It is indeed fitting that Christian Scientists through the pages of the Journal should record their deep appreciation of and gratitude for the signal service rendered by the thousands of young students of Christian Science, men and women, who are now putting aside their uniforms and re-entering civilian life. The experiences of these young people who answered the call of their country, and who carried into camp and scenes of conflict the light of the healing Christ, Truth, make indeed thrilling reading.
Many of these young men and women, who were reared in the atmosphere of sheltered Christian Science homes, found themselves in their training days plunged into a melee of minds many, and minds seemingly inimical to spiritual sense. Time and again these young Christian Scientists encountered ridicule and scorn when, in barracks or elsewhere, they would daily openly and fearlessly read their Lesson-Sermons from the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. One soldier told of the derisive laughter of many boys in his outfit when first they saw him produce his Bible and textbook, Science and Health. By the second or third day, however, the atmosphere had changed, and soon it was noticed that books of other faiths began to appear. Other soldiers gained moral courage to read literature of their choice because of the Christian Scientist's stand for Principle.
This experience is without doubt typical of thousands of similar happenings. Our young people in the service have learned to fraternize with those who not only do not speak the language of spiritual sense, but fancy themselves in violent opposition thereto. Because they have learned not to fear another's seeming hatred of Truth, because they are learning in Science to look past mortal sense testimony and see only the man of God's creating, many Christian Scientists who have been active in the recent war are coming home with a larger sense of tolerance and a deepened vision of true brotherhood. They should bring to our Christian Science churches and to the healing work of our great movement fresh inspiration and enthusiasm.
