christian science-第27章
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are merely the voice of the master issuing commands to the servants。
There is nothing and nobody for the servants to re…utter them to。
That useless edict is repeated in the little book； a few pages farther
on。 There are several other repetitions of prohibitions in the book that
could be spared…they only take up room for nothing。
THE CREED
It is copyrighted。 I do not know why； but I suppose it is to keep
adventurers from some day claiming that they invented it； and not Mrs。
Eddy and that 〃strange Providence〃 that has suggested so many clever
things to her。
No Change。 It is forbidden to change the Creed。 That is important； at
any rate 。
COPYRIGHT
I can understand why Mrs。 Eddy copyrighted the early editions and
revisions of Science and Health； and why she had a mania for copyrighting
every scrap of every sort that came from her pen in those jejune days
when to be in print probably seemed a wonderful distinction to her in her
provincial obscurity； but why she should continue this delirium in these
days of her godship and her far…spread fame； I cannot explain to myself。
And particularly as regards Science and Health。 She knows； now； that
that Annex is going to live for many centuries； and so； what good is a
fleeting forty…two…year copyright going to do it？
Now a perpetual copyright would be quite another matter。 I would like to
give her a hint。 Let her strike for a perpetual copyright on that book。
There is precedent for it。 There is one book in the world which bears
the charmed life of perpetual copyright （a fact not known to twenty
people in the world）。 By a hardy perversion of privilege on the part of
the lawmaking power the Bible has perpetual copyright in Great Britain。
There is no justification for it in fairness； and no explanation of it
except that the Church is strong enough there to have its way； right or
wrong。 The recent Revised Version enjoys perpetual copyright； tooa
stronger precedent； even； than the other one。
Now； then； what is the Annex but a Revised Version itself？ Which of
course it isLord's Prayer and all。 With that pair of formidable
British precedents to proceed upon； what Congress of ours
But how short…sighted I am。 Mrs。 Eddy has thought of it long ago。 She
thinks of everything。 She knows she has only to keep her copyright of
1902 alive through its first stage of twenty…eight years； and perpetuity
is assured。 A Christian Science Congress will reign in the Capitol then。
She probably attaches small value to the first edition （1875）。 Although
it was a Revelation from on high； it was slim； lank； incomplete； padded
with bales of refuse rags； and puffs from lassoed celebrities to fill it
out； an uncreditable book； a book easily sparable； a book not to be
mentioned in the same year with the sleek； fat； concise； compact；
compressed； and competent Annex of to…day； in its dainty flexible covers；
giltedges； rounded corners； twin screw； spiral twist； compensation
balance； Testament…counterfeit； and all that； a book just born to curl up
on the hymn…book…shelf in church and look just too sweet and holy for
anything。 Yes； I see now what she was copyrighting that child for。
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
It is true in matters of business Mrs。 Eddy thinks of everything。 She
thought of an organ； to disseminate the Truth as it was in Mrs。 Eddy。
Straightway she started onethe Christian Science Journal。
It is truein matters of business Mrs。 Eddy thinks of everything。 As
soon as she had got the Christian Science Journal sufficiently in debt to
make its presence on the premises disagreeable to her； it occurred to her
to make somebody a present of it。 Which she did； along with its debts。
It was in the summer of 1889。 The victim selected was her Church
called； in those days； The National Christian Scientist Association。
She delivered this sorrow to those lambs as a 〃gift〃 in consideration of
their 〃loyalty to our great cause。〃
Alsostill thinking of everythingshe told them to retain Mr。 Bailey in
the editorship and make Mr。 Nixon publisher。 We do not know what it was
she had against those men； neither do we know whether she scored on
Bailey or not； we only know that God protected Nixon； and for that I am
sincerely glad； although I do not know Nixon and have never even seen
him。
Nixon took the Journal and the rest of the Publishing Society's
liabilities； and demonstrated over them during three years； then brought
in his report：
〃On assuming my duties as publisher； there was not a dollar in the
treasury； but on the contrary the Society owed unpaid printing and paper
bills to the amount of several hundred dollars； not to mention a
contingent liability of many more hundreds〃represented by advance
subscriptions paid for the Journal and the 〃Series；〃 the which goods Mrs。
Eddy had not delivered。 And couldn't； very well； perhaps； on a
Metaphysical College income of but a few thousand dollars a day； or a
week； or whatever it was in those magnificently flourishing times。 The
struggling Journal had swallowed up those advance…payments； but its
〃claim〃 was a severe one and they had failed to cure it。 But Nixon cured
it in his diligent three years； and joyously reported the news that he
had cleared off all the debts and now had a fat six thousand dollars in
the bank。
It made Mrs。 Eddy's mouth water。
At the time that Mrs。 Eddy had unloaded that dismal gift on to her
National Association； she had followed her inveterate custom： she had
tied a string to its hind leg； and kept one end of it hitched to her
belt。 We have seen her do that in the case of the Boston Mosque。 When
she deeds property； she puts in that string…clause。 It provides that
under certain conditions she can pull the string and land the property in
the cherished home of its happy youth。 In the present case she believed
that she had made provision that if at any time the National Christian
Science Association should dissolve itself by a formal vote； she could
pull。
A year after Nixon's handsome report； she writes the Association that she
has a 〃unique request to lay before it。〃 It has dissolved； and she is
not quite sure that the Christian Science Journal has 〃already fallen
into her hands〃 by that act； though it 〃seems〃 to her to have met with
that accident； so she would like to have the matter decided by a formal
vote。 But whether there is a doubt or not； 〃I see the wisdom；〃 she says；
〃of again owning this Christian Science waif。〃
I think that that is unassailable evidence that the waif was making
money； hands down。
She pulled her gift in。 A few years later she donated the Publishing
Society； along with its real estate； its buildings； its plant； its
publications； and its moneythe whole worth twentytwo thousand
dollars； and free of debtto Well； to the Mother…Church！
That is to say； to herself。 There is an act count of it in the Christian
Science Journal； and of how she had already made some other handsome
gifts to her Churchand others to to her Cause besides 〃an almost
countless number of private charities〃 of cloudy amount and otherwise
indefinite。 This landslide of generosities overwhelmed one of her
literary domestics。 While he was in that condition he tried to express
what he felt：
〃Let us endeavor to lift up our hearts in thankfulness to 。 。 。 our
Mother in Israel for these evidences of generosity and self…sacrifice
that appeal to our deepest sense of gratitude； even while surpassing our
comprehension。〃
A year or two later； Mrs。 Eddy promulgated some By…laws of a self…
sacrificing sort which assuaged him； perhaps； and perhaps enabled his
surpassed comprehension to make a sprint and catch up。 These are to be
found in Art。 XII。； entitled。
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SOCIETY
This Article puts the whole publishing business into the hands of a
publishing Boardspecial。 Mrs。 Eddy appoints to its vacancies。
The profits go semi…annually to the Treasurer of the Mother…Church。 Mrs。
Eddy owns the Treasurer。
Editors and publishers of the Christian Science Journal cannot be elected
or removed without Mrs。 Eddy's knowledge and consent。
Every
