Christian Science came into my life at a time of deep discouragement...

Christian Science came into my life at a time of deep discouragement for me. For over a year I had been on a very strict diet for gastritis and colitis and had undergone an exploratory abdominal operation with inconclusive results. The best medical advice available told me that I had no organic disease. Nevertheless, a bewildering array of drugs and diet aids seemed necessary to keep my digestion functioning and to make me sleep. I was faithfully following all these steps with drugs, special foods, and hypodermic shots in the belief that they were keeping me alive.

Before I became ill, I had enjoyed hearing a friend read in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, but had failed to recognize this religion as my need. Subsequently we enrolled our two children in a Christian Science Sunday School in our vicinity because we felt all children should have some kind of religion.

After two hospitalizations and still no freedom from this strict regimen in sight, my discouragement grew deeper. The doctors had said I could hope to outlive the problem eventually. One evening in our kitchen, as I was sterilizing a needle for an injection, I realized I had come to a crisis in my life. Living in this manner was not worthwhile. In desperation my thought turned to God. A few days before, I had begun to read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy but had completed only the Preface and Chapter I, and there had been no great impression on me at the time. Now there came to my thought that the question I had to decide for myself was whether or not I believed in a good and loving God and if such a God could conceivably share His power. Mrs. Eddy's statement from the chapter in Science and Health entitled "Prayer" came to me (p. 1 ): "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love."

I declared to myself that I did believe in this good God, an all-powerful and all-loving God. I never felt so sure of anything in my life. Joyous freedom and an awareness of the allness, goodness, and love of God for His man came to me. My fears vanished. The miasma of discouragement was lifted. I knew I had been healed.

Without delay I picked up the hypodermic equipment and tossed these things into a large market bag. I went about the house adding to the collection all the vitamins, drugs, and diet supplements I had been using. All went into the trash. I told my wife I had been healed. That night I slept like a babe, and in the morning I ate a normal breakfast for the first time in almost two years. I have never had any recurrence of this problem.

During the next few months, as I continued to study Mrs. Eddy's writings, I became aware that I had also been healed of smoking and social drinking, two habits which had clung to me prior to the digestive troubles.

Since these healings, now over eighteen years past, I have been blessed by many demonstrations of the power of God's love for man. In foreign travel to many distant lands I have known the protection of His love. In every activity I can feel His love, and I am most grateful.

Robert S. Moore
Berwyn, Pennsylvania

It is a joy to verify my husband's testimony. The healing he relates has been permanent and has been an inspiration and bulwark through the years. I am deeply grateful for the many blessings the study of Christian Science has brought to our family, and for all the avenues through which Christian Science is healing the world.

[Original in Dutch]

I had the privilege of learning about Christian Science when still a boy. A relative brought the textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, to our home at a time when there was much inharmony and lack in my family. As my mother studied Christian Science constantly, with the help of a devoted practitioner, and as she daily put into practice the ideas which she had learned, the situation gradually improved. Almost insoluble difficulties lost their obstinate hold in the long run, and certain gloomy circumstances, which for years had not shown any sign of improvement, finally changed for the better. At that time regular Sunday School attendance helped me a great deal.

Later I applied Christian Science to all kinds of problems, such as finding suitable employment, surmounting fear in dealing with other people, overcoming physical difficulties such as deafness and rheumatism, which were all completely resolved or healed either with or without the aid of a practitioner. My understanding of God has increased steadily over the years, and thereby my life has become increasingly harmonious.

As I look back, the following experience of God's guidance and healing stands out as the most impressive. Through certain circumstances I lost a job I had held for many years. I then had reached an age at which, according to the general way of thinking, one would no longer be considered for a similar position. The situation looked grim, and the possibility of finding another suitable position seemed remote. Evidently grave mistakes had been made, and a lesson had to be learned.

At first I thought I would be able to solve this problem by myself, but later it seemed desirable to have the help of a practitioner. This practitioner immediately saw through the situation in which I found myself and recognized what needed to be changed in my thinking, that is to say, which erroneous concepts had to be removed before normal circumstances and experiences would return. The healing came about rather slowly. In the months following I did have a number of job interviews, but no employment resulted.

Still, I had the definite feeling that I was growing toward a solution, and this statement was increasingly illustrated in my experience: "Christian Science, contradicting sense, maketh the valley to bud and blossom as the rose" (Science and Health, p. 596 ). Steady progress was noticeable, several misconceptions gradually disappeared from my consciousness, and the way opened up for better experiences. Half a year after the practitioner had started to help me, I learned about a vacancy from an unexpected source. The next day I had an interview, and a work contract followed. This took place many years ago, and my new job has turned out to be the one that is perfectly suited to me.

I consider it an extraordinary privilege that Christian Science has come into my life, and I am deeply grateful to be a worker in this great movement.

Lourens van Vuure
Rotterdam, Netherlands

I witnessed the above experience from day to day and can therefore affirm that it is correct.