"What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" So we read in Psalms (116:12).

I was born and raised in a family of Christian Scientists. My earliest remembrances are of attending Christian Science Sunday School, of hearing simple truths of God's goodness and ever-presence from Sunday School teachers, and of being taught "the scientific statement of being" from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy (see p. 468) by my mother.

As a young boy, severe illnesses and the effects of accidents were overcome solely through Christian Science treatment. When quite young I had stomach pains that made me lie down on a bed to gain relief. This condition was completely healed through the prayerful work of my mother and a practitioner. At another time I recall being extremely ill with fever and periodically lapsing into unconsciousness. This condition, too, was effectively healed, and quite quickly, solely through Christian Science treatment. These healings have been complete and permanent with no recurrence for the last thirty-five years.

Is it any wonder that I am grateful? "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Ps. 103:2-5).

Christian Science heals quickly and effectively. Nothing is beyond the healing power of God's law. No condition is so severe, no circumstance so twisted, that it cannot yield to the tender, ever-operative law of divine Love. I have had healings of colds, bursitis, influenza, and a painful stricture in the back. In our family there have been healings of so-called childhood diseases, hemorrhoids, locked bowels, alcoholism, a diseased condition of the hands, and an unnatural growth on the neck. These healings have remained complete and permanent.

The condition I have termed stricture of the back was one of partial paralysis. It was extremely painful. A practitioner gave me treatment. I was able to go to work but was very uncomfortable. At night I was unable to lie down and could not sleep. In talking with the practitioner, I began to see that a belief of pain, no matter how severe, could not disable one, and that Christian Science provides an effectual answer to any case of extreme pain.

The next day I served as Sunday School superintendent in my branch church. I had arranged for a substitute, but at the last minute I was asked to serve, as the substitute could not come. During this hour I felt God's sustaining power. This broke the mesmerism and progress was evident. Within a week every vestige of the stricture left. I was able to carry myself comfortably and retained full use of an arm and hand that were almost disabled during this trouble. The lesson for me was that Christian Science provides the full and complete answer to extreme pain.

The healing of hemorrhoids was the overcoming of a chronic condition. With the prayerful help of a practitioner, I had been freed at different times, but it always returned. I worked with the definition of "oil" in the Glossary of Science and Health (p. 592): "Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration." References to oil, charity, and gentleness were studied in Mrs. Eddy's writings. The condition was healed, never to return.

My wife was healed of a diseased condition of the hands when she asked for treatment from a practitioner. After that time my wife prayed patiently for herself and was completely healed.

Our daughter was healed of a growth on her neck through the prayer of a practitioner. During this experience our daughter and I saw that the spiritual meaning of growth had to be understood. She studied, with the aid of the Concordance, references to growth in Mrs. Eddy's writings. She saw that she could not just coast along or remain in a status quo situation, ignoring problems, content to just get by, but that growth is from Mind, as Christian Science teaches.

I am grateful for Christ Jesus, the Way-shower, for his marvelous example of working out this dream of life in matter. My gratitude for Mrs. Eddy's unselfish and untiring service to all mankind can only be expressed by sharing this demonstrable Science with others. I am deeply grateful for class instruction and for the continued interest and care of my teacher.

So I say (II Cor. 9:15), "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

Kurt Flach
Reading, Massachusetts