christian science-第30章

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the　individual；　endearing　term　of　Mother。　　Therefore；　if　a　student　of
Christian　Science　shall　apply　this　title；　either　to　herself　or　to　others；
except　as　the　term　for　kinship　according　to　the　flesh；　it　shall　be
regarded　by　the　Church　as　an　indication　of　disrespect　for　their　Pastor
Emeritus；　and　unfitness　to　be　a　member　of　the　Mother…Church。〃

Mrs。　Eddy　is　herself　the　Mother…Churchits　powers　and　authorities　are　in
her　possession　solely　and　she　can　abolish　that　title　whenever　it　may
please　her　to　do　so。　　She　has　only　to　command　her　people；　wherever　they
may　be　in　the　earth；　to　use　it　no　more；　and　it　will　never　be　uttered
again。　　She　is　aware　of　this。

It　may　be　that　she　〃refuses　adulation〃　when　she　is　not　awake；　but　when
she　is　awake　she　encourages　it　and　propagates　it　in　that　museum　called
〃Our　Mother's　Room；〃　in　her　Church　in　Boston。　　She　could　abolish　that
institution　with　a　word；　if　she　wanted　to。　　She　is　aware　of　that。　　I　will
say　a　further　word　about　the　museum　presently。

Further　down　the　column；　her　memory　is　unfaithful　again：

〃I　believe　in　。　　。　　。　　but　one　Mother　Mary；　and　know　I　am　not　that　one；
and　never　claimed　to　be。〃

At　a　session　of　the　National　Christian　Science　Association；　held　in　the
city　of　New　York　on　the　27th　of　May；　1890；　the　secretary　was　〃instructed
to　send　to　our　Mother　greetings　and　words　of　affection　from　her　assembled
children。〃

Her　telegraphic　response　was　read　to　the　Association　at　next　day's
meeting：

〃All　hail！　　He　hath　filled　the　hungry　with　good　things　and　the　sick　hath
He　not　sent　empty　away。MOTHER　MARY。〃

Which　Mother　Mary　is　this　one？　　Are　there　two？　　If　so；　she　is　both　of
them；　for；　when　she　signed　this　telegram　in　this　satisfied　and
unprotesting　way；　the　Mother…title　which　she　was　going　to　so　strenuously
object　to；　and　put　from　her　with　humility；　and　seize　with　both　hands；　and
reserve　as　her　sole　property；　and　protect　her　monopoly　of　it　with　a　stern
By…law；　while　recognizing　with　diffidence　that　it　was　〃not　applicable〃　to
her　（then　and　to…day）that　Mothertitle　was　not　yet　born；　and　would　not
be　offered　to　her　until　five　years　later。　　The　date　of　the　above　〃Mother
Mary〃　is　1890；　the　〃individual；　endearing　title　of　Mother〃　was　given　her
〃in　1895〃according　to　her　own　testimony。　　See　her　By…law　quoted　above。

In　his　opening　Address　to　that　Convention　of　1890；　the　President
recognized　this　Maryour　Mary…and　abolished　all　previous　ones。　　He　said：

〃There　is　but　one　Moses；　one　Jesus；　and　there　is　but　one　Mary。〃

The　confusions　being　now　dispersed；　we　have　this　clarified　result：

Were　had　been　a　Moses　at　one　time；　and　only　one；　there　had　been　a　Jesus
at　one　time；　and　only　one；　there　is　a　Mary　and　〃only　one。〃　　She　is　not　a
Has　Been；　she　is　an　Isthe　〃Author　of　Science　and　Health；　and　we　cannot
ignore　her。〃

1。　　In　1890；　there　was　but　one　Mother　Mary。　　The　President　said　so。
2。　　Mrs。　Eddy　was　that　one。　　She　said　so；　in　signing　the　telegram。
3。　　Mrs。　Eddy　was　not　that　one　for　she　says　so；　in　her　Associated　Press
utterance　of　January　17th。
4。　　And　has　〃never　claimed　to　be　〃that　oneunless　the　signature　to　the
telegram　is　a　claim。

Thus　it　stands　proven　and　established　that　she　is　that　Mary　and　isn't；
and　thought　she　was　and　knows　she　wasn't。　　That　much　is　clear。

She　is　also　〃The　Mother；〃　by　the　election　of　1895；　and　did　not　want　the
title；　and　thinks　it　is　not　applicable　to　her；　end　will　excommunicate　any
one　that　tries　to　take　it　away　from　her。　　So　that　is　clear。

I　think　that　the　only　really　troublesome　confusion　connected　with　these
particular　matters　has　arisen　from　the　name　Mary。　　Much　vexation；　much
misunderstanding；　could　have　been　avoided　if　Mrs。　Eddy　had　used　some　of
her　other　names　in　place　of　that　one。　　〃Mother　Mary〃　was　certain　to　stir
up　discussion。　　It　would　have　been　much　better　if　she　had　signed　the
telegram　〃Mother　Baker〃；　then　there　would　have　been　no　Biblical
competition；　and；　of　course；　that　is　a　thing　to　avoid。　　But　it　is　not　too
late；　yet。

I　wish　to　break　in　here　with　a　parenthesis；　and　then　take　up　this
examination　of　Mrs。　Eddy's　Claim　of　January　17th　again。

The　history　of　her　〃Mother　Mary〃　telegramas　told　to　me　by　one　who　ought
to　be　a　very　good　authorityis　curious　and　interesting。　　The　telegram
ostensibly　quotes　verse　53　from　the　〃Magnificat；〃　but　really　makes　some
pretty　formidable　changes　in　it。　　This　is　St。　　Luke's　version：

〃He　hath　filled　the　hungry　with　good　things；　and　the　rich　He　hath　sent
empty　away。〃

This　is　〃Mother　Mary's〃　telegraphed　version：

〃He　hath　filled　the　hungry　with　good　things；　and　the　sick　hath　He　not
sent　empty　away。〃

To　judge　by　the　Official　Report；　the　bursting　of　this　bombshell　in　that
massed　convention　of　trained　Christians　created　no　astonishment；　since　it
caused　no　remark；　and　the　business　of　the　convention　went　tranquilly　on；
thereafter；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。

Did　those　people　detect　those　changes？　　We　cannot　know。　　I　think　they
must　have　noticed　them；　the　wording　of　St。　　Luke's　verse　being　as
familiar　to　all　Christians　as　is　the　wording　of　the　Beatitudes；　and　I
think　that　the　reason　the　new　version　provoked　no　surprise　and　no　comment
was；　that　the　assemblage　took　it　for　a　〃Key〃a　spiritualized　explanation
of　verse　53；　newly　sent　down　from　heaven　through　Mrs。　Eddy。　　For　all
Scientists　study　their　Bibles　diligently；　and　they　know　their　Magnificat。
I　believe　that　their　confidence　in　the　authenticity　of　Mrs。　Eddy's
inspirations　is　so　limitless　and　so　firmly　established　that　no　change；
however　violent；　which　she　might　make　in　a　Bible　text　could　disturb　their
composure　or　provoke　from　them　a　protest。

Her　improved　rendition　of　verse　53　went　into　the　convention's　report　and
appeared　in　a　New　York　paper　the　next　day。　　The　（at　that　time）　Scientist
whom　I　mentioned　a　minute　ago；　and　who　had　not　been　present　at　the
convention；　saw　it　and　marvelled；　marvelled　and　was　indignantindignant
with　the　printer　or　the　telegrapher；　for　making　so　careless　and　so
dreadful　an　error。　　And　greatly　distressed；　too；　for；　of　course；　the
newspaper　people　would　fall　foul　of　it；　and　be　sarcastic；　and　make　fun　of
it。　　and　have　a　blithe　time　over　it；　and　be　properly　thankful　for　the
chance。　　It　shows　how　innocent　he　was；　it　shows　that　he　did　not　know　the
limitations　of　newspaper　men　in　the　matter　of　Biblical　knowledge。　　The
new　verse　53　raised　no　insurrection　in　the　press；　in　fact；　it　was　not
even　remarked　upon；　I　could　have　told　him　the　boys　would　not　know　there
was　anything　the　matter　with　it。　　I　have　been　a　newspaper　man　myself；　and
in　those　days　I　had　my　limitations　like　the　others。

The　Scientist　hastened　to　Concord　and　told　Mrs。　Eddy　what　a　disastrous
mistake　had　been　made；　but　he　found　to　his　bewilderment　that　she　was
tranquil　about　it；　and　was　not　proposing　to　correct　it。　　He　was　not　able
to　get　her　to　promise　to　make　a　correction。　　He　asked　her　secretary　if　he
had　heard　aright　when　the　telegram　was　dictated　to　him；　the　secretary
said　he　had；　and　took　the　filed　copy　of　it　and　verified　its　authenticity
by　comparing　it　with　the　stenographic　notes。

Mrs。　Eddy　did　make　the　correction；　two　months　later；　in　her　official
organ。　　It　attracted　no　attention　among　the　Scientists；　and；　naturally；
none　elsewhere；　for　that　periodical's　circulation　was　practically
confined　to　disciples　of　the　cult。

That　is　the　tale　as　it　was　told　to　me　by　an　ex…Scientist。　　Verse　53
renovated　and　spiritualizedhad　a　narrow　escape　from　a　tremendous
celebrity。　　The　newspaper　men　would　have　made　it　as　famous　as　the
assassination　of　Caesar；　but　for　their　limitations。

To　return　to　the　Claim。　　I　find　myself　greatly　embarrassed　by　Mrs。　Eddy's
remark：　〃I　regard　self…deification　as　blasphemous。〃　　If　she　is　right
about　that；　I　have　written　a　half…ream　of　manuscript　this　past　week　which
I　must　not　print；　either　in　the　book　which　I　am　writing；　or　elsewhere：
for　it　goes　into　that　very　matter　with　extensive　elaboration；　citing；　in
detail；　words　and　acts　of　Mrs。　Eddy's　which　seem　to　me　to　prove　that　she
is　a　faithful　and　untiring　worshipper　of　herself；　and　has　carried　self…
deification　to　a　length　which　has　not　been　before　ventured　in　ages。　　If
ever。　　There　is　not　room　enough　in　this　chapter　for　that　Survey；　but　I
can　epitomize　a　portion　of　it　here。

With　her　own　untaught　and　untrained　mind；　and　without　outside　help；　she
has　erected　upon　a　firm　and　lasting　foundation　the　most　minutely　perfect；
and　wonderful；　and　smoothly　and　exactly　working；　and　best　safe…guarded
system　of　government　that　has　yet　been　devised　in　the　world；　as　I
believe；　and　as　I　am　sure　I　could　prove　if　I　had　room　for　my　documentary
evidences　here。

It　is　a　despotism　（on　this　democratic　soil）；　a　sovereignty　more　absolute
than　the　Roman　Papacy；　more　absolute　than　the　Russian　Czarship；　it　has
not　a　single　power；　not　a　shred　of　authority；　legislative　or　executive；
which　is　not　lodged　solely　in　the　sovereign；　all　its　dreams；　its
functions；　its　energies；　have　a　single　object；　a　single　reason　for
existing；　and　only　the　oneto　build　to　the　sky　the　glory　of　the
sovereign；　and　keep　it　bright　to　the　end　of　time。

Mrs。　Eddy　is　the　sovereign；　she　devised　that　great　place　for　herself；　she
occupies　that　throne。

In　1895；　she　wrote　a　little　primer；　a　little　body　of　autocratic　laws；
called　the　Manual　of　The　First　Church　of　Christ；　Scientist；　and　put　those
laws　in　force；　in　permanence。　　Her　government　is　all　there；　all　in　that
deceptively　innocent…looking　little　book；　that　cunning　little　devilish
book；　that　slumbering　little　brown　volcano；　with　hell　in　its　bowels。　　In
that　book　she　has　planned　out　her　system；　and　classified　and　defined　its
purposes　and　powers。




MAIN　PARTS　OF　THE　MACHINE

A　Supreme　Church。　　At　Boston。
Branch　Churches。　　All　over　the　world
One　Pastor　for　the　whole　of　them：　to　wit；　her　book；　Science　and　Health。
Term　of　the　book's　officeforever。

In　every　C。S。　pulpit；　two　〃Readers；〃　a　man　and　a　woman。　　No　talkers；　no
preachers；　in　any　Church…readers　only。　　Readers　of　the　Bible　and　her
booksno　others。　　No　commentators　allowed　to　write　or　print。

A　Church　Service。　　She　has　framed　itfor　all　the　C。S。　Churches
selected　its　readings；　its　prayers；　and　the　hymns　to　be　used；　and　has
appointed　the　order　of　procedure。　　No　changes　permitted。

A　Creed。　　She　wrote　it。　　All　C。S。　Churches　must　subscribe　to　it。　　No
other　permitted。

A　Treasury。　　At　Boston。　　She　carries　the　key。

A　C。S。　BookPublishing　House。　　For　books　approved　by　her。　　No　others
permitted。

Journals　and　Magazines。　　These　are　organs　of　hers；　and　are　controlled　by
her。

A　College。　　For　teaching　C。S。




DISTRIBUTION　OF　THE　MACHINE'S　POWERS　AND　DIGNITIES

Supreme　Church。
Pastor　EmeritusMrs。　Eddy。
Board　of　Directors。
Board　of　Education。
Board　of　Finance。
College　Faculty。
Various　Committees。
Treasurer。
Clerk。
First　Members　（of　the　Supreme　Church）。
Members　of　the　Supreme　Church。

It　looks　fair；　it　looks　real；　but　it　is　all　a　fiction。

Even　the　little　〃Pastor　Emeritus〃　is　a　fiction。　　Instead　of　being　merely
an　honorary　and　ornamental　official；　Mrs。　Eddy　is　the　only　official　in
the　entire　body　that　has　the　slightest　power。　　In　her　Manual；　she　has
provided　a　prodigality　of　ways　and　forms　where