Article February 5, 1990 Issue

FROM THE Directors

The Christian Science Board of Directors

"Is not the propagation of the human species a greater responsibility, a more solemn charge, than the culture of your garden or the raising of stock to increase your flocks and herds? Nothing unworthy of perpetuity should be transmitted to children."^{ Science and Health, p. 61.}

Those words of Mary Baker Eddy show something of her deep concerns for the welfare of humanity and the rights of posterity. They also illustrate essential priorities for a strong and vigorous society. Unquestionably, one of the most crucial areas of human life today, requiring the thoughtful support of all people, is the care and nurturing of children, the hope for tomorrow. Will that hope be bright with promise, or will the urgent problems of child abuse, homelessness, illiteracy, poverty, and broken homes replace hope with a growing despair?

When the decision is made to raise children, that decision clearly brings with it important responsibilities, as a recent series in The Christian Science Monitor pointed out.^{ "Babies in the '90s: New perils, new prospects," Monitor, December 18–20, 1989 .} Parents often find that self-interest has to be weighed carefully against the larger, unselfish interest of raising a child. There may be a need to ponder earnestly just where certain career opportunities and economic advantages fit into the picture as personal priorities are reassessed. At the same time, the real blessings that come from placing true value on family life cannot be overestimated.