christian science-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


walk　and　conversation；　shall　he　hold　up　his　head　and　tilt　his　hat　over
one　ear　and　imagine　himself　safe　because　of　these　perfections？　　Why；　in
that　very　moment　Mrs。　Eddy　will　cast　that　spiritual　X…ray　of　hers　through
his　dungarees　and　say：

〃I　see　his　hypnotism　working；　among　his　insidesremove　him　to　the
block！〃

What　shall　it　profit　him　to　know　it　isn't　so？　　Nothing。　　His　testimony　is
of　no　value。　　No　one　wants　it；　no　one　will　ask　for　it。　　He　is　not　present
to　offer　it　（he　does　not　know　he　has　been　accused）；　and　if　he　were　there
to　offer　it；　it　would　not　be　listened　to。

It　was　out　of　powers　approaching　Mrs。　Eddy'sthough　not　equalling　them
that　the　Inquisition　and　the　devastations　of　the　Interdict　grew。　　She
will　transmit　hers。　　The　man　born　two　centuries　from　now　will　think　he
has　arrived　in　hell；　and　all　in　good　time　he　will　think　he　knows　it。
Vast　concentrations　of　irresponsible　power　have　never　in　any　age　been
used　mercifully；　and　there　is　nothing　to　suggest　that　the　Christian
Science　Papacy　is　going　to　spend　money　on　novelties。

Several　Christian　Scientists　have　asked　me　to　refrain　from　prophecy。
There　is　no　prophecy　in　our　day　but　history。　　But　history　is　a
trustworthy　prophet。　　History　is　always　repeating　itself；　because
conditions　are　always　repeating　themselves。　　Out　of　duplicated　conditions
history　always　gets　a　duplicate　product。




READING　LETTERS　AT　MEETINGS

I　wonder　if　there　is　anything　a　Member　can　do　that　will　not　raise　Mrs。
Eddy's　jealousy？　　The　By…laws　seem　to　hunt　him　from　pillar　to　post　all
the　time；　and　turn　all　his　thoughts　and　acts　and　words　into　sins　against
the　meek　and　lowly　new　deity　of　his　worship。　　Apparently　her　jealousy
never　sleeps。　　Apparently　any　trifle　can　offend　it；　and　but　one　penalty
appease　itexcommunication。　　The　By…laws　might　properly　and　reasonably
be　entitled　Laws　for　the　Coddling　and　Comforting　of　Our　Mother's　Petty
Jealousies。　　The　By…law　named　at　the　head　of　this　paragraph　reads　its
transgressor　out　of　the　Church　if　he　shall　carry　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Eddy
to　the　congregation　and　forget　to　read　it　or　fail　to　read　the　whole　of
it。




HONESTY　REQUISITE

Dishonest　members　are　to　be　admonished；　if　they　continue　in　dishonest
practices；　excommunication　follows。　　Considering　who　it　is　that　draughted
this　law；　there　is　a　certain　amount　of　humor　in　it。




FURTHER　APPLICATIONS　OF　THE　AXE

Here　follow　the　titles　of　some　more　By…laws　whose　infringement　is
punishable　by　excommunication：


Silence　Enjoined。
Misteaching。
Departure　from　Tenets。
Violation　of　Christian　Fellowship。
Moral　Offences。
Illegal　Adoption。
Broken　By…laws。
Violation　of　By…laws。　　（What　is　the　difference？）
Formulas　Forbidden。
Official　Advice。　　（Forbids　Tom；　Dick；　and　Harry's　clack。）
Unworthy　of　Membership。
Final　Excommunication。
Organizing　Churches。

This　looks　as　if　Mrs。　Eddy　had　devoted　a　large　share　of　her　time　and
talent　to　inventing　ways　to　get　rid　of　her　Church　members。　　Yet　in
another　place　she　seems　to　invite　membership。　　Not　in　any　urgent　way；　it
is　true；　still　she　throws　out　a　bait　to　such　as　like　notice　and
distinction　（in　other　words；　the　Human　Race）。　　Page　82：

〃It　is　important　that　these　seemingly　strict　conditions　be　complied　with；
as　the　names　of　the　Members　of　the　Mother…Church　will　be　recorded　in　the
history　of　the　Church　and　become　a　part　thereof。〃

We　all　want　to　be　historical。




MORE　SELF…PROTECTIONS

The　Hymnal。　　There　is　a　Christian　Science　Hymnal。　　Entrance　to　it　was
closed　in　1898。　　Christian　Science　students　who　make　hymns　nowadays　may
possibly　get　them　sung　in　the　Mother…Church；　〃but　not　unless　approved　by
the　Pastor　Emeritus。〃　　Art。　　XXVII；　Sec。　　2。

Solo　Singers。　　Mrs。　Eddy　has　contributed　the　words　of　three　of　the　hymns
in　the　Hymnal。　　Two　of　them　appear　in　it　six　times　altogether；　each　of
them　being　set　to　three　original　forms　of　musical　anguish。　　Mrs。　Eddy；
always　thoughtful；　has　promulgated　a　By…law　requiring　the　singing　of　one
of　her　three　hymns　in　the　Mother　Church　〃as　often　as　once　each　month。〃
It　is　a　good　idea。　　A　congregation　could　get　tired　of　even　Mrs。　Eddy's
muse　in　the　course　of　time；　without　the　cordializing　incentive　of
compulsion。　　We　all　know　how　wearisome　the　sweetest　and　touchingest
things　can　become；　through　rep…rep…repetition；　and　still　rep…rep…
repetition；　and　more　rep…rep…repetition…like　〃the　sweet　by…and…by；　in　the
sweet　by…and…by；〃　for　instance；　and　〃Tah…rah…rah　boom…de…aye〃；　and　surely
it　is　not　likely　that　Mrs。　Eddy's　machine　has　turned　out　goods　that　could
outwear　those　great　heart…stirrers；　without　the　assistance　of　the　lash。
〃O'er　Waiting　Harpstrings　of　the　Mind〃　is　pretty　good；　quite　fair　to
middlingthe　whole　seven　of　the　stanzasbut　repetition　would　be　certain
to　take　the　excitement　out　of　it　in　the　course　of　time；　even　if　there
were　fourteen；　and　then　it　would　sound　like　the　multiplication　table；　and
would　cease　to　save。　　The　congregation　would　be　perfectly　sure　to　get
tired；　in　fact；　did　get　tiredhence　the　compulsory　By…law。　　It　is　a
measure　born　of　experience；　not　foresight。

The　By…laws　say　that　〃if　a　solo　singer　shall　neglect　or　refuse　to　sing
alone〃　one　of　those　three　hymns　as　often　as　once　a　month；　and　oftener　if
so　directed　by　the　Board　of　Directorswhich　is　Mrs。　Eddythe　singer's
salary　shall　be　stopped。　　It　is　circumstantial　evidence　that　some
soloists　neglected　this　sacrament　and　others　refused　it。　　At　least　that
is　the　charitable　view　to　take　of　it。　　There　is　only　one　other　view　to
take：　that　Mrs。　Eddy　did　really　foresee　that　there　would　be　singers　who
would　some　day　get　tired　of　doing　her　hymns　and　proclaiming　the
authorship；　unless　persuaded　by　a　Bylaw；　with　a　penalty　attached。　　The
idea　could　of　course　occur　to　her　wise　head；　for　she　would　know　that　a
seven…stanza　break　might　well　be　a　calamitous　strain　upon　a　soloist；　and
that　he　might　therefore　avoid　it　if　unwatched。　　He　could　not　curtail　it；
for　the　whole　of　anything　that　Mrs。　Eddy　does　is　sacred；　and　cannot　be
cut。




BOARD　OF　EDUCATION

It　consists　of　four　members；　one　of　whom　is　President　of　it。　　Its　members
are　elected　annually。　　Subject　to　Mrs。　Eddy's　approval。　　Art。　　XXX。；　Sec。
2。

She　owns　the　Boardis　the　Board。

Mrs。　Eddy　is　President　of　the　Metaphysical　College。　　If　at　any　time　she
shall　vacate　that　office；　the　Directors　of　the　College　（that　is　to　say；
Mrs。　Eddy）　〃shall〃　elect　to　the　vacancy　the　President　of　the　Board　of
Education　（which　is　merely　re…electing　herself）。

It　is　another　case　of　〃Pastor　Emeritus。〃　　She　gives　up　the　shadow　of
authority；　but　keeps　a　good　firm　hold　on　the　substance。




PUBLIC　TEACHERS

Applicants　for　admission　to　this　industry　must　pass　a　thorough　three
days'　examination　before　the　Board　of　Education　〃in　Science　and　Health；
chapter　on　'Recapitulation'；　the　Platform　of　Christian　Science；　page　403
of　Christian　Science　Practice；　from　line　second　to　the　second　paragraph
of　page　405；　and　page　488；　second　and　third　paragraphs。〃




BOARD　OF　LECTURESHIP

The　lecturers　are　exceedingly　important　servants　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　and　she
chooses　them　with　great　care。　　Each　of　them　has　an　appointed　territory　in
which　to　perform　his　dutiesin　the　North；　the　South；　the　East；　the　West；
in　Canada；　in　Great　Britain；　and　so　onand　each　must　stick　to　his　own
territory　and　not　forage　beyond　its　boundaries。　　I　think　it　goes　without
sayingfrom　what　we　have　seen　of　Mrs。　Eddythat　no　lecture　is　delivered
until　she　has　examined　and　approved　it；　and　that　the　lecturer　is　not
allowed　to　change　it　afterwards。

The　members　of　the　Board　of　Lectureship　are　elected　annually

〃Subject　to　the　approval　of　Rev。　　Mary　Baker　G。　　Eddy。〃




MISSIONARIES

There　are　but　four。　　They　are　electedlike　the　rest　of　the　domestics
annually。　　So　far　as　I　can　discover；　not　a　single　servant　of　the　Sacred
Household　has　a　steady　job　except　Mrs。　Eddy。　　It　is　plain　that　she　trusts
no　human　being　but　herself。




THE　BY…LAWS

The　branch　Churches　are　strictly　forbidden　to　use　them。

So　far　as　I　can　see；　they　could　not　do　it　if　they　wanted　to。　　The　By…laws
are　merely　the　voice　of　the　master　issuing　commands　to　the　servants。
There　is　nothing　and　nobody　for　the　servants　to　re…utter　them　to。

That　useless　edict　is　repeated　in　the　little　book；　a　few　pages　farther
on。　　There　are　several　other　repetitions　of　prohibitions　in　the　book　that
could　be　spared…they　only　take　up　room　for　nothing。




THE　CREED
It　is　copyrighted。　　I　do　not　know　why；　but　I　suppose　it　is　to　keep
adventurers　from　some　day　claiming　that　they　invented　it；　and　not　Mrs。
Eddy　and　that　〃strange　Providence〃　that　has　suggested　so　many　clever
things　to　her。

No　Change。　　It　is　forbidden　to　change　the　Creed。　　That　is　important；　at
any　rate　。



COPYRIGHT

I　can　understand　why　Mrs。　Eddy　copyrighted　the　early　editions　and
revisions　of　Science　and　Health；　and　why　she　had　a　mania　for　copyrighting
every　scrap　of　every　sort　that　came　from　her　pen　in　those　jejune　days
when　to　be　in　print　probably　seemed　a　wonderful　distinction　to　her　in　her
provincial　obscurity；　but　why　she　should　continue　this　delirium　in　these
days　of　her　godship　and　her　far…spread　fame；　I　cannot　explain　to　myself。
And　particularly　as　regards　Science　and　Health。　　She　knows；　now；　that
that　Annex　is　going　to　live　for　many　centuries；　and　so；　what　good　is　a
fleeting　forty…two…year　copyright　going　to　do　it？

Now　a　perpetual　copyright　would　be　quite　another　matter。　　I　would　like　to
give　her　a　hint。　　Let　her　strike　for　a　perpetual　copyright　on　that　book。
There　is　precedent　for　it。　　There　is　one　book　in　the　world　which　bears
the　charmed　life　of　perpetual　copyright　（a　fact　not　known　to　twenty
people　in　the　world）。　　By　a　hardy　perversion　of　privilege　on　the　part　of
the　lawmaking　power　the　Bible　has　perpetual　copyright　in　Great　Britain。
There　is　no　justification　for　it　in　fairness；　and　no　explanation　of　it
except　that　the　Church　is　strong　enough　there　to　have　its　way；　right　or
wrong。　　The　recent　Revised　Version　enjoys　perpetual　copyright；　tooa
stronger　precedent；　even；　than　the　other　one。

Now；　then；　what　is　the　Annex　but　a　Revised　Version　itself？　　Which　of
course　it　isLord's　Prayer　and　all。　　With　tha