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christian science-第22部分
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Now; then; what is the Annex but a Revised Version itself? Which of
course it isLord's Prayer and all。 With that pair of formidable
British precedents to proceed upon; what Congress of ours
But how short…sighted I am。 Mrs。 Eddy has thought of it long ago。 She
thinks of everything。 She knows she has only to keep her copyright of
1902 alive through its first stage of twenty…eight years; and perpetuity
is assured。 A Christian Science Congress will reign in the Capitol then。
She probably attaches small value to the first edition (1875)。 Although
it was a Revelation from on high; it was slim; lank; incomplete; padded
with bales of refuse rags; and puffs from lassoed celebrities to fill it
out; an uncreditable book; a book easily sparable; a book not to be
mentioned in the same year with the sleek; fat; concise; compact;
compressed; and competent Annex of to…day; in its dainty flexible covers;
giltedges; rounded corners; twin screw; spiral twist; compensation
balance; Testament…counterfeit; and all that; a book just born to curl up
on the hymn…book…shelf in church and look just too sweet and holy for
anything。 Yes; I see now what she was copyrighting that child for。
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
It is true in matters of business Mrs。 Eddy thinks of everything。 She
thought of an organ; to disseminate the Truth as it was in Mrs。 Eddy。
Straightway she started onethe Christian Science Journal。
It is truein matters of business Mrs。 Eddy thinks of everything。 As
soon as she had got the Christian Science Journal sufficiently in debt to
make its presence on the premises disagreeable to her; it occurred to her
to make somebody a present of it。 Which she did; along with its debts。
It was in the summer of 1889。 The victim selected was her Church
called; in those days; The National Christian Scientist Association。
She delivered this sorrow to those lambs as a 〃gift〃 in consideration of
their 〃loyalty to our great cause。〃
Alsostill thinking of everythingshe told them to retain Mr。 Bailey in
the editorship and make Mr。 Nixon publisher。 We do not know what it was
she had against those men; neither do we know whether she scored on
Bailey or not; we only know that God protected Nixon; and for that I am
sincerely glad; although I do not know Nixon and have never even seen
him。
Nixon took the Journal and the rest of the Publishing Society's
liabilities; and demonstrated over them during three years; then brought
in his report:
〃On assuming my duties as publisher; there was not a dollar in the
treasury; but on the contrary the Society owed unpaid printing and paper
bills to the amount of several hundred dollars; not to mention a
contingent liability of many more hundreds〃represented by advance
subscriptions paid for the Journal and the 〃Series;〃 the which goods Mrs。
Eddy had not delivered。 And couldn't; very well; perhaps; on a
Metaphysical College income of but a few thousand dollars a day; or a
week; or whatever it was in those magnificently flourishing times。 The
struggling Journal had swallowed up those advance…payments; but its
〃claim〃 was a severe one and they had failed to cure it。 But Nixon cured
it in his diligent three years; and joyously reported the news that he
had cleared off all the debts and now had a fat six thousand dollars in
the bank。
It made Mrs。 Eddy's mouth water。
At the time that Mrs。 Eddy had unloaded that dismal gift on to her
National Association; she had followed her inveterate custom: she had
tied a string to its hind leg; and kept one end of it hitched to her
belt。 We have seen her do that in the case of the Boston Mosque。 When
she deeds property; she puts in that string…clause。 It provides that
under certain conditions she can pull the string and land the property in
the cherished home of its happy youth。 In the present case she believed
that she had made provision that if at any time the National Christian
Science Association should dissolve itself by a formal vote; she could
pull。
A year after Nixon's handsome report; she writes the Association that she
has a 〃unique request to lay before it。〃 It has dissolved; and she is
not quite sure that the Christian Science Journal has 〃already fallen
into her hands〃 by that act; though it 〃seems〃 to her to have met with
that accident; so she would like to have the matter decided by a formal
vote。 But whether there is a doubt or not; 〃I see the wisdom;〃 she says;
〃of again owning this Christian Science waif。〃
I think that that is unassailable evidence that the waif was making
money; hands down。
She pulled her gift in。 A few years later she donated the Publishing
Society; along with its real estate; its buildings; its plant; its
publications; and its moneythe whole worth twentytwo thousand
dollars; and free of debtto Well; to the Mother…Church!
That is to say; to herself。 There is an act count of it in the Christian
Science Journal; and of how she had already made some other handsome
gifts to her Churchand others to to her Cause besides 〃an almost
countless number of private charities〃 of cloudy amount and otherwise
indefinite。 This landslide of generosities overwhelmed one of her
literary domestics。 While he was in that condition he tried to express
what he felt:
〃Let us endeavor to lift up our hearts in thankfulness to 。 。 。 our
Mother in Israel for these evidences of generosity and self…sacrifice
that appeal to our deepest sense of gratitude; even while surpassing our
comprehension。〃
A year or two later; Mrs。 Eddy promulgated some By…laws of a self…
sacrificing sort which assuaged him; perhaps; and perhaps enabled his
surpassed comprehension to make a sprint and catch up。 These are to be
found in Art。 XII。; entitled。
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SOCIETY
This Article puts the whole publishing business into the hands of a
publishing Boardspecial。 Mrs。 Eddy appoints to its vacancies。
The profits go semi…annually to the Treasurer of the Mother…Church。 Mrs。
Eddy owns the Treasurer。
Editors and publishers of the Christian Science Journal cannot be elected
or removed without Mrs。 Eddy's knowledge and consent。
Every candidate for employment in a high capacity or a low one; on the
other periodicals or in the publishing house; must first be 〃accepted by
Mrs。 Eddy as suitable。〃 And 〃by the Board of Directors〃which is
surplusage; since Mrs。 Eddy owns the Board。
If at any time a weekly shall be started; 〃it shall be owned by The First
Church of Christ; Scientist〃which is Mrs。 Eddy。
CHAPTER VIII
I think that any one who will carefully examine the By…laws (I have
placed all of the important ones before the reader); will arrive at the
conclusion that of late years the master…passion in Mrs。 Eddy's heart is
a hunger for power and glory; and that while her hunger for money still
remains; she wants it now for the expansion and extension it can furnish
to that power and glory; rather than what it can do for her towards
satisfying minor and meaner ambitions。
I wish to enlarge a little upon this matter。 I think it is quite clear
that the reason why Mrs。 Eddy has concentrated in herself all powers; all
distinctions; all revenues that are within the command of the Christian
Science Church Universal is that she desires and intends to devote them
to the purpose just suggestedthe upbuilding of her personal glory
hers; and no one else's; that; and the continuing of her name's glory
after she shall have passed away。 If she has overlooked a single power;
howsoever minute; I cannot discover it。 If she has found one; large or
small; which she has not seized and made her own; there is no record of
it; no trace of it。 In her foragings and depredations she usually puts
forward the Mother…Churcha lay figureand hides behind it。 Whereas;
she is in manifest reality the Mother…Church herself。 It has an
impressive array of officials; and committees; and Boards of Direction;
of Education; of Lectureship; and so ongeldings; every one; shadows;
spectres; apparitions; wax…figures: she is supreme over them all; she can
abolish them when she will; blow them out as she would a candle。 She is
herself the Mother…Church。 Now there is one By…law which says that the
Mother…Church:
〃shall be officially controlled by no other church。〃
That does not surprise uswe know by the rest of the By…laws that that
is a quite irrelevant remark。 Yet we do vaguely and hazily wonder why
she takes the trouble to say it; why she wastes the words; what her
object can beseeing that that emergency has been in so many; many ways;
and so effectively and drastically barred off and made impossible。 Then
presently the object begins to dawn upon us。 That is; it does after we
have read the rest of the By…law three or four times; wondering and
admiring to see Mrs。 EddyMrs。 EddyMrs。 Eddy; of all personsthrowing
away power! making a fair exchangedoing a fair thing for once more;
an almost generous thing! Then we look it through yet once more
unsatisfied; a little suspiciousand find that it is nothing but a sly;
thin make…believe; and that even the very title of it is a sarcasm and
embodies a falsehood〃self〃 government:
〃Local Self…Government。 The First Church of Christ; Scientist; in
Boston; Massachusetts; shall assume no official control of other churches
of this denomination。 It shall be officially controlled by no other
church。〃
It has a most pious and deceptive give…and…take air of perfect fairness;
unselfishness; magnanimityalmost godliness; indeed。 But it is all art。
In the By…laws; Mrs。 Eddy; speaking by the mouth of her other self; the
Mother…Church; proclaims that she will assume no official control of
other churches…branch churches。 We examine the other By…laws; and they
answer some important questions for us:
1。 What is a branch Church? It is a body of Christian Scientists;
organized in the one and only permissible wayby a member; in good
standing; of the Mother…Church; and who is also a pupil of one of Mrs。
Eddy's accredited students。 That is to say; one of her properties。 No
other can do it。 There are other indispensable requisites; what are
they?
2。 The
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