Testimony of Healing October 29, 1949 Issue

Before I got to know this religion...

Alida L. H. van der Kooij

Before I got to know this religion of Truth, my life seemed empty. I tried to fill it with all sorts of enjoyments, and the result was sickness and suffering. Then one day the doctor told me that there was no hope of my recovering from kidney trouble from which I had suffered for several months. I was in great distress, my life seemed worthless, and I decided to make an end to it. For this purpose I left the house and walked with great difficulty to a park near by. I sat down on the first bench I saw, being very tired. There some children were playing near me. They were acting, and I heard one of the girls recite, "And still I know there is a God." These words gave me a great shock, and I repeated them several times. Then I remembered suddenly that a girl in the boardinghouse where I lived once advised me to visit a Christian Science testimony meeting and she even had given me the address of a practitioner. She told me that she at first thought I was a Christian Scientist as she had found Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy on my table. I got this book from a friend of mine in Sweden, and though I never read it, I kept it because of the lovely cover. I did not know then that this book would become the book I would read most, together with the Bible.

I remembered the address of the practitioner, and the thought came to me, "Go to her now." As this practitioner had her office quite near, I got there in a short time. I stayed with her for about half an hour, and though I did not understand much of what she told me, I felt very much comforted. One thing I understood very well, namely that I had to love, even my enemies. Also that from then on I had to control all my thoughts, if they were to be worthy to bring before God. I started at once to do this. I had a lot of opportunity in the boardinghouse, as things there were not very harmonious. The result was convincing. Love flowed to me from every side. I threw all drugs away, including opium, which I had been taking. This was not an easy thing to do, as the pain sometimes was severe, but I wanted to be obedient and faithful and to rely wholly on God. I went regularly to see the practitioner and also attended the church services and meetings. It was a slow healing, but a day came when I realized that I was completely healed. I shall never forget the overwhelming gratitude I felt. I decided to devote my life to Christian Science and its healing work.

After this healing experience I had many others. I was healed of blood poisoning, of mental disturbance, and also of a large abscess in my throat.

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