christian science-第13部分

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saturated　with　convictions　of　one　sort　and　another　concerning　a
scribbler's　limitations；　and　these　are　so　strong　that　when　I　am　familiar
with　a　literary　person's　work　I　feel　perfectly　sure　that　I　know　enough
about　his　limitations　to　know　what　he　can　not　do。　　If　Mr。　Howells　should
pretend　to　me　that　he　wrote　the　Plague…Spot　Bacilli　rhapsody；　I　should
receive　the　statement　courteously；　but　I　should　know　it　for　awell；　for
a　perversion。　　If　the　late　Josh　Billings　should　rise　up　and　tell　me　that
he　wrote　Herbert　Spencer's　philosophies；　I　should　answer　and　say　that　the
spelling　casts　a　doubt　upon　his　claim。　　If　the　late　Jonathan　Edwards
should　rise　up　and　tell　me　he　wrote　Mr。　Dooley's　books；　I　should　answer
and　say　that　the　marked　difference　between　his　style　and　Dooley's　is
argument　against　the　soundness　of　his　statement。　　You　see　how　much　I
think　of　circumstantial　evidence。　　In　literary　mattersin　my　beliefit
is　often　better　than　any　person's　word；　better　than　any　shady　character's
oath。　　It　is　difficult　for　me　to　believe　that　the　same　hand　that　wrote
the　Plague…Spot…Bacilli　and　the　first　third　of　the　little　Eddy　biography
wrote　also　Science　and　Health。　　Indeed；　it　is　more　than　difficult；　it　is
impossible。

Largely　speaking；　I　have　read　acres　of　what　purported　to　be　Mrs。　Eddy's
writings；　in　the　past　two　months。　　I　cannot　know；　but　I　am　convinced；
that　the　circumstantial　evidence　shows　that　her　actual　share　in　the　work
of　composing　and　phrasing　these　things　was　so　slight　as　to　be
inconsequential。　　Where　she　puts　her　literary　foot　down；　her　trail　across
her　paid　polisher's　page　is　as　plain　as　the　elephant's　in　a　Sunday…school
procession。　　Her　verbal　output；　when　left　undoctored　by　her　clerks；　is
quite　unmistakable　It　always　exhibits　the　strongly　distinctive　features
observable　in　the　virgin　passages　from　her　pen　already　quoted　by　me：

Desert　vacancy；　as　regards　thought。
Self…complacency。
Puerility。
Sentimentality。
Affectations　of　scholarly　learning。
Lust　after　eloquent　and　flowery　expression。
Repetition　of　pet　poetic　picturesquenesses。
Confused　and　wandering　statement。
Metaphor　gone　insane。
Meaningless　words；　used　because　they　are　pretty；　or　showy；　or　unusual。
Sorrowful　attempts　at　the　epigrammatic。
Destitution　of　originality。

The　fat　volume　called　Miscellaneous　Writings　of　Mrs。　Eddy　contains
several　hundred　pages。　　Of　the　five　hundred　and　fifty…four　pages　of　prose
in　it　I　find　ten　lines；　on　page　319；　to　be　Mrs。　Eddy's；　also　about　a　page
of　the　preface　or　〃Prospectus〃；　also　about　fifteen　pages　scattered　along
through　the　book。　　If　she　wrote　any　of　the　rest　of　the　prose；　it　was
rewritten　after　her　by　another　hand。　　Here　I　will　insert　two…thirds　of
her　page　of　the　prospectus。　　It　is　evident　that　whenever；　under　the
inspiration　of　the　Deity；　she　turns　out　a　book；　she　is　always　allowed　to
do　some　of　the　preface。　　I　wonder　why　that　is？　　It　always　mars　the　work。
I　think　it　is　done　in　humorous　malice　I　think　the　clerks　like　to　see　her
give　herself　away。　　They　know　she　will；　her　stock　of　usable　materials
being　limited　and　her　procedure　in　employing　them　always　the　same；
substantially。　　They　know　that　when　the　initiated　come　upon　her　first
erudite　allusion；　or　upon　any　one　of　her　other　stage…properties；　they　can
shut　their　eyes　and　tell　what　will　follow。　　She　usually　throws　off　an
easy　remark　all　sodden　with　Greek　or　Hebrew　or　Latin　learning；　she
usually　has　a　person　watching　for　a　starshe　can　seldom　get　away　from
that　poetic　ideasometimes　it　is　a　Chaldee；　sometimes　a　Walking
Delegate；　sometimes　an　entire　stranger；　but　be　he　what　he　may；　he　is
generally　there　when　the　train　is　ready　to　move；　and　has　his　pass　in　his
hat…band；　she　generally　has　a　Being　with　a　Dome　on　him；　or　some　other
cover　that　is　unusual　and　out　of　the　fashion；　she　likes　to　fire　off　a
Scripture…verse　where　it　will　make　the　handsomest　noise　and　come　nearest
to　breaking　the　connection；　she　often　throws　out　a　Forefelt；　or　a
Foresplendor；　or　a　Foreslander　where　it　will　have　a　fine　nautical
foreto'gallant　sound　and　make　the　sentence　sing；　after　which　she　is
nearly　sure　to　throw　discretion　away　and　take　to　her　deadly　passion；
Intoxicated　Metaphor。　　At　such　a　time　the　Mrs。　Eddy　that　does　not
hesitate　is　lost：

〃The　ancient　Greek　looked　longingly　for　the　Olympiad。　　The　Chaldee
watched　the　appearing　of　a　star；　to　him　no　higher　destiny　dawned　on　the
dome　of　being　than　that　foreshadowed　by　signs　in　the　heavens。　　The　meek
Nazarene；　the　scoffed　of　all　scoffers；　said；　'Ye　can　discern　the　face　of
the　sky；　but　can　ye　not　discern　the　signs　of　the　times？'for　He　forefelt
and　foresaw　the　ordeal　of　a　perfect　Christianity；　hated　by　sinners。

〃To　kindle　all　minds　with　a　gleam　of　gratitude；　the　new　idea　that　comes
welling　up　from　infinite　Truth　needs　to　be　understood。　　The　seer　of　this
age　should　be　a　sage。

〃Humility　is　the　stepping…stone　to　a　higher　recognition　of　Deity。　　The
mounting　sense　gathers　fresh　forms　and　strange　fire　from　the　ashes　of
dissolving　self；　and　drops　the　world。　　Meekness　heightens　immortal
attributes；　only　by　removing　the　dust　that　dims　them。　　Goodness　reveals
another　scene　and　another　self　seemingly　rolled　up　in　shades；　but　brought
to　light　by　the　evolutions　of　advancing　thought；　whereby　we　discern　the
power　of　Truth　and　Love　to　heal　the　sick。

〃Pride　is　ignorance；　those　assume　most　who　have　the　least　wisdom　or
experience；　and　they　steal　from　their　neighbor；　because　they　have　so
little　of　their　own。〃Miscellaneous　Writings；　page　1；　and　six　lines　at
top　of　page　2。

It　is　not　believable　that　the　hand　that　wrote　those　clumsy　and　affected
sentences　wrote　the　smooth　English　of　Science　and　Health。




CHAPTER　IV

It　is　often　said　in　print　that　Mrs。　Eddy　claims　that　God　was　the　Author
of　Science　and　Health。　　Mr。　Peabody　states　in　his　pamphlet　that　〃she　says
not　she　but　God　was　the　Author。〃　　I　cannot　find　that　in　her　autobiography
she　makes　this　transference　of　the　authorship；　but　I　think　that　in　it　she
definitely　claims　that　she　did　her　work　under　His　inspirationdefinitely
for　her；　for　as　a　rule　she　is　not　a　very　definite　person；　even　when　she
seems　to　be　trying　her　best　to　be　clear　and　positive。　　Speaking　of　the
early　days　when　her　Science　was　beginning　to　unfold　itself　and　gather
form　in　her　mind；　she　says　（Autobiography；　page　43）：

〃The　divine　hand　led　me　into　a　new　world　of　light　and　Life；　a　fresh
universeold　to　God；　but　new　to　His　'little　one。'〃

She　being　His　little　one；　as　I　understand　it。

The　divine　hand　led　her。　　It　seems　to　mean　〃God　inspired　me〃；　but　when　a
person　uses　metaphors　instead　of　statisticsand　that　is　Mrs。　Eddy's
common　fashionone　cannot　always　feel　sure　about　the　intention。

＇Page　56。＇　〃Even　the　Scripture　gave　no　direct　interpretation　of　the
Scientific　basis　for　demonstrating　the　spiritual　Principle　of　healing；
until　our　Heavenly　Father　saw　fit；　through　the　Key　to　the　Scriptures；　in
Science　and　Health；　to　unlock　this　'mystery　of　godliness。'〃

Another　baffling　metaphor。　　If　she　had　used　plain　forecastle　English；　and
said　〃God　wrote　the　Key　and　I　put　it　in　my　book〃；　or　if　she　had　said　〃God
furnished　me　the　solution　of　the　mystery　and　I　put　it　on　paper〃；　or　if
she　had　said　〃God　did　it　all；〃　then　we　should　understand；　but　her　phrase
is　open　to　any　and　all　of　those　translations；　and　is　a　Key　which　unlocks
nothingfor　us。　　However；　it　seems　to　at　least　mean　〃God　inspired　me；〃
if　nothing　more。

There　was　personal　and　intimate　communion；　at　any　rate　we　get　that　much
out　of　the　riddles。　　The　connection　extended　to　business；　after　the
establishment　of　the　teaching　and　healing　industry。

＇Page　71。＇　〃When　God　impelled　me　to　set　a　price　on　my　instruction；〃　etc。
Further　down：　〃God　has　since　shown　me；　in　multitudinous　ways；　the　wisdom
of　this　decision。〃

She　was　not　able　to　think　of　a　〃financial　equivalent〃meaning　a
pecuniary　equivalentfor　her　〃instruction　in　Christian　Science　Mind…
healing。〃　　In　this　emergency　she　was　〃led〃　to　charge　three　hundred
dollars　for　a　term　of　〃twelve　half…days。〃　　She　does　not　say　who　led　her；
she　only　says　that　the　amount　greatly　troubled　her。　　I　think　it　means
that　the　price　was　suggested　from　above；　〃led〃　being　a　theological　term
identical　with　our　commercial　phrase　〃personally　conducted。〃　　She　〃shrank
from　asking　it；　but　was　finally　led；　by　a　strange　providence；　to　accept
this　fee。〃　　〃Providence〃　is　another　theological　term。　　Two　leds　and　a
providence；　taken　together；　make　a　pretty　strong　argument　for
inspiration。　　I　think　that　these　statistics　make　it　clear　that　the　price
was　arranged　above。　　This　view　is　constructively　supported　by　the　fact；
already　quoted；　that　God　afterwards　approved；　〃in　multitudinous　ways；〃
her　wisdom　in　accepting　the　mentioned　fee。　　〃Multitudinous　ways〃
multitudinous　encoringsuggests　enthusiasm。　　Business　enthusiasm。　　And
it　suggests　nearness。　　God's　nearness　to　his　〃little　one。〃　　Nearness；　and
a　watchful　personal　interest。　　A　warm；　palpitating；　Standard…Oil
interest；　so　to　speak。　　All　this　indicates　inspiration。　　We　may　assume；
then；　two　inspirations：　one　for　the　book；　the　other　for　the　business。

The　evidence　for　inspiration　is　further　augmented　by　the　testimony　of
Rev。　　George　Tomkins；　D。D。；　already　quoted；　that　Mrs。　Eddy　and　her　book
were　foretold　in　Revelation；　and　that　Mrs。　Eddy　〃is　God's　brightest
thought　to　this　age；　giving　us　the　spiritual　interpretation　of　the　Bible
in　the　'　little　book'〃　of　the　Angel。

I　am　aware　that　it　is　not　Mr。　Tomkins　that　is　speaking；　but　Mrs。　Eddy。
The　commissioned　lecturers　of　the　Christian　Science　Church　have　to　be
members　of　the　Board　of　Lectureship。　　（By…laws　Sec。　　2；　p。　　70。）　The
Board　of　Lectureship　is　selected　by　the　Board　of　Directors　of　the　Church。
（By…laws；　Sec。　　3；　p。　　70。）　The　Board　of　Directors　of　the　Church　is　the
property　of　Mrs。　Eddy。　　（By…laws；　p。　　22。）　Mr。　Tomkins　did　not　make　that
statement　without　authorization　from　headquarters。　　He　necessarily　got　it
from　the　Board　of　Directors；　the　Board　of　Directors　from　Mrs。　Eddy；　Mrs。
Eddy　from　the　Deity。　　Mr。　Tomkins　would　have　been　turned　down　by　that
procession　if　his　remarks　had　been　unsatisfactory　to　it。

It　may　be　that　there　is　evidence　somewhereas　has　been　cl