In 1957, we were living in a small trailer park in one of the larger cities of the South. I was quite ill with a spastic colon, indigestion, and an allergy to almost all foods. I had been X-rayed and flouroscoped by specialists and was told that I would be sick as long as I lived, that I might as well make the best of it.

I was a member of a very well-known denominational church and had prayed many times for a healing, but never had any results. Finally in the summer of 1957, I just felt life wasn't worth living if I had to go on being sick all the time. On one particular day I sat down in our bedroom and poured out my heart to God, asking that He heal me or let me die.

The next evening after we had finished our evening meal, our landlady and landlord came to our door and knocked. When I went to the door, I could see they expected to be invited in, which was most unusual. They were always friendly and helpful and would visit with the tenants if they were outside on their patios, but they never visited inside the trailers of the tenants, so that for the two of them to come together to our trailer for a visit was very unusual.

This landlady's hobby is baking, and she has recipes from all over the world. During the conversation she wanted to give me some recipes, and I told her I could eat very few foods. She wanted to bring me some of what she had baked that day, but again I told her that I could not eat it, that to do so would send me to the hospital. By this time she was standing, as they were getting ready to leave. She looked down at me and said, "My dear child, God made all foods good to eat." I told her that I would like to believe that. Then she looked at me very thoughtfully and asked me if I knew anything about Christian Science. I told her No.

They sat down again, and both she and her husband gave their testimonies of how they had been healed of diseases considered incurable. And they said they had not had any medication of any kind for over thirty years. I was very impressed at the thought of anyone's being able to live without medicine. They also told us their ages, and we could hardly believe it because they were so active and healthy.

Then she told me lots of people were healed just by reading the textbook of Christian Science. I told her I would like to read this book. So she went to their cottage and brought me a copy of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, and I started to read that night. I don't remember what I read that night, but I continued reading most of the next day and was able to understand some of what I read. I realized that the spiritual man was the real man and had dominion over the material body.

That night I did not prepare any special food for myself. When I called my husband to the table, he wanted to know where my food was, and I told him it was on the table. He begged me not to eat it, but I told him everything would be all right. I well remember we had baked beans among other things. I ate my share of all the food on the table. I slept well that night, and the next morning my husband wanted to know how I felt. I told him, "Fine." He just shook his head and could not understand it.

At breakfast that morning I had the same foods that my husband had, and again he asked me not to eat it but to get some of my special food. He said that I was lucky that I did not suffer from the food I had eaten the night before. However, I ate the breakfast with no ill effects, and that was the end of the diet and allergy. I don't know when the spastic colon condition disappeared. It was sometime later as I continued to study Science and Health for the better part of each day.

I have relied on the truths of Christian Science ever since this healing. My health is perfect, and I can truthfully say that I am a much happier person since studying Christian Science.

I am grateful for membership in The Mother Church and a branch church and for having had class instruction. I am grateful for Christ Jesus' wonderful healing works and for Mrs. Eddy for giving us this practical religion.

(Mrs.) Ruthie Mae Sadler
Crystal River, Florida