Article September 12, 1936 Issue

Wednesday Evening Testimony Meetings

HERBERT E. BONHAM

It was a Wednesday evening testimony meeting. The First Reader had just opened the meeting for "experiences, testimonies, and remarks on Christian Science" (Manual, p. 122) when a man seated in the front of the church arose and asked, "If Christian Science heals, why doesn't it heal tuberculosis?" He then sat down. The First Reader answered that Christian Science had healed tuberculosis and all manner of human ills, including so-called incurable diseases. He had hardly concluded this statement when a number of persons arose to testify to the healing power of Christian Science, and many of the testimonies given were of the healing of tuberculosis.

The man who propounded the question expressed a challenge, and the response was immediate and convincing. As he left the church he remarked to an usher, "I am now convinced that Christian Science does heal tuberculosis." His sincerity would indicate that he came to the church with an earnest desire to learn the truth. Every Wednesday evening "simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert" (Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 570), come to our services. Are we giving them "a cup of cold water," so that they may never leave our churches unrefreshed and empty-hended?

The challenge above referred to brought forth sufficient proof to convince the questioner that Christian Science does heal. We invite suffering humanity to come to our services and share with us the blessings of Christian Science, but do we liberally provide a feast for them? We have a sacred responsibility. In the Manual of The Mother Church by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, we find these words (Art. VIII, Sect. 24): "Testimony in regard to the healing of the sick is highly important. More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and illustrates the demonstration of Christ, 'who healeth all thy diseases' (Psalm 103:3)." Remarks on Christian Science have their place, and it is an important one, but nothing can take the place of testimonies of healing given by those who have experienced them. A simple testimony of healing in Christian Science, which, to the one relating it, may seem of small importance to anyone but himself, may be just the message which is needed to carry conviction to some other member of the congregation. No matter how haltingly a testimony of healing may be given, if given with sincerity it is an expression of gratitude, and its healing influence cannot be lost.

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