Testimony of Healing January 25, 1936 Issue

I first heard of Christian Science in 1910, after being...

Charles Van Osten

I first heard of Christian Science in 1910, after being discharged from the United States Marine Corps. I visited my home, and one day my mother gave me "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, to read. I read parts of it here and there, and finding nothing familiar, I thought it was hard to understand and so put it away. After a three weeks' visit I left to join the army. On my return from France after the war in 1919 my health was poor, but not till 1922, after the passing on of my mother, did I again take up the reading of Science and Health. I did this through the loving advice of a Christian Science practitioner. I read the book through, and then with the help of a dictionary read it through again. When reading it for the third time I was healed of the smoking habit, which I had tried to give up several times before without success. This interested me very much, so I continued to read each day. I wanted to know more of this wonderful truth.

I had been serving in the Philippine Islands for several years, and up to this time I had been subject to a tropical fever which appeared every few months. The overcoming of this difficulty was one of my first healings; many others have followed. The desire for alcoholic drinks left me. I noticed that my health was much improved, and that I felt stronger and happy. Later healings were of an abscess in one of my ears, which was very painful at times, constipation, and a severe case of hemorrhoids. All these healings came through the daily reading of Science and Health. Then I obtained Mrs. Eddy's other writings, and in 1925 began reading the Lesson-Sermons in the Christian Science Quarterly. My progress may have been slow, but I have always continued reading each day, and have noticed my steady advancement. Jesus, our Way-shower, says, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." I have had many other healings, faults of character have been corrected, and many false beliefs have been overcome; in fact there is not space here to mention all the benefits that have come to me. While there are still things to be overcome, I am most grateful for the things that have been accomplished, and for the help that I have received from practitioners.

I have been a member of a branch church and The Mother Church since 1932, and for this I am very grateful. I owe everything to Christian Science—my health, my very life; and for my little understanding of God and man's relationship to Him I am most grateful. We cannot be too grateful to Mrs. Eddy for her wonderful discovery.

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