I had always held strong views about the evils of drink, having seen its cruel effects in lonely homes far out in the Australian bush as well as in towns; and I had seen brilliant careers among my artist friends ruined by the so-called gay Bohemian life. Yet, after several years in which I had enjoyed many healings and blessings from Christian Science, I was still unable to subscribe to its high standard of total abstinence and therefore unable to become a church member.
The trouble was that I could not agree with the statement by Mrs. Eddy in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 289), "Strong drink is unquestionably an evil, and evil cannot be used temperately: its slightest use is abuse; hence the only temperance is total abstinence." I felt this point of view to be narrow and pedantic, and I believed in taking a more moderate attitude, or to be what I was pleased to call broad-minded. To drink in moderation seemed preferable and quite harmless. However, the leaven of Truth was at work, and in my heart I was ill at ease. Every time I came upon the statement, "Its slightest use is abuse," I felt less secure in the position I had taken. Also I began to notice that, although I drank only on rare occasions, these were special occasions, such as dinners, parties, Bohemian gatherings, where example meant much. My feeble excuse that I was practically a total abstainer sounded more and more insincere.
Then came the following experience that changed everything. One morning I decided to go for a day's sketching in the country; so I packed my painting kit and a few sandwiches, and off I went to a little country village not far out of London. It was a gorgeous day with blue sky and white clouds trailing their shadows across the landscape, and there, nestled around the little common, was an ideal English village with its ancient church, white-faced cottages, and a quaint old village inn. The whole scene breathed an atmosphere of peace and rural beauty. I unpacked my kit and settled down to sketch behind a hedge and among the meadowsweet and clover. As I worked I was filled with a great sense of gratitude to Christian Science for the increased appreciation it had given me of "whatsoever things are lovely" (Phil. 4:8).
