The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [83]
Written by Joseph Cassel, and submitted to Dr. Rokeage of the Psychology Department, who asked of me, to write this report-on this Friday, March 18, 1960.
On several Sundays, an aide observed Joseph during the Catholic church services he attended. He went through all the movements of kneeling, standing, sitting, following the routine of the service, conducting himself in a very orderly manner and, after the service, staying in his seat until his ward number was called. He always accepted the religious material given him and brought it back to the ward; he always thanked the aide for taking him to church.
By the end of March, according to the aides, Joseph seemed to be feeling much better. He was extremely co-operative and generally quite willing to fall in with the daily routine.
On April 5, at my request, Joseph submitted a report entitled “On asking Mr. Clyde Benson to go to church”:
I asked of Mr. Benson to go to church. I, for myself, remember distinctly that for a while, I was not attending the church-service, if only because I did not attend it. Why did I not attend it? It was because I wanted to rest because I was in a hospital. And yet, I felt that I was lacking something, this something revealed itself when I went back to the church service. I felt as if a heavy load had come off my shoulders! And yet, one wants to go to church, even when one wants to rest himself, away from the world—because he or she is in a hospital! This is the truth so help me. So, it is very nice indeed, for one to attend church service, for it makes one morally clean!! No doubt about it!
So, Mr. Benson did not go to church because of the reason stated above: The man wants to go to church, and yet he does not attend the church service because of effects of the brain; because he is away from the world; because of a rest. But there comes a time when we all go back to church because there is no exception! Even in a hospital.
Joseph Cassel.
Another report from Joseph, on April 17:
To Dr. Rokeage
You have asked of me, to write you an essay. It will be a short essay, however—upon the effect of an Easter—or rather, After Easter Service, or should I say, Church-service of what it is after Easter.
Christ has resurrected; He has saved Lives galore!
Life is more assured. Self-assurance is in the air! Life be worth well living! If life is worth-living, then everything else is assured of success!! Business will be on a sound-basis, again!
People care for love:—love for everything that is necessary for the continuation of life! Matrimony gains! Business gains! The arts carry on! and flourish!! And amusements are well worth the trying, if only cause God has saved the world!
After Easter comes tranquility, serenity, peacefulness, placidity, due to God’s having been crucified!!!
I have attended church service, again!! But this time, it is Easter Sunday!! I was given a pamphlet at the church!! Of course, this Sunday, the 17[th of April, being Easter Sunday, it discusses the usefulness of the prayer, in connection with mosaic and painting Easter! But the cover has a picture of Christ—and the back-flap says or reads: “By dying he has overcome our death; by rising again restored our life.” This is beautiful!!
So, Easter is the beautiful symbol of the resurrection of life!
In the church, everything was unveiled ’cause it is Easter Sunday—a marvelous, charming, beautiful holiday!! This means that life is unveiled, again!!
So, it is a certainty that Easter Sunday is a beautiful resurrection of life, for sure-sure.
Written after my attending the Church Catholic service this Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960.
Joseph Cassel.
P. S.: Life is regained after lent, after sacrifice, that is the meaning of the unveiling of the statues at the Catholic church!!!
But after this, Joseph’s church-going ceased. And it was not resumed until many months later, when the conditions of the experiment were again changed.
At about this time, as indicated earlier, Joseph also began agitating