When I was twelve years old, I was enrolled in a Christian Science Sunday School following my father's healing of what doctors had diagnosed as a nervous breakdown. During this time I realized I had found my religion, but I did not recognize that I could depend upon it for the complete way of life and of healing.

In retrospect I know that every discordant situation and every illness in which I did not turn to Christian Science for help delayed progress for me, and that I gained in understanding only as I met problems in complete accordance with the teachings of Christian Science.

In 1946, I suddenly had symptoms of hay fever. That fall the condition was severe, it was in following years. During a few of these periods, instead of asking for help in Christian Science, I resorted to drugs sold for relief of hay fever symptoms. I was told by many that once the condition existed I could expect to have it each year. This discouraging outlook aroused me to work for complete healing through Christian Science.

Each fall I reviewed the truths of Christian Science that seemed to have a bearing upon this particular disease but dismissed them from thought when fall ended.

My walk from home to work takes me past vacant lots. In the spring of 1954, I noted the beginnings of a luxuriant growth of weeds in them, and this reminded me that I needed to work harder in the fall to try to heal myself. Immediately the words read at the close of each Christian Science Sunday church service came to me, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (I John 3:2), and I knew that the time to pray was in the present. Accordingly, I continued in my prayerful work during the summer to be free of this disease. I saw that man's immunity to disease is the result of his God-given dominion.

The assurance in Genesis (1:26) that God gave man dominion over all the earth was of much help. It seemed clear to me that this also meant dominion over God's creation of growing things. As a result of my continued prayers I had no symptoms of hay fever the following fall and have been completely free from it ever since.

Following this proof of the effectiveness of Christian Science healing, my desire to know more of this Science grew, and I applied for branch church membership. Working with other church members and serving in the church brought me a clearer understanding of the teachings of this Science and the light it throws upon the Scriptures.

While away from home in October, 1959, I was able to bring about a healing through treating myself. I could not move my left arm without a great deal of pain, and then only with great restriction. This healing took place overnight as I persistently acknowledged God's allness. In previous years similar occurrences caused restricted movement for many days, followed by only gradual recovery.

A healing of severe headaches came about as a result of recognizing the truth, taught in Christian Science, that man does not live in body but in Spirit. This healing occurred over seven years ago, and the headaches have never returned.

I am grateful for these healings and for other healings received with the prompt help of Christian Science practitioners. I also am grateful for the Christian Science periodicals Mrs. Eddy founded, from which comes continuous inspiration through the sharing of the work and experiences of Christian Scientists. The publishing of articles on Christian Science and testimonies of healing in these periodicals surely constitutes obedience to Jesus' request to his followers to "go ... into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

I am grateful for membership in The Mother Church and for the privilege of class instruction, as they have been of immeasurable help to me in gaining an understanding of how to apply Christian Science to the solution of all human problems. The thought of what my life would have been had the Christian Science textbook not been written has made me very conscious of my reason for gratitude to Mrs. Eddy for her unselfed labor in writing Science and Health and in overcoming the difficulties encountered in having it published. She truly has supplied the key to the Scriptures, which unlocks their spiritual meaning for use today by all who study her writings.

(Miss) Ruth A. Weiler
Quincy, Illinois