The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-11
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS.

Growing out of the libel suit brought
by Mrs. Josephine c. Woodbury. against
Mrs. Eddy. the Mother of Christian
Science" the most interesting and in
=structive document we have seen, is a
: communication or letter sent from Bos-
ton on eth. 1t is the testimony Of Will
liam G. Nixon who was Mrs. Eddy's
publisher for three years, but is not
now, nor IS he any longer a member
of that new sect. He was in hopes that
when on the stand the lawyers for the
defence would have catechised him as
to why he was no longer n of the
so-called Christian Scientists" He has
been Investigated privately since and
he tells much OF public interest. OF his
conversion to Christian Science in the
eighties he says:
81 was drawn into the movement,
like others, because I believed that
Christian Science had the power to
heal. I was never healed of anything
myself, but / a friends who attri-
buted their cures to the Science. When
L became a Christian Scientist 1 firmly
believed that it oul do in the way of
healing disease all that Mrs. Eddy said
1t could. I was asher OF a bank at
Pierre. s.. D.. and I was induced to
come on TO Boston n take $500 worth
OF Christian Science lessons from Mrs.
Eddy. Then / went back to Pierre,
and after the lapse of several months.
when I saw a favorable opportunity to
pull up stakes. / did so, and came to
Boston to accept the proposition of
Mrs. Eddy to publish her writings"
He says she is worth. he thinks some
81 900, 900 and he gives figures to sustain
his opinion. He says it cost AZ cents
to produce her books. which sell for
from So to Sc according to binding.
Sic says she has sold over o ,O0O. If
so she has netted from $500. 900 to $780,
900. She has taught, she says, person
ally 1000 pupils at a cost of $500 each
total cleared 81, 2OO, 900. AS to his quit
ting her and her theories, etc. he said
he lost faith because of his knowledge
of the inside workings of the publica-
tien of the Eddy works forced pom me
h overwhelming conclusion that the
whole thing was but one gigantic
money-making scheme. 1 lost all faith
in the theory itself from having be-
come acquainted with it's innumerable
failures to cure disease. 1 also lost all
confidence in Mrs. Eddy as the divine
Arevelator of any spiritual message"
He found that the cures wrought
'"were the result of natural laws ire
spective of any Christian Science. 1
then attributed Mrs. Eddy's success in
her so-called cures to her knowledge
of the same psychic law, obtained, no
<J0r1ht FROM ha- former aSSnciafa Dr
Quia;by, and to her slight knowledge of
homeopathy.
81 found that one could not remain
in a position of responsibility in con-
nection with the movement without in
trigue and hypocrisy"
He severed his connection as a con-
sequence. He toll of the very bad
treatment of Mrs. Woodbury.. He says
that "they did not try to throw any
Christian mantle of charity over this
unfortunate woman. They did not
even treat her with the rudimentary
justice of an Indian. 1 have lived
among the Sioux Indians and 1 verify
believe that the Sioux Indians show
more genuine Justice in dealing with
their victims than did the Christian
Scientists with Mrs. Woodbury."
He is clear and emphatic as to the
delusion and humbuggery of the whole
thing. He says
believe me. as one who was once on
the inside, one who went into the
movement honestly and could not con-
scientiouSly remain in it-ChriStian
Science is a monumental humbug. 1t
has seen it's greatest prosperity as a
money-making enterprise. and a few
more trials like this will lay bare its
skeleton closets"
He says Mrs. Eddy is infirm and old.
and yet her system should prevent this.
He says "she will never give the public
an opportunity to see how near she is
to dissolution and collapse.
yet her followers, still blinded by
their belief in her divine mission on
earth. are swayed by her slightest wish.
The fiat a gone forth that when she
sent the message about the Babylon
ish woman she did not mean Mrs.
woodbury., and although every Chris
tan Scientist who heard that message
knew full well that Mrs. Woodbury. was
the woman intended"
He has been out for several years
perhaps eight.