My early days were spent in a...

Enid M. Linford with contributions from Joan Longman

My early days were spent in a family atmosphere where God and the Bible were loved and honored, because my father was a minister in an orthodox church. I early desired to know God as real and present. At the age of about twelve years I became a member of my father's church. Shortly after this he passed on, and we were left, a family of six, in straitened circumstances.

The ensuing years were overshadowed with many problems, and the culmination was my fiancé's being seriously wounded in the First World War. The almost chronic invalidism with which he was apparently faced revealed to me how inadequate to meet this situation were my faith in God and my understanding of Him. Our desire and need for help were great, and how swiftly the help came!

A relative who was then living in the home of a student of Christian Science told us of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. A copy of it was purchased, and as we studied, gratefully acknowledging the truth of what we read, the mists began to clear, my fiancé's health began to improve and was eventually completely restored, and I knew that at last I had found the God I had been searching for, a perfect God, who could create only a perfect creation, including man.

After we had married and our daughter was about three years old, we had a convincing proof of Christian Science healing. My mother-in-law was staying with us. During this period our young daughter became very ill. A Christian Science practitioner was asked to pray for the child, but the grandmother became fearful and asked that a doctor be called. He pronounced the illness pneumonia. Medical remedies were prescribed, but not used.

The child lay ill and listless for the next day and a half, until the practitioner unexpectedly arrived and was taken to her. Half an hour later I went in to find our daughter sitting up in bed, well, happy, and demanding food.

For me, the years since then have proved the truth of Christ Jesus' promise (John 10:10), "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly," for health and an ever deeper satisfaction have been mine through membership in The Mother Church and a branch church, through class instruction, and through being able to share this inestimable gift with my fellow men.

My gratitude for Mrs. Eddy is greater than words can express, for through her Key to the Scriptures I have found the life of Christ Jesus to be my only example for living in such a way that I shall indeed show forth the praise of my Maker, God. —(Mrs.) Enid M. Linford, Norton Lindsey, Warwickshire, England.

I am the daughter mentioned in the above testimony, and I am very glad to be able to express my own appreciation of Christian Science. It has been of great help in bringing up my two children, and I am grateful that they are receiving their education at a school run by Christian Scientists. I have proved that this Science is of great value in solving problems of human relationships. Thanks to my upbringing in it, I have had few physical difficulties, and they have always been quickly overcome.—(Mrs.) Joan Longman, London, England.

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Testimony of Healing

After the Second World War, I...

March 11, 1961

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