As a Jewish boy I was brought up to fear God, a God who...

J. Henry Ball

As a Jewish boy I was brought up to fear God, a God who was capable of blessing, but who was also capable of punishing. I was a most unhappy and inharmonious individual prior to my acceptance of the blessings of Christian Science. My life was a very limited one, for I was beset by many ills, including constipation of twenty years' standing. I constantly took medicine, and my ailments made me bad tempered and impatient.

When the constipation became very acute, I went to my family physician, who, upon examination, declared that I had a quick-growing cancer in the rectum. I was then examined by six or seven prominent physicians and surgeons, who confirmed the family physician's diagnosis of my case, and said they could do nothing for me.

My doctor told me that I did not one chance in a thousand to be well, even if I were willing to be operated on, and that my end was near. I began to prepare myself to die, but I felt sorry for my family, including my young wife and two children, whom I believed I was about to leave alone and with no material support.

About two weeks later, a friend offered to lend me "Miscellaneous Writings" by Mrs. Eddy: and to be courteous, I took the book, although I felt sure that it could not help me. Two weeks later my friend telephoned that she was coming to see me. In order to show my gratitude for her interest in me, and because I desired not to appear ignorant, I began to read the Preface to this book, and I was impressed from the start. The first paragraph of the Preface reads (p. ix): "A certain apothegm of a talmudical philosopher suits my sense of doing good. It reads thus: 'The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity; and the best alms are to show and to enable a man to dispense with alms.' " So, thought I. Christian Science is that noblest charity. The Christ, Truth, had touched me, and I read on and on.

The next morning I visited a Reading Room and bought a copy of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. I did not understand very much of what I read, so I went to a practitioner for help in understanding the textbook, and from that time on wonderful things started to take place in my experience.

For about a month, I went to a Christian Science practitioner every day, and I was obedient to her directions.

After ten days of Christian Science treatment, the bowels began functioning properly. It was that first glimpse of the Christ, Truth, which enabled me to have faith when the Christian Science practitioner requested me not to use any drugs whatsoever.

Not only did the cancer disappear, but, one by one, headaches, stomach troubles, heartburn, and a long list of in-harmonies too numerous to mention vanished, and my financial condition improved greatly.

These healings occurred about nine years ago, and at the present time I can testify that I never felt so well in all my life as I have since I received the blessings of some understanding of Christian Science.

The peace, happiness, and satisfaction which I have enjoyed since I became acquainted with Christian Science are beyond my ability to describe; and I am very grateful to our revered and beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science; to Christ Jesus, who showed the way, and to the loyal Christian Science practitioners who worked so lovingly with me and for me. I am also very grateful for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church, and for the understanding that Life is God, good.

J. Henry Ball, Hollywood, California.

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