Last year, with the permission of my branch church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Rancho Santa Fe, California, another Christian Scientist and I wrote to all the Christian Science churches in our metropolitan county, proposing we unite in a three-month prayer focus to heal crime and violence. Eighteen churches and one society enthusiastically signed up.
It was suggested they might send us a study sheet with references from the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy's writings on healing crime and violence that we could share. We received a total of seventeen sheets, which were copied and sent to all the churches. Most of the participating branches made copies available at special study tables in their Reading Rooms, along with other helpful reading material.
The participants' goal was for the references to serve as a springboard for enlightening members' thought in their prayers to heal crime. We were motivated by Mrs. Eddy's statements, "We, to-day, in this class-room, are enough to convert the world if we are of one Mind," Miscellaneous Writings, p. 279 and "... those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check." Science and Health, pp. 96-97 In check means "under control."
