Testimony of Healing May 3, 1969 Issue

Christian Science was brought to the notice of my wife and myself...

S. Howard Hansford with contributions from Elizabeth Hansford

Christian Science was brought to the notice of my wife and myself many years ago by an old friend who sometimes spent an evening with us. This friend spoke thoughtfully and earnestly on the subject of Christian Science and gave lively and reasoned replies to our many objections. We were not in need of physical healing at the time. We had both grown up in Christian families but were feeling the inadequacy of conventional Christianity in the modern world and reaching out for some more hopeful and credible interpretation.

On the occasion of one visit from our friend it happened that an epidemic of mumps had broken out in the neighborhood, and our three young children were among the sufferers. The following morning I found myself exhibiting the well-known symptoms, and mumps was emphatically diagnosed by our family doctor, who called to see the children and warned me of complications that might ensue. Now, I asked myself, is not this a heaven-sent opportunity to test the validity of the arguments to which we listened only last night? So I telephoned our friend, a professional man who, as I knew, was just then unusually busy. After apologies for disturbing him I gave him my news and expressed the wish to do whatever he advised. I have never forgotten his reply. "What you have just told me," he said, "is far more important to me than anything I have in this office."

I was quickly put in touch by telephone with a Christian Science practitioner (I had only recently heard of the existence of such people), and the practitioner immediately gave my case absent treatment. The symptoms were arrested at once. I never felt really ill and continued to eat normally. Within three days the swelling in my throat had disappeared. This impressed me all the more because a friend and neighbor, who contracted the malady at the same time, spent several weeks in bed in much pain and discomfort. Assuming that I ought to observe the prescribed period of quarantine, I took the opportunity to read from cover to cover Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, sent me by the practitioner. I had taken the first step in becoming a student of Christian Science.

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