nothingness.

During those long nights when my little boy would seem almost to stop breathing, and while I was trying to realize the nothingness of it all, that grand old song, "How firm a foundation," kept singing itself into my consciousness. I believe I was called upon during those trying weeks to prove every statement this hymn contains. How thankful I am that through God the victory was won, for it has made me stronger in many ways. The strength gained then has helped me many times since, and I have been able to overcome all difficulties without again calling upon a practitioner. Financial problems are straightening themselves out, and impending losses have been averted.

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