Before the war I had often been in hospitals on account...

Rudolf Goliat

Before the war I had often been in hospitals on account of lung trouble. In 1914, while I was at the front with a cavalry regiment, the complaint became so much worse that I often had fever and severe hemorrhages. In 1916 I was sent to a sanitarium, where I was under treatment for over two years. I was discharged as a one hundred per cent war invalid, was unfit for any kind of work, and was penniless. I earned a scanty living until no longer able to do even this, and was obliged to go to a hospital. There I was taken with pleurisy and sciatica. I knew that I had been given up by all.

But "man's extremity is God's opportunity." A friend brought me a copy of Der Herold der Christian Science and a small Bible. He called my attention to the ninety-first psalm, but I took up the Herold first, for I had never heard of Christian Science. The testimonies interested me most of all, and I read them first. After I had read the Herold I also became interested in the Bible, for I had found many quotations from it and from the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, in the testimonies as well as in the articles. When reading the Gospels I found several promises which especially attracted my attention, and I noticed that the teachings of Christian Science were in accord with them. I was in the isolation building in a room alone, so I could read without being interrupted; and I did so attentively. After I had read the Herold through several times I knew that I had found the truth, and I began to reflect whether I too could not be healed. The Gospels record Jesus' healings: he healed all manner of sickness. Christian Science does the same, as the testimonies proved. "With God all things are possible;" for He is omnipotent. Why had my numerous prayers not been answered? Because I had not prayed aright, and because I had not expected to receive that for which I prayed. I had relied too much upon material remedies and upon men. Moreover, I had not lived according to the divine laws. So I decided there and then to change all this.

While contemplating thus, I completely forgot my suffering. Suddenly a light dawned upon me; great joy came over me, and a heavy load fell as if from my chest. I could breathe much more easily. I got up at once and removed the medicine bottle, and have never used it since. When I took my temperature shortly afterwards, it was normal. Fear had left me completely. The next day I thought, This compress cannot help me; and I removed it at once. The pain disappeared and I was free from the complaint. I began to eat everything without fear, and soon recovered.

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