Women Christian Scientists in WWI

Page 249 of Christian Science Wartime Activities (WWI) introduces the role of women. Surely, it seems to me, we have a poetess composing the opening paragraph of Chapter VII: A Unique Committee. (Note: on one of the front pages of the book there is a list of contributors -- I guess our poetess is among them.)

“What could it [the response to one great human, globe-encircling cry] do through women ? Much. It could say to the enlisting men: ‘The womanhood of the world is with you; it will provide you warmth and comfort; it will bring you cheer, encouragement, and even joy.’ To the widow and the fatherless it could say: ‘The great mother-heart of the universe embraces you; lean on it; for it will feed you, clothe you, comfort you.’" (p. 249)

Oh! The knitting! In Boston the church arranged for yarn to be sold to the knitters in quantity. (Note: I think Australian women did their knitting for the Australian Comforts Fund. My guardian knitted many socks. I seem to remember a song, “Knitting socks for soldiers.”

The aim of the ACF was to provide free 'comfort' items that were not supplied by the services to all Australian servicemen. These items included singlets, socks, pyjamas, cigarettes and tobacco, razor blades, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste and reading material (newspapers and magazines))

For a while it seemed there was no way of getting the garments to where they were needed. It was sorted when it was realised that the activity lacked a name! Comforts Forwarding Committee. Christian Scientists fitted the bill.

The workers were organised in units like an army. 10 women learning to make garments and each going back to form a new unit of 10; teaching and producing.

There were “comforts bags.” This is from a letter of appreciation:
"Dear Friend Someone: I was very much pleased to get a fine comfort kit from you yesterday. It certainly had the comforts. A little bit of a bag of buttons, that was really what I most needed. Oh, there were lots of buttons in it, but it looked so tiny and stuffy I had to laugh. . . . The pins, the thread, the kerchiefs, soap, both shaving and hand, talcum powder, laces, oh, I can't think what all was there. And everything just fits me. I know I won't need any more shaving soap for a long time, for my beard doesn't grow fast….” (p. 253)

Perfection was the standard of all the garments, sleeping things, toys. The sweaters were very much in demand. One snugly outfitted man would pass the word of where they may be obtained. It seems that no one was ever disappointed.

I like this one: ”One veritable novelty was a slumber robe made of pennants — an inexhaustible source of amusement to the boys in one of the convalescent hospitals. What trip could one not take traveling under so many flags! So great was the demand for this robe in the hospital that it was generally engaged in advance for the following day, and to keep it only half of one's allotted time and then pass it on to another, was plainly one of the sacrifices of the war.” (p. 259)

Alaskan women made leather moccasins.

Such organisation! Such demonstrations!

Joyce Voysey

[Ed. Regarding the quality of the work done by the women, this quote is insightful from p. 260:

    “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.”]