It is now nineteen years since I sent a testimony to one of our periodicals, and I wish once again to express my heartfelt thanks for all the blessing that I have received in the past thirty-six years through the study of Christian Science, which has given me a better understanding of God and His creation.

Thirty-six years ago my husband was studying for an engineer's degree, and he was very fearful of examinations. One day he had done quite badly on a written examination, and afterwards, in a despondent mood, he went to see a woman who was a student of Christian Science. He told her about his troubles, whereupon she asked whether he believed in God. My husband then said, "Well, I don't go to church, but I certainly believe in God." She spoke to him of Christian Science, and advised him to go to a practitioner, which he did. There were still a few weeks before the oral examination, and during that time he studied faithfully the references which the practitioner gave him from the Bible and Science and Health, talked often with her, and received help.

When the oral examination was finished the professor said to him: "You're a puzzle to me. I had to give you a two on the written examination, and now a ten!" My husband said later that he knew the answers before the professor finished putting the questions. From that time on he studied the Lesson-Sermon daily and attended our services regularly.

At that time I had been suffering for five years from sever pains in my stomach for which there seemed to be no medical help. When the pains came again, my husband spoke to me about God's love for us, His children. He applied what he had learned, and the pains disappeared immediately. I have never had them since. I then began to study Christian Science earnestly and to put in practice what I learned, although it was not always easy. I gradually gained a better understanding of divine Love, and of man as God's image and likeness. In 1913 we went to the Netherlands Indies and in all the years since, we have never had a doctor in the house or any medicine. When our son was three and a half years old he was healed of a rupture in a few days through Christian Science help. Until he went into the service, he had never had the services of a doctor or used any medicine; nor has our foster daughter, now twenty-one, ever had a doctor or taken medicine.

For a number of years we lived quite by ourselves in the woods of South Sumatra, and when people came to see us they always said, "We don't see how you dare live so far from other people and without a doctor." Then we would look at each other thankfully, for we knew that we always had at hand the best Physician of all, God. Every difficulty which cropped up was overcome through spiritual understanding. It was wonderful to receive regularly our spiritual food—the Christian Science periodicals—and it was a thrilling moment for us when in that remote place we heard records of Mrs. Eddy's hymns as sung and played in The Mother Church.

In 1924 we went to Holland and stayed three years. To me that period is unforgettable, for we were able to enjoy our church services, and thus grow in understanding. The thought that I must return to the Indies was not a happy one to me, but after I had the privilege of class instruction in 1926 my reluctance to return disappeared. The teaching gave me great support, and I felt much stronger in faith and trust and was ready and grateful to work on in God's vineyard.

The pathway is not always strewn with roses, and we are not always spared disappointments and difficulties, but these are tests showing where we stand. When we remain firm in the straight and narrow path, and consider all the trials which Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy endured, our difficulties fade into nothing.

When we went to Holland in 1938 my husband passed on suddenly. The understanding, however, that there is no separation and that we need not sadly hand our heads, but can in complete trust look up to the Father, who is our Life, gave me strength to rise above the belief of separation.

In the past six years we have gone through deep waters, and everything seemed very dark, but I knew the light of Truth was ever with me. We used our old Quarterlies and it seemed as if they were new and just for us. Thus we had our daily spiritual nourishment, which no one could take from us, and as a result of our trust in our Father-Mother God, food supplies often came from sources whence we had not in the lease expected them. We learned more and more to stand alone with God, and such faith is never disappointed.

I can never express how grateful I am that Christian Science came into my life; and from the bottom of my heart I thank our Father-Mother God, and Mrs. Eddy, who through her faith and love for mankind was enabled to reveal to us this great truth—Christian Science.—(Mrs.) Maria J. Floris, Haarlem, Netherlands.