christian science-第34章
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have carried her to the dizzy summit which she occupies； I have not
mentioned the power which was the commanding force employed in achieving
that lofty flight。 It did not belong in that list； it was a force that
was not a detail of her character； but was an outside one。 It was the
power which proceeded from her people's recognition of her as a
supernatural personage； conveyer of the Latest Word； and divinely
commissioned to deliver it to the world。 The form which such a
recognition takes； consciously or unconsciously； is worship； and worship
does not question nor criticize； it obeys。 The object of it does not
need to coddle it； bribe it； beguile it； reason with it； convince itit
commands it； that is sufficient； the obedience rendered is not reluctant；
but prompt and whole…hearted。 Admiration for a Napoleon； confidence in
him； pride in him； affection for him； can lift him high and carry him
far； and these are forms of worship； and are strong forces； but they are
worship of a mere human being； after all； and are infinitely feeble； as
compared with those that are generated by that other worship； the worship
of a divine personage。 Mrs。 Eddy has this efficient worship； this massed
and centralized force； this force which is indifferent to opposition；
untroubled by fear； and goes to battle singing； like Cromwell's soldiers；
and while she has it she can command and it will obey； and maintain her
on her throne； and extend her empire。
She will have it until she dies； and then we shall see a curious and
interesting further development of her revolutionary work begin。
CHAPTER XIV
The President and Board of Directors wil1 succeed her； and the government
will go on without a hitch。 The By…laws will bear that interpretation。
All the Mother…Church's vast powers are concentrated in that Board。 Mrs。
Eddy's unlimited personal reservations make the Board's ostensible
supremacy； during her life； a sham； and the Board itself a shadow。 But
Mrs。 Eddy has not made those reservations for any one but herselfthey
are distinctly personal； they bear her name； they are not usable by
another individual。 When she dies her reservations die； and the Board's
shadow…powers become real powers； without the change of any important By…
law； and the Board sits in her place as absolute and irresponsible a
sovereign as she was。
It consists of but five persons； a much more manageable Cardinalate than
the Roman Pope's。 I think it will elect its Pope from its own body； and
that it will fill its own vacancies。 An elective Papacy is a safe and
wise system； and a long…liver。
CHAPTER XV
We may take that up now。
It is not a single if； but a several…jointed one； not an oyster； but a
vertebrate。
1。 Did Mrs。 Eddy borrow from Quimby the Great Idea； or only the little
one； the old…timer； the ordinary mental…healing…healing by 〃mortal〃 mind？
2。 If she borrowed the Great Idea； did she carry it away in her head； or
in manuscript？
3。 Did she hit upon the Great Idea herself？ By the Great Idea I mean；
of course； the conviction that the Force involved was still existent； and
could be applied now just as it was applied by Christ's Disciples and
their converts； and as successfully。
4。 Did she philosophize it； systematize it； and write it down in a book？
5。 Was it she； and not another； that built a new Religion upon the book
and organized it？
I think No。 5 can be answered with a Yes； and dismissed from the
controversy。 And I think that the Great Idea； great as it was； would
have enjoyed but a brief activity； and would then have gone to sleep
again for some more centuries； but for the perpetuating impulse it got
from that organized and tremendous force。
As for Nos。 1； 2； and 4； the hostiles contend that Mrs。 Eddy got the
Great Idea from Quimby and carried it off in manuscript。 But their
testimony； while of consequence； lacks the most important detail； so far
as my information goes； the Quimby manuscript has not been produced。 I
think we cannot discuss No。 1 and No。 2 profitably。 Let them go。
For me； No。 3 has a mild interest； and No。 4 a violent one。
As regards No。 3； Mrs。 Eddy was brought up； from the cradle； an old…
time； boiler…iron； Westminster…Catechism Christian； and knew her Bible as
well as Captain Kydd knew his； 〃when he sailed； when he sailed；〃 and
perhaps as sympathetically。 The Great Idea had struck a million Bible…
readers before her as being possible of resurrection and applicationit
must have struck as many as that； and been cogitated； indolently；
doubtingly； then dropped and forgottenand it could have struck her； in
due course。 But how it could interest her； how it could appeal to her
with her make this a thing that is difficult to understand。
For the thing back of it is wholly gracious and beautiful： the power；
through loving mercifulness and compassion； to heal fleshly ills and
pains and grief allwith a word； with a touch of the hand！ This power
was given by the Saviour to the Disciples； and to all the converted。
Allevery one。 It was exercised for generations afterwards。 Any
Christian who was in earnest and not a make…believe； not a policy
Christian； not a Christian for revenue only； had that healing power； and
could cure with it any disease or any hurt or damage possible to human
flesh and bone。 These things are true； or they are not。 If they were
true seventeen and eighteen and nineteen centuries ago it would be
difficult to satisfactorily explain why or how or by what argument that
power should be nonexistent in Christians now。
To wish to exercise it could occur to Mrs。 Eddybut would it？
Grasping； sordid； penurious； famishing for everything she seesmoney；
power； glory vain； untruthful； jealous； despotic； arrogant； insolent；
pitiless where thinkers and hypnotists are concerned； illiterate；
shallow； incapable of reasoning outside of commercial lines； immeasurably
selfish
Of course the Great Idea could strike her； we have to grant that； but why
it should interest her is a question which can easily overstrain the
imagination and bring on nervous prostration； or something like that； and
is better left alone by the judicious； it seems to me
Unless we call to our help the alleged other side of Mrs。 Eddy's make and
character the side which her multitude of followers see； and sincerely
believe in。 Fairness requires that their view be stated here。 It is the
opposite of the one which I have drawn from Mrs。 Eddy's history and from
her By…laws。 To her followers she is this：
Patient； gentle； loving； compassionate； noble hearted； unselfish；
sinless； widely cultured； splendidly equipped mentally； a profound
thinker； an able writer； a divine personage； an inspired messenger whose
acts are dictated from the Throne； and whose every utterance is the Voice
of God。
She has delivered to them a religion which has revolutionized their
lives； banished the glooms that shadowed them； and filled them and
flooded them with sunshine and gladness and peace； a religion which has
no hell； a religion whose heaven is not put off to another time； with a
break and a gulf between； but begins here and now； and melts into
eternity as fancies of the waking day melt into the dreams of sleep。
They believe it is a Christianity that is in the New Testament； that it
has always been there； that in the drift of ages it was lost through
disuse and neglect； and that this benefactor has found it and given it
back to men； turning the night of life into day； its terrors into myths；
its lamentations into songs of emancipation and rejoicing。
There we have Mrs。 Eddy as her followers see her。 She has lifted them
out of grief and care and doubt and fear； and made their lives beautiful；
she found them wandering forlorn in a wintry wilderness； and has led them
to a tropic paradise like that of which the poet sings：
〃O； islands there are on the face of the deep
Where the leaves never fade and the skies never weep。〃
To ask them to examine with a microscope the character of such a
benefactor； to ask them to examine it at all； to ask them to look at a
blemish which another person believes he has found in itwell； i
