Following illness with first one thing and then another,...

Myrtle A. Walling with contributions from Jean Walling

Following illness with first one thing and then another, I had two operations, but was worse rather than better. Then the medical pronouncement of advanced active tuberculosis was made. For the first six months I went away to a tubercular sanitarium. The depressing things I saw and heard were the finishing touch, and I came home in a state of nervous collapse, presumably to die. Christian Science was offered to me, but I thought it could do nothing for me. Then, as my mental condition became so bad that I was in a perpetual state of hysteria, I sent for a practitioner, being very careful to explain to her that I wanted only to have my thinking helped so that I would be cheerful until the end.

It seemed to me that my healing was slow, and there were many times when I felt that I could not hold on. At such times my husband would say, "Where else can you go? What has brought as much good to you as you have found since turning to Christian Science?" And so I would go on, trying to understand. The first verse I held to was from Psalms: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord." The practitioner pointed out to me that there were three decided things for me to do: refuse to die, insist upon life, and prove God's power by manifesting health. It was such a big task, and seemed like such a glorious thing to do, that I decided to get busy. To help me realize that I could do it, she gave me the verse from Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." So, equipped with these two verses, my battle started.

When I really began to try to understand and practice Christian Science myself, to help the practitioner in her work, I found that I should have to learn how to pray aright. For weeks I merely used the Lord's Prayer, which I knew was right, for our Master had given it to us. Then I added the "Daily Prayer" as given in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy (Article VIII, Sect. 4). So with these as my only prayers I started out, reading the Lesson-Sermon as given in the Christian Science Quarterly every day, and some of the periodicals, and trying to read a few pages of Science and Health consecutively.

At the end of six months' treatment in Christian Science, new X rays and a final examination by a physician, to meet the requirements of the law, showed that the condition was healed. But I could not believe it. The fear of the return of the trouble if I did not take special care of myself was still very pronounced. So the work was kept up, and gradually my fear lessened; but courage to start leading an active life did not seem to come. Then one night we listened to a radiocast Christian Science lecture and heard words to the effect that, since man is the reflection of God, we have the opportunity of manifesting every good thing. Oh, the courage gained from that word "opportunity"! I started forth that night to meet life fearlessly and courageously; and when discouragement came along, I held to this thought and started on again. A complete and permeanent healing soon followed.

A few years later, only a few weeks after the glorious experience of class instruction, I was taken ill. I was engulfed with the sense of having disgraced Christian Science and my teacher. Word was sent to him, and his reply is indelibly stamped upon my consciousness, for he said: "'The history of error is a dream-narrative' (Science and Health, p. 530). You are not afraid of dreams." He took up the work. To material sense I was very ill, but there are no words in my vocabulary that can describe the sense of peace I had during those days, in the midst of seeming chaos. I rose from that experience more humble, more grateful, and closer to God than I thought was possible.

This testimony does not begin to tell of all Christian Science has done and is doing for me and mine. For the privilege of working in a branch church, for class instruction, for our lectures, for the joy of claiming membership in The Mother Church, for the periodicals and all our literature, for the ever-increasing understanding of the Bible, for the courage, health, strength, joy, and peace that have come to our home as a result of our study of Christian Science, I cannot express my gratitude adequately. I am trying to live it, and thereby to "declare the works of the Lord."

(Mrs.) Myrtle A. Walling, Madison, New Jersey.

I wish to verify my mother's testimony. I, too, am grateful for Christian Science. My first healing was of whooping cough, and it made me feel that I wanted to attend the Christian Science Sunday School and try to understand more about it. This I have done ever since, and from the first Sunday I have loved it.—(Miss) Jean Walling.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

I wish to express my gratitude to Christian Science by...

March 14, 1936

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit