CHRISTIAN SCIENCE IN THE WAR
across the seas a more comely way of dressing themselves, especially in these days of silhouettes, to say nothing of a simpler way to dress their pillows. Their pillow-cases were far too complicated for the practical American mind. It was a little difficult, too, always to remember that the French and British hospitals had never agreed as to whether hospital garments should be made with the seams inside or out. However, one fact was clearly recognized, that love meets the other man's need as it is, and not as someone thinks it ought to be. Meanwhile the thousands of sewers were gradually giving up their fixed habits, practicing patience by cheerfully ripping and sewing a second time, or even a third, if necessary to the sending out of a model garment; and learning to finish their small, even stitches with thread securely fastened. It was this effort to do their best which resulted in the query from another relief organization handling their goods:
“Are all your workers trained sewers?”
“No.”
“Then how do you account for your work being so exceptional? I had always thought that Christian Science was an idealistic religion.”
“So it is,—a practical idealism; a religion which governs every act of our lives even to the sewing on of buttons. There is a perfect standard of sewing, and Christian Scientists having that before them when making these garments, do all to the glory of God.”
Yes, to the glory of God, to the glory of One whose standard is perfection, but whose infinitude admits of variety of expression. Love paints the petals, but never two exactly alike; and it was the same love that tipped the “Christian Science socks” with so many
260
