Article February 17, 1945 Issue

It Could Not Remain a Prison While He Was There

[Written Especially for Young People]

KATHERINE B. WRIGHT

In a Christian Science Sunday School class one of the boys said to the teacher. "There is one thing I'd be afraid of—to be taken a prisoner."

As he spoke, the teacher remembered a quotation from Emerson which had appeared on the Daily Features Page of The Christian Science Monitor of October 6, 1943: "Socrates entered the prison, and took away all ignominy from the place, which could not remain a prison whilst he was there." This was quoted to the class. Immediately the boys who were approaching induction into the armed forces became interested in discussing this thought in the light of Christian Science.

It was pointed out that "ignominy" means dishonor. The question was then asked the boys, "What was there in Socrates' thinking that freed him from the imprisoning beliefs of hatred and cruelty?" They found the answer on page 215 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, where they read that "because he understood the superiority and immortality of good, Socrates feared not the hemlock poison." Mrs. Eddy's further statement, "Having sought man's spiritual state, he recognized the immortality of man." showed that she felt that this ancient philosopher had grasped something of the spiritual facts of being.

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