christian science-第37节

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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　whereby　she　can　rid　herself　of
any　functionary　in　the　government　whenever　she　wants　to。　　The　officials
are　all　shadows；　save　herself；　she　is　the　only　reality。　　She　allows　no
one　to　hold　office　more　than　a　year　no　one　gets　a　chance　to　become
over…popular　or　over…useful；　and　dangerous。　　〃Excommunication〃　is　the
favorite　penalty…it　is　threatened　at　every　turn。　　It　is　evidently　the　pet
dread　and　terror　of　the　Church's　membership。

The　member　who　thinks；　without　getting　his　thought　from　Mrs。　Eddy　before
uttering　it；　is　banished　permanently。　　One　or　two　kinds　of　sinners　can
plead　their　way　back　into　the　fold；　but　this　one；　never。　　To　thinkin
the　Supreme　Churchis　the　New　Unpardonable　Sin。

To　nearly　every　severe　and　fierce　rule；　Mrs。　Eddy　adds　this　rivet：　〃This
By…law　shall　not　be　changed　without　the　consent　of　the　Pastor　Emeritus。〃

Mrs。　Eddy　is　the　entire　Supreme　Church；　in　her　own　person；　in　the　matter
of　powers　and　authorities。

Although　she　has　provided　so　many　ways　of　getting　rid　of　unsatisfactory
members　and　officials；　she　was　still　afraid　she　might　have　left　a　life…
preserver　lying　around　somewhere；　therefore　she　devised　a　rule　to　cover
that　defect。　　By　applying　it；　she　can　excommunicate　（and　this　is
perpetual　again）　every　functionary　connected　with　the　Supreme　Church；　and
every　one　of　the　twenty…five　thousand　members　of　that　Church；　at　an
hour's　noticeand　do　it　all　by　herself　without　anybody's　help。

By　authority　of　this　astonishing　By…law；　she　has　only　to　say　a　person
connected　with　that　Church　is　secretly　practicing　hypnotism　or　mesmerism；
whereupon；　immediate　excommunication；　without　a　hearing；　is　his　portion！
She　does　not　have　to　order　a　trial　and　produce　evidenceher　accusation
is　all　that　is　necessary。

Where　is　the　Pope？　and　where　the　Czar？　　As　the　ballad　says：

　　　　　〃Ask　of　the　winds　that　far　away
　　　　　With　fragments　strewed　the　sea！〃

The　Branch　Church's　pulpit　is　occupied　by　two　〃Readers。〃　　Without　them
the　Branch　Church　is　as　dead　as　if　its　throat　had　been　cut。　　To　have
control；　then；　of　the　Readers；　is　to　have　control　of　the　Branch　Churches。
Mrs。　Eddy　has　that　controla　control　wholly　without　limit；　a　control
shared　with　no　one。

1。　　No　Reader　can　be　appointed　to　any　Church　in　the　Christian　Science
world　without　her　express　approval。

2。　　She　can　summarily　expel　from　his　or　her　place　any　Reader；　at　home　or
abroad；　by　a　mere　letter　of　dismissal；　over　her　signature；　and　without
furnishing　any　reason　for　it；　to　either　the　congregation　or　the　Reader。

Thus　she　has　as　absolute　control　over　all　Branch　Churches　as　she　has　over
the　Supreme　Church。　　This　power　exceeds　the　Pope's。

In　simple　truth；　she　is　the　only　absolute　sovereign　in　all　Christendom。
The　authority　of　the　other　sovereigns　has　limits；　hers　has　none；　none
whatever。　　And　her　yoke　does　not　fret；　does　not　offend。　　Many　of　the
subjects　of　the　other　monarchs　feel　their　yoke；　and　are　restive　under　it；
their　loyalty　is　insincere。　　It　is　not　so　with　this　one's　human　property；
their　loyalty　is　genuine；　earnest；　sincere；　enthusiastic。