christian science-第20章

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provincial　obscurity；　but　why　she　should　continue　this　delirium　in　these
days　of　her　godship　and　her　far…spread　fame；　I　cannot　explain　to　myself。
And　particularly　as　regards　Science　and　Health。　　She　knows；　now；　that
that　Annex　is　going　to　live　for　many　centuries；　and　so；　what　good　is　a
fleeting　forty…two…year　copyright　going　to　do　it？

Now　a　perpetual　copyright　would　be　quite　another　matter。　　I　would　like　to
give　her　a　hint。　　Let　her　strike　for　a　perpetual　copyright　on　that　book。
There　is　precedent　for　it。　　There　is　one　book　in　the　world　which　bears
the　charmed　life　of　perpetual　copyright　（a　fact　not　known　to　twenty
people　in　the　world）。　　By　a　hardy　perversion　of　privilege　on　the　part　of
the　lawmaking　power　the　Bible　has　perpetual　copyright　in　Great　Britain。
There　is　no　justification　for　it　in　fairness；　and　no　explanation　of　it
except　that　the　Church　is　strong　enough　there　to　have　its　way；　right　or
wrong。　　The　recent　Revised　Version　enjoys　perpetual　copyright；　tooa
stronger　precedent；　even；　than　the　other　one。

Now；　then；　what　is　the　Annex　but　a　Revised　Version　itself？　　Which　of
course　it　isLord's　Prayer　and　all。　　With　that　pair　of　formidable
British　precedents　to　proceed　upon；　what　Congress　of　ours

But　how　short…sighted　I　am。　　Mrs。　Eddy　has　thought　of　it　long　ago。　　She
thinks　of　everything。　　She　knows　she　has　only　to　keep　her　copyright　of
1902　alive　through　its　first　stage　of　twenty…eight　years；　and　perpetuity
is　assured。　　A　Christian　Science　Congress　will　reign　in　the　Capitol　then。
She　probably　attaches　small　value　to　the　first　edition　（1875）。　　Although
it　was　a　Revelation　from　on　high；　it　was　slim；　lank；　incomplete；　padded
with　bales　of　refuse　rags；　and　puffs　from　lassoed　celebrities　to　fill　it
out；　an　uncreditable　book；　a　book　easily　sparable；　a　book　not　to　be
mentioned　in　the　same　year　with　the　sleek；　fat；　concise；　compact；
compressed；　and　competent　Annex　of　to…day；　in　its　dainty　flexible　covers；
giltedges；　rounded　corners；　twin　screw；　spiral　twist；　compensation
balance；　Testament…counterfeit；　and　all　that；　a　book　just　born　to　curl　up
on　the　hymn…book…shelf　in　church　and　look　just　too　sweet　and　holy　for
anything。　　Yes；　I　see　now　what　she　was　copyrighting　that　child　for。




CHRISTIAN　SCIENCE　PUBLISHING　ASSOCIATION

It　is　true　in　matters　of　business　Mrs。　Eddy　thinks　of　everything。　　She
thought　of　an　organ；　to　disseminate　the　Truth　as　it　was　in　Mrs。　Eddy。
Straightway　she　started　onethe　Christian　Science　Journal。

It　is　truein　matters　of　business　Mrs。　Eddy　thinks　of　everything。　　As
soon　as　she　had　got　the　Christian　Science　Journal　sufficiently　in　debt　to
make　its　presence　on　the　premises　disagreeable　to　her；　it　occurred　to　her
to　make　somebody　a　present　of　it。　　Which　she　did；　along　with　its　debts。
It　was　in　the　summer　of　1889。　　The　victim　selected　was　her　Church
called；　in　those　days；　The　National　Christian　Scientist　Association。

She　delivered　this　sorrow　to　those　lambs　as　a　〃gift〃　in　consideration　of
their　〃loyalty　to　our　great　cause。〃

Alsostill　thinking　of　everythingshe　told　them　to　retain　Mr。　Bailey　in
the　editorship　and　make　Mr。　Nixon　publisher。　　We　do　not　know　what　it　was
she　had　against　those　men；　neither　do　we　know　whether　she　scored　on
Bailey　or　not；　we　only　know　that　God　protected　Nixon；　and　for　that　I　am
sincerely　glad；　although　I　do　not　know　Nixon　and　have　never　even　seen
him。

Nixon　took　the　Journal　and　the　rest　of　the　Publishing　Society's
liabilities；　and　demonstrated　over　them　during　three　years；　then　brought
in　his　report：

〃On　assuming　my　duties　as　publisher；　there　was　not　a　dollar　in　the
treasury；　but　on　the　contrary　the　Society　owed　unpaid　printing　and　paper
bills　to　the　amount　of　several　hundred　dollars；　not　to　mention　a
contingent　liability　of　many　more　hundreds〃represented　by　advance
subscriptions　paid　for　the　Journal　and　the　〃Series；〃　the　which　goods　Mrs。
Eddy　had　not　delivered。　　And　couldn't；　very　well；　perhaps；　on　a
Metaphysical　College　income　of　but　a　few　thousand　dollars　a　day；　or　a
week；　or　whatever　it　was　in　those　magnificently　flourishing　times。　　The
struggling　Journal　had　swallowed　up　those　advance…payments；　but　its
〃claim〃　was　a　severe　one　and　they　had　failed　to　cure　it。　　But　Nixon　cured
it　in　his　diligent　three　years；　and　joyously　reported　the　news　that　he
had　cleared　off　all　the　debts　and　now　had　a　fat　six　thousand　dollars　in
the　bank。

It　made　Mrs。　Eddy's　mouth　water。

At　the　time　that　Mrs。　Eddy　had　unloaded　that　dismal　gift　on　to　her
National　Association；　she　had　followed　her　inveterate　custom：　she　had
tied　a　string　to　its　hind　leg；　and　kept　one　end　of　it　hitched　to　her
belt。　　We　have　seen　her　do　that　in　the　case　of　the　Boston　Mosque。　　When
she　deeds　property；　she　puts　in　that　string…clause。　　It　provides　that
under　certain　conditions　she　can　pull　the　string　and　land　the　property　in
the　cherished　home　of　its　happy　youth。　　In　the　present　case　she　believed
that　she　had　made　provision　that　if　at　any　time　the　National　Christian
Science　Association　should　dissolve　itself　by　a　formal　vote；　she　could
pull。

A　year　after　Nixon's　handsome　report；　she　writes　the　Association　that　she
has　a　〃unique　request　to　lay　before　it。〃　　It　has　dissolved；　and　she　is
not　quite　sure　that　the　Christian　Science　Journal　has　〃already　fallen
into　her　hands〃　by　that　act；　though　it　〃seems〃　to　her　to　have　met　with
that　accident；　so　she　would　like　to　have　the　matter　decided　by　a　formal
vote。　　But　whether　there　is　a　doubt　or　not；　〃I　see　the　wisdom；〃　she　says；
〃of　again　owning　this　Christian　Science　waif。〃

I　think　that　that　is　unassailable　evidence　that　the　waif　was　making
money；　hands　down。

She　pulled　her　gift　in。　　A　few　years　later　she　donated　the　Publishing
Society；　along　with　its　real　estate；　its　buildings；　its　plant；　its
publications；　and　its　moneythe　whole　worth　twentytwo　thousand
dollars；　and　free　of　debtto　Well；　to　the　Mother…Church！

That　is　to　say；　to　herself。　　There　is　an　act　count　of　it　in　the　Christian
Science　Journal；　and　of　how　she　had　already　made　some　other　handsome
gifts　to　her　Churchand　others　to　to　her　Cause　besides　〃an　almost
countless　number　of　private　charities〃　of　cloudy　amount　and　otherwise
indefinite。　　This　landslide　of　generosities　overwhelmed　one　of　her
literary　domestics。　　While　he　was　in　that　condition　he　tried　to　express
what　he　felt：

〃Let　us　endeavor　to　lift　up　our　hearts　in　thankfulness　to　。　　。　　。　　our
Mother　in　Israel　for　these　evidences　of　generosity　and　self…sacrifice
that　appeal　to　our　deepest　sense　of　gratitude；　even　while　surpassing　our
comprehension。〃

A　year　or　two　later；　Mrs。　Eddy　promulgated　some　By…laws　of　a　self…
sacrificing　sort　which　assuaged　him；　perhaps；　and　perhaps　enabled　his
surpassed　comprehension　to　make　a　sprint　and　catch　up。　　These　are　to　be
found　in　Art。　　XII。；　entitled。




THE　CHRISTIAN　SCIENCE　PUBLISHING　SOCIETY

This　Article　puts　the　whole　publishing　business　into　the　hands　of　a
publishing　Boardspecial。　　Mrs。　Eddy　appoints　to　its　vacancies。

The　profits　go　semi…annually　to　the　Treasurer　of　the　Mother…Church。　　Mrs。
Eddy　owns　the　Treasurer。

Editors　and　publishers　of　the　Christian　Science　Journal　cannot　be　elected
or　removed　without　Mrs。　Eddy's　knowledge　and　consent。

Every　candidate　for　employment　in　a　high　capacity　or　a　low　one；　on　the
other　periodicals　or　in　the　publishing　house；　must　first　be　〃accepted　by
Mrs。　Eddy　as　suitable。〃　　And　〃by　the　Board　of　Directors〃which　is
surplusage；　since　Mrs。　Eddy　owns　the　Board。

If　at　any　time　a　weekly　shall　be　started；　〃it　shall　be　owned　by　The　First
Church　of　Christ；　Scientist〃which　is　Mrs。　Eddy。




CHAPTER　VIII

I　think　that　any　one　who　will　carefully　examine　the　By…laws　（I　have
placed　all　of　the　important　ones　before　the　reader）；　will　arrive　at　the
conclusion　that　of　late　years　the　master…passion　in　Mrs。　Eddy's　heart　is
a　hunger　for　power　and　glory；　and　that　while　her　hunger　for　money　still
remains；　she　wants　it　now　for　the　expansion　and　extension　it　can　furnish
to　that　power　and　glory；　rather　than　what　it　can　do　for　her　towards
satisfying　minor　and　meaner　ambitions。

I　wish　to　enlarge　a　little　upon　this　matter。　　I　think　it　is　quite　clear
that　the　reason　why　Mrs。　Eddy　has　concentrated　in　herself　all　powers；　all
distinctions；　all　revenues　that　are　within　the　command　of　the　Christian
Science　Church　Universal　is　that　she　desires　and　intends　to　devote　them
to　the　purpose　just　suggestedthe　upbuilding　of　her　personal　glory
hers；　and　no　one　else's；　that；　and　the　continuing　of　her　name's　glory
after　she　shall　have　passed　away。　　If　she　has　overlooked　a　single　power；
howsoever　minute；　I　cannot　discover　it。　　If　she　has　found　one；　large　or
small；　which　she　has　not　seized　and　made　her　own；　there　is　no　record　of
it；　no　trace　of　it。　　In　her　foragings　and　depredations　she　usually　puts
forward　the　Mother…Churcha　lay　figureand　hides　behind　it。　　Whereas；
she　is　in　manifest　reality　the　Mother…Church　herself。　　It　has　an
impressive　array　of　officials；　and　committees；　and　Boards　of　Direction；
of　Education；　of　Lectureship；　and　so　ongeldings；　every　one；　shadows；
spectres；　apparitions；　wax…figures：　she　is　supreme　over　them　all；　she　can
abolish　them　when　she　will；　blow　them　out　as　she　would　a　candle。　　She　is
herself　the　Mother…Church。　　Now　there　is　one　By…law　which　says　that　the
Mother…Church：

〃shall　be　officially　controlled　by　no　other　church。〃

That　does　not　surprise　uswe　know　by　the　rest　of　the　By…laws　that　that
is　a　quite　irrelevant　remark。　　Yet　we　do　vaguely　and　hazily　wonder　why
she　takes　the　trouble　to　say　it；　why　she　wastes　the　words；　what　her
object　can　beseeing　that　that　emergency　has　been　in　so　many；　many　ways；
and　so　effectively　and　drastically　barred　off　and　made　impossible。　　Then
presently　the　object　begins　to　dawn　upon　us。　　That　is；　it　does　after　we
have　read　the　rest　of　the　By…law　three　or　four　times；　wondering　and
admiring　to　see　Mrs。　EddyMrs。　EddyMrs。　Eddy；　of　all　personsthrowing
away　power！　making　a　fair　exchangedoing　a　fair　thing　for　once　more；
an　almost　generous　thing！　　Then　we　look　it　through　yet　once　more
unsatisfied；　a　little　suspiciousand　find　that　it　is　nothing　but　a　sly；
thin　make…believe；　and　that　even　the　very　title　of　it　is　a　sarcasm　and
embodies　a　falsehood〃self〃　government：

〃Local　Self…Government。　　The　First　Church　of　Christ；　Scientist；　in
Boston；　Massachusetts；　shall　assume　no　official　control　of　other　churches
of　this　denomination。　　It　shall　be　officially　controlled　by　no　other
church。〃

It　has　a　most　pious　and　deceptive　give…and…take　air　of　perfect　fairness；
unselfishness；　magnanimityalmost　godliness；　indeed。　　But　it　is　all　art。


In　the　By…laws；　Mrs。　Eddy；　speaking　by　the　mouth　of　her　other　self；　the
Mother…Church；　proclaims　that　she　will　assume　no　official　control　of
other　churches…branch　churches。　　We　examine　the　other　By…laws；　and　they
answer　some　important　questions　for　us：

1。　　What　is　a　branch　Church？　　It　is　a　body　of　Christian　Scientists；
organized　in　the　one　and　only　permissible　wayby　a　member；　in　good
standing；　of　the　Mother…Church；　and　who　is　also　a　pupil　of　one　of　Mrs。
Eddy's　accredited　students。　　That　is　to　say；　one　of　her　properties。　　No
other　can　do　it。　　There　are　other　indispensable　requisites；　what　are