Christian Science has been everything to me since I first...

Emily Amelia Jonas

Christian Science has been everything to me since I first heard of it about eight years ago. Four years before that a great sorrow and loss had come into my life, in the passing on of my father and the selling of my home. During those years I was a very depressed person with no desire to live. Friends told me I should try to be resigned and that I would outlive my sorrows; that the unhappiness and misery in the world was sent by God for some wise purpose; but I felt that the light of my life had gone out forever. It was suggested that it might be good for me to go abroad for a time, so I visited Holland and stayed in different places there for six months, then went to Germany for a few weeks and finally returned to England. After spending a few weeks in London I went back to Holland, and it was during my second visit there that I nearly decided to end my mortal existence.

At this time an English girl who came to see me told me about Christian Science. She said very little, but enough to make me want to know more of the men and women who lived near by and who did not believe God sent illness and sorrow, for all my life I had been taught that He did. I told her I would go with her to the Christian Science service on Sunday, and that day, July 16, 1911, will always be remembered. I was so impressed with the service that after it was over I made four attempts to get enough courage to ask the First Reader if I might buy the book she had been reading from, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. It was not announced that the book was for sale, as there was only a small meeting of Scientists.

Error was saying to me all the time that these people would not let me read the book, as it was much too beautiful for strangers. It was a strange feeling I had, that these people certainly had something other churches did not have and they would surely guard it and keep it from the world. However, to my great surprise and joy the lady said she would be very pleased to sell me a copy, and in less than two days the book came. Five months later I was the Christmas guest of this lady, and she it was who guided my first steps in Christian Science. I was healed of a great deal of depression but not all at once. I have had seeming trials and difficulties since then, but have overcome them, sometimes with the help of a practitioner and at other times by my own mental work. When I left the meeting referred to, I cried so much I had to take a walk before returning to the boarding house, but from that morning I have never experienced such hopeless misery as always seemed part of me before. In due time I left Holland to stay with some Scientists in Neuchatel and returned to England in 1913 to visit with joy all the Christian Science churches in London. My first demonstration was made in Switzerland a few weeks after buying my first Quarterly, in December, 1911. Since then I have had many demonstrations and it would take pages to write them all.

I am grateful for the privilege of having had class instruction in 1914, and also for membership in a Christian Science church. I am indeed very grateful for this teaching and know I could not live without it. The authorized literature is a great joy to me, and my daily prayer is that I may help others as I was first helped, and when I see strangers coming into our churches looking unhappy, I think of my own experience and want to help them all I can. My love and gratitude go out to Mrs. Eddy for telling us about Christian Science. The last three months Christian Science has been a great help to me, and that is why I now send this testimony to express my gratitude. God has done so much for me, the least I can do is to be very thankful. I hope my experience may help others who are sorrowful.—

(Miss) Emily Amelia Jonas, Stamford Hill, London, England.

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