christian science-第17部分

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her　belief　her　underlings　cannot　improve　upon　those　explanations；　and　in
that　stern　sentence　〃they　shall　make　no　explanatory　remarks〃　she　has
barred　them　for　all　time　from　trying。　　She　will　be　obeyed；　there　is　no
question　about　that。

In　arranging　her　government　she　has　borrowed　ideas　from　various　sources
not　poor　ones；　but　the　best　in　the　governmental　marketbut　this　one　is
new；　this　one　came　out　of　no　ordinary　business…head；　this　one　must　have
come　out　of　her　own；　there　has　been　no　other　commercial　skull　in　a
thousand　centuries　that　was　equal　to　it。　　She　has　borrowed　freely　and
wisely；　but　I　am　sure　that　this　idea　is　many　times　larger　than　all　her
borrowings　bulked　together。　　One　must　respect　the　business…brain　that
produced　itthe　splendid　pluck　and　impudence　that　ventured　to　promulgate
it；　anyway。




ELECTION　OF　READERS

Readers　are　not　taken　at　hap…hazard；　any　more　than　preachers　are　taken　at
hap…hazard　for　the　pulpits　of　other　sects。　　No；　Readers　are　elected　by
the　Board　of　Directors。　　But

〃Section　3。　　The　Board　shall　inform　the　Pas。　　for　Emeritus　of　the　names
of　candidates　for　Readers　before　they　are　elected；　and　if　she　objects　to
the　nomination；　said　candidates　shall　not　be　chosen。〃

Is　that　an　electionby　the　Board？　　Thus　far　I　have　not　been　able　to　find
out　what　that　Board　of　Spectres　is　for。　　It　certainly　has　no　real
function；　no　duty　which　the　hired　girl　could　not　perform；　no　office
beyond　the　mere　recording　of　the　autocrat's　decrees。

There　are　no　dangerously　long　office…terms　in　Mrs。　Eddy's　government。
The　Readers　are　elected　for　but　one　year。　　This　insures　their
subserviency　to　their　proprietor。

Readers　are　not　allowed　to　copy　out　passages　and　read　them　from　the
manuscript　in　the　pulpit；　they　must　read　from　Mrs。　Eddy's　book　itself。
She　is　right。　　Slight　changes　could　be　slyly　made；　repeated；　and　in　time
get　acceptance　with　congregations。　　Branch　sects　could　grow　out　of　these
practices。　　Mrs。　Eddy　knows　the　human　race；　and　how　far　to　trust　it。　　Her
limit　is　not　over　a　quarter　of　an　inch。　　It　is　all　that　a　wise　person
will　risk。

Mrs。　Eddy's　inborn　disposition　to　copyright　everything；　charter
everything；　secure　the　rightful　and　proper　credit　to　herself　for
everything　she　does；　and　everything　she　thinks　she　does；　and　everything
she　thinks；　and　everything　she　thinks　she　thinks　or　has　thought　or
intends　to　think；　is　illustrated　in　Sec。　　5　of　Art。　　IV。；　defining　the
duties　of　official　Readersin　church：

〃Naming　Book　and　Author。　　The　Reader　of　Science　and　Health；　with　Key　to
the　Scriptures；　before　commencing　to　read　from　this　book；　shall
distinctly　announce　its　full　title　and　give　the　author's　name。〃

Otherwise　the　congregation　might　get　the　habit　of　forgetting　who
（ostensibly）　wrote　the　book。




THE　ARISTOCRACY

This　consists　of　First　Members　and　their　apostolic　succession。　　It　is　a
close　corporation；　and　its　membership　limit　is　one　hundred。　　Forty　will
answer；　but　if　the　number　fall　below　that；　there　must　be　an　election；　to
fill　the　grand　quorum。

This　Sanhedrin　can't　do　anything　of　the　slightest　importance；　but　it　can
talk。　　It　can　〃discuss。〃　　That　is；　it　can　discuss　〃important　questions
relative　to　Church　members〃；　evidently　persons　who　are　already　Church
members。　　This　affords　it　amusement；　and　does　no　harm。

It　can　〃fix　the　salaries　of　the　Readers。〃

Twice　a　year　it　〃votes　on〃　admitting　candidates。　　That　is；　for　Church
membership。　　But　its　work　is　cut　out　for　it　beforehand；　by　Sec。　　；　Art。
IX。：

〃Every　recommendation　for　membership　In　the　Church　'shall　be
countersigned　by　a　loyal　student　of　Mrs。　Eddy's；　by　a　Director　of　this
Church；　or　by　a　First　Member。'〃

All　these　three　classes　of　beings　are　the　personal　property　of　Mrs。　Eddy。
She　has　absolute　control　of　the　elections。

Also　it　must　〃transact　any　Church　business　that　may　properly　come　before
it。〃

〃Properly〃　is　a　thoughtful　word。　　No　important　business　can　come　before
it。　　The　By　laws　have　attended　to　that。　　No　important　business　goes
before　any　one　for　the　final　word　except　Mrs。　Eddy。　　She　has　looked　to
that。

The　Sanhedrin　〃votes　on〃　candidates　for　admission　to　its　own　body。　　But
is　its　vote　worth　any　more　than　mine　would　be？　　No；　it　isn't。　　Sec。　　4；
of　Art。　　V。Election　of　First　Membersmakes　this　quite　plain：

〃Before　being　elected；　the　candidates　for　First　Members　shall　be　approved
by　the　Pastor　Emeritus　over　her　own　signature。〃

Thus　the　Sanhedrin　is　the　personal　property　of　Mrs。　Eddy。　　She　owns　it。
It　has　no　functions；　no　authority；　no　real　existence。　　It　is　another
Board　of　Shadows。　　Mrs。　Eddy　is　the　Sanhedrin　herself。

But　it　is　time　to　foot　up　again　and　〃see　where　we　are　at。〃　　Thus　far；
Mrs。　Eddy　is

The　Massachusetts　Metaphysical　College；
Pastor　Emeritus；
President；
Board　of　Directors；
Treasurer；
Clerk；
Future　Board　of　Trustees；
Proprietor　of　the　Priesthood：
Dictator　of　the　Services；
Proprietor　of　the　Sanhedrin。　　She　has　come　far；　and　is　still　on　her　way。




CHURCH　MEMBERSHIP

In　this　Article　there　is　another　exhibition　of　a　couple　of　the　large
features　of　Mrs。　Eddy's　remarkable　make…up：　her　business…talent　and　her
knowledge　of　human　nature。

She　does　not　beseech　and　implore　people　to　join　her　Church。　　She　knows
the　human　race　better　than　that。　　She　gravely　goes　through　the　motions　of
reluctantly　granting　admission　to　the　applicant　as　a　favor　to　him。　　The
idea　is　worth　untold　shekels。　　She　does　not　stand　at　the　gate　of　the　fold
with　welcoming　arms　spread；　and　receive　the　lost　sheep　with　glad　emotion
and　set　up　the　fatted　calf　and　invite　the　neighbor　and　have　a　time。　　No；
she　looks　upon　him　coldly；　she　snubs　him；　she　says：

〃Who　are　you？　　Who　is　your　sponsor？　　Who　asked　you　to　come　here？　　Go
away；　and　don't　come　again　until　you　are　invited。〃

It　is　calculated　to　strikingly　impress　a　person　accustomed　to　Moody　and
Sankey　and　Sam　Jones　revivals；　accustomed　to　brain…turning　appeals　to　the
unknown　and　unendorsed　sinner　to　come　forward　and　enter　into　the　joy；
etc。　〃just　as　he　is〃；　accustomed　to　seeing　him　do　it；　accustomed　to
seeing　him　pass　up　the　aisle　through　sobbing　seas　of　welcome；　and　love；
and　congratulation；　and　arrive　at　the　mourner's　bench　and　be　received
like　a　long…lost　government　bond。

No；　there　is　nothing　of　that　kind　in　Mrs。　Eddy's　system。　　She　knows　that
if　you　wish　to　confer　upon　a　human　being　something　which　he　is　not　sure
he　wants；　the　best　way　is　to　make　it　apparently　difficult　for　him　to　get
itthen　he　is　no　son　of　Adam　if　that　apple　does　not　assume　an　interest
in　his　eyes　which　it　lacked　before。　　In　time　this　interest　can　grow　into
desire。　　Mrs。　Eddy　knows　that　when　you　cannot　get　a　man　to　tryfree　of
costa　new　and　effective　remedy　for　a　disease　he　is　afflicted　with；　you
can　generally　sell　it　to　him　if　you　will　put　a　price　upon　it　which　he
cannot　afford。　　When；　in　the　beginning；　she　taught　Christian　Science
gratis　（for　good　reasons）；　pupils　were　few　and　reluctant；　and　required
persuasion；　it　was　when　she　raised　the　limit　to　three　hundred　dollars　for
a　dollar's　worth　that　she　could　not　find　standing　room　for　the　invasion
of　pupils　that　followed。

With　fine　astuteness　she　goes　through　the　motions　of　making　it　difficult
to　get　membership　in　her　Church。　　There　is　a　twofold　value　in　this
system：　it　gives　membership　a　high　value　in　the　eyes　of　the　applicant；
and　at　the　same　time　the　requirements　exacted　enable　Mrs。　Eddy　to　keep
him　out　if　she　has　doubts　about　his　value　to　her。　　A　word　further　as　to
applications　for　membership：

〃Applications　of　students　of　the　Metaphysical　College　must　be　signed　by
the　Board　of　Directors。〃

That　is　safe。　　Mrs。　Eddy　is　proprietor　of　that　Board。

Children　of　twelve　may　be　admitted　if　invited　by　〃one　of　Mrs。　Eddy's
loyal　students；　or　by　a　First　Member；　or　by　a　Director。〃

These　sponsors　are　the　property　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　therefore　her　Church　is
safeguarded　from　the　intrusion　of　undesirable　children。

Other　Students。　　Applicants　who　have　not　studied　with　Mrs。　Eddy　can　get
in　only　〃by　invitation　and　recommendation　from　students　of　Mrs。　Eddy　。　　。
。　　or　from　members　of　the　Mother…Church。〃

Other　paragraphs　explain　how　two　or　three　other　varieties　of　applicants
are　to　be　challenged　and　obstructed；　and　tell　us　who　is　authorized　to
invite　them；　recommend　them　endorse　them；　and　all　that。

The　safeguards　are　definite；　and　would　seem　to　be　sufficiently　strenuous
to　Mr。　Sam　Jones；　at　any　rate。　　Not　for　Mrs。　Eddy。　　She　adds　this
clincher：

〃The　candidates　be　elected　by　a　majority　vote　of　the　First　Members
present。〃

That　is　the　aristocracy；　the　aborigines；　the　Sanhedrin。　　It　is　Mrs。
Eddy's　property。　　She　herself　is　the　Sanhedrin。　　No　one　can　get　into　the
Church　if　she　wishes　to　keep　him　out。

This　veto　power　could　some　time　or　other　have　a　large　value　for　her；
therefore　she　was　wise　to　reserve　it。

It　is　likely　that　it　is　not　frequently　used。　　It　is　also　probable　that
the　difficulties　attendant　upon　getting　admission　to　membership　have　been
instituted　more　to　invite　than　to　deter；　more　to　enhance　the　value　of
membership　and　make　people　long　for　it　than　to　make　it　really　difficult
to　get。　　I　think　so；　because　the　Mother。　　Church　has　many　thousands　of
members　more　than　its　building　can　accommodate。




AND　SOME　ENGLISH　REQUIRED

Mrs。　Eddy　is　very　particular　as　regards　one　detail　curiously　so；　for　her；
all　things　considered。　　The　Church　Readers　must　be　〃good　English
scholars〃；　they　must　be　〃thorough　English　scholars。〃

She　is　thus　sensitive　about　the　English　of　her　subordinates　for　cause；
possibly。　　In　her　chapter　defining　the　duties　of　the　Clerk　there　is　an
indication　that　she　harbors　resentful　memories　of　an　occasion　when　the
hazy　quality　of　her　own　English　made　unforeseen　and　mortifying　trouble：

〃Understanding　Communications。　　Sec。　　2。　　If　the　Clerk　of　this　Church
shall　receive　a　communication　from　the　Pastor　Emeritus　which　he　does　not
fully　understand；　he　shall　inform　her　of　this　fact　before　presenting　it
to　the　Church；　and　obtain　a　clear　understanding　of　the　matterthen　act
in　accordance　therewith。〃

She　should　have　waited　to　calm　down；　then；　but　instead　she　added　this；
which　lacks　sugar：

〃Failing　to　adhere　to