Testimony of Healing January 11, 1919 Issue

Having freely received I wish freely to give

A. J. Cone

Having freely received I wish freely to give. My native state is Georgia, but I emigrated to Florida in the year 1876, by profession a lawyer. I was reared by consecrated parents, imbibed their religious sentiments, and in the state of my adoption was made by my zealous brethren a minister of the Baptist faith. I heard and talked with the most learned preachers in all the leading denominations for the purpose of adequately equipping myself for the work at hand. Certain passages of Scripture with reference to healing the physically sick impressed me that this was an imperative duty of a minister of the Christ,—to preach and heal. To all my earnest questions on the subject, however, I got no satisfactory answer. "It is an interpolation." "Not now is it required of us." "Admitting that Christ did heal, likewise his apostles, it is not so now." These were the explanations given me.

At this juncture I went back to the practice of the law. My credentials were returned to the church with the remark that some day we would hear a true sermon preached which would startle the whole world. I quit attending services of any kind; in my quest for light I took up hypnotism, suggestion, spiritualism, higher criticism, agnosticism, and downright infidelity. Wrong thinking brought on a train of physical discords and inharmonies; I was a living pathological wonder to all who met me. I gave myself up to the doctors, but all to no purpose, for I gradually grew worse.

Finally a friend, seeing my forlorn and hopeless condition, asked me if I would read a small book which he would lend me. My answer was that I would, being fond of reading, so he brought it to me after work hours and withdrew. I looked at its title and at once began to read. The first lines in the Preface of the book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, gave me illumination and hope. I read until nearly midnight and then with great reluctance retired. I went to sleep at once and slept all night, a thing I had not done for many months, and then only in a half sitting posture. Next morning I resumed my reading and in the evening also, never moving for fear of great pain. I had read quite half the book, when I laid it aside and rose from my chair without pain—I was healed. The worst symptom, kidney disease, went first into nothing, then rheumatism, neuralgia, stomach disorder, sleeplessness, and nervous breakdown were overcome, and my appetite returned. I awoke from the dream of life, substance, and intelligence in matter into a new heaven and a new earth, where all is good. I have had other beautiful proofs of the power of Truth to make free. On two occasions instant relief was experienced after absent treatment by a practitioner I am healthy and happy at the age of seventy-six years, with no abatement of my mental faculties.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

To express to all who may read this my untold gratitude...