Article August 15, 1914 Issue

In the Reading-room

KATE A. BAUM

When one is placed in care of a Christian Science reading room, to serve God and man, it is soon learned that the answering of questions is a large part of the loving service required each day. Not only the questions of new students and other inquirers, but sometimes those of church-members, give opportunity for wise answers.

To one of these caretakers, whose constant prayer is, "Send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me," a visitor came one day last summer and asked for a pamphlet now out of print. When she was told that it was not to be had any longer, the would-be purchaser said, "I wonder why." The thought came quickly to the librarian that the right answer to that question was in an old copy of the Sentinel which she had been reading the day before, in an article entitled "Infinite Resources" (Sentinel, April 28, 1906); but she could not place it at that moment, as another visitor stood waiting for attention, so she answered as best she knew. Next day that article was found, cut out, pasted on a piece of cardboard, and kept near-by. The next time the same question was asked, others were waiting for literature and the day was a busy one; but it took only an instant to pass the card bearing the article to the questioner, and to say with a smile, "If you will read this carefully, it will answer your question better than I can." The remark which came back with the card, was: "I see now; that explains it to me. Thank you very much."

At another time the question was, "If Christian Science is taught in the Bible and is the same method used by Jesus in healing the sick and sinful, why is such value set upon Mrs. Eddy's book?" The editorial entitled "A Great Need Met" (Sentinel, Oct. 6, 1906) was ready for this inquirer. Yet another said in a discouraged tone, "Since I have been reading this literature, I have lost my old way of praying, and have not found a better one," and an editorial on "The Lord's Prayer" (Sentinel, Jan. 27, 1912) comforted this one. A newly-elected director of the local church remarked that he had not made his demonstration to attend board meetings, and "Our Business Meetings" (Sentinel, Oct. 12, 1912) helped him. A member of this church who rarely entered the reading-rooms, said that he supposed the reading-rooms were only for the use of strangers in the towns or cities, but after attention was called to "Reading-room Privileges" (Sentinel, Nov. 30, 1912), where one of our editors spoke of this state of thought as "a sly little fox which would injure this branch of the Mother Vine and at the same time rob the members of one of their privileges," the member's gratitude was sincere and his attendance and good works and happiness increased. To one who had the Journal and Sentinel but seemed to think that he did not need the Monitor, the editorial on "Blessing and Blessed" (Sentinel, Dec. 28, 1912) was helpful. And so the cards grew in number, articles from the Monitor being added to those from the Sentinel. In the case of the Journal, it is obviously not desirable to cut out any articles, but the title of some article, which is found to answer certain questions specifically, can be put on a smaller card and the inquirer referred to it, the date of the Journal being of course supplied.

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In the Reading-room

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