Testimony of Healing November 16, 1918 Issue

There are probably few people who have more reason to...

Raymond H. Bell

There are probably few people who have more reason to be grateful for Christian Science than I have. In June, 1914, while riding a motor cycle, I came into collision with a motor car, as a result of which my right leg was badly smashed between the knee and ankle. At the moment of impact I realized the truth of Mrs. Eddy's words, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (Science and Health, p. 494), and this gave me such a sense of peace and assurance that I had no pain or fear and did not lose consciousness. The accident occurred in a quiet by-lane where there was very little traffic, but in three or four minutes another motor car arrived, driven by a surgeon, who lived about twenty miles away, and he had all the necessary bandages with him. He bound up the leg on a splint and took me six miles to the nearest hospital. Some months later he told me he had not expected me to reach the hospital alive. My sister, who was with me, telephoned to a Christian Science practitioner for help, and for the first few days "prayer was made" for me "without ceasing." Those who helped me in this way had all known me for many years, and one or another of them helped me subsequently over difficult places of progress at different times.

The surgeons at the hospital told me the leg must be amputated immediately in order to save my life, but I refused to consent to this, and asked them to clean it and set the bones as well as possible. They did so, but told me the next day that I could not possibly keep the leg as it was even worse than it had appeared at first sight, that the bones were too badly crushed to be set, and that they had only removed the broken pieces. They said further that if I insisted on keeping the leg, complications would set in immediately and I could not live, but that even if it were possible to keep the leg it would never be of any use, as the muscles and nerves, and so forth, were destroyed and some six inches of bone was missing. I still refused to have the leg amputated, and after making me sign a statement to the effect that I refused amputation on my own responsibility, the surgeons consented to wait a day or two and see what happened. They did not disguise their surprise when after ten days no complications had developed and the condition of the leg had much improved. One of the nurses told me the progress made had completely upset all the doctors' theories, and the house surgeon frequently said he could not understand why I was not suffering intense pain. As a matter of fact, practically the only pain I felt was when the surgeons interfered with the leg.

I cannot possibly state here the numerous encouraging incidents that occurred during the seven weeks I was in hospital and after I was taken home. Every difficulty that arose was overcome with the help of Christian Science treatment. Three months after the accident the bones had not commenced to join, and the surgeon who came to dress the leg stated that he had given up all hope of the bones uniting, as the intervening space was too great, and that on his return from a fortnight's holiday immediate steps would have to be taken to deal with the case. On his return he found that the bones had commenced to unite, and he remarked that it was wonderful, but that it would be at least a year before I should be able to use the leg. A month from that time I was able to walk with the aid of crutches, four months later I only required two sticks, and in another month's time I was able to walk without any assistance at all. The leg has developed and improved steadily and is now as strong as ever, and I can walk and run as much as I did before the injury. The bones joined without any material assistance whatever, and there is now only a slight shortening of the leg, which does not cause me any inconvenience. In April, 1917, I was able to join the Army, although I had been rejected a year and a half previously, and I am very grateful for the fact that I can undertake all my duties without any difficulty.

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