Testimony of Healing September 18, 1920 Issue

For several years previous to my coming into Christian Science...

Emery O. McCool

For several years previous to my coming into Christian Science I was a member of a denominational church and for several of the earlier years of this membership took an active part in the church work and was trusted with the responsibility of several of its important offices, being for two years superintendent of the Sunday school; but during all these years there had been appearing in my path disease and discords of various natures and it seemed at times that God was punishing me for trying to be good, for I really was trying to live up to all the light I had. When I was forced to call a physician to overcome some sickness in my family I would earnestly ponder the question, "Is that physician greater than God, that his medicine will heal and God cannot, or at least will not?"

I had always been taught that the healing performed by Christ Jesus, the disciples, and apostles, were only for the purpose of establishing the faith and that we were not to expect such miracles now, for men had been taught the healing properties of herbs; but being unable to find this verified in my Bible, I finally began to lose interest in church work and to think that after all there is "nothing to" this religion anyway, and so gradually gave up all pretense of living a religious life. Still I was not satisfied. I was as a vessel cast adrift on an endless sea of storms without rudder or sail, and only one who has had a similar experience can know the utter uselessness and agony of such a life. While I was in this desperate state my wife passed on, in October of 1918. This seemed the last straw, and in my deep gloom I thought it was a punishment or at least an attempt on God's part to draw me back to Him and I prayed most earnestly for light and understanding. Immediately I decided to return to my old home in Indiana, where a dear brother and his wife induced me to attend the Christian Science church. I shall never forget the serene peace and joy that flooded my consciousness on that Wednesday evening, for after hearing the lesson, nothing in particular the rapt attention, and then the testimonies of healing, the scales forever fell from my eyes, for I had indeed found at last that which satisfied my longing.

I at once secured a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and read and reread it every moment I could spare, and, as will be the result with all who will lay aside all prejudice and study this inspired volume, found it just what the human heart is incessantly longing for, a satisfying, demonstrable knowledge of God. I had been seeking just this, and having found it, God was now to me a God of love only, whom I could turn to in every time of trouble; for did not Christ Jesus say, "Lo, I am with you alway"?

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