Article April 2, 1938 Issue

The Friendly Qualities

[Written Especially for Young People]

MYRTIE LILLIAN BARKER

Some time ago, a young girl went to a Christian Science practitioner. She felt lonely and left out of things. She had hardly a single close friend among the young people of her acquaintance. Quietly the practitioner listened, and then she quoted a statement from page 17 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, which reads, "And Love is reflected in love."

The girl pondered the words a moment. That was just the difficulty, she explained. She had no opportunity to express friendliness. She never received an invitation to anything! Gently she was told that one need not wait for some big event to come along in order to express the sweetness of Love's idea. There were lots of little niches and crannies all around one that needed brightening. Homes had nooks of neglect and crevices of inharmony which provided a wonderful opportunity to express selflessness and gentleness. In school there was always the need for kind consideration of others, and also for the curbing of a tattling tongue and the forsaking of jealousy. Shopping, it was suggested, offered a splendid chance to put patience to work. There were so many places in need of friendly qualities, so many ways to utilize all the many and varied attributes of Love.

A number of references were given the young student. There was one from the sixth chapter of Luke: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." And then there was the one from the Christian Science Hymnal:

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