Christian Science was presented to me at a time when I was suffering greatly from a physical ailment and had been temporarily forced to give up my work.

A friend of mine had invited me to spend a few weeks at her summer home on a northern lake, and not long after I arrived she asked me if I had ever thought of looking into Christian Science. She said she didn't know much about it herself but understood that people had been healed by reading it. Someone had given her a copy of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy at one time, and she finally located it among her books and gave it to me to read. M y only previous persona! knowledge of Science was the reading of a Sentinel, which a neighbor had given me.

I read Science and Health a great deal during that summer, but much of it I didn't understand. There were no Christian Scientists near me at that time; so I made notes of passages I particularly wanted enlightenment on, thinking I would ask an experienced Scientist to clarify them when I had the opportunity. When I finished reading the book, I was in another place; but still there were no Scientists near me so far as I knew.

I started reading the book again and was overjoyed to find that certain passages which before were unclear to me seemed illuminated. And so it has been through the many years I have studied this book, reading it consecutively. New illuminations continue to come.

The illness for which I originally turned to Science, which was stomach trouble in an aggravated form, was not healed quickly, but when the healing did come it was instantaneous. I had suffered greatly for several days before I called a practitioner. She sat by my bed and silently prayed. I fell asleep and awoke completely free, and that was the last of that difficulty.

A few years later I was healed in Christian Science of another severe illness, which lasted for more than a year, I did not have a diagnosis, so I do not know what it was; but it was of a general nature, affecting me in many ways and in different parts of my body and causing a great weakness. I shall always be grateful to the practitioner who stood by me during this period until I found my freedom.

One instantaneous healing was that of a mashed finger on which a heavy car door had been slammed. From the quick glimpse I had of the finger before turning to the truth, it appeared to be badly hurt. My husband, who is not a Christian Scientist, and who was sitting by my side, also saw it and was quite alarmed.

I covered it immediately and declared aloud and with conviction words to the effect that God has no knowledge of accidents. Instantly the pain was gone. I continued my prayerful work for a few minutes and then went into the house and prepared dinner. There was not the slightest evidence of injury; and if I had not known which hand it was, I couldn't have told, because there was no soreness at all and no mark.

The incident wasn't mentioned by either my husband or me for several days. It was as though it had never happened, as, indeed, it really hadn't. My husband later remarked on the wonder of the healing, knowing it was through Christian Science.

More recently I had a healing of a broken wrist. The complete healing took some time; but from the start, after a few minutes of good work by a practitioner, I could bend the wrist and fingers, although I was unable to use the hand in a completely normal manner for some time without discomfort.

In about nine days, to please a member of my family, I had the arm X-rayed, and the doctor told me that the large bone in the wrist had been broken, but that it had set and that there wasn't a thing he needed to do about it. Before long I was using the wrist freely. This healing was entirely through prayer in Christian Science, no material help whatever being given.

I have had many other healings, including those of colds and influenza. Protection from accidents has been experienced, supply has been demonstrated, and I have been divinely guided in wonderful, unforeseen ways. Other causes for gratitude are class instruction and membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church. I am especially grateful for the help given me by my teacher of Christian Science and for other practitioners who have helped me.—(Mrs.) Helen Belle Midcalf, Montrose, California.