I am so filled with gratitude to God for Christian Science...

Elizabeth Hammacher

I am so filled with gratitude to God for Christian Science that I cannot go on keeping my joy to myself, but wish to share it with others.

For years I had been suffering a great deal, both mentally and physically. No matter which way I turned I saw the devouring flames, such as greed, will-power, destruction, lust, oppression, aggression, pride of power, and other evils. Being surrounded by these evil qualities I found my thoughts turning from love to hate, revenge, sickness, sorrow, depression, and discouragement. In this state of thought I went on for some years, until finally I cloud see nothing but death to free me, as doctors could not help me any more.

At that time Christian Science came to me in the following way. I was engaged in business; and a small body of people gathered above my store every Wednesday evening for services. I could not hear or understand anything that was said or done; but I always felt uplifted during the time that I thougth they were praying, and my thoughts turned to them then rather than to my business. One day a lady said to me, "I am going to church this evening." I did not hesitate to ask her what church she was attending; and she very lovingly replied, "Why, upstairs, right over your store, the Christian Science church." I then asked her to take me along with her, and she did. At the end of the service I said to myself, "This is what I need, and hereafter I shall not wait for anyone to take me." I turned completely to Christian Science for help, and the first week bought a copy "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy and studied it for many days and nights, for to mortal sense I was a complete wreck.

Not being very familiar with the English language I clung closely to my books, studying alternate pages of English and German in Science and Health whenever error screamed; and little by little I gained some understanding and began to rise above its clouds. Then the testing time came. One day I became very ill and was helpless. The thought came to me that I must have help, and I was tempted to call a physician once more. I managed to get out of bed to the telephone, and had already lifted the receiver when these words from Science and Health (p. 231), came to me: "What God cannot do, man need not attempt." I immediately hung up the receiver, and shortly afterwards called up a Christian Science practitioner. I could not tell her what I wanted, for I fell on the floor unconscious. When I came to I managed to get up and into bed. The practitioner came in a very short time, for she felt that something must have happened. I soon felt better, and was healed.

Not long after this experience the tempter presented itself in a more stubborn form. I became very ill with pains in my side and very high fever, so that I could not straighten myself to walk. I called for help, but was not relieved. I went from bad to worse. Finally I stopped treatment and decided to take my books and go to some resort where I could be near the ocean and have plenty of sunshine. This I did, but it did not afford any relief. Word was sent to my husband to come and take me home. The lesson was then learned that I could not mix Christian Science with ocean breezes, sunshine, or climate as a remedial agent. In Matthew we read, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

As I was again confined to bed, my husband said I must do something. I told him I wanted nothing but Christian Science; he consented, and called another practitioner. Treatment was given, and in a very short time the healing followed. The next morning I was out of bed, and in a few days my body had straightened and I was free. This all happened in my first two years in Christian Science; after that I gained sufficient understanding to take care of my own problems. One ailment after another yielded to the application of the truth as taught by our dear Leader, Mrs. Eddy. I was healed of fainting spells from which I had suffered for years. These spells were due to extreme pain every three or four weeks, and that was overcome with the realization that Life is God, indestructible and inexhaustible.

I am truly grateful to our dear Father-Mother God, the ever present Mind; grateful to Christ Jesus, the Way-shower; and to our dear Leader, who devoted all her time to lead us out of material bondage, to guide us on our path from sense to Soul.

(Mrs.) Elizabeth Hammacher, Mystic, Connecticut.

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