The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND WOMEN.
The Singular Power of Platitudes on
the "Female Mind"

Correspondence New York Evening Post.
In bringing this interpretive system to
bear upon healing, the femininity of IL is
unimpeachable. The process is exactly the
same as that instinctively employed by the
female sensibilities in dealing with the dis
agreeable persons and things OF ordinary
life. That Is 10 say, sickness Is snubbed
and is expected to retire promptly from the
presence of a superior persoG. who first re-
fuses to recognize 1t and then threatens to
scold it. 1t is useless to deny that the sick
ness very often does retire. Nervous head
ache and neuralgia frequently sneak out OF
sight rather than wrestle with the obdurate
mentality OF the practitioner, very mucn as
You have seen the master OF the house sink
away when the spiritual part of the estab-
lishment threatened to become implacably
oracular.
1 think that, with due respect to Matthew
Arnold we are entitled to call this sweet
unreasonabeness. IF men were not afraid
of DEATH" says Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy,
wo%id dr mot man wonId assert his
selfhood. Does any one need to be told that
such bolts Of wisdom cannot be shot from a
masculine mind that has had some expert
ence with fire and water? If one should be
informed that two parallel lines will inclose
a space and a part viii become greater
bear upon them the might of ones selfhood
1t would not dislOdge materialism; 1t would
only confuse the standards by which we ar
rive at any truth whatever, and there is
something In the very texture OF SUCH
claims that takes them over from the hui
man complex to the painfully isolated di-
vine feminine. And in all cases the desci-
pies retain the sentiment which outwits, IL
1t does not battle, reason. The most inter-
esting of them get behind mother" when
they see realism or logic approaching, and
hide under the wing of sex. 1t Is hedg-
ling trick and makes realism feel ike a
During my stay in Boston a copy of the
Christian Science Monthly was put into my
hands, and on its editorial page / read the
following: Christian Science SpoonS-On
each Of these most beautiful spoons Is mot
to in as-relief that every person on eartn
needs to hold in thought, Mother requests
that Christian scientists shall not ask to be
informed what this motto is, but each
scientist shall purchase at least one spoon.
spoons. that their families ay read this
motto at every meal and their guests be
made partakers of its simple truth
MARY BAKER g. EDDY"
/ looked at the young woman who pointed
this out to me. She seemed to be waiting
for an expression of my opinion. 1 thought
afterwards of Amiel's remark that the sexes
do not speak the same language. They are
constantly trying to interpret each other.
What l said to the young woman was this:
IF Mrs Eddy is In possession Of d truth u,
thought, and will not give 1t up till the
world buys her spoons. then her frugality is
That at least, will swear, was candid and
Ineligible. But my young friend did not
understand a word Of it. What she said in
wanted you to buy SPOON" There are
azure depths here where realism must kick
on Its sandals. and, with the aid Of its self
hood, dive down for dollar.
Mrs. Baker G. Eddy claims to have cured
cancer and consumption In the last stages
by Christian science. when the knife and
failed. This claim in itself is not peculiarly
feminine, but the impossbility of holding
Mrs. Eddy to 1t is. The medical profession
with one accord acknowledged its instant
Willingness 10 throw away its drugs and its
instruments and kiss the hem of her gar
ment If she would furnish one meager scrap
~ Two hot l,D1
thing of the kind. How deliciously feminine
was Mrs. Eddy's conduct. She bowed her
shutters. let down her curtains, climbed
upon her tripod. and gave the astral sign:
Mother requests that you will not ask for
proof but hold her revelations in thought
and buy her spoons"
q Promethean blaze with the firefiies of
Mani there occurred In Boston q case of
Seastc 10 an eV orthodox Is Ss
patient came under the successive treat
ment of the feminine scientists and the
was given him by Christian science was as
The simple knowledge that the creative
you well must be held in thought
To observe slightly congested brain try
ing to screw Itself to this subjective point
was liable to make coup de solefl con-
tagious. The man had already been
knocked fiat by the creative influence of
the universe and he wanted to get on his
feet. The later physician told him that he
must give up trying to discover his self
hood and step his thinker in a dark, cool
room with Ice on his head These d.
vergent methods reminded me of that BaIti-
more man who applied to the astrologer
to find out the cause Of his wife's death
and was told that the scheme of the
heavens showed that the moon had been ar
fiicted by the fiery opposition of Mars. and
that Venus, ruling the ascendant had az
fected the semi-square of Jupiter and dis
turbed the sesqui-quadrants OF the sun
Hence the death: The realistic coroner said
1t was canned lobster.
The mortal physician. 1T is true, cannot
"counterpoise man from the dust" but one
can steep the selfhood in the benign I,ethe
of sleep and Inconsistencies which is a
terrible affiiction to the confident egotism
but Is very often natures own panacea