Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-01-14

,
Mr.. Wiggin, who was Unitarian
clergyman, as a grand man.
Mrs. Eddy Not a Feminine Christ.
The continued assertion either as
personal opinion, or by quotation, by
the pastor of the Christian church to
the effect that Mrs. Eddy claims to
be ga feminine Christ" or to be "the
successor of Jesus Christ" makes it
necessary for me to again emphatieal
ly deny this misrepresentation by say
ing that Mrs. Eddy claims nothing
more for herself than that of being
the rightful leader of this Christian
Science movement, which she has so
wisely established and directed for
nearly 40 years. The following quota
tion from the preface of her book,
"Science and Health" well express
es her modest and unpretentious atti.
tude; To-day, though rejoicing in
some progress, she finds herself will
ing disciple at the heavenly gate, wait
ing for the mind of Christ" (P.
.IX.)
Untrue in Every Respect.
The statement that Mrs. Eddy 3
"students are made to sell her books,
and if they do not do so are liable
to lose their membership in the
church" is untrue in every respect.
That to which, no doubt our critic
makes reference is a printed notice
from Mrs Eddy relative to personal
teaching which was published some
eight years ago in the Christian Sci
ence Journal by which Mrs. Eddy
lists to suspend personal teaching for
one year, that the Bible and the text
book, "Science and Health, f" might
be the sole source of instruction dur
ing this period, and it was in this
connection that Christian Scientists
were asked to put these books in cir
culation in lieu of personal teaching,
but the liability to church discipline
applied solely to those who persisted
in continuing personal teaching in vio-
lation of this request. The teaching
was resumed again after this year of
impersonal study and has continued
with Mrs. Eddy's approval since that
time, and while it is quite naturally
leemed advisable under any circum-
! stances for the investigator of Chris
tian Science to become familiar with
its teachings through n study of its
| textbook in connection with the Bible,
there is not and never has been any
more effort to force the sale of this
book for financial gain than there is
by members of other denominations
to sell their necessary church litera-
ture, prayer books, etc. This book,
Science and Health" is adhered to
and endorsed by Christian Scientists
because of the physical, mental ond
moral benefits derived from its sincere
and unbiased study, but no church ap-
plicant, nor anyone else, is compelled
to purchase the volume.
Justly Entitled to Her Income.
l am informed that in concluding the
last of his four discourses on the sub
jeet of Christian Science that the ear
nest pastor of the Christian church
outlined his special antipathy to this
doctrine in six special objections: The
first, that "its founder is sharer in
the great income made through the
sale of her literary productions, and
this objection seems strangely inap-
propriate from one who receives prop
er compensation for his literary and
clerical labors and who should for this
reason not begrudge another the nat
ural reward of like faithful labor
Mrs. Eddy's just and generous in
come from the sale of her writings is
made good use of by her for the ben
eft of humanity, as is attested by
those who have felt her many chari-
ties and good deeds, and it is signif.
cant that Christian Scientists who have
voluntarily purchased her writings and
learned their true worth through un-
prejudieed perusal, offer no objection
to the well-earned compensation of
its worthy author
Critic Not Truly Informed.
Our critic g second and third objec-
tions are said to be that Christian Sci
ence is "narrow and selfsh'' and
that it "holds Mrs. Eddy and her
Science and Health with Key to the
Scriptures above Jesus Christ and the
Bible" This charge is we'll refuted
in the following religious tenets of the
Church of Christ, Scientist, which ap-
pear in the textbook in question, and
which avery church mamber accents