Testimony of Healing October 14, 1944 Issue

When I first became interested...

W. Chester Smith

When I first became interested in Christian Science; I had many quick healings. In some cases they were permanent, while in other instances the problem presented itself again. While I am grateful for the quick healings, I can see now that if all our difficulties were easily and readily overcome, we might experience little spiritual growth. I accepted Christian Science wholeheartedly, and relied entirely upon metaphysical work whenever there was error to be overcome; but I always depended upon a practitioner to do all or most of the work. I read the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, and did some studying; but until I myself made the effort to apply the truth, I did not make much spiritual progress.

Things continued like this for about ten years, until I learned the truth of Mrs. Eddy's words (Science and Health, p. 22), "Final deliverance from error, whereby we rejoice in immortality, boundless freedom, and sinless sense, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one's faith without works to another's vicarious effort." During this time I experienced many healings, including the setting of a lower vertebra and of my jaw, which had been out of place for about ten days. For these healings and for the faithful work of practitioners I am very grateful.

The healing for which I am most grateful and the one which brought about my awakening to the need for individual growth, was of the tobacco habit. I had been a very heavy smoker, using cigarettes and a pipe constantly. I tried unsuccessfully for five years to give up smoking through the use of human will power. Several times I went for months without smoking and thought I was free, but I always succumbed to temptation and began to smoke more than ever. Finally the desire for freedom from this enslaving habit became stronger and more persistent. I wanted to become a member of a branch church which maintained a firm rule not to accept into membership an applicant who smoked. I shall never cease to be grateful to this church for adhering strictly to this rule. I realized that I was trying to "serve two masters," God and mammon, for although I was willing to deny that matter had any power to make me sick or give me pain, I wanted to believe that it had power to give me pleasure.

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