The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-06

What Mrs. Gilbert Says About Christian
sCIanGe-All Addicted To he Craze Mus
Consider Neither Husband, Wife MOI
Children,
Etw York Special 10 Chicago Tribune.
The publication Of the story OF the
way the Christian science craze has taken
hold Of the people at Long Branch and
the assertion that the "new religion
was only a cloak for free love has pro
yoked a storm Of criticism among the
disciples OF that doctrine, But 1t has
also brought to light some new facts in
relation 10 that so.called science. The
information comes from Mrs, Viola Gil
bert, who has accomplished valuable
work as a missionary In connection with
the Episcopal church. Strangely enough
she is q sister to Mrs, Mary Bentley
Plunkett.W orthington, whose divorce
from her husband aud marriage TO the
scoundrel Worthington on the Christian
science plan caused so much stir.
A reporter called upon Airs. Gilbert at
her home up town. She had written q
letter which she signed "Enlightened,"
In which she said that the Mary
Worthingtou, Plunkett affair wasenough
10 SHANE the VirtuoGs," aud that Mrs,
Eddy and the whole together are wolves
in sleeps clothing" When the repor.
ter called she expressed bitter sorrow at
the course adopted by her sister, the
ex.Mrs. Plunkett, who, she said, was
formerly an inidel, but had been 0 n
yerted by Mrs. Eddy. She said that
about two years since Mrs, Plunkett
had induced her to study and take les.
sous in Christian science. AS she felt
an intuitive aversion TO Mrs, Eddy, Mrs,
Gilbert paid $500 to a pupil OF the high
priestess in Boston, and was duly initla.
ted into the mysteries surrounding the
'%sciCnce."
at is nothing but intellectual psy.
chology that enables these people to
gain such influence over the minds oil
their pupils" she said. "My teacher
had great difficulty with me, because she
could not Brighten me and get me into
the almost mesmeriO state into which
her other pupils fell whenever they ap'
preached her, Christian science Is the
outcome OF the free love mesmeriC doc
trine. Mrs. Eddy Is, l am sure, OF the
dark regions. She has a dual nature.
There Is money in 1t, That is what she
and about one.lourth Of her followers
pursue II for. When they found that
was not to be deceived they tried to per-
suade me to teach Christian science In
order to make money. One well known
teacher told me that she had made over
$4,000 by it in q few months. l have
needed money, but | would rather beg
in the streets than gain 1t by advocating
this vile doctrine, aud | told them so.
Mrs. Eddy is not even the originator OF
this mental healing. She learned it
from IN eccentric old doctor named
Quimbly, who used to perform some
wonderful cures in Portland, Maine.
"But free love is atthe root" contin.
ued Mrs. Gilbert. "That attracts many
people, while others arc gained by the
money. Everything can DO had BY sin.
ply wishing for it. They are told that
they can be their own law In every re.
spect, that they are gods, and that fiat
ters and attracts them. Christian sci
ence is a cloak for free love. They all
have their a%tinities, aud their doctrine
Is that they shall consider neither hus'
band, wife or children, but only obey
their own impulses In this respect.
Free love Is not taught openly, but In a
subtle way II is at the root Oft all"