Christian Science was presented to me a little more than forty-six...

Christian Science was presented to me a little more than forty-six years ago. At that time I had had three major operations and was no better. I went to see a famous surgeon. After treating me for some time, giving me tests, taking X rays, and so forth, he said, "Go to the hospital tonight, and I will operate tomorrow." He said I had cancer in its last stages. He could not guarantee anything, even with the operation. The picture was that I certainly could not live to be thirty.

I had heard Christian Science mentioned in the beauty parlor where I had my hair dressed, and the operator gave me the name of a Christian Science practitioner. Although I knew nothing about Christian Science at the time, I telephoned her for an appointment. I went to see her on New Year's Day, 1921. I spent about two hours with the practitioner and walked out of her office healed of cancer. It was an instantaneous healing.

The practitioner asked me what I would do about it if I were healed. I answered, "I would want to know more about what healed me." I did not understand anything about Christian Science. I bought the Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, and the Christian Science Quarterly. I read them once in a while and went to church occasionally, but not until five years later did I depend entirely upon Christian Science. During all the years since, it has been my only physician and help in all ways. I have been healed of nervous breakdown, a heart condition, and other ailments, large and small. I know that Christian Science heals all kinds of ills. Nothing is impossible to God, "who healeth all thy diseases" (Ps. 103:3 ).

One time when I was very ill and had been in bed about a month, I was alone, and it seemed that I was passing on. The state of thought I was in was that I did not care. I was having Christian Science treatment. Then the thought came to me strongly, "Rouse ye." I still did not care what happened. Again the impelling direction to my thought was "Rouse ye." When it came the third time, I got out of bed and shook myself. From then on, I was healed. Until this moment all I had wanted to do was sleep. But this awakened me. I took my Christian Science Hymnal and read and reread Hymn No. 296 many times and thanked God. The words include this verse and refrain:

Rouse ye, soldiers of the cross,
And lift your banner high;
Servants of a mighty cause,
Put sloth and slumber by.

Rouse ye, rouse ye, fare the foe,
Rise to conquer death and sin;
On with Christ to victory go,
O side with God, and win!

Time and space would not allow me to tell of all the healings and blessings that have come to us through the application of Christian Science.

I am grateful for membership in The Mother Church and a branch church, for the blessed experience of class instruction, and for teaching in the Sunday School for over thirty-five years.

(Mrs.) Florence C. Rich, Topanga, California

I wish to corroborate my wife's testimony. When we were married, I knew that my wife had been helped through Christian Science and that she wanted to depend upon it entirely.

Looking back on my family tree, I did not like what I saw. I particularly liked what Christian Science presented regarding heredity.

Through Christian Science we were led to adopt and raise a son. Later, in gratitude for my wife's healing of a nervous breakdown, and because I recognized that I could use more help in Sunday School teaching, I was led to apply for and receive class instruction from her teacher.

Two years ago I became completely paralyzed. With the support of our teacher and with a Christian Science practitioner helping me, I was greatly improved in three days. After a month I was well and have been in good health ever since.

I am grateful for all the proofs of God's care that we have received and for the confidence and assurance that we need not lose any of our human faculties.

Calvin G. Rich
January 4, 1969
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit