The Washington herald., 1918-06-17
BY JAMES ARTHUR sEAVEY.

onward, Christian SOldlerS! why,
bless your heart. they've been on
varding'' for months, and. in the last
few weeks, they've been going On
ward lover there" by squads and
companies and regiments. They are
the vanguard of the army OF Christian
Scientists who are going to help
democracy. And, as every good
American soldier is without reproach.
so these Christian Science soldiers are
without fear. For every one of them
knows and proclaims as truth-practi-
cal, undodgeable. hardscrabble truth
the words Of the Ninety-flrst Psalm.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the
terror by night: nor for the arrow
that flieth by day:
Nor for the pestilence that walk
eth in darkness; nor for the de-
struction that wasteth at MONDAY.
A thousand shall fall at thy side.
and ten thousand at thy right
hand; but it shall not come nigh
thee.
When the national bonnet was
tossed into the ring, the Christian
Scientists went in after it. They
hustled into their fighting clothes. and
they're never going to shed them un-
Ill the Scienceless and Goddess and
Gott-invoking German Emperor sees
his hosts of darkness broken and an
quished by the battalions of light.
Not even Henry Ford is more de-
termined to carry on until the al
lies have won this war than are the
Christian Scientists. Their great or
ganization Is on a war basis and their
war work is going on in every train
ing camp in this country and in the
camps. the trenches. and the hos
pitfalls Of Flanders and of France
But the world knows practically
nothing about Christian Science war
riors and the var work of the organi-
zation. Everybody knows what the
Red Cross and the Y. NJ. c. A. and
the knights of Columbus. and other
organizations are doing, but the Scien-
lists have been working as the coral
insects work, and the reef of their
labor has received little notice. One
reason for this probably may be found
in the fact that they ask no financial
assistance outside their own member
ship. While there may be individuals
in other religious denominations much
wealthier than any individual men,
| ber of the Christian Science de-
nomination. there probably is no de-
nomination, in proportion to its size.
which has the aggregate wealth of
this one. And this is as 1t should be,
il there is merit in their metaphysics.
for do they not declare that they " we're
made in the image and likeness OF
God. that He is all in all, that He is
Truth and Love, an Infinite Supply
Station from which pour out all good
,, things to those who keep His laws ?
In other words:
Seek We first the Kingdom of God,
and His righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you."
And this is the principle they ap-
ply in raising funds for war work.
After the United States declared war
on Germany the Mother Church in
Boston, on November II. sent notices
to the three largest churches in each
State that. il conference of churches
and societies in that State were call
ed, a representative Of the board of
directors of the Boston organization
would submit plan for carrying on
camp welfare work among the Chris
tan Scientists iii the army and navy
| camps in this country and in Europe.
Less than a month later the first war
welfare work of American Christian
Scientists started at Camp Devens, at
Aver, Mass.
Today, in the thirty or forty camps
and cantonments in the United States,
there are sixty-three Christian Science
| camp workers, fifteen welfare room
attendants, with forty-five automo-
biles, and hundreds of Others, as
members Of local and State camp vel.
fare committees. are working to give
all the aid and comfort possible to the
men who have been called to the
colors. There are plenty of peraons
| who take no stock in the theory and
practice Of Christian Science, and II
Is not the purpose OF this article tc
enter into any discussion of Christian
Science as a religious dogma. But
when one examines the machinery Of
their organization, observes the
smoothness and celerity with which
It works, and sees the capacity for
infinite detail, it must be admitted
that, when the Christian Science or
7ganization has anything to do, II
makes a good job Of it, without any
fuss. feathers. or horn footing.
The board Of directors realized that
to do the war work needed to be
done, a very sizable special fund
would have to be raised. They just
let the membership in the churches OF
the country know that they wanted
money and what they wanted it for
and. presto, the money came flowing
in! Today the organization Is spend
Ing $4,000 a month in this work. and
as soon as they need more dollars
they will send out a Gala call only
to Christian Scientists, mind yolt-and
dollars will answer the call and keep
on answering until the war is over
and the work is done.
For the edification Of all and severa