Mrs. Eddy, our revered Leader, has said on page 254 of...

Vela E. Brown with contributions from Anne S. Towner

Mrs. Eddy, our revered Leader, has said on page 254 of the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health: "If you launch your bark upon the ever-agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms. Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown." Since launching my bark some thirty-five years ago upon these ever-agitated waters, I have indeed encountered storms, but I have always proved the truth of our Leader's words (ibid.): "When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path."

When Christian Science was first brought to my notice, through the healing of my mother, I was very unhappy. I had been left a widow before the age of twenty-one, with a child to support and very little knowledge of how to set about it. For years I struggled from one thing to another, until I was down in thoughts, down in joy—down in everything. I often looked at people and wondered what they found to smile and laugh about. Then Christian Science came into my life, and my journey from sense to Soul began. Soon there came a day when I was made to realize how far I had come on this journey. One Christmas Eve, a gentleman stopped me as I was entering the chambers where I was now a successful worker, and remarked, "There is no occasion to wish you a happy Christmas, you carry joy in your face." I had been healed of gloom. The sense of lack had been overcome some months before, through a realization that I reflected, as an heir of God, His allness.

About this time I applied for a position, which I eventually obtained and which took care of all my needs. I was told that my work would be satisfactory, but that it was a hard position and I looked too delicate. I worked at that position for twenty-five years, and only once had to obtain leave of absence for reasons pertaining to health, and it is of that time I am going to tell.

During the World War a dear one was undergoing many miseries, domestic and financial, and I was suffering with him. There came a day when a large cloud seemed to envelop me. I could not see the way, and felt ill and sick at heart. I arrived home that night in great anguish. Three days later, owing to my position, it was necessary for me to have a medical certificate, and a doctor was sent for. He pronounced my case colitis, and inflammation of the kidneys, the lungs, and the bladder. He seemed to have little hope of my recovery, but consented to watch my case. He said that if I recovered it would take three months. A Christian Science practitioner, however, had been working for me from the beginning, and in three weeks I returned to my duties, though I was then sent home for another week, for my appearance bespoke the illness I had come through. At the end of his visits, the doctor asked me to lend him a copy of the textbook. It was found necessary for the practitioner to visit me only twice, for after a telephone call each acute need was met, and the work went on unremittingly until I came out of darkness into the glorious light of health and happiness. Shortly afterwards, the dear one was also healed of his financial and other worries.

I could not express in words my gratitude to the practitioner who helped me through this experience, and who has helped me and mine through others of a different nature. Nor can I close without expressing my gratitude for the Christian Science Sentinel. For many years I could subscribe only to the Sentinel, and I eagerly read the articles and testimonies, at first without much understanding of the truth. Gradually, the revelation came, however, and I stood in awe, as I still do, before this wonderful truth which Mrs. Eddy has unfolded to the world.—(Mrs.)Vela E. Brown, Henley, New South Wales, Australia.

The above testimony by my daughter makes reference to my healing, and I should like to relate it.

I had suffered for some months with neuritis in my left arm and had completely lost the use of it. I consulted many doctors, tried all sorts of contrivances, such as electric batteries, with no permanent result. At times I could neither sleep nor eat, the agony was so intense. Then my daughter was told of Christian Science. It did not appear to us at the time as a religion, but only as a healing measure; still, having tried all else, I turned to what was then a new method of healing in this country. I think people had only known of it here for about two years. I went to a Christian Science practitioner without the slightest knowledge of what Christian Science is, and in three weeks I was absolutely healed; in fact, the pain ceased almost at once. This healing occurred thirty-five years ago. Since then I have felt the healing efficacy of Christian Science many times, and am very grateful to our Leader for the periodicals, which are to me a constant source of guidance and help, and to the kind practitioner who worked for me at the time of my first healing and who gave me my first copy of the textbook.

(Mrs.)Anne S. Towner

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Testimony of Healing

I am very grateful to have had the opportunity of...

September 30, 1939

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