Testimony of Healing April 24, 1926 Issue

In the autumn of 1915 I took up the study of Christian Science...

Jennie Stephenson

In the autumn of 1915 I took up the study of Christian Science in a search for healing of severe mental unrest. All my life I had been considered delicate, having never known robust health; and attacks of depression and mental turmoil became so acute that I feared the loss of my reason. Through the help of a Christian Science practitioner I experienced considerable benefit and healing, and many beliefs of false theology slowly but surely yielded to the truth. The mental attacks were, however, very slow to yield; and although I persisted in my study of Christian Science, this particular trouble came up again and again. Many times I was tempted to be discouraged, and sometimes was almost in despair. The suffering was acute. The attacks would come on suddenly, and I could never be sure of being in the same mind for two days or even two hours together. Still, in a very wonderful way Love always did meet my need, in accordance with the promise, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Either through some verse of Scripture or some passage from our Leader's writings the help was always just sufficient to keep me from being submerged. I had frequent help from loving practitioners, and on each occasion some healing resulted; and through all the time I was able to continue my work, so that only those nearest to me knew I was passing through a severe experience.

As the healing was so long delayed I was, during the summer of 1923, tempted to seek the help of a physician and secure a diagnosis; but it came to me quite clearly that whatever it was necessary for me to know God could and would reveal to me. Shortly after this time it came to my thought that the trouble was what the doctors would call anæmia of the brain. This thought was voiced to a practitioner, who helped me to turn away from material sense and realize my true being as a child of God. A few weeks later I woke one Sunday morning with all the symptoms of a very severe mental attack; but, determined not to be discouraged, I set off to attend the morning service, striving to turn aside from the false belief, to center my thoughts on the service, and to let my prayers be "for the congregations collectively and exclusively," as Mrs. Eddy teaches in our precious Manual (p. 42). Just as I was sitting down in my place in church the words flashed into my consciousness almost as if a voice had spoken them, Brain is not the medium of Mind to man. Often had I tried to realize, as Mrs. Eddy tells us on page 372 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," that "brain is not mind," but never before had it come to me with such light. I realized instantly that this was my healing, and so it has proved; for I have not had a mental attack since that time.

I am grateful for this healing, and grateful too for all the lessons I have learned during these years—lessons in patience and perseverance, in humility and gentleness. I am grateful, too, for all the help and comfort, the strength and courage, which the knowledge of the truth as taught in Christian Science has brought to me.—(Miss) Jennie Stephenson, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

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