The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-13
MOTHER EDDY'S FORTUNE.
James Creelman Writes of the Fa-
nous Woman and Her Work.

James Creelman, writing in the New
York World. says: Not only has Mrs.
Eddy. the thrice married and aged
founder of the Christian Science move
nent added more than 81, 500, 600 to her
private fortune by directing the zeal of
her followers a,>i agents in her care
fully organized money making system,
but the 5000 professional healerS who
ply their business in her name charge
as much for mental treatment" as
regular physicians
The charges of the healers range from
81 to $40 for such treatment. Assuming
that the average healer makes IS a day,
the total earnings OF the 5000 Christian
Scientists, aside from free patients, will
amount to s5.475.000 q year.
These millions go into the pockets of
the healers- Mrs. Eddys present in
come is largely confined to the sale of
! Science churches being an agency for
their sale. If the ordinary layman
should attempt to earn a living by prac-
ticing any art of healing, he would, I'M
1 less he was a regularly licensed Dhysi-
clan, be liable to fine or IMPRISONMENT
I Yet there are ECO unlicensed persons
e49sag ed i'm this lucrative business in the
4 United States
/ 1t is this powerful business organiza-
/ ton which enables Mrs. Eddy to live on
her fine estate in New HAMPSHIRE and
I defy investigation. From her luxurious
residence she sends each year mes
sage to the mother church" written
after the fashion of the apostolic epiS-
ties. but she carefully refrains from
giving an account of the enormous pri-
vate fortune she is accommodating.
There are something like 100000 mem
bors OF her 700 churches, and perhaps
100000 sympathizers the great MAORI
ty of them sincere believers
Mrs Eddy claims that Christian Sci
ence was revealed to her by God in 1866.
There is in the Respondent mother
,,fh es- CHI, in ma int
ing of the horsehair chair in which she
sat when the divine communication was
made. It is an object of profound rever-
ence to her followers.
But after this supposed revelation
from God Mrs Eddy went to live in
SStuug htun. Mass. where she claimed to
be disciple of Or. Quimby. a hypno-
tic quack. whom she met in Portland.
Me, in 1864 There are persons in
StOughtOn today who bear witness that
Mrs Eddy made no pretense in 1868
1869 or 1870 of having had a revelation
from God She was teacher of Dr.
Quimby's system of healing. and so de-
clared herself.
Even in 1881. when Mrs Eddy estab-
lished in Boston what she called the
Massachusetts Metaphysical college, and
taught 4.G00 pupils her art of healing
q $500 apiece for a three weeks course,
she made no attempt to shelter her bus
mess enterprise behind the name of a
religion.
It was after the stern attitude of the
Pcston authorities had forced her to
abandon her college," with its illegel
diploma mill. that the Christian Science
church was founded, and Mrs. Eddy
gained the system through which she
has managed to sell 100000 OF her SO
book, Science and Health the profits
on which have yielded her at least $780,
600. not to speak of her other books,
which are sold through the church, it's
branches, its reading rooms and its
thousands of healers.
In her earlier efforts to win followers
Mrs. Eddy worked upon the fears of all
whom she scould reach by expounding
the terrors of a sort of demono1ogy or
witchcraft In 1875 she wrote of these
things in the first edition of the divine
IL revealed Science and Health
It is impossible in a newspaper to give
the public any idea of Mrs. Eddy's lit
erary work. There are miles and miles
of it.