Before I learned of Christian Science, St. Paul's words...

Edna Raper with contributions from Cecil S. Raper

Before I learned of Christian Science, St. Paul's words kept recurring to my thought: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God." At that time my concept of God was so vague that I failed to comprehend how this power could be made applicable to the pitiful condition in which I found myself. After I had undergone a long period of illness, under medical and surgical treatment, my friends were told that little could be done, as my condition was tubercular. This was not surprising to me, as tuberculosis was the one thing I most feared, having seen certain members of my family pass on with it.

I was sent to a warmer climate for a year, where I received great care, but I continued to lose weight, and was very melancholy. Noting my hopeless mental state, an acquaintance lent me a copy of the Christian Science textbook, telling me how Christian Science had helped her in a time of need, but she did not state that through the study of it I might be healed of this physical condition. I read page after page until the book was finished, with little thought that I might be healed. I returned it, remarking that while its teaching seemed very beautiful, I felt I could not understand it. This statement was not true, however, for my consciousness had been so permeated by Mrs. Eddy's presentation of the true nature of God as infinite Love, that I found my thought dwelling constantly on the allness and goodness of God. Within the next few months one symptom after another disappeard, and I awoke to the fact that I was well and was able to resume normal activity. This was over twenty years ago, and during the intervening years the definite proofs of the healing power of Christian Science have been many.

Once when an explosion occurred, my hands, arms, and face were severely burned. While I was still enveloped in flames, all fear was destroyed by declaring that nothing can touch the actual life of man, for God is his life. With the help of a practitioner the burns healed rapidly without pain and without scars.

Christian Science is teaching me how to subject my thinking to God's law, how to scientifically cleanse my thought of self-will, criticism, resentment, and fear. It is helping me to find here and now that true sense of peace and happiness which is the rightful heritage of every one of God's children. I am profoundly grateful to our Leader, who labored so patiently and perseveringly to give us this truth which, when honestly applied, meets our every need.

The privilege of membership in The Mother Church and of service in a branch church, and also class instruction, are outstanding blessings which have resulted from my study of the Christian Science textbook, the first sentence of which reads (Pref., p. vii): "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."

(Mrs.) Edna Raper, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I desire to confirm the above testimony. My wife's healing was most wonderful. Not being interested in Christian Science I accepted the kindly doctor's confidential statement that her case was hopeless. However, the healing was rapid and permanent, and this led me to take up the study of Christian Science. For some fifteen years God has been my only physician, and I have had abundant proof of His protecting care.

I am grateful to Mrs. Eddy that she "pressed on through faith in God, trusting Truth, the strong deliverer," to guide her "into the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged" (Science and Health, pp. 226, 227). I am grateful for class instruction, membership in The Mother Church, and the joy of service in a branch church.—Cecil S. Raper.

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Testimony of Healing

It is with deepest gratitude to God and to our beloved...

August 10, 1935

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