christian science-第17节

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estimates　the　odds；　makes　up　its　mind；　then　goes　at　the　enterprise
resolute　to　win　or　perish。　　Recklessness　does　not　reflect；　it　plunges
fearlessly　in　with　a　hurrah；　and　takes　the　risks；　whatever　they　may　be；
regardless　of　expense。　　Recklessness　often　fails；　Mrs。　Eddy　has　never
failedfrom　the　point　of　view　of　her　followers。　　The　point　of　view　of
other　people　is　naturally　not　a　matter　of　weighty　importance　to　her。

The　new　Church　was　not　born　loose…jointed　and　featureless；　but　had　a
defined　plan；　a　definite　character；　definite　aims；　and　a　name　which　was　a
challenge；　and　defied　all　comers。　　It　was　〃a　Mind…healing　Church。〃　　It
was　〃without　a　creed。〃　　Its　name；　〃The　Church　of　Christ；　Scientist。〃

Mrs。　Eddy　could　not　copyright　her　Church；　but　she　chartered　it；　which　was
the　same　thing　and　relieved　the　pain。　　It　had　twenty…six　charter　members。
Mrs。　Eddy　was　at　once　installed　as　its　pastor。

The　other　venture；　above　referred　to；　was　Mrs。　Eddy's　Massachusetts
Metaphysical　College；　in　which　was　taught　〃the　pathology　of　spiritual
power。〃　　She　could　not　copyright　it；　but　she　got　it　chartered。　　For
faculty　it　had　herself；　her　husband　of　the　period　（Dr。　　Eddy）；　and　her
adopted　son；　Dr。　　Foster…Eddy。　　The　college　term　was　〃barely　three
weeks；〃　she　says。　　Again　she　was　bold；　brave；　rash；　recklesschoose　for
yourselffor　she　not　only　began　to　charge　the　student；　but　charged　him　a
hundred　dollars　a　week　for　the　enlightenments。　　And　got　it？　　some　may
ask。　　Easily。　　Pupils　flocked　from　far　and　near。　　They　came　by　the
hundred。　　Presently　the　term　was　cut　down　nearly　half；　but　the　price
remained　as　before。　　To　be　exact；　the　term…cut　was　to　seven　lessons
price；　three　hundred　dollars。　　The　college　〃yielded　a　large　income。〃
This　is　believable。　　In　seven　years　Mrs。　Eddy　taught；　as　she　avers；　over
four　thousand　students　in　it。　　（Preface　to　1902　edition　of　Science　and
Health。）　Three　hundred　times　four　thousand　isbut　perhaps　you　can　cipher
it　yourself。　　I　could　do　it　ordinarily；　but　I　fell　down　yesterday　and
hurt　my　leg。　　Cipher　it；　you　will　see　that　it　is　a　grand　sum　for　a　woman
to　earn　in　seven　years。　　Yet　that　was　not　all　she　got　out　of　her　college
in　the　seven。

At　the　time　that　she　was　charging　the　primary　student　three　hundred
dollars　for　twelve　lessons　she　was　not　content　with　this　tidy　assessment；
but　had　other　ways　of　plundering　him。　　By　advertisement　she　offered　him
privileges　whereby　he　could　add　eighteen　lessons　to　his　store　for　five
hundred　dollars　more。　　That　is　to　say；　he　could　get　a　total　of　thirty
lessons　in　her　college　for　eight　hundred　dollars。

Four　thousand　times　eight　hundred　isbut　it　is　a　difficult　sum　for　a
cripple　who　has　not　been　〃demonstrated　over〃　to　cipher；　let　it　go。　　She
taught　〃over〃　four　thousand　students　in　seven　years。　　〃Over〃　is　not
definite；　but　it　probably　represents　a　non…paying　surplus　of　learners
over　and　above　the　paying　four　thousand。　　Charity　students；　doubtless。　　I
think　that　as　interesting　an　advertisement　as　has　been　printed　since　the
romantic　old　days　of　the　other　buccaneers　is　this　one　from　the　Christian
Science　Journal　for　September；　1886：


〃MASSACHUSETTS　METAPHYSICAL　COLLEGE

〃REV。　　MARY　BAKER　G。　　EDDY；　PRESIDENT

〃571　Columbus　Avenue；　Boston

〃The　collegiate　course　in　Christian　Science　metaphysical　healing　includes
twelve　lessons。　　Tuition；　three　hundred　dollars。

〃Course　in　metaphysical　obstetrics　includes　six　daily　lectures；　and　is
open　only　to　students　from　this　college。　　Tuition；　one　hundred　dollars。

〃Class　in　theology；　open　（like　the　above）　to　graduates；　receives　six
additional　lectures　on　the　Scriptures；　and　summary　of　the　principle　and
practice　of　Christian　Science；　two　hundred　dollars。

〃Normal　class　is　open　to　those　who　have　taken　the　first　course　at　this
college；　six　daily　lectures　complete　the　Normal　course。　　Tuition；　two
hundred　dollars。

〃No　invalids；　and　only　persons　of　good　moral　character；　are　accepted　as
students。　　All　students　are　subject　to　examination　and　rejection；　and
they　are　liable　to　leave　the　class　if　found　unfit　to　remain　in　it。

〃A　limited　number　of　clergymen　received　free　of　charge。

〃Largest　discount　to　indigent　students；　one　hundred　dollars　on　the　first
course。

〃No　deduction　on　the　others。

〃Husband　and　wife；　entered　together；　three　hundred　dollars。

〃Tuition　for　all　strictly　in　advance。〃


There　it　isthe　horse…leech's　daughter　alive　again；　after　a　three…
century　vacation。　　Fifty　or　sixty　hours'　lecturing　for　eight　hundred
dollars。

I　was　in　error　as　to　one　matter：　there　are　no　charity　students。　　Gratis…
taught　clergymen　must　not　be　placed　under　that　head；　they　are　merely　an
advertisement。　　Pauper　students　can　get　into　the　infant　class　on　a　two…
third　rate　（cash　in　advance）；　but　not　even　an　archangel　can　get　into　the
rest　of　the　game　at　anything　short　of　par；　cash　down。　　For　it　is　〃in　the
spirit　of　Christ's　charity；　as　one　who　is　joyful　to　bear　healing　to　the
sick　〃　that　Mrs。　Eddy　is　working　the　game。　　She　sends　the　healing　to　them
outside。　　She　cannot　bear　it　to　them　inside　the　college；　for　the　reason
that　she　does　not　allow　a　sick　candidate　to　get　in。　　It　is　true　that　this
smells　of　inconsistency；　but　that　is　nothing；　Mrs。　Eddy　would　not　be　Mrs。
Eddy　if　she　should　ever　chance　to　be　consistent　about　anything　two　days
running。

Except　in　the　matter　of　the　Dollar。　　The　Dollar；　and　appetite　for　power
and　notoriety。　　English　must　also　be　added；　she　is　always　consistent；　she
is　always　Mrs。　Eddy；　in　her　English：　it　is　always　and　consistently
confused　and　crippled　and　poor。　　She　wrote　the　Advertisement；　her
literary　trade…marks　are　there。　　When　she　says　all　〃students〃　are　subject
to　examination；　she　does　not　mean　students；　she　means　candidates　for　that
lofty　place　When　she　says　students　are　〃liable〃　to　leave　the　class　if
found　unfit　to　remain　in　it；　she　does　not　mean　that　if　they　find
themselves　unfit；　or　be　found　unfit　by　others；　they　will　be　likely　to　ask
permission　to　leave　the　class；　she　means　that　if　she　finds　them　unfit　she
will　be　〃liable〃　to　fire　them　out。　　When　she　nobly　offers　〃tuition　for
all　strictly　in　advance；〃　she　does　not　mean　〃instruction　for　all　in
advance…payment　for　it　later。〃　　No；　that　is　only　what　she　says；　it　is　not
what　she　means。　　If　she　had　written　Science　and　Health；　the　oldest　man　in
the　world　would　not　be　able　to　tell　with　certainty　what　any　passage　in　it
was　intended　to　mean。

Her　Church　was　on　its　legs。

She　was　its　pastor。　　It　was　prospering。

She　was　appointed　one　of　a　committee　to　draught　By…laws　for　its
government。　　It　may　be　observed；　without　overplus　of　irreverence；　that
this　was　larks　for　her。　　She　did　all　of　the　draughting　herself。　　From　the
very　beginning　she　was　always　in　the　front　seat　when　there　was　business
to　be　done；　in　the　front　seat；　with　both　eyes　open；　and　looking　sharply
out　for　Number　One；　in　the　front　seat；　working　Mortal　Mind　with　fine
effectiveness　and　giving　Immortal　Mind　a　rest　for　Sunday。　　When　her
Church　was　reorganized；　by…and…by；　the　By…laws　were　retained。　　She　saw　to
that。　　In　these　Laws　for　the　government　of　her　Church；　her　empire；　her
despotism；　Mrs。　Eddy's　character　is　embalmed　for　good　and　all。　　I　think　a
particularized　examination　of　these　Church…laws　will　be　found
interesting。　　And　not　the　less　so　if　we　keep　in　mind　that　they　were
〃impelled　by　a　power　not　one's　own；〃　as　she　saysAnglice。　　the
inspiration　of　God。

It　is　a　Church　〃without　a　creed。〃　　Still；　it　has　one。　　Mrs。　Eddy
draughted　itand　copyrighted　it。　　In　her　own　name。　　You　cannot　become　a
member　of　the　Mother…Church　（nor　of　any　Christian　Science　Church）　without
signing　it。　　It　forms　the　first　chapter　of　the　By…laws；　and　is　called
〃Tenets。〃　　〃Tenets　of　The　Mother　Church；　The　First　Church　of　Christ；
Scientist。〃　　It　has　no　hell　in　itit　throws　it　overboard。




THE　PASTOR　EMERITUS

About　the　time　of　the　reorganization；　Mrs。　Eddy　retired　from　her　position
of　pastor　of　her　Church；　abolished　the　office　of　pastor　in　all　branch
Churches；　and　appointed　her　book；　Science　and　Health；　to　be　pastor…
universal。　　Mrs。　Eddy　did　not　disconnect　herself　from　the　office
entirely；　when　she　retired；　but　appointed　herself　Pastor　Emeritus。　　It　is
a　misleading　title；　and　belongs　to　the　family　of　that　phrase　〃without　a
creed。〃　　It　advertises　her　as　being　a　merely　honorary　official；　with
nothing　to　do；　and　no　authority。　　The　Czar　of　Russia　is　Emperor　Emeritus
on　the　same　terms。　　Mrs。　Eddy　was　Autocrat　of　the　Church　before；　with
limitless　authority；　and　she　kept　her　grip　on　that　limitless　authority
when　she　took　that　fictitious　title。

It　is　curious　and　interesting　to　note　with　what　an　unerring　instinct　the
Pastor　Emeritus　has　thought　out　and　forecast　all　possible　encroachments
upon　her　planned　autocracy；　and　barred　the　way　against　them；　in　the　By…
laws　which　she　framed　and　copyrightedunder　the　guidance　of　the　Supreme
Being。




THE　BOARD　OF　DIRECTORS

For　instance；　when　Article　I。　　speaks　of　a　President　and　Board　of
Directors；　you　think　you　have　discovered　a　formidable　check　upon　the
powers　and　ambitions　of　the　honorary　pastor；　the　ornamental　pastor；　the
functionless　pastor；　the　Pastor　Emeritus；　but　it　is　a　mistake。