The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-06-20
cunIsTIAN BCIENon AND MRS,
PLuNKmpp,

The newspapers Of Chicago, New
York and Boston have been having
quite u bit 10 say recently about Mrs.
Pmnkett the leader In Christian Science,
because she has separated from her
husband, John j, and joined A, Bentley
Worthington, In what 10 termed soul
affinity u species Of soleness, void In
law.
Mrs plunkOtt has achieved fame as q
healer by thoBO,Called Christian Science
method She has u wide reputation In
that Held aud is said 10 have performed
some wonderful cures. Now that she
has rcpudiated her husband aud taken
u ao'called soul affinity IN A. Bentley
WOrlhlugton, tho newspapers referred
TO take II for granted that Christian
Science Ia responsible for the departure,
We notice that other advocates OF
Christian Science repudiate the soc call.
cd soul marriage OF Mrs, Plunkett and
claim that Christian Science has moth
Ing TO do with IL,
Now, we have no prejudice against
Christian Science, neither have we
any disposition 10 put faith
In IT, but We Insist that
its merits should not stand or fall with
the rise or fall OF Mrs. Plunkett,
There iSa reliable gentleman living
In Canton who knew Mrs, Pnnkett be.
fore the discovery Of Christian Science,
or NJ least before she became one of
tho leaders aud healers OF this magnetic
manipulation, This was some ten
years ago, when her husband, q pale,
small WASTED blonde, was n travelling
salesman for Detroit house, aud when
Mrs. Plunkctt, u frail, nervous woman,
with large black, Spanish eyes, full,
delicate mouth and dark, muddy com.
plOxlon, was u guest of the Riverside
Park Hotel on the Detroit river, owned
by Moses w. Field, the Detroit million.
airo. Moses w. Field died, less than u
year ago, and when he had been put
away IN his colin " was found that he
had lived u double life, and there was
q widow with twelve children, and u
mistress also, to weep around his bier.
Aud there were those NJ the Riverside
Park Hotel, more than ten years ago,
who said that the magnetic influence
Of Mrs. Plunkett, was the FIRST great
cause Of one OF the early "mistnkes OF
Moses -surnamed Field. Mrs, Plum,
kett's ideas Of soul affinity in our judg.
ment, ante.dates her espouBal OF the
doctrine of Christian science, and her
recent desertion ofPlunkett and absorp.
ton OF the so.called soul alllnity-A.
Bently Worthington-is not the result
of any transcendental doctrines, but the
out.cropping Of an intensely old Adam
nature. 10 may be true that there Is an
element Of mischief In the "Christlan
Science doctrine which leads naturally
into all sorts of fantastic eXcesseS. It's
principal teachers agree,we believe, that
there Is no such thing rs matter, and
that what seem obe our bodies are such
only In appearance, From this an eth
ereal moral philosophy might be evol'
we'd that IL all Of value IN our human ma
ture Ia soul, 10 would make but little
difference whether Mrs, Plunketts ply.
steal body was afflicted with Plunkett,
A, Bontly Worthlngton, or any other
man,
When people discard common sense
and pretend TO be inspired, there Is no
telling Just what Is liable to happen,
and this is probably what ails Mrs.
plunkett. We know but little about
the heallngs Of Christian Science, but
we shall Judge II on its merits, on q
common sense estimate, just as we
would estimate Mrs, Plunkett without
her hubby, or hobby. We don't think
Christian Science demoralzed Mrs,
plunkett. The seeds of social disorder
were eprouted in the Simeon Of her
soul, before she ever heard Of Christian
Science, or saw A. Bentley Worthing.
ton, her present soul affinity,
While Mrs. Plunkett has stood for
Christian Science, her fall does not pull
down science with II, provided there is
any such thing,
Of one thing there is no doubt. The
mind is apowerGul motor In influencing
the physical conditions OF the body
Where there Is no organic disease, why
should notmind influence, orwill power,
be utilized to exert control. Fora tape
worm, for instance, we should prefer y
dose OF creased horse hair TO cut the
critter up into chunks, rather than u
seanCe with the magnet Of Mrs Plum
lgett, but for q case Of monomania,
caused by grief or disappointment, or u
nervous headache, we can see how
Christian science, or the laying on Of
hands, might be more gratefully alleyia
ting than pill, or q stomach decoctIon
In Latin, by an allopath.
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