Testimony of Healing August 24, 1918 Issue

Thanksgiving night I was awakened by an intolerable...

Leila Close Harsch

Thanksgiving night I was awakened by an intolerable neuralgic pain in the side of my face. Instantly I began to rely upon healing statements of truth from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, as these "angels of His presence," to use the words of our Leader on page 174 of our textbook, came and ministered unto me. After considerable wrestling, thought finally shaped itself into words of thanksgiving to be offered in The Mother Church, where I expected to be the following Wednesday. This mental outpouring of gratitude brought almost immediate relief from pain, and that peace "which passeth all understanding." Many times I had been helped by others' offerings in The Mother Church, but this was the first time I had been prompted to contribute my mite of gratitude to the general fund there.

Formerly I never knew freedom from fear; neither did I know perfect health, nor understand the Bible—that is, in a way to apply its teachings to daily needs. Now God's word, spiritually revealed as it is in Christian Science, is becoming my sole dependence. It has delivered me from many distresses. All winter long colds intestinal catarrh, chronic headaches,—all have slunk back into their native nothingness. And what do I find in their place? God, good.

The healing and corrective power of each right thought was illustrated for me when I was suddenly attacked with a blinding headache. I reached out for the books, the Bible, Science and Health, and the Quarterly, only to find that I could not read. Two thoughts, or longings, came to the rescue as I sank down on the couch: Oh, to love some one more, and to do some holy work! As soon as possible I called on the telephone a girl who had passed through a great sorrow a few weeks before, but I had not known it at the time. My love message to her was a comfort to both of us. I did not feel equal to sitting at the table that night or taking any dinner, but at half past seven I deliberately turned my back on pain and set my face rejoicingly toward Jerusalem, so to speak, for it was Wednesday and I went to our regular testimony meeting, both seeking and finding such a feast as only Love divine knows how to provide. After that a business meeting, and after that a committee meeting, so filled my thoughts that I returned home at eleven, perfectly free. I laughed to think I had ever believed that such a thing as mortals call headache could be real. If it were one of the real and God-given things of life, it would last forever and could not be taken away. Through all the experiences of motherhood, Christian Science has been the only physician. It has protected the family and has overcome all our children's difficulties.

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