A neighbourly ambassador

In our book Living Christian Science - Fourteen Lives by Marcy Babbitt, American diplomat Howard Palfrey Jones begins his section with an account of his 'mother's dramatic healing of tuberculosis through Christian Science' (p. 33)
and follows with highlights of his career. Following World War II, he was closely involved in 'moving [Germany] from military to civilian life, and into a new era', where 'that nation, with its tradition of greatness in manufacture, literature, music and art [could be] restored under new leadership to its former peacetime economy' (p. 43). He adds that 'the philosophy that the victor in war had sovereign right to impose sanctions against the vanquished had proved disastrous following the First World War. The resentment of the oppressed had erupted in a Second World War...repression was not the answer' (pp. 43-4). He mentions that 'during [WWII] all Christian Science churches in Germany had been closed' (p. 45). Now they began to reopen. He recalls 'with special affection [his] friendship with the loyal teacher of CS, Friedrich Preller, and his wife' (ibid).

A later assignment took him and his wife to Indonesia. At that time (1954), there were only '120 engineers...in the entire country...[and] in the entire Ministry of Agriculture, with 4000 employees, there were just two college graduates' (p. 48). Together, Palfrey Jones and Indonesian Dr Djuanda Kartawidjaja agreed that technical education would be the area where America could assist. He 'foresaw that Indonesia's youth [would] play an important role not only in the political and spiritual destiny of that nation, but in the destiny and peace of the world' (p. 49).

During a period of deep civil unrest a large and angry crowd assembled outside the gates of the ambassador's residence. Mrs Palfrey Jones showed great love and courage in not hiding from them (she had chosen to read a magazine on her verandah in full view of the gathering) and now when the 'mob [began] streaming into the garden and racing up the driveway...[her husband] walked out to meet them' (p. 53). The anti-American rhetoric soon faded as he shook hands with as many of the protesters as he could and 'explained that America was interested in the preservation of Indonesia's independence, as [he] assumed they all were' (ibid).

This man showed by example that we can follow 'the commandment of Jesus, the great Ambassador for Christ, who said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"' (p. 53) and, although we may have diverging viewpoints, we can still be good neighbours and rejoice in progressive good for all.

Julie Swannell