Testimony of Healing September 23, 1950 Issue

Many years ago, when I was a...

William Frederick Parks with contributions from Joyce C. Parks

Many years ago, when I was a young man just entering the business world, Christian Science was recommended to me by a friend, and I was so astounded that he thought I needed to be healed that my prompt retort was, "It cannot heal anything." This statement I made without the slightest knowledge of what this Science was. I did not think there was anything wrong with me that needed healing, although I was very nervous and extremely fearful, wore glasses, bit my fingernails, and, generally speaking, was a very poor human specimen.

However, about three weeks later I cautiously went into a Christian Science Reading Room and asked the librarian for the book that heals. When she mentioned "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, I thought that that must be it and bought a copy. One night weeks later, after retiring, I could not sleep, and about two o'clock in the morning I turned on the light, unwrapped this book, and opened it to the picture of Mrs. Eddy. I had removed my glasses on retiring, but I was able to see her face clearly and gazed upon its depth of beauty and love for some time, then turned to the chapter on Prayer. The first words I read were (ibid., p. 1): "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love."

I continued reading and at each sentence I would stop and says to myself, "This is true; this is logical; this makes sense." When I finished the chapter, I reached up to take off my glasses, and to my amazement I did not have them on. I picked up several other books to see if I was awake or dreaming and found I could see to read perfectly. I had worn glasses ever since I was a child of twelve and had been unable to see clearly without them, suffering from astigmatism and farsightedness. This experience took place over thirty-five years ago.

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