The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-10-07

Science and Mrs. Eddy's book, Science
and Health. Mark Twain has never
been known 10 take deep interest In
religious matters, and Of course he does
not treat the newest Of organized
churches at all seriously. III a tribute
10 his skill az literary entertainer that
he could write equally as humorous an
article about the "Hardshell" Baptists
or the high-church people, and II is an
evidence Of greater public interest in
Christian Science that he has selected
that theme for u popular magazine.
Mrs. Eddy's book is written upon high
plane of Christian thought. Her phil.
osophy is admitted TO be founded on
principles Of Metaphysics that are un-
assailabe. The best informed thcolo-
gians agree that Mrs. Eddy has taken
the ground out from under the feet Of q
score Of hali.baked systems that never
started right, have been imperfcctly de-
yeloped aud lead 10 no solid conclusions.
The medical schools and theological
schools suffer alike at the hands Of this
clear-brained business New England
woman, and the theory that Mark Twain
Is jealous Of her as writer and thinker,
who appeals 10 possibly more people
than he does, can alone explain his at
tempt to beittlo her literary talents.
lie expends his powers ON the art oi
Christian healing, but as that IL n ques-
tion Of fact he can be rcfutcd by anyone
who claims TO have been healed
by Mrs. Eddy's teachings. As
almost none have joined Mrs. Eddy's
organizations hut persons who have
been helped, they are ~ rule unin.
iluenced by the arts Of logic or powers
Of ridicule. The man In the Scripture
who had been blind was asked how he
had been healed. lie did not know,
"but this do know, whereas was once
blind, now can see. II Mrs. Eddy's
students can get the benefits they claim
from her system, and be- Christians to
their own satisfaction, they will laugh
and grow fat over Mark Twain's ridicule
and probably enjoy life more than he
does who for pay will write To ridicule
another's religion.
Small, Maynard y Co., Boston have
published "a Local llabitation" by
Walter Leon Sawyer II IL close
study aud observation of life ina board,
ing.house district In large city. It is
good naturcd aud az true small life
study Us anything opic Read or IIamlin
Garland have done. Price Sl.25.
lIarper's Weekly, Saturday Evening
Post and New York Life have each
given the public highly artistic colored
editions of Dewey numbers OF their
The Northwest has now three publ.
cations contending for literary fame,
The State ot Tacoma, the Pacific Of Port
land and the Native Son of Oregon An
three are edited with ability aud have
some advertising support, This is Il re-
markable record for region so thinly
settled as Oregon and Washington, when
We consider that states like Iowa aud
Minnesota have been unable to keep
alive such publications. On recent
tour OF tho East il afforded the writer
not little satisfaction TO say; "lIere
Is a magazine published in our state. It
has a high standard of literary excel
enee and the articles aud poems are
'bout Oregon and mainly by Oregon
Eriters" For eyenness OF tone and
'uply literary merit the Pacific
Monthly surpasses any publication in
he West. "rhe State Possesses great
,olitical yigor and the Native Son is de-
'oted TO the order it represents and is at
he same time historical magazine,
;yory citizen OF the Northwest should \
eel able 10 invest dollar year in at
east one oi these publications, la which
We should have more pride than in our
ky-scRpers.