Nona L. Brooks’ Story 1861-1945
Back in 1887, the story begins with the Brooks sisters; Nona L. Brooks, Fannie (Brooks) James, and Alethea (Brooks) Small. They were residing in Pueblo, Colorado when the sisters began their spiritual quest. Up until this time they had been faithful, practicing Presbyterians. In Nona’s own words “I was living with my oldest sister, Mrs. Alethea Brooks Small; I was in very poor physical condition; able to eat only very soft and specially prepared food. Most of our family was in sad condition, both physically and financially.
“A close friend, Mrs. Frank Bingham, had been ill for months, sought out medical specialists in Chicago. They held out no hope unless she remained in Chicago for a year and took a specific treatment. Mrs. Bingham knew she couldn’t be away from her husband and four young children for a year. She was advised to contact a lady in Chicago, an outstanding teacher of spiritual mysticism, Emma Curtis Hopkins. Three weeks of study and treatment brought Mrs. Frank Bingham back to Pueblo, radiant with health and joy. She shared what she knew with friends and neighbors, but we were reluctant, not feeling her message was for us.
“For more than a year I had been praying almost constantly, ‘Light! Father in Heaven, give me Light.’”
“Finally, Mrs. Bingham’s persistence paid off — we agreed to go to her meetings. We attended several classes, then, it was in the fourth class my whole being was completely flooded with a great light. A light brighter than sunlight, brighter than any other light I had ever seen! It filled me! It surrounded me! I was conscious of nothing but that intense white light! I thought, of course, all in the room had seen the light too, but they had not. I alone had experienced this wonderful light that flooded my entire being; I then discovered I had been healed instantly and completely.”
“I love to tell of the blessed change in outlook that came to us; of our remarkable healing, of the quick improvement of the financial situation. It was not long before we had systematized the teaching.”
Nona and her sisters expanded their understanding by meditating, affirming prayer, and applying principle. They also studied world religions and other teachings. They kept the truth from each while leaving behind any dogma. Earnestly studying they came to some of their own conclusions, which was somewhat different from Mrs. Bingham’s. They rejected the idea of a nonexistent universe, since it was visible. Instead they decided that form was the product of God’s creative activity and that the visible world was something not to be denied, but to be interpreted correctly and understood. This concept became known as the Omnipresence of God.
In 1889, Malinda Cramer came to Denver, Colorado. The Brooks sisters found that their teaching was exactly the same, and they asked if they could use Divine Science as the name for their teaching. A partnership was formed.
The Colorado College of Divine Science was incorporated in 1898. Nona was ordained by Malinda Cramer December 1, 1898, and the
First Divine Science Church of Denver was incorporated in 1899.
Nona Brooks, teacher-minister-healer, traveled on tours teaching and healing throughout the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. She helped to form many churches and centers.
Nona Brooks peacefully passed away in 1945. Prior to her departure, Nona said, “It is not a religion we are making, it is a life.”