christian science-第16部分

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all　strictly　in　advance；〃　she　does　not　mean　〃instruction　for　all　in
advance…payment　for　it　later。〃　　No；　that　is　only　what　she　says；　it　is　not
what　she　means。　　If　she　had　written　Science　and　Health；　the　oldest　man　in
the　world　would　not　be　able　to　tell　with　certainty　what　any　passage　in　it
was　intended　to　mean。

Her　Church　was　on　its　legs。

She　was　its　pastor。　　It　was　prospering。

She　was　appointed　one　of　a　committee　to　draught　By…laws　for　its
government。　　It　may　be　observed；　without　overplus　of　irreverence；　that
this　was　larks　for　her。　　She　did　all　of　the　draughting　herself。　　From　the
very　beginning　she　was　always　in　the　front　seat　when　there　was　business
to　be　done；　in　the　front　seat；　with　both　eyes　open；　and　looking　sharply
out　for　Number　One；　in　the　front　seat；　working　Mortal　Mind　with　fine
effectiveness　and　giving　Immortal　Mind　a　rest　for　Sunday。　　When　her
Church　was　reorganized；　by…and…by；　the　By…laws　were　retained。　　She　saw　to
that。　　In　these　Laws　for　the　government　of　her　Church；　her　empire；　her
despotism；　Mrs。　Eddy's　character　is　embalmed　for　good　and　all。　　I　think　a
particularized　examination　of　these　Church…laws　will　be　found
interesting。　　And　not　the　less　so　if　we　keep　in　mind　that　they　were
〃impelled　by　a　power　not　one's　own；〃　as　she　saysAnglice。　　the
inspiration　of　God。

It　is　a　Church　〃without　a　creed。〃　　Still；　it　has　one。　　Mrs。　Eddy
draughted　itand　copyrighted　it。　　In　her　own　name。　　You　cannot　become　a
member　of　the　Mother…Church　（nor　of　any　Christian　Science　Church）　without
signing　it。　　It　forms　the　first　chapter　of　the　By…laws；　and　is　called
〃Tenets。〃　　〃Tenets　of　The　Mother　Church；　The　First　Church　of　Christ；
Scientist。〃　　It　has　no　hell　in　itit　throws　it　overboard。




THE　PASTOR　EMERITUS

About　the　time　of　the　reorganization；　Mrs。　Eddy　retired　from　her　position
of　pastor　of　her　Church；　abolished　the　office　of　pastor　in　all　branch
Churches；　and　appointed　her　book；　Science　and　Health；　to　be　pastor…
universal。　　Mrs。　Eddy　did　not　disconnect　herself　from　the　office
entirely；　when　she　retired；　but　appointed　herself　Pastor　Emeritus。　　It　is
a　misleading　title；　and　belongs　to　the　family　of　that　phrase　〃without　a
creed。〃　　It　advertises　her　as　being　a　merely　honorary　official；　with
nothing　to　do；　and　no　authority。　　The　Czar　of　Russia　is　Emperor　Emeritus
on　the　same　terms。　　Mrs。　Eddy　was　Autocrat　of　the　Church　before；　with
limitless　authority；　and　she　kept　her　grip　on　that　limitless　authority
when　she　took　that　fictitious　title。

It　is　curious　and　interesting　to　note　with　what　an　unerring　instinct　the
Pastor　Emeritus　has　thought　out　and　forecast　all　possible　encroachments
upon　her　planned　autocracy；　and　barred　the　way　against　them；　in　the　By…
laws　which　she　framed　and　copyrightedunder　the　guidance　of　the　Supreme
Being。




THE　BOARD　OF　DIRECTORS

For　instance；　when　Article　I。　　speaks　of　a　President　and　Board　of
Directors；　you　think　you　have　discovered　a　formidable　check　upon　the
powers　and　ambitions　of　the　honorary　pastor；　the　ornamental　pastor；　the
functionless　pastor；　the　Pastor　Emeritus；　but　it　is　a　mistake。　　These
great　officials　are　of　the　phrasefamily　of　the　Church…Without…a…Creed
and　the　Pastor…With…Nothing…to…Do；　that　is　to　say；　of　the　family　of
Large…Names…Which…Mean…Nothing。　　The　Board　is　of　so　little　consequence
that　the　By…laws　do　not　state　how　it　is　chosen；　nor　who　does　it；　but　they
do　state；　most　definitely；　that　the　Board　cannot　fill　a　vacancy　in　its
number　〃except　the　candidate　is　approved　by　the　Pastor　Emeritus。〃

The　〃candidate。〃　　The　Board　cannot　even　proceed　to　an　election　until　the
Pastor　Emeritus　has　examined　the　list　and　squelched　such　candidates　as
are　not　satisfactory　to　her。

Whether　the　original　first　Board　began　as　the　personal　property　of　Mrs。
Eddy　or　not；　it　is　foreseeable　that　in　time；　under　this　By…law；　she　would
own　it。　　Such　a　first　Board　might　chafe　under　such　a　rule　as　that；　and
try　to　legislate　it　out　of　existence　some　day。　　But　Mrs。　Eddy　was　awake。
She　foresaw　that　danger；　and　added　this　ingenious　and　effective　clause：

〃This　By…law　can　neither　be　amended　nor　annulled；　except　by　consent　of
Mrs。　Eddy；　the　Pastor　Emeritus〃




THE　PRESIDENT

The　Board　of　Directors；　or　Serfs；　or　Ciphers；　elects　the　President。

On　these　clearly　worded　terms：　〃Subject　to　the　approval　of　the　Pastor
Emeritus。〃

Therefore　She　elects　him。

A　long　term　can　invest　a　high　official　with　influence　and　power；　and　make
him　dangerous。　　Mrs。　Eddy　reflected　upon　that；　so　she　limits　the
President's　term　to　a　year。　　She　has　a　capable　commercial　head；　an
organizing　head；　a　head　for　government。




TREASURER　AND　CLERK

There　are　a　Treasurer　and　a　Clerk。　　They　are　elected　by　the　Board　of
Directors。　　That　is　to　say；　by　Mrs。　Eddy。

Their　terms　of　office　expire　on　the　first　Tuesday　in　June　of　each　year；
〃or　upon　the　election　of　their　successors。〃　　They　must　be　watchfully
obedient　and　satisfactory　to　her；　or　she　will　elect　and　install　their
successors　with　a　suddenness　that　can　be　unpleasant　to　them。　　It　goes
without　saying　that　the　Treasurer　manages　the　Treasury　to　suit　Mrs。　Eddy；
and　is　in　fact　merely　Temporary　Deputy　Treasurer。

Apparently　the　Clerk　has　but　two　duties　to　perform：　to　read　messages　from
Mrs。　Eddy　to　First　Members　assembled　in　solemn　Council；　and　provide　lists
of　candidates　for　Church　membership。　　The　select　body　entitled　First
Members　are　the　aristocracy　of　the　Mother…Church；　the　Charter　Members；
the　Aborigines；　a　sort　of　stylish　but　unsalaried　little　College　of
Cardinals；　good　for　show；　but　not　indispensable。　　Nobody　is　indispensable
in　Mrs。　Eddy's　empire；　she　sees　to　that。

When　the　Pastor　Emeritus　sends　a　letter　or　message　to　that　little
Sanhedrin；　it　is　the　Clerk's　〃imperative　duty〃　to　read　it　〃at　the　place
and　time　specified。〃　　Otherwise；　the　world　might　come　to　an　end。　　These
are　fine；　large　frills；　and　remind　us　of　the　ways　of　emperors　and　such。
Such　do　not　use　the　penny…post；　they　send　a　gilded　and　painted　special
messenger；　and　he　strides　into　the　Parliament；　and　business　comes　to　a
sudden　and　solemn　and　awful　stop；　and　in　the　impressive　hush　that
follows；　the　Chief　Clerk　reads　the　document。　　It　is　his　〃imperative
duty。〃　　If　he　should　neglect　it；　his　official　life　would　end。　　It　is　the
same　with　this　Mother…Church　Clerk；　〃if　he　fail　to　perform　this　important
function　of　his　office；〃　certain　majestic　and　unshirkable　solemnities
must　follow：　a　special　meeting　〃shall〃　be　called；　a　member　of　the　Church
〃shall〃　make　formal　complaint；　then　the　Clerk　〃shall〃　be　〃removed　from
office。〃　　Complaint　is　sufficient；　no　trial　is　necessary。

There　is　something　very　sweet　and　juvenile　and　innocent　and　pretty　about
these　little　tinsel　vanities；　these　grave　apings　of　monarchical　fuss　and
feathers　and　ceremony；　here　on　our　ostentatiously　democratic　soil。　　She
is　the　same　lady　that　we　found　in　the　Autobiography；　who　was　so　naively
vain　of　all　that　little　ancestral　military　riffraff　that　she　had　dug　up
and　annexed。　　A　person's　nature　never　changes。　　What　it　is　in　childhood；
it　remains。　　Under　pressure；　or　a　change　of　interest；　it　can　partially　or
wholly　disappear　from　sight；　and　for　considerable　stretches　of　time；　but
nothing　can　ever　permanently　modify　it；　nothing　can　ever　remove　it。




BOARD　OF　TRUSTEES

There　isn't　anynow。　　But　with　power　and　money　piling　up　higher　and
higher　every　day　and　the　Church's　dominion　spreading　daily　wider　and
farther；　a　time　could　come　when　the　envious　and　ambitious　could　start　the
idea　that　it　would　be　wise　and　well　to　put　a　watch　upon　these　assets
a　watch　equipped　with　properly　large　authority。　　By　custom；　a　Board　of
Trustees。　　Mrs。　Eddy　has　foreseen　that　probabilityfor　she　is　a　woman
with　a　long；　long　look　ahead；　the　longest　look　ahead　that　ever　a　woman
hadand　she　has　provided　for　that　emergency。　　In　Art。　　I。；　Sec。　　5；　she
has　decreed　that　no　Board　of　Trustees　shall　ever　exist　in　the　Mother…
Church　〃except　it　be　constituted　by　the　Pastor　Emeritus。〃

The　magnificence　of　it；　the　daring　of　it！　　Thus　far；　she　is

The　Massachusetts　Metaphysical　College；
Pastor　Emeritus；
President；
Board　of　Directors；
Treasurer；
Clerk；
and　future　Board　of　Trustees；

and　is　still　moving　onward；　ever　onward。　　When　I　contemplate　her　from　a
commercial　point　of　view；　there　are　no　words　that　can　convey　my
admiration　of　her。




READERS

These　are　a　feature　of　first　importance　in　the　church…machinery　of
Christian　Science。　　For　they　occupy　the　pulpit。　　They　hold　the　place　that
the　preacher　holds　in　the　other　Christian　Churches。　　They　hold　that
place；　but　they　do　not　preach。　　Two　of　them　are　on　duty　at　a　timea　man
and　a　woman。　　One　reads　a　passage　from　the　Bible；　the　other　reads　the
explanation　of　it　from　Science　and　Healthand　so　they　go　on　alternating。
This　constitutes　the　servicethis；　with　choir…music。　　They　utter　no　word
of　their　own。　　Art。　　IV。；　Sec。　　6；　closes　their　mouths　with　this
uncompromising　gag：

〃They　shall　make　no　remarks　explanatory　of　the　Lesson…Sermon　at　any　time
during　the　service。〃

It　seems　a　simple　little　thing。　　One　is　not　startled　by　it　at　a　first
reading　of　it；　nor　at　the　second；　nor　the　third。　　One　may　have　to　read　it
a　dozen　times　before　the　whole　magnitude　of　it　rises　before　the　mind。　　It
far　and　away　oversizes　and　outclasses　the　best　business…idea　yet　invented
for　the　safe…guarding　and　perpetuating　of　a　religion。　　If　it　had　been
thought　of　and　put　in　force　eighteen　hundred　and　seventy　years　ago；　there
would　be　but　one　Christian　sect　in　the　world　now；　instead　of　ten　dozens
of　them。

There　are　many　varieties　of　men　in　the　world；　consequently　there　are　many
varieties　of　minds　in　its　pulpits。　　This　insures　many　differing
interpretations　of　important　Scripture　texts；　and　this　in　turn　insures
the　splitting　up　of　a　religion　into　many　sects。　　It　is　what　has　happened；
it　was　sure　to　happen。

Mrs。　Eddy　has　noted　this　disastrous　result　of　preaching；　and　has　put　up
the　bars。　　She　will　have　no　preaching　in　her　Church。　　She　has　explained
all　essential　Scriptures；　and　set　the　explanations　down　in　her　book。　　In
her　belief　her　underlings　cannot　improve　upon　those　explanations；　and　in
that　stern　sentence　〃they　sha