Article August 6, 1955 Issue

BASIC TRAINING

[Of Special Interest to Young People]

WILLIAM LITTLE

Young people who have attended the Christian Science Sunday School and who are about to be inducted into the armed services of their country often wonder if they will be able to use Christian Science in their military experience. Their parents and friends who have not had such military experience may also wonder about the problem. However, the young people, their parents, and their friends can be reassured. Christian Science is always, in all circumstances, beautifully available to guard, guide, strengthen, and bless those who use it.

Particularly is this true of those who have had the opportunity of obtaining the best of all kinds of basic training—training in the Christian Science Sunday School. On the other hand, those who have not attended the Sunday School can make up so-called lost time by taking the first steps of such spiritual basic training by following as their first lessons the instructions given by Mary Baker Eddy in Article XX, Section 3, of the Manual of The Mother Church. There she writes: "The first lessons of the children should be the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17), the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6: 9-13), and its Spiritual Interpretation by Mary Baker Eddy, Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3-12). The next lessons consist of such questions and answers as are adapted to a juvenile class, and may be found in the Christian Science Quarterly Lessons, read in Church services. The instruction given by the children's teachers must not deviate from the absolute Christian Science contained in their textbook."

Now it is well known that the purpose of basic military training is to teach the new soldier, sailor, marine, or airman how to take care of himself, how to use his weapons, and how to be a good team member on the defense force. Experience in making use of the first lessons as stated in the Church Manual will make the recruit or boot strong, intelligent, quick-witted, and healthy. Also obedience to these instructions will make him a good companion and will assure him of good companionship in the true and proper sense of the word good. A dictionary defines "good" in part as follows: "Sufficient or satisfactory for its purpose.... Possessing attractive qualities; specif.: Stouthearted....Kind; friendly. Well-behaved."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

BASIC TRAINING

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access