A Day of Service

PAUL DRAUDE

As a member of the literature distribution committee and an usher in one of our branch churches, the writer has had many opportunities to see what is being done by Christian Science. Being very young in Science when I commenced this distribution work, the privilege of serving the cause has meant the working out of many problems according to Principle.

During the stay of some battleships in the Hudson River not long ago, two of the sailors attended several of our services. The chairman of the steamship distribution committee had a talk with them, and learned that there formerly had been a copy of Science and Health in their ship's library, but that it had disappeared. They were promised another copy, also a copy of "Miscellaneous Writings," and I was asked to take these books over to the ship on Sunday, as the battleships were to sail the next morning. We did not have the names of these men and did not know if we would be allowed on board, so it was at once realized that we must look to divine Mind for guidance.

Sunday afternoon I reached the dock just as the three o'clock boat came in, but the crowd was so great that I could not get on, and so waited for the next boat, which was to come at four o'clock. At half past three a boat came from one of the other battleships with word that the secretary of the navy was inspecting the ships and that no more visitors would be allowed on board. Most of the crowd left the dock, but the thought came to me that as it was my duty to place the books in the library, the way would be opened.

Realizing that divine Mind would lead me, I waited until a little before four, and then approached a group of sailors from the battleship which I wished to visit. On nearing them I heard some degrading talk, and continued on a little farther, to where an officer was signaling out to the ships. When he had completed his message I told him I had some books for the library of one of the ships, and asked him if he thought I had a chance to get over. He said that perhaps I could, and so I waited until the four o'clock boat came, when word was passed around that no visitors would be taken back. This signal officer was in charge of the gangplank leading to the float, and he was admitting some sailors whose shore leave had expired. I was standing at the outside of the crowd, and as soon as the sailors were aboard he waved for me to come through, and I was the only visitor taken along. As I sat in that little boat I was filled with a sense of the allness and nearness of God and with thankfulness that He was guiding my footsteps.

When we boarded the battleship I started for the back of the ship, passing several groups of sailors on the way. Suddenly a sailor came up to me, saying, "I think you are looking for me," and I immediately recognized him as one of the two men who had attended our meetings, so that the books were placed in the proper hands. This man who was cook for the petty officers, took me to his little messroom, where on the floor stood a large hand-bag wide open. He showed me what it contained,—a Bible, a complete set of Mrs. Eddy's writings, two concordances, a Quarterly, and many pamphlets, making as it were a complete Christian Science outfit. He said that he left this open all the time, and the other men came and helped themselves, returning the books when they were through, the number then interested being eight.

I then met the other man who had attended the services. He had charge of the ice-making machine, and he also had a complete Christian Science outfit, which he kept in a large box alongside of his work. He said he sometimes had opportunity to read while the machine was running, and had the books at hand so that any one else desiring to read them could do so. I could but think what a splendid chance there was for these men by their purified living and thinking to act as mighty beacons, letting their light so shine that their mates would be attracted to this saving and uplifting truth.

These two sailors returned to shore with me at five o'clock, when all visitors have to leave the ships, and when I left them they were on the way to the evening service at our church, after which a few more words were had with them. Thus ended an entire day spent in Christian Science service, and it was truly the happiest day I have ever experienced.

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Appreciation of the Lectures

September 8, 1917

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