It has been a privilege for our family to witness healings accomplished through Christian Science treatment and watch the inevitable effect of God's law of good taking place in our lives. It is with a heart full of gratitude that I submit this testimony, which illustrates the efficacy of mental surgery through scientific prayer.

Recently I went out to purchase a carry-out dinner for the family, and I took our son with me. While we were waiting for the dinner, the little boy decided he wanted to go out to the car and wait for me. As he was only four years old, I did not think this would be wise, and I told him No. He reached out for the door, pulling to go out, and I reached out for his arm, pulling him back in. This act of pulling against each other resulted in a cry of extreme pain from the child. I didn't know if something was pulled out of joint or if a bone was broken or fractured. In fact, it happened so quickly that I did not fully comprehend what had happened, but the thought came to me that everything is in its rightful place.

I took the child over to a chair and quietly repeated to him "the scientific statement of being," found in the textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy (p. 468). "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter" are the opening words. This stopped his crying, but he complained that he could not move his arm. I was grateful that no one else in the shop was curious as to what had happened, and we soon picked up the dinner and left for home.

On arriving home my husband took the child to the bedroom, and his confident, comforting thoughts contributed a great deal to the healing. In the meantime I called a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful help. The first thing the practitioner said to me was that I must not hold any thoughts of self-condemnation.

This was a crucial point for me to understand, as I kept asking myself, "What have I done to this child?" InScience and Health (p. 455) there is a sentence which reads, "A mental state of self-condemnation and guilt or a faltering and doubting trust in Truth are unsuitable conditions for healing the sick." I knew I must overcome this self-condemnation. The practitioner helped me understand that my only motive was to protect the child. I had reached out to correct a wrong intention; therefore I could feel only peace in knowing that I had acted rightly. I was then quickly freed from self-condemnation, but the child still found it impossible to move his arm. The night was a difficult time for him, and it was necessary to call the practitioner. However, as a consequence of the continuing prayerful support the child went quickly and peacefully to sleep.

The next day showed no change in his arm. It hung limply at his side, but the child made every effort to carry on normal activities. He would not allow us to touch the arm or put any type of sling on it. The thought came both to my husband and me that perhaps we should have the arm X-rayed by a doctor, but then we recalled this statement (ibid., p. 402): "Christian Science is always the most skilful surgeon, but surgery is the branch of its healing which will be last acknowledged." We decided that we wanted the very best for our child; therefore we would stay with Christian Science and work with the healing truths it teaches.

When talking to the practitioner in the morning, we mentioned that perhaps the arm was fractured. Once again the practitioner gave us a healing message by telling us there were no fractured relationships in God's kingdom. This idea was like the dawning of a new day in my thought. I realized that for some time previous to this experience I had been most disturbed about my relationship with our son. I had felt we were constantly pulling against each other in thought. It seemed impossible for me to discipline him, and there was not much cooperation or obedience when he was asked to do something. As a student of Christian Science I realized that I had to understand more clearly our true, spiritual relationship to each other. We were both the children of God; therefore each of us could reflect only harmony. I thought of the sun and its rays. Each ray has its place and purpose and does not conflict with another but radiates peacefully with the others. So it was with my son and me. We each had our individual place and purpose in life, and this did not include any conflict. When I understood this spiritual relationship, I saw clearly that nothing had ever happened to separate us from each other or from God.

In a matter of minutes the little boy came up to me carrying a cup of marshmallows in his hand. When I looked at him, I realized this was the troubled arm. When I pointed this fact out to him, he was surprised and moved his arm up and down, seeing for himself that the arm was perfectly normal. With tears of happiness we embraced each other and loved God so much, thanking Him for this beautiful healing which, by the way, had taken place in less than twenty-four hours.

I am truly grateful for the Master, Christ Jesus, and for Mrs. Eddy, who discovered the Science of Christianity and unselfishly made it available to all mankind.

(Mrs.) Sherron L. Miller
Rockford, Illinois