Article September 20, 1919 Issue

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H. VON BERGEN

The writer desires to express his gratitude for the healing he received from the daily reading of The Christian Science Monitor. Born in Germany, after his parents had returned there from this country, he was raised and educated there and came to California a few years before he attained his majority. Living with relatives who were thoroughly American, he soon acquired the language and customs of the country, and in due course of time became a citizen. From time to time he visited his family in Germany, and on several occasions ran afoul of German bureaucracy, which thoroughly disgusted him and convinced him that he had made no mistake in selecting the United States for his permanent residing place. On his first visit he was informed that the laws required registration and a request for permission to remain in the country for a limited time. After complying with this he was informed by the authorities that in order to avoid trouble in future and to insure indefinite sojourns thereafter, it would be best for him to renounce his American citizenship and to serve in the army for one year.

The writer politely but firmly declined to accept his advice, and thereafter notice was served upon him that leave to remain for two months had been granted and that if at the expiration of this time he was still found to be in the country, an escort to the frontier would be provided. Similar treatment on every subsequent visit did not increase the writer's love for the German system, and had it not been for the family ties, he never would have visisted the country again. When war was declared in 1914, it was not the love of the country but what he considered his sense of justice, which made the writer lean toward Germany; for knowing history, it seemed to him that the cause of the war was a desire to crush an inconvenient competitor and that this plan should fail. On the other hand, he could plainly see the danger for democracy and religious freedom in Germany's ascendancy, and thus he hoped that a compromise would be effected.

Some years prior to the beginning of the war the writer had become a student of Christian Science, was a regular reader of The Christian Science Monitor and a great admirer of its editorials. Great was his consternation, therefore, when this newspaper came out strongly against Germany and her methods, and in fact denounced her entire system in no uncertain terms. The writer did not at first seem to be able to comprehend why such a stand should be taken. Often the editorials would make him unhappy, so that he would have to retire to his closet and pray to be shown the light; and that which always sustained him in these moments of doubt was the positive assurance that our revered Leader, Mrs. Eddy, had founded The Christian Science Monitor with the avowed purpose of harming no man, but of blessing all mankind, and that this established purpose was effective forever.

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