christian science-第28章
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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 candidate for employment in a high capacity or a low one； on the
other periodicals or in the publishing house； must first be 〃accepted by
Mrs。 Eddy as suitable。〃 And 〃by the Board of Directors〃which is
surplusage； since Mrs。 Eddy owns the Board。
If at any time a weekly shall be started； 〃it shall be owned by The First
Church of Christ； Scientist〃which is Mrs。 Eddy。
CHAPTER VIII
I think that any one who will carefully examine the By…laws （I have
placed all of the important ones before the reader）； will arrive at the
conclusion that of late years the master…passion in Mrs。 Eddy's heart is
a hunger for power and glory； and that while her hunger for money still
remains； she wants it now for the expansion and extension it can furnish
to that power and glory； rather than what it can do for her towards
satisfying minor and meaner ambitions。
I wish to enlarge a little upon this matter。 I think it is quite clear
that the reason why Mrs。 Eddy has concentrated in herself all powers； all
distinctions； all revenues that are within the command of the Christian
Science Church Universal is that she desires and intends to devote them
to the purpose just suggestedthe upbuilding of her personal glory
hers； and no one else's； that； and the continuing of her name's glory
after she shall have passed away。 If she has overlooked a single power；
howsoever minute； I cannot discover it。 If she has found one； large or
small； which she has not seized and made her own； there is no record of
it； no trace of it。 In her foragings and depredations she usually puts
forward the Mother…Churcha lay figureand hides behind it。 Whereas；
she is in manifest reality the Mother…Church herself。 It has an
impressive array of officials； and committees； and Boards of Direction；
of Education； of Lectureship； and so ongeldings； every one； shadows；
spectres； apparitions； wax…figures： she is supreme over them all； she can
abolish them when she will； blow them out as she would a candle。 She is
herself the Mother…Church。 Now there is one By…law which says that the
Mother…Church：
〃shall be officially controlled by no other church。〃
That does not surprise uswe know by the rest of the By…laws that that
is a quite irrelevant remark。 Yet we do vaguely and hazily wonder why
she takes the trouble to say it； why she wastes the words； what her
object can beseeing that that emergency has been in so many； many ways；
and so effectively and drastically barred off and made impossible。 Then
presently the object begins to dawn upon us。 That is； it does after we
have read the rest of the By…law three or four times； wondering and
admiring to see Mrs。 EddyMrs。 EddyMrs。 Eddy； of all personsthrowing
away power！ making a fair exchangedoing a fair thing for once more；
an almost generous thing！ Then we look it through yet once more
unsatisfied； a little suspiciousand find that it is nothing but a sly；
thin make…believe； and that even the very title of it is a sarcasm and
embodies a falsehood〃self〃 government：
〃Local Self…Government。 The First Church of Christ； Scientist； in
Boston； Massachusetts； shall assume no official control of other churches
of this denomination。 It shall be officially controlled by no other
church。〃
It has a most pious and deceptive give…and…take air of perfect fairness；
unselfishness； magnanimityalmost godliness； indeed。 But it is all art。
In the By…laws； Mrs。 Eddy； speaking by the mouth of her other self； the
Mother…Church； proclaims that she will assume no official control of
other churches…branch churches。 We examine the other By…laws； and they
answer some important questions for us：
1。 What is a branch Church？ It is a body of Christian Scientists；
organized in the one and only permissible wayby a member； in good
standing； of the Mother…Church； and who is also a pupil of one of Mrs。
Eddy's accredited students。 That is to say； one of her properties。 No
other can do it。 There are other indispensable requisites； what are
they？
2。 The new Church cannot enter upon its functions until its members have
individually signed； and pledged allegiance to； a Creed furnished by Mrs。
Eddy。
3。 They are obliged to study her books； and order their lives by them。
And they must read no outside religious works。
4。 They must sing the hymns and pray the prayers provided by her； and
use no others in the services； except by her permission。
5。 They cannot have preachers and pastors。 Her law。
6。 In their Church they must have two Readersa man and a woman。
7。 They must read the services framed and appointed by her。
8。 Shenot the branch Church appoints those Readers。
9。 Shenot the branch Churchdismisses them and fills the vacancies。
1O。 She can do this without consulting the branch Church； and without
explaining。
11。 The branch Church can have a religious lecture from time to time。
By applying to Mrs。 Eddy。 There is no other way。
12。 But the branch Church cannot select the lecturer。 Mrs。 Eddy does
it。
13。 The branch Church pays his fee。
14。 The harnessing of all Christian Science wedding…teams； members of
the branch Church； must be done by duly authorized and consecrated
Christian Science functionaries。 Her factory is the only one that makes
and licenses them。
＇15。 Nothing is said about christenings。 It is inferable from this that
a Christian Science child is born a Christian Scientist and requires no
tinkering。＇
＇16。 Nothing is said about funerals。 It is inferable； then； that a
branch Church is privileged to do in that matter as it may choose。＇
To sum up。 Are any important Church…functions absent from the list？ I
cannot call any to mind。 Are there any lacking ones whose exercise could
make the branch in any noticeable way independent of the Mother。 Church？
even in any trifling degree？ I think of none。 If the named functions
were abolished would there still be a Church left？ Would there be even a
shadow of a Church left？ Would there be anything at all left？ even the
bare name？
Manifestly not。 There isn't a single vital and essential Church…function
of any kind； that is not named in the list。 And over every one of them
the Mother…Church has permanent and unchallengeable control； upon every
one of them Mrs。 Eddy has set her irremovable grip。 She holds； in
perpetuity； autocratic and indisputable sovereignty and control over
every branch Church in the earth； and yet says； in that sugary； naive；
angel…beguiling way of hers； that the Mother…Church：
〃shall assume no official control of other churches of this
denomination。〃
Whereas in truth the unmeddled…with liberties of a branch Christian
Science Church are but very； very few in number； and are these：
1。 It can appoint its own furnace…stoker； winters。
2。 It can appoint its own fan…distributors； summers。
3。 It can； in accordance with its own choice in the matter； burn； bury；
or preserve members who are pretending to be deadwhereas there is no
such thing as death。
4。 It can take up a collection。
The branch Churches have no important liberties； none that give them an
important voice in their own affairs。 Those are all locked up； and Mrs。
Eddy has the key。 〃Local Self…Government 〃 is a large name and sounds
well； but the branch Churches have no more of it than have the privates
in the King of Dahomey's army。
〃MOTHER…CHURCH UNIQUE〃
Mrs。 Eddy； with an envious and admiring eye upon the solitary and
rivalless and world…shadowing majesty of St。 Peter's； reveals in her By…
laws her purpose to set the Mother…Church apart by itself in a stately
seclusion and make it duplicate that lone sublimity under the Western
sky。 The By…law headed 〃Mother…Church Unique 〃says
〃In its relation to other Christian Science churches； the Mother…Church
stands alone。
〃It occupies a position that no other Church can fill。
〃Then for a branch Church to assume such position would be disastrous to
Christian Science；
〃Therefore〃
Therefore no branch Church is allowed
