Editorial July 23, 1927 Issue

Forward, March!

Ella W. Hoag

Did anyone ever look upon the drilling of an "awkward squad" and fail to smile at the ridiculous efforts made to take the steps in a forward march? Such solvenly action! Such lack of unity! Each, all undisciplined, following his own notion as to what marching meant! Every member of the squad, as well as all the onlookers, knew that all this lack of concerted effort must yield to order before any efficient soldiery could be manifested. Each recruit must learn to understand and obey the commands of the officer in charge. Thus only could the men go forward to the winning of the victories always expected of those who enlist in any army.

It may seem a far cry from a lot of raw recruits on a military training field to the members of a Christian Science church; and yet the same rules of procedure in obedience to established order are as necessary in the one case as in the other, if effective united action is to be obtained. The endeavor to go forward together must come into complete unity of purpose, law, and method in both cases, if there is to be any hope of successful results in either.

When Christian Scientists unite with a Church of Christ, Scientist, they are too apt to imagine that because they have joined an army which is under one commanding officer, the Christ, only perfect harmony of action can possibly appear. They argue that since "the captain of their salvation" is already perfect, only perfection can be expressed by those endeavoring to come under his control. They forget that most of the enlisted ones are largely in the "raw recruit" class, and that much discipline will be needed before entire unity of action in the ranks can be established. Now if this were but recognized, how much more quickly would each one come under orders from on high, and how much more surely would the army go forward as a whole in triumphant marches.

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