The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-10
NEW CHRISTIAN.DIYORCE
UNMARRYING AND REMARRYING
OF A FAITH CURE PRIEsTESS.

Mrs. Plunkett United the Old Bond
and Tied the New Herseif-Is Chris
tian Science Going to Follow the
Lead2
From the Neto York Sun.
There are about 100000 Christian
Scientists in the United States now, and
great many are in New York and other
eastern cities John J. Plunkett and his
wife, Mary H Plunkett, are among the
most active of the leaders. They founded
the New York school at ID West Forty
second street about two years ago, and es-
tablished the International Magazine of
Christian Science. They stood right up at
the altar of the faith and in its pulpit. and
gained recognition as the chief man and the
chief woman in the growing army of the
new creed. Hundreds and hundreds of be-
levers looked up to Mr. Punkest and Mrs
Plunkett as being perfect, as being the
ideals among men and women whom others
should take for their models in thought and
action.
That is what Mr.. PIunkett and Mrs
Plunkett have been told by their disciples
Now they are worrying. They are worry
ing because they have gone off and divorced
| themselves, and they don't know Just how
the Christian Scientists will look upon the
matter. What complexities the the question
is that Mrs. Plunkett has taken to herself a
new husband. He is A Bently Worthing-
| ton, and his acquaintance with Mrs. Plum
kett stands out as the beginning point of
| the entire trouble.
Mr.. and Mrs. Plunkett were married
about twenty years ago. She is just one
| year past 40 and he is three years her
| junior Both are good looking. He is tall
and light in skin and hair His face is in
tellectual in cast, and b -eaks into smiles all
over at the end of every other sentence. His
voice Is smooth and his manner is restrained.
She is vivaclous and sometimes rather ear
nest, with a low voice, musical. ana oftener
| persuasive tnan argumentative Her face
| Is handsome aud rather matronly, but
doesn't look old, although her nair is get
| ting gray, and she has two children. Her
! eyes are blue, and sparkle as her lips form
| into winning smiles They were married
in Massachusetts,, and Pearl, their daughter,
is II years old, while Paul, the boy, is s. II
was not many years ago that they took up
| christian science, but since then they have
practiced in Chicago, Detroit, San Fran
| cisco, Washington and in and near New
| York.
Mr. Worthington is 43 years old, and
| lived in San Francisco from the time he
1
| was interested in mines and had some
money, so that he didn't have to work hard
| for living. He was always interested in
| spiritual affairs, and studded other religions
than the Orthodox with eagerness. While
| on hiS way to Europe six months ago he
heard Of Mrs. Plunketts teachings, and
| sought her. He became her pupil, and gave
| up his trip to Europe. 1t did not take long
for him to become intimately associated
| with the Plunkett establishment in both its
| domestic and business aspects.
| Mr.. Plunkett did not object seriously to
| Mr.. Worthington's business arrangements.
but he looked with displeasure upon the
| growing intimacy between him and Mrs.
| Plunkett. The atmosphere of ID West
Forty-second street, tbs publication office
of the monthly magazine, the healing parlor
of the doctor and his wife. otherwise the
temple of the faith, became cold for Mr..
| Plunkett, and he felt as if he were being
| frozen out.
About this time-March last-Mrs. Plum
kett went to Washington ID teach class.
| While she was there Mr.. Blunkett grew
uneasy lie wanted to have his wife and
himself separated, for he felt their married
life, after the appearance of Mr.. Worthing-
| ton, had become a sham. But it is against
the creed of the Christian Scientist to en-.
ploy lawyer, just as it is forbidden to en-
gage worldly physician. So Mr.. Plunkett
did not know just what course to follow.
He says that telegram was sent him
from Washington saying that his wife was
sick and that he was required there He
went there and saw her. They had a talk
about their relations. The result of it was
the writing by Mrs Mabel L. Mccoy of the
following document:
1--WE, the undersigned, have dedicated
our lives to the service of The Good, and
determined to spe TX, act, and live in ac-
cordance with it, do declare, both to you
who faithfully serve and to you who ear.
nestly seek the truth, as follows:
"For many years we have recognized that
the affection between us was purely fra
ternal and we have lived and worked to-
gether as friends. Having feared the result
of its publication and the possibility of our
example proving dangerous to others. we
have hitherto concealed this fact. We have
now gained ripper wisdom; we know with
deep and glad certainty that truth always
and everywhere proves a blessing not a
curse; we know that our action, far from
being stumbling block, will aid the many
who are striving to solve the same problem.
We, therefore. from the most profound con-
| viction of duty, to jointly declare our mar.
riage contract null and void in SO far as it
lies IN our power to render it so. In thus
candidly taking this stand before human
ity, whom we love and try to serve, we
| experience that peace which passeth un.
| Outstanding" which the world and the
opipion of the world cannot give or disturb.
The truth has made us freel"
| Mrs. Mccoy is sister of Mrs. Plunkett,
and has been an advocate of the doctrine OF
| affinity-that is, that everybody was born
to be the mate ia life of some other particu,
lar body. She imbued Mrs. Plunkett with
this idea and Mrs Plunke in turn got
| filed up with the notion that Mr.. Worth
ington was her affinity. He seems to have
thought so too. Anyway, Mr. Plunkett
and his wife signed the paper of separation
The next day Mrs. Plunkets suggested
that their action would ciuse unfavorable
comment among their followers, and might
be construed so as to damage their standing
as teachers. She proposed that the agree
ment be kept secret, but that they adhere
| to it all the sama. Mr.. Plunkett assented.
Soon after this Mrs. Plunkett changed her
mind. and he pu 5lished it in the April num-
Der of the International Magazine OF
Christian Science
Mr.. Worthington doomed up larger and
larger on Mrs. Plankett's horizon as her
affinity and Mr.. Plunkett dwindled, and
finally dwinded out of the temple, and
with his books and clothes, set up a new
establishment at 125 West Forty. second
street. Then Mr.. Worthingtoa and Mrs.
Plunkett thought together about what to
do, and soon became convinced that they
ought to enter into the marriage relation.
| They that it was a delicate thing to