From 1919 on I suffered with severe rheumatic pains...

Jean Stähli

From 1919 on I suffered with severe rheumatic pains, and often for many consecutive weeks with severe heart and nerve trouble. In 1920, upon the urgent request of the doctors, I gave up completely the use of alcoholic liquors; nevertheless, my troubles increased rather than decreased. In 1930-1931 I was under hospital treatment for many months, and consequently had to give up my business. The doctors called the disease neuritis, and held out no hope of improvement; in fact, they said I must expect anything except getting well again.

I was so embittered and full of hatred that whenever anyone recommended something to aid my healing, I laughed at him and was sometimes even very rude, for I no longer sought help, but rather very often wanted to put an end to my life, and even attempted it several times.

But God's ways are marvelous. Various friends of my wife had recommended Christian Science for me, but I wanted nothing to do with it, for religion was repellent to me. But my good wife did not give up and asked me again and again just to try visiting a testimony meeting. Finally, I gave in, and a little over four years ago I attended a Wednesday evening meeting. To be sure, it was with the unkind intention of being able afterwards to tell those who pressed me how useless their efforts had been. However, things were otherwise ordained: I had reckoned without all-powerful divine Love. This very first testimony meeting wiped out my Saul-thoughts, and I went home more at peace than I had ever been before; and for the first time in many years I slept the whole night through. From then on I have had no more sleepless nights.

Through the loving help of a practitioner I was healed in five weeks of the chronic nerve and heart trouble. Diseases which appeared later were also reduced to the vanishing point through Christian Science practitioners, who are always lovingly ready to help.

As I was a very heavy smoker, friends had often said that they could not see why I, who had not drunk any alcoholic liquors for so many years, would not give up smoking. I usually answered that I still wanted to enjoy something good in life. And this "good pleasure" I gave up on my first visit to a testimony meeting and have not smoked since. I did not realize until much later that I had forgotten about smoking, through my earnest study of Christian Science literature and the Bible Lessons in the Quarterly.

Since I have known of Christian Science, Love has filled to overflowing a thought formerly filled with hate. I am deeply grateful to our Father-Mother God, and to Christ Jesus, for the overflowing abundance of love which has been given me through Christian Science, and our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Also I am heartily grateful for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church.

Jean Stähli, Zürich, Switzerland.

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