christian science-第25章
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PRAYER
A brief and good one is furnished in the book of By…laws。 The Scientist
is required to pray it every day。
THE LORD'S PRAYER…AMENDED
This is not in the By…laws； it is in the first chapter of Science and
Health； edition of 1902。 I do not find it in the edition of 1884。 It is
probable that it had not at that time been handed down。 Science and
Health's （latest） rendering of its 〃spiritual sense〃 is as follows：
〃Our Father…Mother God' all…harmonious； adorable One。 Thy kingdom is
within us； Thou art ever…present。 Enable us to knowas in heaven； so on
earthGod is supreme。 Give us grace for to…day； feed the famished
affections。 And infinite Love is reflected in love。 And Love leadeth us
not into temptation； but delivereth from sin； disease； and death。 For
God is now and forever all Life； Truth； and Love。〃
If I thought my opinion was desired and would be properly revered； I
should say that in my judgment that is as good a piece of carpentering as
any of those eleven Commandmentexperts could do with the material after
all their practice。 I notice only one doubtful place。〃 Lead us not into
temptation〃 seems to me to be a very definite request； and that the new
rendering turns the definite request into a definite assertion。 I shall
be glad to have that turned back to the old way and the marks of the
Spiral Twist removed； or varnished over； then I shall be satisfied； and
will do the best I can with what is left。 At the same time； I do feel
that the shrinkage in our spiritual assets is getting serious。 First the
Commandments； now the Prayer。 I never expected to see these steady old
reliable securities watered down to this。 And this is not the whole of
it。 Last summer the Presbyterians extended the Calling and Election
suffrage to nearly everybody entitled to salvation。 They did not even
stop there； but let out all the unbaptized American infants we had been
accumulating for two hundred years and more。 There are some that believe
they would have let the Scotch ones out； too； if they could have done it。
Everything is going to ruin； in no long time we shall have nothing left
but the love of God。
THE NEW UNPARDONABLE SIN
〃Working Against the Cause。 Sec。 2。 If a member of this Church shall
work against the accomplishment of what the Discoverer and Founder of
Christian Science understands is advantageous to the individual； to this
Church； and to the Cause of Christian Science〃out he goes。 Forever。
The member may think that what he is doing will advance the Cause； but he
is not invited to do any thinking。 More than that； he is not permitted
to do anyas he will clearly gather from this By…law。 When a person
joins Mrs。 Eddy's Church he must leave his thinker at home。 Leave it
permanently。 To make sure that it will not go off some time or other
when he is not watching； it will be safest for him to spike it。 If he
should forget himself and think just once； the By…law provides that he
shall be fired out…instantly…forever…no return。
〃It shall be the duty of this Church immediately to call a meeting； and
drop forever the name of this member from its records。〃
My； but it breathes a towering indignation！
There are forgivable offenses； but this is not one of them； there are
admonitions； probations； suspensions； in several minor cases； mercy is
shown the derelict； in those cases he is gently used； and in time he can
get back into the foldeven when he has repeated his offence。 But let
him think； just once； without getting his thinker set to Eddy time； and
that is enough； his head comes off。 There is no second offence； and
there is no gate open to that lost sheep； ever again。
〃This rule cannot be changed； amended； or annulled； except by unanimous
vote of all the First Members。〃
The same being Mrs。 Eddy。 It is naively sly and pretty to see her keep
putting forward First Members； and Boards of This and That； and other
broideries and ruffles of her raiment； as if they were independent
entities； instead of a part of her clothes； and could do things all by
themselves when she was outside of them。
Mrs。 Eddy did not need to copyright the sentence just quoted； its English
would protect it。 None but she would have shovelled that comically
superfluous 〃all〃 in there。
The former Unpardonable Sin has gone out of service。 We may frame the
new Christian Science one thus：
〃Whatsoever Member shall think； and without Our Mother's permission act
upon his think； the same shall be cut off from the Church forever。〃
It has been said that I make many mistakes about Christian Science
through being ignorant of the spiritual meanings of its terminology。 I
believe it is true。 I have been misled all this time by that word
Member； because there was no one to tell me that its spiritual meaning
was Slave。
AXE AND BLOCK
There is a By…law which forbids Members to practice hypnotism； the
penalty is excommunication。
1。 If a member is found to be a mental practitioner
2。 Complaint is to be entered against him
3。 By the Pastor Emeritus； and by none else；
4。 No member is allowed to make complaint to her in the matter；
5。 Upon Mrs。 Eddy's mere 〃complaint〃unbacked by evidence or proof； and
without giving the accused a chance to be heard〃 his name shall be
dropped from this Church。〃
Mrs。 Eddy has only to say a member is guiltythat is all。 That ends it。
It is not a case of he 〃may〃 be cut off from Christian Science salvation；
it is a case of he 〃shall〃 be。 Her serfs must see to it； and not say a
word。
Does the other Pope possess this prodigious and irresponsible power？
Certainly not in our day。
Some may be curious to know how Mrs。 Eddy finds out that a member is
practicing hypnotism； since no one is allowed to come before her throne
and accuse him。 She has explained this in Christian Science History；
first and second editions； page 16：
〃I possess a spiritual sense of what the malicious mental practitioner is
mentally arguing which cannot be deceived； I can discern in the human
mind thoughts； motives； and purposes； and neither mental arguments nor
psychic power can affect this spiritual insight。〃
A marvelous woman； with a hunger for power such as has never been seen in
the world before。 No thing； little or big； that contains any seed or
suggestion of power escapes her avaricious eye； and when once she gets
that eye on it； her remorseless grip follows。 There isn't a Christian
Scientist who isn't ecclesiastically as much her property as if she had
bought him and paid for him； and copyrighted him and got a charter。 She
cannot be satisfied when she has handcuffed a member； and put a leg…chain
and ball on him and plugged his ears and removed his thinker； she goes on
wrapping needless chains round and round him； just as a spider would。
For she trusts no one； believes in no one's honesty； judges every one by
herself。 Although we have seen that she has absolute and irresponsible
command over her spectral Boards and over every official and servant of
her Church； at home and abroad； over every minute detail of her Church's
government； present and future； and can purge her membership of guilty or
suspected persons by various plausible formalities and whenever she will；
she is still not content； but must set her queer mind to work and invent
a way by which she can take a memberany memberby neck and crop and
fling him out without anything resembling a formality at all。
She is sole accuser and sole witness； and her testimony is final and
carries uncompromising and irremediable doom with it。
The Sole…Witness Court！ It should make the Council of Ten and the
Council of Three turn in their graves for shame； to see how little they
knew about satanic concentrations of irresponsible power。 Here we have
one Accuser； one Witness； one Judge； one Headsmanand all four bunched
together in Mrs。 Eddy； the Inspired of God； His Latest Thought to His
People； New Member of the Holy Family； the Equal of Jesus。
When a Member is not satisfactory to Mrs。 Eddy； and yet is blameless in
his life and faultless in his membership and in his Christian Science
walk and conversation； shall he hold u
