For seventeen years, Christian Science...

Caroline E. Thayer with contributions from Donalda Thayer, Jeanette Thayer

For seventeen years, Christian Science has been our only physician. Among my first healings in Science were those of severe astigmatism and the advanced 'stages of anemia after physicians had given me only a few months to live. I also experienced painless childbirth. Five years later, when I became partially blind, I was instantaneously healed when I expressed gratitude for the previous healing of my eyes. I realized that I had never paused before to be grateful for the healing, as other healings which had taken place at the same time seemed to overshadow this one.

One day one of our daughters was taken quite ill, and for several days the condition grew alarmingly worse. With a prayer in my heart for guidance, I opened the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, to page 411, where I read: "If the student silently called the disease by name, when he argued against it, as a general rule the body would respond more quickly,—just as a person replies more readily when his name is spoken; but this was because the student was not perfectly attuned to divine Science, and needed the arguments of truth for reminders." It then came to my thought that mortal mind called the disease infantile paralysis. Looking in a dictionary for these two words, I found that they were defined, in part, as: "childish"; "the loss of the power of voluntary motion." Then I exclaimed, "Why it has not even an intelligent name, and I am certainly not afraid of it!" My fear was gone, and within an hour the child was out playing. She returned to school the following day completely healed. Later I heard that at that time the board of health had been considering a quarantine because of this disease, but had decided not to put it into effect.

On another occasion, the baby, then four years old, was thrown from a horse, falling headfirst on a rock. Several members of the family witnessed the accident, but I picked her up quickly, my thought being to get her away from all human fears and sympathy, and put her in God's care. Her head hung limp and uncontrolled. A practitioner was called, while I assured the child that she had the same protection which Love gives to the little birds when they learn to fly. She fell into a restless sleep, still complaining that she could not move her head. But the next morning she awoke free. She has had no ill effects since, although this was over eleven years ago.

When one of our daughters was brought home with her body and face swollen almost beyond recognition, and in a great deal of pain, Christian Science enabled me to refute the sense testimony and instantly claim and recognize God's omnipresence. I began to read aloud some of her favorite passages from the Bible and our textbook, while continuously in my thought ran this refrain: "I thank God that I know that it never happened to man, at any time, in any place or anywhere." At the end of an hour the pain and suffering had left and she was able to talk. She then told me that she had been bitten on the ankle by something while sitting on a diving board. The swelling disappeared that afternoon, except for the ankle. The next day it was uncovered that she was resentful over having to do her own reading and preparation for Sunday school. When this was corrected, the ankle was healed.

When I took the stand that I would not let anything interfere with my attending my association, I was healed of severe headaches.

I am unceasingly grateful for class instruction, for all the activities of our movement, and to our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, for her unselfishness in giving Christian Science to the world. My humble prayer is in the words of Hymn No. 324:

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

—(Mrs.) Caroline E. Thayer, Los Angels, California.

I am the child who fell from the horse. Christian Science has been my only physician. I am grateful for this Science.

(Miss) Donalda Thayer

I wish to say that I am the child who was healed of infantile paralysis, and also had the healing after being bitten at the swimming pool. I am very grateful for Christian Science.

(Miss) Jeanette Thayer

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

I witnessed all the healings recorded...

August 18, 1945

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit