christian science-第36节

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elongated　shortened　limbs；　relaxed　rigid　muscles；　made　cicatrized　joints
supple；　restored　carious　bones　to　healthy　conditions；　renewed　that　which
is　termed　the　lost　substance　of　the　lungs；　and　restored　healthy
organizations　where　disease　was　organic　instead　of　functional。




MRS。　EDDY　IN　ERROR

I　feel　almost　sure　that　Mrs。　Eddy's　inspirationworks　are　getting　out　of
repair。　　I　think　so　because　they　made　some　errors　in　a　statement　which
she　uttered　through　the　press　on　the　17th　of　January。　　Not　large　ones；
perhaps；　still　it　is　a　friend's　duty　to　straighten　such　things　out　and
get　them　right　when　he　can。　　Therefore　I　will　put　my　other　duties　aside
for　a　moment　and　undertake　this　helpful　service。　　She　said　as　follows：

〃In　view　of　the　circulation　of　certain　criticisms　from　the　pen　of　Mark
Twain；　I　submit　the　following　statement：

〃It　is　a　fact；　well　understood；　that　I　begged　the　students　who　first　gave
me　the　endearing　appellative　'mother'　not　to　name　me　thus。　　But；　without
my　consent；　that　word　spread　like　wildfire。　　I　still　must　think　the　name
is　not　applicable　to　me。　　I　stand　in　relation　to　this　century　as　a
Christian　discoverer；　founder；　and　leader。　　I　regard　self…deification　as
blasphemous；　I　may　be　more　loved；　but　I　am　less　lauded；　pampered；
provided　for；　and　cheered　than　others　before　meand　wherefore？　　Because
Christian　Science　is　not　yet　popular；　and　I　refuse　adulation。

〃My　visit　to　the　Mother…Church　after　it　was　built　and　dedicated　pleased
me；　and　the　situation　was　satisfactory。　　The　dear　members　wanted　to　greet
me　with　escort　and　the　ringing　of　bells；　but　I　declined；　and　went　alone
in　my　carriage　to　the　church；　entered　it；　and　knelt　in　thanks　upon　the
steps　of　its　altar。　　There　the　foresplendor　of　the　beginnings　of　truth
fell　mysteriously　upon　my　spirit。　　I　believe　in　one　Christ；　teach　one
Christ；　know　of　but　one　Christ。　　I　believe　in　but　one　incarnation；　one
Mother　Mary；　and　know　I　am　not　that　one；　and　never　claimed　to　be。　　It
suffices　me　to　learn　the　Science　of　the　Scriptures　relative　to　this
subject。

〃Christian　Scientists　have　no　quarrel　with　Protestants；　Catholics；　or　any
other　sect。　　They　need　to　be　understood　as　following　the　divine　Principle
God；　Love　and　not　imagined　to　be　unscientific　worshippers　of　a　human
being。

〃In　the　aforesaid　article；　of　which　I　have　seen　only　extracts；　Mark
Twain's　wit　was　not　wasted　In　certain　directions。　　Christian　Science
eschews　divine　rights　in　human　beings。　　If　the　individual　governed　human
consciousness；　my　statement　of　Christian　Science　would　be　disproved；　but
to　understand　the　spiritual　idea　is　essential　to　demonstrate　Science　and
its　pure　monotheismone　God；　one　Christ；　no　idolatry；　no　human
propaganda。　　Jesus　taught　and　proved　that　what　feeds　a　few　feeds　all。
His　life…work　subordinated　the　material　to　the　spiritual；　and　He　left
this　legacy　of　truth　to　mankind。　　His　metaphysics　is　not　the　sport　of
philosophy；　religion；　or　Science；　rather　it　is　the　pith　and　finale　of
them　all。

〃I　have　not　the　inspiration　or　aspiration　to　be　a　first　or　second　Virgin…
Motherher　duplicate；　antecedent；　or　subsequent。　　What　I　am　remains　to
be　proved　by　the　good　I　do。　　We　need　much　humility；　wisdom；　and　love　to
perform　the　functions　of　foreshadowing　and　foretasting　heaven　within　us。
This　glory　is　molten　in　the　furnace　of　affliction。〃

She　still　thinks　the　name　of　Our　Mother　not　applicable　to　her；　and　she　is
also　able　to　remember　that　it　distressed　her　when　it　was　conferred　upon
her；　and　that　she　begged　to　have　it　suppressed。　　Her　memory　is　at　fault
here。　　If　she　will　take　her　By…laws；　and　refer　to　Section　1　of　Article
XXII。；　written　with　her　own　handshe　will　find　that　she　has　reserved
that　title　to　herself；　and　is　so　pleased　with　it；　and　somay　we　say
jealous？about　it；　that　she　threatens　with　excommunication　any　sister
Scientist　who　shall　call　herself　by　it。　　This　is　that　Section　1：

〃The　Title　of　Mother。　　In　the　year　1895　loyal　Christian　Scientists　had
given　to　the　author　of　their　text…book；　the　Founder　of　Christian　Science；
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　n