Article August 18, 1973 Issue

Contacting Christian Scientists on Campus

BEVERLY BEMIS HAWKS

When they first come to college, some Christian Scientists are a bit overwhelmed by the wide choice of friends and activities and by the academic load. A student may want to join in with others and may be worried about erecting a religious barrier by identifying right away with his religion. Having known Christian Science most of his life, perhaps he wants to spread his wings and explore other things, even to the point of experimenting with drugs and the like. True, when filling out his application for college, he has expressed his preference for Christian Science as an insurance policy, but maybe he doesn't see a need to do more at the present.

From the advantage of longer experience, the Christian Science College Organization Advisor knows the desirability of a student's working from a strong spiritual basis. The young person doesn't always realize how much wisdom and protection he's going to need while he uses his wings for the first time away from home and family. To seek him out and persuade him to establish his spiritual roots is a loving thing to do. Reaching out, the advisor is expressing the shepherding qualities of Love that draw the student into the fold where he finds both freedom and safety.

How is the advisor going to do this? Certainly human footsteps are taken to make actual contacts—letters, telephone calls, receptions, and school visits. However, unless these human footsteps are the outcome of prayer, they are merely busyness, clumsy plodding, without divine direction. Good results ensue, not primarily from what an advisor does but from what he thinks about what he does. Therefore the advisor starts with prayer, and his prayer, of course, begins with God.

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