Article December 14, 1918 Issue

Extracts from Letters

"I can scarcely express the gratitude I feel at this time for the fact that it has been our joy and privilege, during the growing years of our children, to have the life and activities of our home based on the teachings of Christian Science. Now that we have two sons in active service for their country, I realize as never before what the daily study of the Bible and Science and Health during these years has meant in the lives of all of us in the way of preparation for the present crisis. It is helping us at home to go about our daily affairs freely, confidently, and joyously most of the time, with little sense of separation, fear, or depression.

"The son who is still at camp in this country frequently expresses his appreciation of the welfare work being done at his camp, and his letters are written on Camp Welfare stationery. Our eldest son, who has been in France since February, 1918, and at the front all summer, writes as follows of his recent visit to the Christian Science reading rooms in Paris:—

"'Two blocks below the Opera, on the Avenue de l'Opéra, I found the Christian Science reading rooms. I simply cannot express what it meant to me to get there, or describe the feeling of peace, comfort, and love which came over me; of increased dominion and protection, such as I had never before experienced. I had been through my baptismal fire in every sense of the word, without outside help from any of my own people, but the joy I felt in reaching that place, a place I had always hoped to see, was the greatest I have had since coming to France. They gave me a khaki-covered pocket Bible and Quarterly to go with my other little book, as well as several new pamphlets, Monitors, and Sentinels. It felt good to talk with a woman, very much like you, mother dear, who thought and felt just as I did. Truly I have never felt alone or unhappy because we are apparently separated so far, but this little experience made me realize, to a greater degree, what wonderful help I constantly have at my command. I have never dreamed that I could go through such harrowing experiences as I have in the last two months. For instance, I have been through such things as are told about in the papers and certain magazines,—descriptions of how the Boche aviators have repeatedly turned their machine guns on our hospital tents. While I have often been put to the supreme test, and hell itself has seemed to be let loose around about us, I have never yet felt myself slipping, or lost sight for a minute of what is what, and have been ready at any time to rise to the occasion at hand.'