I am relating the following experience, which I had to go through...

Alice Hartung

I am relating the following experience, which I had to go through with regard to alcohol, hoping it may be useful to others. It was a question of my courage to be "different" on the matter of the use of alcohol.

In the office where I worked there were about seventy employees besides the office manager and his assistants. My position as a Christian Scientist was generally known, as was my viewpoint on alcohol. So it became the custom at friendly get-togethers to have not only alcoholic beverages available but also soft drinks. This was welcomed by some of my fellow workers besides me.

Then one day it happened that a special event, the publication of a book, was to be celebrated. The assistant called the small staff of co-workers together. I did not take the time to analyze in the light of Christian Science the question of my behavior in this particular instance but considered it loving not to separate myself from this small group. But even the intention to take just a sip received a stern rebuke when, as we raised our glasses in a toast, the assistant said to me, "I'm glad you've found the occasion worthy enough to set aside your principles!" That hit home! And to this day I am thankful to God, and to that man, because with this jolt he gave me the impetus to take a firm position from then on.

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