The Christian Scientist who finds himself an inductee in the armed forces has the spiritual means with which he may solve any problem trying to complicate his experience. There will be many opportunities for him to use and apply the truths of Christian Science and prove himself a Christian soldier. "Constant toil, deprivations, exposures, and all untoward conditions, if without sin, can be experienced without suffering. Whatever it is your duty to do, you can do without harm to yourself," Mary Baker Eddy writes on page 385 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."
A temptation which oftentimes comes to the inductee is to feel unhappy over the interruption in his life. Interrupted careers, uncompleted educations, separations, halted progress—these are arguments, or erroneous suggestions, which must be met with counterarguments of Truth by the Christian soldier. On page 181 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" Mrs. Eddy declares: "Progress is spiritual. Progress is the maturing conception of divine Love; it demonstrates the scientific, sinless life of man and mortal's painless departure from matter to Spirit, not through death, but through the true idea of Life,—and Life not in matter but in Mind."
Although a military career may not be one's own choice, the soldier's song can be "Onward," because there can be no interruption in spiritual progress, which is decreed by the law of God. The soldier will discover many ways to increase his understanding of man's uninterrupted relationship to his heavenly Father and to his brother. As he practically applies this understanding in daily life his military experience is enriched and blessed. To see a superior officer not as a domineering person, but as he is in truth, an idea reflecting only divine Principle, and to see fellow soldiers as reflections of all-inclusive Love is evidence of progress Spiritward.
