Testimony of Healing July 9, 1949 Issue

Businessman in Argentina heals resistance to new ideas

Russell F. Keehn with contributions from Alida A. Baxter

Through my understanding of Truth I have experienced many beautiful healings, but I shall always remember the first one. which gave me much encouragement to persevere. I was just beginning to be interested in Christian Science, and although I was reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, I did not understand much of the great truths therein contained. But by applying what little I had read and understood, and with help from a practitioner, I was healed of severe, frequently recurring headaches which had troubled me for years. From early youth I had suffered from this trouble to such an extent that it became accepted as chronic and to be expected at frequent intervals. The headaches were a serious handicap to me during my later school days and interfered with my progress in the university.

On the occasion of the healing the pain was seemingly unbearable, I had been obliged to go to bed and was receiving Christian Science treatment. There was no perceptible lifting of pain, and a friend, through a sense of compassion, offered me the medicine which I had previously relied on. I made a decision at that moment not to take medicine, but to stand firmly by the truth as I had seen it in my studies. Almost immediately after that decision was made, I fell asleep and on awaking some hours later found that I had been healed. This healing took place over sixteen years ago, and I have never had a headache since, which definitely proved to me the permanency of healing in Christian Science.

Later I overcame a desire for social drinking and some time after that for smoking. For both of these demonstrations I am sincerely grateful. The habit of smoking had possessed me for twenty-four years. As my realization of Truth in Christian Science increased, I wished to be healed of this. I tried tapering off. as it is commonly called, but to no avail. I tried will power with even less success. When I was talking about this condition with a member of my family, it was explained to me that self-will is not a healing factor and that I must truly desire to give up smoking, if I were to be healed. This annoyed me at first, but on analyzing my thoughts, I discovered I had not up to that moment honestly desired to give up my pipe or cigar. This awakening surprised me. Then came an earnest endeavor to see the real man as a reflection of infinite Mind, unaffected by any material influence, and to see that this man, being spiritual, pure, and satisfied, requires no stimulant, I realized at the same time that I had done much to foster the belief or habit instead of to eliminate it, by building it up as something with power to make me do what was not good for me. As I realized this, I stopped struggling against what I now saw was unreal and relaxed mentally. The honest desire to give up the habit came over me, and I threw away the cigar I was smoking. I was instantly healed, and I have never known regret or a recurrence of the desire. Being with or near smokers causes neither resentment nor desire. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for this healing, which I consider a milestone in my progress in Christian Science.

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Testimony of Healing
Claims "right to expect results" and is freed of self-condemnation
July 9, 1949
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