christian science-第18章
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drop of quicksilver which you put your finger on and it isn't there。
There is a paragraph in the Autobiography （page 96） which places in
seemingly darkly significant procession three Personages：
1。 The Virgin Mary
2。 Jesus of Nazareth。
3。 Mrs。 Eddy。
This is the paragraph referred to：
〃No person can take the individual place of the Virgin Mary。 No person
can compass or fulfil the individual mission of Jesus of Nazareth。 No
person can take the place of the author of Science and Health； the
discoverer and founder of Christian Science。 Each individual must fill
his own niche in time and eternity。〃
I have read it many times； but I still cannot be sure that I rightly
understand it。 If the Saviour's name had been placed first and the
Virgin Mary's second and Mrs。 Eddy's third； I should draw the inference
that a descending scale from First Importance to Second Importance and
then to Small Importance was indicated； but to place the Virgin first；
the Saviour second； and Mrs。 Eddy third； seems to turn the scale the
other way and make it an ascending scale of Importances； with Mrs。 Eddy
ranking the other two and holding first place。
I think that that was perhaps the intention； but none but a seasoned
Christian Scientist can examine a literary animal of Mrs。 Eddy's creation
and tell which end of it the tail is on。 She is easily the most baffling
and bewildering writer in the literary trade。
Eddy is a commonplace name； and would have an unimpressive aspect in the
list of the reformed Holy Family。 She has thought of that。 In the book
of By…laws written by her〃impelled by a power not one's own〃there is
a paragraph which explains how and when her disciples came to confer a
title upon her； and this explanation is followed by a warning as to what
will happen to any female Scientist who shall desecrate it：
〃The title 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。〃
She is the Pastor Emeritus。
While the quoted paragraph about the Procession seems to indicate that
Mrs。 Eddy is expecting to occupy the First Place in it； that expectation
is not definitely avowed。 In an earlier utterance of hers she is
clearerclearer； and does not claim the first place all to herself； but
only the half of it。 I quote from Mr。 Peabody's book again：
〃In the Christian Science Journal for April； 1889； when it was her
property； and published by her； it was claimed for her； and with her
sanction； that she was equal with Jesus； and elaborate effort was made to
establish the claim。
〃Mrs。 Eddy has distinctly authorized the claim in her behalf that she
herself was the chosen successor to and equal of Jesus。〃
In her Miscellaneous Writings （using her once favorite 〃We〃 for 〃I〃） she
says that 〃While we entertain decided views 。 。 。 and shall express
them as duty demands； we shall claim no especial gift from our divine
origin；〃 etc。
Our divine origin。 It suggests Equal again。 It is inferable； then； that
in the near by…and…by the new Church will officially rank the Holy Family
in the following order：
1。 Jesus of Nazareth。 1。 Our Mother。
2。 The Virgin Mary。
SUMMARY
I am not playing with Christian Science and its founder； I am examining
them； and I am doing it because of the interest I feel in the inquiry。
My results may seem inadequate to the reader； but they have for me
clarified a muddle and brought a sort of order out of a chaos； and so I
value them。
My readings of Mrs。 Eddy's uninspired miscellaneous literary efforts have
convinced me of several things：
1。 That she did not write Science and Health。
2。 That the Deity did （or did not） write it。
3。 That She thinks She wrote it。
4。 That She believes She wrote it under the Deity's inspiration。
5。 That She believes She is a Member of the Holy Family。
6。 That She believes She is the equal of the Head of it。
Finally； I think She is now entitled to the capital Son her own
evidence。
CHAPTER VI
Thus far we have a part of Mrs。 Eddy's portrait。 Not made of fictions；
surmises； reports； rumors； innuendoes； dropped by her enemies； no； she
has furnished all of the materials herself； and laid them on the canvas；
under my general superintendence and direction。 As far as she has gone
with it； it is the presentation of a complacent； commonplace； illiterate
New England woman who 〃forgot everything she knew〃 when she discovered
her discovery； then wrote a Bible in good English under the inspiration
of God； and climbed up it to the supremest summit of earthly grandeur
attainable by manwhere she sits serene to…day； beloved and worshiped by
a multitude of human beings of as good average intelligence as is
possessed by those that march under the banner of any competing cult。
This is not intended to flatter the competing cults； it is merely a
statement of cold fact。
That a commonplace person should go climbing aloft and become a god or a
half…god or a quarter…god and be worshiped by men and women of average
intelligence； is nothing。 It has happened a million times； it will
happen a hundred million more。 It has been millions of years since the
first of these supernaturals appeared； and by the time the last one in
that inconceivably remote future shall have performed his solemn little
high…jinks on the stage and closed the business； there will be enough of
them accumulated in the museum on the Other Side to start a heaven of
their own…and jam it。
Each in his turn those little supernaturals of our by…gone ages and aeons
joined the monster procession of his predecessors and marched
horizonward； disappeared； and was forgotten。 They changed nothing； they
built nothing； they left nothing behind them to remember them by； nothing
to hold their disciples together； nothing to solidify their work and
enable it to defy the assaults of time and the weather。 They passed； and
left a vacancy。 They made one fatal mistake； they all made it； each in
his turn： they failed to organize their forces； they failed to centralize
their strength； they failed to provide a fresh Bible and a sure and
perpetual cash income for business； and often they failed to provide a
new and accepted Divine Personage to worship。
Mrs。 Eddy is not of that small fry。 The materials that go to the making
of the rest of her portrait will prove it。 She will furnish them
herself：
She published her book。 She copyrighted it。 She copyrights everything。
If she should say； 〃Good…morning； how do you do？〃 she would copyright it；
for she is a careful person； and knows the value of small things。
She began to teach her Science； she began to heal； she began to gather
converts to her new religionfervent； sincere； devoted； grateful people。
A year or two later she organized her first Christian Science
〃Association；〃 with six of her disciples on the roster。
She continued to teach and heal。 She was charging nothing； she says；
although she was very poor。 She taught and healed gratis four years
altogether； she says。
Then； in 1879…81 she was become strong enough； and well enough
established； to venture a couple of impressively important moves。 The
first of these moves was to aggrandize the 〃Association〃 to a 〃Church。〃
Brave？ It is the right name for it； I think。 The former name suggests
nothing； invited no remark； no criticism； no inquiry； no hostility； the
new name invited them all。 She must have made this intrepid venture on
her own motion。 She could have had no important advisers at that early
day。 If we accept it as her own idea and her own actand I think we
mustwe have one key to her character。 And it will explain subsequent
acts of hers that would merely stun us and stupefy us without it。 Shall
we call it courage？ Or shall we call it recklessness？ Courage observes；
reflects； calculates； surveys the whole situation； counts the cost；
estimates the odds； makes up its mind； then goes at the enterprise
resolute to win or perish。 Rec
