Testimony of Healing April 21, 1923 Issue

About eight years ago, being in a distressful physical...

John H. Hemsworth

About eight years ago, being in a distressful physical condition, I decided to investigate Christian Science as a healing agency. For nine years I had suffered almost continuously from eczema. During that period leading physicians had been consulted, but my condition grew steadily worse; and I began to despair of ever getting free from this disease.

In business I became associated with a student of Christian Science, but whenever the subject was mentioned I was not backward in disputing any statement of his as to the efficacy of this teaching, although I had never read any of Mrs. Eddy's writings. He, however, never forced his opinions; and this gentleness must have disarmed the opposition within me, for a day arrived when I asked myself the question: Why not try this system of healing? Accordingly I visited a Christian Science practitioner and asked for treatment. After the first treatment I put away material remedies, before considered indispensable, and was able to rely entirely on the application of spiritual truth. Within ten days all trace of the disease was removed, and the condition of the skin became perfectly normal.

Upon my first visit to the practitioner I was told that I should at once purchase a copy of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and study it; also, that I should subscribe for and read The Christian Science Monitor. Each year I feel more grateful for the wisdom and courage which prompted this practitioner to include the Monitor. Obedience to the direction has brought much blessing; and I can now see that he was voicing the wish of our Leader herself, given us in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 352): "My desire is that every Christian Scientist, and as many others as possible, subscribe for and read our daily newspaper." While studying Science and Health all desire to smoke left me, although I had been a slave to tobacco for over fifteen years, and attempts to give up or modify the habit had always met with failure.