The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-07
MRs. EDDY WORTH MrLLIoNs.
Former Publisher Tells How She he
came wealthy.

from the Philadelphia North American.
whose testimony yesterday In the libel
suit brought by Mrs. Josephine c. Wood
bury against Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy,
the Mother of Christian Science" caused
a panic in the camp of the defendant, said
to-day that, although he did not have the
slightest pecuniary interest in the out
come of the case, he would like to see
the inside workings of the Christian
Science movement exposed.
In view of the fact that Mr.. Nixon was
Mrs Eddy's publisher for more than
three years, it is likely that he himsAIs
could tell a great deal of interest, If he
did not feel that it would be violation
of business ethics. On the witness stand
he testified that he was a Christian Scien-
list at the time he was Mrs. Eddy's pub
Usher, but was now no longer a Chris
tan Scientist. lie was in hopes counsel
for Mrs. Eddy would ask him why he
was no longer Christian Scientist, but
they were not so easily entrapped
Mr.. Nixon is now treasurer of the Shaw
Motor Vehicle Company, Is Court square,
this city. When asked to-day privately
10 explain what ever induced him to be-
come a Christian Scientist, and how he
came to lose faith in the movement he
said:
Drawn Into the Movement.
Il was drawn into the movement. like
others, because l believed that Christian
Science had the power to heal was
never healed of anything myself but |
had friends who attributed their cures TO
the Science. When became a Christian
Scientist l firmly believed that it could
do in the way of healing diseases all that
Mrs. Eddy said it could. l was cashier of
bank at Pierre, s. D., and I was in
Cuced to come on to Boston and take $500
worth of Christian Science lessons from
Mrs. Eddy. Then went back to Pierre
and after the lapse of several months,
when | 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.
In September, 1889, l took hold of the
publication business for her, and conduct
ed it until January, 1893. When took hold
the concern was in bad way financially.
1t had several hundred dollars of liabfli-
ties outstanding against it, and practic-
ally nothing to meet the payments. When
I qmt-for conscientious reasons-I left d
balance of $1,000 in the treasury OF course
all that was published did not go to Chris
tan Science
Mrs. Eddys Science and Health, With
Key to the Scriptures was published by
me on a royalty. The volumes cost AZ
cents to produce, and sold from 50 to sc.
according to the binding. Thus if Mrs.
Eddy's recent published statements be
correct-that she has sold over 100000 vol
umes-she must have cleared from $780,
0oo to 100000 net on the sale of her
Science of Health alone.
She Is Worth 50 OO0.On
And if her other published statement
is correct-that she has personally taught
400 Christian Science pupils, all of
whom must have paid $500 each and MANY
who paid more-she has cleared over 81. :
100000 in her lessons to pupils We would
roughly estimate that she has taken in
in round numbers $2,0O0,0OO As Mrs.
Eddy is very matter-of-fact woman in
all material matters except her theory
that there is no matter, and has invested
in land extensively, she can easily be
rated now as very substantial million
ARE"
But what caused yop to lose your
faith in Christian Scence?' he was ask
ed.
My knowledge of the inside workings
of the publication of the Eddy works
forced upon me the overwhelming conelu-
sion that the whole thing was but one
645dHliC UIOIey -f1dklDR SCneme. L lost
all faith in the theory itself from having
become acquainted with it's innumerable
failure to cure disease. 1 also lost all
confidence in Mrs Eddy as the divine
revelator of any spiritual message I still
had confidence in the well-known psychic
law that many persons afflicted with sup
posed constitutional troubles would get
well if only sufficient confidence could be
aroused in them to make them get up and
bestir themselves, take exercise and stop
thinking of illness.
Cures From Natural Laws.
But / saw that those cures were the
result of natural laws irrespective of any
Christian Science. I then attributed Mrs
Eddys success in her so-called cures to
ner knowledge of the same psychic law,
obtained, no doubt, from her former as
sociate, DR.. Quimby, and to her slight
knowledge of homeopathy.
found that one could not remain in a
position of responsibility in connection
with the movement without intrigue and
hypocrisy; and l saw that the only honest
persons in the movement were those who
were blinded by the same deluslons which
tricked me into the fold in 1889. For a
long time before l decided to give UP the
whole thing my doubt was growing. Each
DAY 1t got stronger until at last found
mat could no longer remain Christian
Scientist accepting money for the teach
ing of one of the most pernicious delu-
sions of modern times But as for any
real Christian spirit that might be sup
posed to be in the movement, that is illus
trated by the way in which Mrs. Wood
bury was treated.
Indian More MercifuI.
Il am not here to defend Mrs Wood
bury but l do say that in dealing with
her they did not initiate Jesus of Naza-
reth. 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. l have lived among the
sioux Indians and / verify believe that
the Sioux Indians show more genuine
justice In dealing with their victims than
Ha the Christian Scientists with Mrs.
woodbury.; for the Sioux Indians always
grant to the accused the right of speech
70 sT~te his side of the case. In Mrs.
"oodbury's case she was excommuni-
Gated forever without any opportunity to
be heard.
beIeve me, as one who was once on
Ne inside, one who went into the move
ulent honestly and could not conscien-
uously remain in it-Christian Science is
monumental humbug. 1t has seen it's
sIeatest prosperity as a money-making
euerprise, and a few more trials like
'lis VIII lay bare its skeleton closets.
mrs. Eddy dares not, in my opinion,
20 through the ordeal of a cross-exarnira-