Article December 8, 1962 Issue

Activities for the Armed Services

"Religiously, it is the most outstanding ship I have ever inspected." With these words a Chaplain on an Admiral's staff commended the unusually fine morale on a Navy ship. What is particularly significant to Christian Scientists in this commendation is the fact that one of our Representatives in the Armed Services is assigned to that ship.

This Representative, as is sometimes the case, was asked to minister to non-Scientists as well as Christian Scientists. He was appointed a Protestant lay leader by the Navy to conduct nondenominational services on Sundays when the ship is at sea and when a Chaplain is not aboard. The services are very successful and have found a ready response. Among a crew of seventy-five men, the Representative has distributed over fifty Bibles, which are supplied to him by Navy Chaplains. The Bibles are read openly throughout the ship.

But most outstanding of all has been the marked change in the atmosphere. Profanity, which was once very prevalent, has largely disappeared. Indeed, the high standard of health and behavior of the crew, particularly in some ports of unsavory reputation, has been so outstanding that it attracted the attention of the Admiral and caused him to inquire as to its cause. The Chaplain on the Admiral's staff twice visited the ship and reported his commendation by letter.

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