A recent testimony I read in the Sentinel reminded me of a healing I had when both my mother and I were still very new in Christian Science. I was only a small child at the time. My mother had secured Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy from the local library. She was reading it as an interesting book, not knowing anything of Christian Science as a religion.

At the time I was supposed to be subject to bronchitis as a hereditary disease. Each winter I went through the experience of this trouble. That year when I came down with the usual spell of it, Mother decided to try what she had learned from the book. By her applying the very meager knowledge she had acquired from reading Science and Health I was quickly healed and never again suffered from bronchitis.

Later while still in grade school, I developed flu, which was prevalent then. But with the prayer of a Christian Science practitioner, I was back in school in four days.

During the many years since, I have had many and various healings by applying the truth as taught in Christian Science. The usual so-called children's diseases I contracted, both contagious and otherwise, were healed quickly and satisfactorily. I used my own understandings, as learned in Sunday School, to help during tests and other trying times in my school years.

In later years I had employment during the Depression when my regular line of work was not available. Also, homes were found for us when they were scarce and we did not have the money to buy one. However, this difficulty was shown to have no truth in face of our trust in God's loving provision, and we were able to secure the necessary funds to purchase a home when a satisfactory one became available.

Broken bones were set and healed without medical aid.

My son was born with eyes so badly crossed that the doctor said he would have to wear glasses to correct the condition as soon as he could keep them on his nose. By the time the baby was three months old, however, the eyes were so perfectly healed that the doctor, meeting me on the street, stopped to exclaim over the complete correction. A passage from Science and Health that inspired us in working for the healing of our son's eyes is on page 481: "Man is tributary to God, Spirit, and to nothing else." Further on the same page we read: "Material sense never helps mortals to understand Spirit, God. Through spiritual sense only, man comprehends and loves Deity."

Mrs. Eddy's concluding statement to visitors to her home in Concord, New Hampshire, in June, 1903, was given us one year in the letter that came for study from our students' association: "In parting I repeat to these dear members of my church: Trust in Truth, and have no other trusts" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 170, 171). Within a few days of receiving the letter, I had occasion to test the power and accuracy of this truth.

I awoke one morning with such pain throughout my body that I felt I could not surmount it. My husband, who is not a student of Science, seeing my trouble, suggested that I use an ointment he had. I had never before experienced the temptation to use any form of medication. I often wondered how a person who knew what the truths taught in Christian Science are capable of doing could be tempted to use medical aids. I took the bottle of ointment into the bedroom with me and sat on the bed and began thinking. Then the citation quoted above came to mind. I began reasoning that, in the past, in every instance of need, Truth examined and understood had eliminated the error of belief and resulted in healing. I recalled the various types of problems overcome and expressed gratitude for each healing. They were not all physical needs.

As I continued to ponder the statement "Trust in Truth, and have no other trusts," I thought, "If Truth could heal then, it can surely heal now. Am I going to put more trust in something to rub on me than I have always before put in God? Has God changed? Has He deserted me now? If not, then how can I desert God?" The meaning of the word "trust" began to grow and develop in my thinking, until in an hour's time I was completely free from any pain. I am grateful for this proof of the healing efficacy of Christian Science.

I have enjoyed the blessing of activity in branch church work in many capacities and this has provided oppurtunities for growth.
(Mrs.) Elizabeth H. Geldbaugh
New Castle, Pennsylvania