The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-04

beyond these accepted beliefs and pos
itiveIy states that she and her earnest
disciples (the first perhaps since the
time of the Saviour) can reduce these
theories to the practices Of common life
and perform what have universally
been regarded as miracles-by healing
the sick causing the lame to walk, the
deaf to hear, the blind to see-that the
world in general fails to follow her.
She has ventured. say her opponents.
into that realm where angels fear to
tread" on to that debatable ground be-
yond human ken-the borderland be-
tween earth and heaven.
notwithstanding assertion and denial
that ground is stif debatabIe. and to en-
ter upon n discussion Of the questions
involved would in this instance be a
fruitless task. 1t is sufficient to the
purpose to take cOgnizance Of Christian
Science as recently promulgated cult,
which may either have within IL the
qualities of permanence. as claimed by
its professors. or be merely a meteor or
comet flashing its brief existence across
the sky.
The personality of Mrs. Eddy, the IN
terpreter Of Christian Science to the
masses. whose voluminous writings
have been accepted by her followers
and who is the recognized head of their
church, is no less interesting than the
faith which she has so long and so per-
sistently advocated. The date of her
birth is not given in her published bioB-
raphies, but that she is no longer young
may be inferred from the fact that she
was first married in 1S43 and that she
dates the discovery of her system from
1866. She was born near Concord, N. H.,
in which city she now resides the great
er part of the year and has a beautiful
home She is the daughter Of Mark
Baker, farmer, and comes of hOnored
Revolutionary srock. She was very pi-
Gus as a child and early Joined the Con-
gregational church of her native town.
with which body she retained connec-
ton until she founded a church and re-
ligion of her own.
It was after she was married and
while living in Lynn, Mass. that the
revelation came to her anent the sect
of which she was to be the founder
Suffering from the effects of a fail, con
fined to her bed, her life despaired of by
her family physician, she summoned to
her aid, she says, the divine assistance
of which the Bible gives so many prom
ises and surprised her family by sud-
denly rising from her siclxbed and walk
ing to them. healed and free" From
this miraculous restoration" she de-
clares, dates the birth of Christian
Science" although her enemies say she
had adopted and adapted the theories Of
a professor of mental healing and mes
merism-
From the date of her recovery, Mrs
Eddy says. she devoted herself to the
perfection of her system in order to be
able to communicate to others the glad
tidings of emancipation of the spirit
from the bondage of the flesh. In 1875 she
Published her Science Of Health, With
Key to the Scriptures" and has con-
tinued to write ever since. her published
volumes at present being nearly dog
en- in number. It was in 1867 that She
taught her first pupil and IA years later
that she opened the Massachusetts Met
aphysical college in Boston, with her
self as president. (which was "the only
one holding a charter for teaching pa
thology of spiritual power. otherwise
the science of mind healing"
The Bible, Milton, Shakespeare and
works of like elevated character had
been her study and meditation for
years, and the store of knowledge they
impaired she poured forth in her books
and in her discourses. She became the
pastor of the first church. for which she
received a charter in 1870, and since
then it is claimed. its membership has
increased from the original 26 to 1900
Fifteen years later her adherents erect
ed a church in Boston at q cost of more
than 100000 She was made pastor
emeritus, drew up the plan of church
government and the following year
preached in accordance with the tenets
previously cited) which she proclaimed
in 1892.
Five hundred other congregations, it
is averred, have sprung from the parent
church, and 1t was only last February
that a magnificent white MARBLE steel
and bronze structure, known as the
Second Church of Christ, Scientist. -
was erected in New York at Sixty
eighth street and Central Park West
TRUMAN L. ELTON.