November 2014

Testimonies tell honestly of fellow Christian Scientists’ relief, their joy, and of spiritual reality becoming substantial and actual to them. There are lots of reasons to read testimonies past and present. They bring encouragement. At a deeper level,  they break the mesmerism of mortal mind’s lie that Christian Science practice can’t heal. And often you feel as though you are there with the fellow Scientist who needed the clouds to lift so he could land on the carrier deck rather than ditch in the stormy sea. Or you can feel the joy of the practitioner who, having just been told by the doctor of the immediate need for an operation for appendicitis and peritonitis, but returning to the patient’s room both doctor and patient found that healing had occurred.

Here’s an excerpt from one testimony in the 1947 Sentinel, pp. 605-06:

“In the winter of 1933, three specialists met in consultation regarding the grave condition of our younger son, who for almost two months had been under constant medical care for a complication of diseases diagnosed as scarlet fever, lobar pneumonia, and acute nephritis. They told us that the boy was beyond recovery and could not possibly survive through the night.  One specialist sympathetically added: “I do know what your religions is.  There is always prayer; some things are beyond our knowledge.”

It was in this extremity that we turned wholly to Christian Science and discontinued all medical treatment for our son.  We telephoned a practitioner… This consecrated worker for Truth drove through a severe snowstorm seventy miles to our home that night.  On his arrival, he gently refused to be rushed to the child’s room, saying: “I have not come to see a sick or dying child.  God is Life and God is All.  There is no evil to fear.” A sense of peace prevailed as these and other truths in Christian Science were voiced and held to. 

Later, when we went to the child’s bedside, he was still in the state of coma which had persisted for several days, but for the first time in two weeks his respirations were regular and unlabored and he was resting quietly.  The improvement was so obvious that every vestige of fear was removed. 

A few hours afterward, the child awakened as from a deep sleep; he smiled and asked for food and his dog… When the doctor called the following morning and was told of our resort to Christian Science and the boy’s recovery during the night he said: “If that boy has recovered it is a miracle.  I came prepared to write a death certificate on the strength of last night’s consultation.”  After examining our son, he said, “He is really out of danger, but it is my duty to warn you that no one could possibly survive such a seizure and not suffer serious impairment of faculties or physique.” That medical law of material cause and effect was promptly denied and the truth affirmed that man’s existence as a child of God was, is, and ever shall be perfect and intact…

Although no more medical treatment was given, the doctor continued his visits for about a week, until he could authorize our release from the scarlet fever quarantine under health laws. Treatment in Christian Science was continued, and soon the boy was up and about…

Not one of the aftereffects predicted was manifested and the boy, now grown tall and robust, has continually and without a single restriction taken part in all school and athletic activitities…we are grateful for each opportunity to serve this great Cause which brings to light man’s true heritage and blesses all mankind.”  

Charles W. Henstenburg, Mrs. Helen W. Henstenburg, Scarsdale, New York

November 2013

Sharing Christian Science can take a lot of forms.  One of the best, of course, is simply being an example. That was exactly what happened in this testimony: a Christian Science family’s example led to some inquiries by a neighbor. Then the neighbor’s reading of Science and Health resulted in an entirely unexpected healing of a condition she had had since childhood. And finally Christian Science brought a healing of a grave situation for the neighbor’s child. 

Here’s what the testifier wrote: “New neighbors moved in next door, and I became acquainted with them.  I noticed how happy and healthy their children were.  

Learning that they were Christian Scientists and becoming intrigued with their concept of living, I began asking the mother many questions.  She was always willing to talk with me, and I began reading the Christian Science periodicals and finally Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy.  While I was reading this book, a painful sinus condition I had had from childhood disappeared. 

The testifier goes on, “One night my daughter suddenly became gravely ill…”

What happened then?  Well, you can read the entire account and see how greatly C.S. changed the lives of that family next door. It’s in the February 1, 1975 Sentinel, pp. 215-216, in the testimony by Mrs. Elizabeth A. Brown.

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Here’s one more example from among thousands in which love and a natural impulsion to help through telling about Christian Science healing resulted in a whole new life for someone.  Leon T. Broock and his wife wrote about it in the April 5, 1975 Sentinel, pp. 645-647:

“Shortly after my mother was married around the turn of the century, in New York, she was found suffering with tuberculosis.  Several doctors gave up hope for her unless she moved to a better climate.  So the family goods were sold, and we all removed to Denver, Colorado, where there was a famous sanatorium that specialized in treatment of consumptive patients. However, this sanatorium refused admittance to my mother, saying there was no possibility of her recovery, inasmuch as one lung was gone and another half consumed.” 

“At this time a neighbor kindly recommended Christian Science treatment.  But mother scoffed at this—wasn’t her case hopeless?”

It turned out there was more than one way to convince the mother to try Christian Science. And it’s pretty surprising what that was!  Take a look on the online JSH website archives.

July 2013

Testimonies are a witness to God’s realness. They’re written out of thanks and tremendous gratitude for the experience of God’s healing care.  Writers tell honestly of their relief, their joy, and, most important, of the spiritual realities learned in unforgettable ways.  They share encouragement for all of us who are walking the path Christ Jesus originally marked out.  And they speak from the heart to newcomers.  They do more to advance the Cause of Christian Science, as Mrs. Eddy knew they must, than anything else can.

In this space, we’ll bring to your attention some excerpts from testimonies in the past that deserve a second look.  We’ll indicate the issue date of the periodical, the page number and name so you can read the testimony by downloading it in its entirety from “JSH Online” or in the bound volumes of your nearest Reading Room.

 The first excerpt is from the August 5th, 1950 Sentinel, Mrs. Pleven Baden, pp. 1365-66 :

“My oldest daughter, when a child of six months, had asthma, and I was told she must outgrow this condition, which would take at least fourteen years.  .  . Also I had undergone an operation for tumors years before and was told that they had returned.”

Well, you know those conditions had to have been healed or the testimony wouldn’t be appearing in the Christian Science Sentinel.  But check out the time frame for eachone of these healings.

And another, from the November 18th, 1950 Sentinel, Winifred D. Taylor, pp. 2026-27:

A woman in London England, was suffering from a form of nervousness so severe she believed she might harm her children and then take her own life.  A Christian Scientist reached out to her.  Was it the Sentinel or a church service that began the healing change of thought?

The final excerpt is also from the November 18th, 1950 Sentinel, Miss Emily Wildermuth, pp. 2030-31:

“I should like to express my gratitude for a healing of heart disease from which I suffered for many years and which kept me in bed for months at a time.  I had the services of the best specialist in New York, but to no avail.”

How long are you thinking this healing took?

February 2013

Check it out!

Testimonies are a witness to God’s great realness. They’re written out of thanks and tremendous gratitude for the experience of healing.  Writers tell honestly of their relief, their joy, and of spiritual realities learned in unforgettable ways.

In this space, we’ll bring to your attention some portions of testimonies from the past that deserve a second look. When you read what these fellow Christian Scientists have shared, I think you’ll agree that years don’t matter. But we’ll indicate the date and page number of the testimonies in the periodicals so you can read them in their entirety in “JSH Online” or in the bound volumes of your Reading Room.

Now, when we said “portions of testimonies from the past,” we didn’t mean the accounts of healing we’re looking at would always be in the distant past. This month, for example, we hope you’ll check out several testimonies in the January 7th Sentinel of 2013.  

Here’s the first excerpt. It sounds simple and familiar at first. But when you see it in the context of the healing of a serious and longstanding heart and circulation problem, you can see there’s a lot to think about in this remarkably humbled admission:

“Initially, I thought my prayer alone had brought about the change. Later, I realized that I had experienced the clarity and power of Christ, the divine message of God’s love for man.”

— The full testimony is on pp. 18-19 of the January 7, 2013 Sentinel

Here’s an excerpt from another testimony:

“The idea of not being able to drive my car was very discouraging.  I couldn’t imagine not being able to attend the many activities in which I was involved, but I parked my car in the garage and began to dig deeper into my study of Christian Science.”

“Since my husband passed on a couple of years prior to this, I had found it necessary to fill my days with one activity or another—luncheons, bridge clubs, hospitality and opera guild meetings, and so on.  I was often “rushing around smartly” with “no proof of accomplishing much” (Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 230). It was clear that I needed to cut out some of the more frivolous functions and use the extra time for spiritual study and getting closer to God.”

Well she did stop her rushing around, and she was healed of cataracts. It’s an account well worth checking out. (This healing is recounted on pp. 19-20 of the January 7, 2013 Sentinel.)

And finally, you’ll find in this same Sentinel an extraordinary story of one woman’s leaving Christian Science altogether after she had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed as being bipolar. She was told by the doctor that any relief she believed she’d had as a result of Christian Science wasn’t the effect of Christian Science but “merely the natural course of the illness”.  She then tried costly medical treatments, alternative medicine, hypnosis, nutrition, and so on. In spite of this she had a second breakdown.  

She writes, “I can now see that as I tried each different therapy, I was gradually losing faith in the healing power of matter and the human mind.  It wasn’t long before I again felt the childlike trust in God that had guided me for most of my life.” She returned to Christian Science and asked a practitioner for help.

Since this story of healing is in an article, not a testimony, there’s ample room for detail about what this person (who is now a Christian Science practitioner), thought and felt all along the way. I think you’ll find it a pretty special account with a powerfully encouraging message.

Here’s an excerpt (from pp. 4-7 of the January 7, 2013 Sentinel):

“I kept a pad of paper at hand to write down things for which I was grateful, even things as mundane as the piece of paper on which to write!  This discipline taught me that the whole of Christian life is worshipping God—thinking of Him, acknowledging His presence, asking Him for guidance, praising His goodness.  Surely keeping our thoughts “stayed” on God is the forever joy of life.”

November 2012

Check it out! 

Through the years, testimonies of healing in the Christian Science periodicals and programs have been called a number of different things—letters about healing, reports of healing, and so on.  But whatever they’re called, they remain without question one of the most important communications we have going on in the Christian Science movement. 

Testimonies are a witness to God’s great realness. They are written out of thanks and tremendous gratitude for the experience of God’s healing care.  Writers tell honestly of their relief, their joy, and of spiritual realities learned in unforgettable ways.  They share encouragement for all of us who are walking the path Christ Jesus originally marked out.  And they speak from the heart to newcomers.  They do more to advance the Cause of Christian Science, as Mrs. Eddy knew they must, than anything else can.

In this space, we’ll bring to your attention some portions of testimonies from the past that deserve a second look.  We’ll indicate their date and page number in the periodicals so you can read them in their entirety in “JSH Online” or in the bound volumes of your nearest Reading Room.

Here are three excerpts from testimonies in the 1974 Christian Science Sentinel, Vol 76, Part I.  It was a year of great testimonies, believe me. But I’ve chosen these three because they serve to describe so well the illumination or change of thought that is behind healing.  

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“Over the years I had heard testimonies given in which the speaker mentioned being conscious of a great light, and I often thought, ‘Well, I have never seen a great light.  I wonder what they are talking about.’

About fifteen years ago I experienced this wonderful sense of spiritual light and illumination in connection with a healing of what appeared to be cancer.”  February 23, 1974 Sentinel, pp. 337-338.”

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“I began to search my consciousness as to why I had received no healing.  I was reminded of past healings resulting just from working with the Lord’s Prayer.  Then the thought came, ‘You have not been working with the truth but going along with the error, acknowledging it with your moaning.

After repeating [the Lord’s Prayer] a number of times, I stopped at the words, ‘Hallowed be thy name’ (Matt. 6:9)…I finally realized the name of an incurable disease had been in my consciousness.”  March 16, 1974 Sentinel, pp. 472-474

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“At the first service I attended in a Church of Christ, Scientist, this statement in the reading stood out me very boldly: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee’.

‘How could one possibly fulfill this condition,’ I wondered, ‘when there are so many things requiring one’s attention?’

I had just witnessed a remarkable healing, through prayer in Christian Science, of a friend’s father who had been critically injured in an automobile accident.  As a guest in the home, and knowing nothing but opposing rumors about this religion, I was concerned about what this Christian Science friend was doing for him, and more particularly what she was not doing.” May 18, 1974 Sentinel, pp. 866-869