Testimony of Healing August 11, 1923 Issue

The remark has been made: "If those who are now...

Marjorie W. Ovens with contributions from Latham J. Ovens

The remark has been made: "If those who are now ardent Christian Scientists had been devoted to their own church work, they would never have turned to Christian Science." As an example of how untrue that statement is, I should like to give my own experience.

Sixteen years ago, I was a teacher in a denominational Sunday school, sang in the choir, and took an active part in the social and religious life of my church. At this time I suffered with an intense pain in my ankle. One day a friend recommended a surgeon who was considered an authority. After an examination, he declared there was an exotic growth which, if not promptly attended to, would continue to grow and would then have to be cut out; and I should never be able to walk again. He gave me a prescription to be taken internally to shrink the bone, and told me to get a bottle of iodine and apply it. The thought of taking a medicine internally which would go directly to that growth in my ankle and shrink it, made me laugh, so I never took the medicine. The idea of an outward application did appeal to me; so I bought a large bottle of iodine and sat for over twenty minutes applying it to my ankle. I had never used iodine before, and was simply doing as I had been told. In a short time I felt a burning sensation, and it was not long before the iodine had eaten a large hole. I suffered agony from that burn. The doctor was called as quickly as possible, but all remedies failed to relieve me, so that at the end of two weeks I was still sitting in one chair with my foot in another, having the ankle dressed three times a day.

At this time a friend said she had a book she would like me to read, and with my consent she soon brought me "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. I had never read a word on Christian Science prior to this, and so started to read the book to please my friend, and to amuse myself. All Christian Scientists know what I found; but for those who have never read that blessed book, I will tell the result of my reading. I read very slowly, as I wanted to understand and think about what I was reading. When I had read the first fifty pages it was time to retire. My mother then came with the usual bandages and dressings for my ankle. I told her: "If this book is true, I shall prove it to-night. I shall not have my foot bandaged or dressed again." My mother was very much upset, and asked me not to be foolish. I told her not to worry, for I had long been looking for the truth that makes us free, and felt I had found it. I retired for the night, and did not awaken until seven o'clock the next morning. Oh, the joy of that awakening! The flesh of my foot was healed over as smooth as my arm. A light brown line was all the indication that there had ever been anything wrong with that foot. That line soon faded out; and my ankle has never bothered me since. To show how complete my healing was, I arose and dressed and walked about the house on that foot, which I had not stood on for two weeks. After luncheon I walked to the top of Mount Hope, and after visiting my sister there, continued to walk until evening.

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