Article March 11, 1961 Issue

Activities for the Armed Services

The need for Christian Science Representatives in the Armed Services became apparent during World War II, because the military situation was a fluid, fast-moving one in which troops were often stationed in places where there were no branches of The Mother Church and where it was difficult or impossible to send Christian Science Ministers for the Armed Services. The Mother Church has inspiring records of the work of Representatives during and since World War II. Currently the eighty-nine Representatives are located in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Turkey, Australia, Morocco, Japan, Korea, and many other places in the world.

Christian Science Representatives have abundant opportunities to put into practice these words of Mary Baker Eddy (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 250): "I make strong demands on love, call for active witnesses to prove it, and noble sacrifices and grand achievements as its results." Their duties include looking up Christian Science service personnel in their areas or on board their ships, making Christian Science literature available to those who desire it, and holding Christian Science services. Many Representatives have done good healing work.

In some areas it is not practical to hold Christian Science services in military installations, because the Christian Scientists are too few or are too widely separated. Under such circumstances the Representatives keep in communication with the military personnel and encourage them to attend branch churches and societies within travel distance. In countries where members of the branch churches and societies hold their services in their native language as well as in English, Christian Science Representatives have been asked to act as the Readers for the English services. This arrangement has proved particularly helpful where the majority attending these services are military personnel and their dependents.

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