christian science-第43章

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〃Christian　Science　refuses　to　recognize　divine　attributes　in　human
beings？〃　Or：

〃Christian　Science　forbids　the　worship　of　human　beings？〃

The　bulk　of　the　succeeding　sentence　is　to　me　a　tunnel；　but；　when　I　emerge
at　this　end　of　it；　I　seem　to　come　into　daylight。　　Then　I　seem　to
understand　both　sentenceswith　this　result：

〃Christian　Science　recognizes　but　one　God；　forbids　the　worship　of　human
beings；　and　refuses　to　recognize　the　possession　of　divine　attributes　by
any　member　of　the　race。〃

I　am　subject　to　correction；　but　I　think　that　that　is　about　what　Mrs。　Eddy
was　intending　to　convey。　　Has　her　Englishwhich　is　always　difficult　to
mebeguiled　me　into　misunderstanding　the　following　remark；　which　she
makes　（calling　herself　〃we；〃　after　an　old　regal　fashion　of　hers）　in　her
preface　to　her　Miscellaneous　Writings？

〃While　we　entertain　decided　views　as　to　the　best　method　for　elevating　the
race　physically；　morally；　and　spiritually；　and　shall　express　these　views
as　duty　demands；　we　shall　claim　no　especial　gift　from　our　divine　organ；
no　supernatural　power。〃

Was　she　meaning　to　say：

〃Although　I　am　of　divine　origin　and　gifted　with　supernatural　power；　I
shall　not　draw　upon　these　resources　in　determining　the　best　method　of
elevating　the　race？〃

If　she　had　left　out　the　word　〃our；〃　she　might　then　seem　to　say：

〃I　claim　no　especial　or　unusual　degree　of　divine　origin〃

Which　is　awkwardmost　awkward；　for　one　either　has　a　divine　origin　or
hasn't；　shares　in　it；　degrees　of　it；　are　surely　impossible。　　The　idea　of
crossed　breeds　in　cattle　is　a　thing　we　can　entertain；　for　we　are　used　to
it；　and　it　is　possible；　but　the　idea　of　a　divine　mongrel　is　unthinkable。

Well；　then；　what　does　she　mean？　　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；　for　certain。
It　is　the　word　〃our〃　that　makes　all　the　trouble。　　With　the　〃our〃　in；　she
is　plainly　saying　〃my　divine　origin。〃　　The　word　〃from〃　seems　to　be
intended　to　mean　〃on　account　of。〃　　It　has　to　mean　that　or　nothing；　if
〃our〃　is　allowed　to　stay。　　The　clause　then　says：

〃I　shall　claim　no　especial　gift　on　account　of　my　divine　origin。〃

And　I　think　that　the　full　sentence　was　intended　to　mean　what　I　have
already　suggested：

〃Although　I　am　of　divine　origin；　and　gifted　with　supernatural　power；　I
shall　not　draw　upon　these　resources　in　determining　the　best　method　of
elevating　the　race。〃

When　Mrs。　Eddy　copyrighted　that　Preface　seven　years　ago；　she　had　long
been　used　to　regarding　herself　as　a　divine　personage。　　I　quote　from　Mr。
F。　W。　Peabody's　book：

〃In　the　Christian　Science　Journal　for　April；　1889；　when　it　was　her
property；　and　published　by　her；　it　was　claimed　for　her；　and　with　her
sanction；　that　she　was　equal　with　Jesus；　and　elaborate　effort　was　made　to
establish　the　claim。〃

〃Mrs。　Eddy　has　distinctly　authorized　the　claim　in　her　behalf；　that　she
herself　was　the　chosen　successor　to　and　equal　of　Jesus。〃

The　following　remark　in　that　April　number；　quoted　by　Mr。　Peabody；
indicates　that　her　claim　had　been　previously　made；　and　had　excited
〃horror〃　among　some　〃good　people〃：

〃Now；　a　word　about　the　horror　many　good　people　have　of　our　making　the
Author　of　Science　and　Health　'equal　with　Jesus。'〃

Surely；　if　it　had　excited　horror　in　Mrs。　Eddy　also；　she　would　have
published　a　disclaimer。　　She　owned　the　paper；　she　could　say　what　she
pleased　in　its　columns。　　Instead　of　rebuking　her　editor；　she　lets　him
rebuke　those　〃good　people〃　for　objecting　to　the　claim。

These　things　seem　to　throw　light　upon　those　words；　〃our　＇my＇　divine
origin。〃

It　may　be　that　〃Christian　Science　eschews　divine　rights　in　human　beings；〃
and　forbids　worship　of　any　but　〃one　God；　one　Christ〃；　but；　if　that　is　the
case；　it　looks　as　if　Mrs。　Eddy　is　a　very　unsound　Christian　Scientist；　and
needs　disciplining。　　I　believe　she　has　a　serious　malady〃self…
deification〃；　and　that　it　will　be　well　to　have　one　of　the　experts
demonstrate　over　it。

Meantime；　let　her　go　on　livingfor　my　sake。　　Closely　examined；
painstakingly　studied；　she　is　easily　the　most　interesting　person　on　the
planet；　and；　in　several　ways；　as　easily　the　most　extraordinary　woman　that
was　ever　born　upon　it。


P。S。Since　I　wrote　the　foregoing；　Mr。　McCrackan's　article　appeared　（in
the　March　number　of　the　North　American　Review）。　　Before　his　article
appearedthat　is　to　say；　during　December；　January；　and　FebruaryI　had
written　a　new　book；　a　character…portrait　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　drawn　from　her　own
acts　and　words；　and　it　was　thentogether　with　the　three　brief　articles
previously　published　in　the　North　American　Reviewready　to　be　delivered
to　the　printer　for　issue　in　book　form。　　In　that　book；　by　accident　and
good　luck；　I　have　answered　the　objections　made　by　Mr。　McCrackan　to　my
views；　and　therefore　do　not　need　to　add　an　answer　here。　　Also；　in　it　I
have　corrected　certain　misstatements　of　mine　which　he　has　noticed；　and
several　others　which　he　has　not　referred　to。　　There　are　one　or　two
important　matters　of　opinion　upon　which　he　and　I　are　not　in　disagreement；
but　there　are　others　upon　which　we　must　continue　to　disagree；　I　suppose；
indeed；　I　know　we　must；　for　instance；　he　believes　Mrs。　Eddy　wrote　Science
and　Health；　whereas　I　am　quite　sure　I　can　convince　a　person　unhampered　by
predilections　that　she　did　not。

As　concerns　one　considerable　matter　I　hope　to　convert　him。　　He　believes
Mrs。　Eddy's　word；　in　his　article　he　cites　her　as　a　witness；　and　takes　her
testimony　at　par；　but　if　he　will　make　an　excursion　through　my　book　when
it　comes　out；　and　will　dispassionately　examine　her　testimonies　as　there
accumulated；　I　think　he　will　in　candor　concede　that　she　is　by　a　large
percentage　the　most　erratic　and　contradictory　and　untrustworthy　witness
that　has　occupied　the　stand　since　the　days　of　the　lamented　Ananias。




CONCLUSION

Broadly　speaking；　the　hostiles　reject　and　repudiate　all　the　pretensions
of　Christian　Science　Christianity。　　They　affirm　that　it　has　added　nothing
new　to　Christianity；　that　it　can　do　nothing　that　Christianity　could　not
do　and　was　not　doing　before　Christian　Science　was　born。

In　that　case　is　there　no　field　for　the　new　Christianity；　no　opportunity
for　usefulness；　precious　usefulness；　great　and　distinguished　usefulness？
I　think　there　is。　　I　am　far　from　being　confident　that　it　can　fill　it；　but
I　will　indicate　that　unoccupied　fieldwithout　chargeand　if　it　can
conquer　it；　it　will　deserve　the　praise　and　gratitude　of　the　Christian
world；　and　will　get　it；　I　am　sure。

The　present　Christianity　makes　an　excellent　private　Christian；　but　its
endeavors　to　make　an　excellent　public　one　go　for　nothing；　substantially。

This　is　an　honest　nationin　private　life。　　The　American　Christian　is　a
straight　and　clean　and　honest　man；　and　in　his　private　commerce　with　his
fellows　can　be　trusted　to　stand　faithfully　by　the　principles　of　honor　and
honesty　imposed　upon　him　by　his　religion。　　But　the　moment　he　comes
forward　to　exercise　a　public　trust　he　can　be　confidently　counted　upon　to
betray　that　trust　in　nine　cases　out　of　ten；　if　〃party　loyalty〃　shall
require　it。

If　there　are　two　tickets　in　the　field　in　his　city；　one　composed　of　honest
men　and　the　other　of　notorious　blatherskites　and　criminals；　he　will　not
hesitate　to　lay　his　private　Christian　honor　aside　and　vote　for　the
blatherskites　if　his　〃party　honor〃　shall　exact　it。　　His　Christianity　is
of　no　use　to　him　and　has　no　influence　upon　him　when　he　is　acting　in　a
public　capacity。　　He　has　sound　and　sturdy　private　morals；　but　he　has　no
public　ones。　　In　the　last　great　municipal　election　in　New　York；　almost　a
complete　one…half　of　the　votes　representing　3；500；000　Christians　were
cast　for　a　ticket　that　had　hardly　a　man　on　it　whose　earned　and　proper
place　was　outside　of　a　jail。　　But　that　vote　was　present　at　church　next
Sunday　the　same　as　ever；　and　as　unconscious　of　its　perfidy　as　if　nothing
had　happened。

Our　Congresses　consist　of　Christians。　　In　their　private　life　they　are
true　to　every　obligation　of　honor；　yet　in　every　session　they　violate　them
all；　and　do　it　without　shame；　because　honor　to　party　is　above　honor　to
themselves。　　It　is　an　accepted　law　of　public　life　that　in　it　a　man　may
soil　his　honor　in　the　interest　of　party　expediency　must　do　it　when
party　expediency　requires　it。　　In　private　l