christian science-第21章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
her belief her underlings cannot improve upon those explanations； and in
that stern sentence 〃they shall make no explanatory remarks〃 she has
barred them for all time from trying。 She will be obeyed； there is no
question about that。
In arranging her government she has borrowed ideas from various sources
not poor ones； but the best in the governmental marketbut this one is
new； this one came out of no ordinary business…head； this one must have
come out of her own； there has been no other commercial skull in a
thousand centuries that was equal to it。 She has borrowed freely and
wisely； but I am sure that this idea is many times larger than all her
borrowings bulked together。 One must respect the business…brain that
produced itthe splendid pluck and impudence that ventured to promulgate
it； anyway。
ELECTION OF READERS
Readers are not taken at hap…hazard； any more than preachers are taken at
hap…hazard for the pulpits of other sects。 No； Readers are elected by
the Board of Directors。 But
〃Section 3。 The Board shall inform the Pas。 for Emeritus of the names
of candidates for Readers before they are elected； and if she objects to
the nomination； said candidates shall not be chosen。〃
Is that an electionby the Board？ Thus far I have not been able to find
out what that Board of Spectres is for。 It certainly has no real
function； no duty which the hired girl could not perform； no office
beyond the mere recording of the autocrat's decrees。
There are no dangerously long office…terms in Mrs。 Eddy's government。
The Readers are elected for but one year。 This insures their
subserviency to their proprietor。
Readers are not allowed to copy out passages and read them from the
manuscript in the pulpit； they must read from Mrs。 Eddy's book itself。
She is right。 Slight changes could be slyly made； repeated； and in time
get acceptance with congregations。 Branch sects could grow out of these
practices。 Mrs。 Eddy knows the human race； and how far to trust it。 Her
limit is not over a quarter of an inch。 It is all that a wise person
will risk。
Mrs。 Eddy's inborn disposition to copyright everything； charter
everything； secure the rightful and proper credit to herself for
everything she does； and everything she thinks she does； and everything
she thinks； and everything she thinks she thinks or has thought or
intends to think； is illustrated in Sec。 5 of Art。 IV。； defining the
duties of official Readersin church：
〃Naming Book and Author。 The Reader of Science and Health； with Key to
the Scriptures； before commencing to read from this book； shall
distinctly announce its full title and give the author's name。〃
Otherwise the congregation might get the habit of forgetting who
（ostensibly） wrote the book。
THE ARISTOCRACY
This consists of First Members and their apostolic succession。 It is a
close corporation； and its membership limit is one hundred。 Forty will
answer； but if the number fall below that； there must be an election； to
fill the grand quorum。
This Sanhedrin can't do anything of the slightest importance； but it can
talk。 It can 〃discuss。〃 That is； it can discuss 〃important questions
relative to Church members〃； evidently persons who are already Church
members。 This affords it amusement； and does no harm。
It can 〃fix the salaries of the Readers。〃
Twice a year it 〃votes on〃 admitting candidates。 That is； for Church
membership。 But its work is cut out for it beforehand； by Sec。 ； Art。
IX。：
〃Every recommendation for membership In the Church 'shall be
countersigned by a loyal student of Mrs。 Eddy's； by a Director of this
Church； or by a First Member。'〃
All these three classes of beings are the personal property of Mrs。 Eddy。
She has absolute control of the elections。
Also it must 〃transact any Church business that may properly come before
it。〃
〃Properly〃 is a thoughtful word。 No important business can come before
it。 The By laws have attended to that。 No important business goes
before any one for the final word except Mrs。 Eddy。 She has looked to
that。
The Sanhedrin 〃votes on〃 candidates for admission to its own body。 But
is its vote worth any more than mine would be？ No； it isn't。 Sec。 4；
of Art。 V。Election of First Membersmakes this quite plain：
〃Before being elected； the candidates for First Members shall be approved
by the Pastor Emeritus over her own signature。〃
Thus the Sanhedrin is the personal property of Mrs。 Eddy。 She owns it。
It has no functions； no authority； no real existence。 It is another
Board of Shadows。 Mrs。 Eddy is the Sanhedrin herself。
But it is time to foot up again and 〃see where we are at。〃 Thus far；
Mrs。 Eddy is
The Massachusetts Metaphysical College；
Pastor Emeritus；
President；
Board of Directors；
Treasurer；
Clerk；
Future Board of Trustees；
Proprietor of the Priesthood：
Dictator of the Services；
Proprietor of the Sanhedrin。 She has come far； and is still on her way。
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
In this Article there is another exhibition of a couple of the large
features of Mrs。 Eddy's remarkable make…up： her business…talent and her
knowledge of human nature。
She does not beseech and implore people to join her Church。 She knows
the human race better than that。 She gravely goes through the motions of
reluctantly granting admission to the applicant as a favor to him。 The
idea is worth untold shekels。 She does not stand at the gate of the fold
with welcoming arms spread； and receive the lost sheep with glad emotion
and set up the fatted calf and invite the neighbor and have a time。 No；
she looks upon him coldly； she snubs him； she says：
〃Who are you？ Who is your sponsor？ Who asked you to come here？ Go
away； and don't come again until you are invited。〃
It is calculated to strikingly impress a person accustomed to Moody and
Sankey and Sam Jones revivals； accustomed to brain…turning appeals to the
unknown and unendorsed sinner to come forward and enter into the joy；
etc。 〃just as he is〃； accustomed to seeing him do it； accustomed to
seeing him pass up the aisle through sobbing seas of welcome； and love；
and congratulation； and arrive at the mourner's bench and be received
like a long…lost government bond。
No； there is nothing of that kind in Mrs。 Eddy's system。 She knows that
if you wish to confer upon a human being something which he is not sure
he wants； the best way is to make it apparently difficult for him to get
itthen he is no son of Adam if that apple does not assume an interest
in his eyes which it lacked before。 In time this interest can grow into
desire。 Mrs。 Eddy knows that when you cannot get a man to tryfree of
costa new and effective remedy for a disease he is afflicted with； you
can generally sell it to him if you will put a price upon it which he
cannot afford。 When； in the beginning； she taught Christian Science
gratis （for good reasons）； pupils were few and reluctant； and required
persuasion； it was when she raised the limit to three hundred dollars for
a dollar's worth that she could not find standing room for the invasion
of pupils that followed。
With fine astuteness she goes through the motions of making it difficult
to get membership in her Church。 There is a twofold value in this
system： it gives membership a high value in the eyes of the applicant；
and at the same time the requirements exacted enable Mrs。 Eddy to keep
him out if she has doubts about his value to her。 A word further as to
applications for membership：
〃Applications of students of the Metaphysical College must be signed by
the Board of Directors。〃
That is safe。 Mrs。 Eddy is proprietor of that Board。
Children of twelve may be admitted if invited by 〃one of Mrs。 Eddy's
loyal students； or by a First Member； or by a Director。〃
These sponsors are the property of Mrs。 Eddy； therefore her Church is
safeguarded from the intrusion of undesirable children。
Other Students。 Applicants who have not studied with Mrs。 Eddy can get
in only 〃by invitation and recommendation from students of Mrs。 Eddy 。 。
。 or from members of the Mother…Church。〃
Other paragraphs explain how two or three other varietie
