Testimony of Healing December 26, 1925 Issue

In August, 1920, I was spending some time on an island...

Sarah Newmeyer

In August, 1920, I was spending some time on an island in Lake Ontario. One evening just before sunset, when another student of Christian Science and I were out rowing, our boat was suddenly run down by a speeding motor boat, which struck our boat diagonally at the oars, snapping one oar in two and cutting half through the brass oarlock. My companion either jumped or was thrown out, and was subsequently rescued. I was sitting at the oars and was knocked unconscious, to mortal sense, and evidently thrown violently face down across the brass oarlock, which cut a gash from the middle of my forehead through the upper lip.

As I was unconscious, the following I have to relate is what eyewitnesses told me. Our boat was about half a mile from shore, and the accident was seen by two people there, who immediately rowed out toward us, although all they could see was the bottom of the boat, as it had tipped entirely over on the far side and was taking in water. My friend was struggling in the water several feet away on the other side of our boat. She said afterwards it was a most peculiar sight, for she saw me sitting on one side—which in that position was the bottom—of the boat, with the other side rising up over me like a shell. She said I did not seem to be clinging to it, but sat as if I were in a chair. I should like to state here that the remarkable fact that I was held in the tipped-over boat while unconscious puzzled a great many people at the island, especially one, who has since said to me a number of times, "I wonder what held you in that boat." By the time the rescue boat came alongside, our boat had righted itself, but was nearly full of water. After I was brought ashore, and without any human remedies being given me, I came back to consciousness through "the scientific statement of being," found on page 468 of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. I felt myself waking as if from a faint, confused dream, and heard my own voice repeating, very slowly and earnestly, the words of that wonderful statement.

In the trials that followed, the truth revealed in "the scientific statement of being" was my strength and salvation. I was far from home, and surrounded almost entirely by people who knew of no other than material remedies. However, I immediately asked for a Christian Science practitioner, whom they most lovingly procured for me; but before the practitioner arrived my friends were so alarmed at my apparent condition, even fearing death, that I allowed a physician to sew my face. That was the only material remedy resorted to, either then or in the days that followed. During the sewing I worked constantly to know the truth, and was wonderfully sustained. Afterwards I had four hemorrhages. At the fourth of these I suddenly realized that those around my bed thought they were in the presence of the "last enemy." Their fear suddenly called forth all my gratitude to Christian Science. I perceived that those around thought they were at the deathbed of a Christian Scientist; and such a feeling of gratitude and lovalty welled up in my heart, as I thought of all that Christian Science had done for me! And I felt that now, when I was called to the test before unbelievers, I would be faithful! I declared the truth aloud; and I believe the nurse thought I was asking them to pray for me, for she said so kindly to me, "Yes, yes, dear; we are all praying for you." I then closed my eyes and worked silently. I had no more hemorrhages; and a week later my head felt clear and free, and I could hear perfectly again.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

Ten years ago I began the study of Christian Science for...