christian science-第15部分

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6。　　That　She　believes　She　is　the　equal　of　the　Head　of　it。

Finally；　I　think　She　is　now　entitled　to　the　capital　Son　her　own
evidence。




CHAPTER　VI

Thus　far　we　have　a　part　of　Mrs。　Eddy's　portrait。　　Not　made　of　fictions；
surmises；　reports；　rumors；　innuendoes；　dropped　by　her　enemies；　no；　she
has　furnished　all　of　the　materials　herself；　and　laid　them　on　the　canvas；
under　my　general　superintendence　and　direction。　　As　far　as　she　has　gone
with　it；　it　is　the　presentation　of　a　complacent；　commonplace；　illiterate
New　England　woman　who　〃forgot　everything　she　knew〃　when　she　discovered
her　discovery；　then　wrote　a　Bible　in　good　English　under　the　inspiration
of　God；　and　climbed　up　it　to　the　supremest　summit　of　earthly　grandeur
attainable　by　manwhere　she　sits　serene　to…day；　beloved　and　worshiped　by
a　multitude　of　human　beings　of　as　good　average　intelligence　as　is
possessed　by　those　that　march　under　the　banner　of　any　competing　cult。
This　is　not　intended　to　flatter　the　competing　cults；　it　is　merely　a
statement　of　cold　fact。

That　a　commonplace　person　should　go　climbing　aloft　and　become　a　god　or　a
half…god　or　a　quarter…god　and　be　worshiped　by　men　and　women　of　average
intelligence；　is　nothing。　　It　has　happened　a　million　times；　it　will
happen　a　hundred　million　more。　　It　has　been　millions　of　years　since　the
first　of　these　supernaturals　appeared；　and　by　the　time　the　last　one　in
that　inconceivably　remote　future　shall　have　performed　his　solemn　little
high…jinks　on　the　stage　and　closed　the　business；　there　will　be　enough　of
them　accumulated　in　the　museum　on　the　Other　Side　to　start　a　heaven　of
their　own…and　jam　it。

Each　in　his　turn　those　little　supernaturals　of　our　by…gone　ages　and　aeons
joined　the　monster　procession　of　his　predecessors　and　marched
horizonward；　disappeared；　and　was　forgotten。　　They　changed　nothing；　they
built　nothing；　they　left　nothing　behind　them　to　remember　them　by；　nothing
to　hold　their　disciples　together；　nothing　to　solidify　their　work　and
enable　it　to　defy　the　assaults　of　time　and　the　weather。　　They　passed；　and
left　a　vacancy。　　They　made　one　fatal　mistake；　they　all　made　it；　each　in
his　turn：　they　failed　to　organize　their　forces；　they　failed　to　centralize
their　strength；　they　failed　to　provide　a　fresh　Bible　and　a　sure　and
perpetual　cash　income　for　business；　and　often　they　failed　to　provide　a
new　and　accepted　Divine　Personage　to　worship。

Mrs。　Eddy　is　not　of　that　small　fry。　　The　materials　that　go　to　the　making
of　the　rest　of　her　portrait　will　prove　it。　　She　will　furnish　them
herself：

She　published　her　book。　　She　copyrighted　it。　　She　copyrights　everything。
If　she　should　say；　〃Good…morning；　how　do　you　do？〃　she　would　copyright　it；
for　she　is　a　careful　person；　and　knows　the　value　of　small　things。

She　began　to　teach　her　Science；　she　began　to　heal；　she　began　to　gather
converts　to　her　new　religionfervent；　sincere；　devoted；　grateful　people。
A　year　or　two　later　she　organized　her　first　Christian　Science
〃Association；〃　with　six　of　her　disciples　on　the　roster。

She　continued　to　teach　and　heal。　　She　was　charging　nothing；　she　says；
although　she　was　very　poor。　　She　taught　and　healed　gratis　four　years
altogether；　she　says。

Then；　in　1879…81　she　was　become　strong　enough；　and　well　enough
established；　to　venture　a　couple　of　impressively　important　moves。　　The
first　of　these　moves　was　to　aggrandize　the　〃Association〃　to　a　〃Church。〃
Brave？　　It　is　the　right　name　for　it；　I　think。　　The　former　name　suggests
nothing；　invited　no　remark；　no　criticism；　no　inquiry；　no　hostility；　the
new　name　invited　them　all。　　She　must　have　made　this　intrepid　venture　on
her　own　motion。　　She　could　have　had　no　important　advisers　at　that　early
day。　　If　we　accept　it　as　her　own　idea　and　her　own　actand　I　think　we
mustwe　have　one　key　to　her　character。　　And　it　will　explain　subsequent
acts　of　hers　that　would　merely　stun　us　and　stupefy　us　without　it。　　Shall
we　call　it　courage？　　Or　shall　we　call　it　recklessness？　　Courage　observes；
reflects；　calculates；　surveys　the　whole　situation；　counts　the　cost；
estimates　the　odds；　makes　up　its　mind；　then　goes　at　the　enterprise
resolute　to　win　or　perish。　　Recklessness　does　not　reflect；　it　plunges
fearlessly　in　with　a　hurrah；　and　takes　the　risks；　whatever　they　may　be；
regardless　of　expense。　　Recklessness　often　fails；　Mrs。　Eddy　has　never
failedfrom　the　point　of　view　of　her　followers。　　The　point　of　view　of
other　people　is　naturally　not　a　matter　of　weighty　importance　to　her。

The　new　Church　was　not　born　loose…jointed　and　featureless；　but　had　a
defined　plan；　a　definite　character；　definite　aims；　and　a　name　which　was　a
challenge；　and　defied　all　comers。　　It　was　〃a　Mind…healing　Church。〃　　It
was　〃without　a　creed。〃　　Its　name；　〃The　Church　of　Christ；　Scientist。〃

Mrs。　Eddy　could　not　copyright　her　Church；　but　she　chartered　it；　which　was
the　same　thing　and　relieved　the　pain。　　It　had　twenty…six　charter　members。
Mrs。　Eddy　was　at　once　installed　as　its　pastor。

The　other　venture；　above　referred　to；　was　Mrs。　Eddy's　Massachusetts
Metaphysical　College；　in　which　was　taught　〃the　pathology　of　spiritual
power。〃　　She　could　not　copyright　it；　but　she　got　it　chartered。　　For
faculty　it　had　herself；　her　husband　of　the　period　（Dr。　　Eddy）；　and　her
adopted　son；　Dr。　　Foster…Eddy。　　The　college　term　was　〃barely　three
weeks；〃　she　says。　　Again　she　was　bold；　brave；　rash；　recklesschoose　for
yourselffor　she　not　only　began　to　charge　the　student；　but　charged　him　a
hundred　dollars　a　week　for　the　enlightenments。　　And　got　it？　　some　may
ask。　　Easily。　　Pupils　flocked　from　far　and　near。　　They　came　by　the
hundred。　　Presently　the　term　was　cut　down　nearly　half；　but　the　price
remained　as　before。　　To　be　exact；　the　term…cut　was　to　seven　lessons
price；　three　hundred　dollars。　　The　college　〃yielded　a　large　income。〃
This　is　believable。　　In　seven　years　Mrs。　Eddy　taught；　as　she　avers；　over
four　thousand　students　in　it。　　（Preface　to　1902　edition　of　Science　and
Health。）　Three　hundred　times　four　thousand　isbut　perhaps　you　can　cipher
it　yourself。　　I　could　do　it　ordinarily；　but　I　fell　down　yesterday　and
hurt　my　leg。　　Cipher　it；　you　will　see　that　it　is　a　grand　sum　for　a　woman
to　earn　in　seven　years。　　Yet　that　was　not　all　she　got　out　of　her　college
in　the　seven。

At　the　time　that　she　was　charging　the　primary　student　three　hundred
dollars　for　twelve　lessons　she　was　not　content　with　this　tidy　assessment；
but　had　other　ways　of　plundering　him。　　By　advertisement　she　offered　him
privileges　whereby　he　could　add　eighteen　lessons　to　his　store　for　five
hundred　dollars　more。　　That　is　to　say；　he　could　get　a　total　of　thirty
lessons　in　her　college　for　eight　hundred　dollars。

Four　thousand　times　eight　hundred　isbut　it　is　a　difficult　sum　for　a
cripple　who　has　not　been　〃demonstrated　over〃　to　cipher；　let　it　go。　　She
taught　〃over〃　four　thousand　students　in　seven　years。　　〃Over〃　is　not
definite；　but　it　probably　represents　a　non…paying　surplus　of　learners
over　and　above　the　paying　four　thousand。　　Charity　students；　doubtless。　　I
think　that　as　interesting　an　advertisement　as　has　been　printed　since　the
romantic　old　days　of　the　other　buccaneers　is　this　one　from　the　Christian
Science　Journal　for　September；　1886：


〃MASSACHUSETTS　METAPHYSICAL　COLLEGE

〃REV。　　MARY　BAKER　G。　　EDDY；　PRESIDENT

〃571　Columbus　Avenue；　Boston

〃The　collegiate　course　in　Christian　Science　metaphysical　healing　includes
twelve　lessons。　　Tuition；　three　hundred　dollars。

〃Course　in　metaphysical　obstetrics　includes　six　daily　lectures；　and　is
open　only　to　students　from　this　college。　　Tuition；　one　hundred　dollars。

〃Class　in　theology；　open　（like　the　above）　to　graduates；　receives　six
additional　lectures　on　the　Scriptures；　and　summary　of　the　principle　and
practice　of　Christian　Science；　two　hundred　dollars。

〃Normal　class　is　open　to　those　who　have　taken　the　first　course　at　this
college；　six　daily　lectures　complete　the　Normal　course。　　Tuition；　two
hundred　dollars。

〃No　invalids；　and　only　persons　of　good　moral　character；　are　accepted　as
students。　　All　students　are　subject　to　examination　and　rejection；　and
they　are　liable　to　leave　the　class　if　found　unfit　to　remain　in　it。

〃A　limited　number　of　clergymen　received　free　of　charge。

〃Largest　discount　to　indigent　students；　one　hundred　dollars　on　the　first
course。

〃No　deduction　on　the　others。

〃Husband　and　wife；　entered　together；　three　hundred　dollars。

〃Tuition　for　all　strictly　in　advance。〃


There　it　isthe　horse…leech's　daughter　alive　again；　after　a　three…
century　vacation。　　Fifty　or　sixty　hours'　lecturing　for　eight　hundred
dollars。

I　was　in　error　as　to　one　matter：　there　are　no　charity　students。　　Gratis…
taught　clergymen　must　not　be　placed　under　that　head；　they　are　merely　an
advertisement。　　Pauper　students　can　get　into　the　infant　class　on　a　two…
third　rate　（cash　in　advance）；　but　not　even　an　archangel　can　get　into　the
rest　of　the　game　at　anything　short　of　par；　cash　down。　　For　it　is　〃in　the
spirit　of　Christ's　charity；　as　one　who　is　joyful　to　bear　healing　to　the
sick　〃　that　Mrs。　Eddy　is　working　the　game。　　She　sends　the　healing　to　them
outside。　　She　cannot　bear　it　to　them　inside　the　college；　for　the　reason
that　she　does　not　allow　a　sick　candidate　to　get　in。　　It　is　true　that　this
smells　of　inconsistency；　but　that　is　nothing；　Mrs。　Eddy　would　not　be　Mrs。
Eddy　if　she　should　ever　chance　to　be　consistent　about　anything　two　days
running。

Except　in　the　matter　of　the　Dollar。　　The　Dollar；　and　appetite　for　power
and　notoriety。　　English　must　also　be　added；　she　is　always　consistent；　she
is　always　Mrs。　Eddy；　in　her　English：　it　is　always　and　consistently
confused　and　crippled　and　poor。　　She　wrote　the　Advertisement；　her
literary　trade…marks　are　there。　　When　she　says　all　〃students〃　are　subject
to　examination；　she　does　not　mean　students；　she　means　candidates　for　that
lofty　place　When　she　says　students　are　〃liable〃　to　leave　the　class　if
found　unfit　to　remain　in　it；　she　does　not　mean　that　if　they　find
themselves　unfit；　or　be　found　unfit　by　others；　they　will　be　likely　to　ask
permission　to　leave　the　class；　she　means　that　if　she　finds　them　unfit　she
will　be　〃liable〃　to　fire　them　out。　　When　she　nobly　offers　〃tuition　for
all　strictly　in　advance；〃　she　does　not　mean　〃instruction　for　all　in
advance