Testimony of Healing November 21, 1970 Issue

As long as I can remember, I have been most grateful to be a...

Paul Foster Lilly with contributions from Othelia E. Lilly

As long as I can remember, I have been most grateful to be a Christian, but it wasn't until I read the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, that I learned what knowing and understanding "that Life is God and God is All" could do for me. These words appear on page 366 of the textbook: "The sick are terrified by their sick beliefs, and sinners should be affrighted by their sinful beliefs; but the Christian Scientist will be calm in the presence of both sin and disease, knowing, as he does, that Life is God and God is All." The following is an account of the healing that occurred while reading this book for the first time, and a brief account of my further introduction to this dynamic and beautiful revelation of God's Word by Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

At about six years of age I sustained a head injury which resulted in a condition accompanied by severe headaches, periodic fevers, and an intolerance to many foods. Later it was diagnosed as petit mal. An anticonvulsant medicine was prescribed, and I took this drug four times a day for nearly twenty years. While reading the chapter, "Science of Being," in the textbook, I realized that the drug was no longer needed and discontinued using it. Since that time I have not suffered from any of the above symptoms, and I have been able to eat all foods without fear of unpleasant consequences.

I had been informed that I had a condition which would require surgery before long. While I was reading page 300 of Science and Health, this condition was healed instantaneously. I had also been troubled with stiffening of the knees and hip joints. This problem vanished at about the same time. I then began reading the Bible Lessons from the Christian Science Quarterly daily. I read all of Mrs. Eddy's published works and reread the New Testament with the enlightened understanding gained through Mrs. Eddy's metaphysical interpretation. This reading, coupled with a constant striving to obey the two great commandments, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3) and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Lev. 19:18), has given me a better perspective, which has improved the quality of my daily work and my relationship with others. On page 467 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy explains these two commands in her answer to the question, "What are the demands of the Science of Soul?"