Article April 20, 1918 Issue

A Mother's Victory

NELLIE E. ARNOLD

In the past few months the writer has learned a deep lesson in Christian Science. When the declaration came that we were in a state of war, I began to awake to the fact that it might touch our home. For months my thought had been gradually changing through the reading of our periodicals, especially the Monitor, from a desire for peace at any price, to the understanding that peace established on any other foundation than Principle is not peace.

As time went on and the draft measure went through, the alarm felt was very great, and it became quite clear that faithful work on our problem must be done. Of course there was the possibility that our son would not be chosen, but this did not give any lasting sense of comfort. The thought that he might be called kept coming into my consciousness, and this thought was always met with the declaration that God places man and keep him in his right place. While making this declaration, however, there was the hope that it would keep our son at home with us; but it was not long before I saw that this way of working was not honest, so I gave up outlining and turned forever away from contemplating any human help, to God, the only real helper. I realized that if God places man, and our son were called to serve, there was no question as to the issue, even if that issue were contrary to our expectations. The temptation to claim exemption also had to be worked over and conquered. There had been some feeling of satisfaction in that thought of exemption, but this proved to be a broken reed when I tried to lean upon it, and gave no support. By turning absolutely to God as the only support and strength, a measure of that peace which passeth understanding came to me, and I was enabled to say that if our son were called I was willing he should go. When the numbers were called and his among them, there was no sense of disappointment or surprise. I was ready by this time to take the next step, namely, to "loose him, and let him go." Realizing that God was his Father-Mother, and giving up my human sense of parent hood I began to see that God could care for him much better than I could, for, humanly speaking, was I not helpless?

It is needless to say that the boy responded to this freedom, not even trying to claim exemption, and before we knew it he had enlisted in the navy. When the time came for him to depart, the presence of divine Love was again proved in the freedom, happiness, and joy which was manifested, and there was not one indication of sorrow or thought of separation. He has already proved for himself the power of Truth over discord by reading our textbook. After submitting to certain serum treatments, which all the men were given, he manifested symptoms of being quite ill. He then took Science and Health and retired to his hammock, and after reading about an hour, fell asleep. Upon awaking the next morning he was perfectly free, while all the rest of the company were still having difficulty. This was to him a convincing proof of the efficacy of Christian Science. When he related his experience to me, I thanked God for the circumstances which had made it possible for him to make his own demonstration, for heretofore it had seemed the easiest way to ask mother to do the work for him.

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