The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-07
CONCORD IN DEFENSE OF
MRS. EDDY
Abbot Edes Smith Summarizes the Replies Of Mrs
Eddy's Neighbors in Her Home City in New Hamp-
shire, to the Assertions Against Her.
To the Editor Of THs Journal.

III
To the Editor Of TIE Journal.
Periodically during, the past ten years
the press turnout this entire country
liberately invented and systematically
circulated, that Rev. Mary Baker Eddy,
the discoverer, founder and leader Of
the Christian Science denomination, is
dying, or is dead, or having long been
dead has been fraudulently imperson-
ated by some other person. In every
instance these reports, after having
been widely spread and almost univer-
sally accepted as true, have been con-
clusively proved not only to be false,
but also to have been fabricated with
ton. An inquiry at her home would
always receive courteous consideration
and an answer that could be relied
upon as absolutely true. / ask self-re-
| speeding newspapers in the future to
verify all the reports about Mrs. Eddy
before publishing them, Mrs. Eddy is
not a millionaire. She personally man
ages her own business, which has no
connection with that of the mother
church in Boston, the latter being man
aged by its board Of directors. Mrs.
| INAJf OACOPG VIZ p0JiaOAs " pc,ooo
for special services, has never received
any money or property from the mother
church, but she has from time to time
presented to the mother church money
and property of great value. To the
cause of Christian Science and to pub
lie charities and private she mas al
ways given generously. She presented
to the Christian Science church in Con-
cord, N. H., 100000 towards the erec-
ton Of its new church home. She has
never cared for money except to do
her age, Mrs. Eddy has always been,
and now is. keen of intellect and
strong Of body, bearing heavy RESPONSE
bilities, has labored unremittingly more
hours every day than most Industrious
business men in the prime of life In
the name Of Justice, let us not add to
the necessarily heavy burdens Of one
who is faithfully endeavoring to do her
duty. 49,.
For many years Mrs. Eddy has been
living near the home Of her childhood
ally we'll known and where it would,
therefore, be practically Impossible for
anybody who attempted fraudulently
to impersonate her to drive daily thru
the public streets and to meet per-
sonally in the transaction Of business
and otherwise acquaintance, friends
and business associates and representa-
tives, to say nothing Of Christian
Science church officials who have to be
constantly in close communication with
the head Of the denomination.
In the Concord Evening Monitor OF
Oct. 20, 1905, which any person may
SO Tenth street s, Minneapolis, is q
| long article. covering over a page with
the following heading: "Crue1 False
hood Promptly Refuted- Concord Citi-
zens Come Forward with Alacrity to
Speak for Mrs. Eddy-Mayor Corning
Tells of Interview with Christian
Science Leader Sunday Afternoon
General streeter Was Present Also
Both Say that Mrs. Eddy Was in GOOD
Newspapers sensationalism Fervently
Condemned by Concord People Who
The above named article in the Mont
tor contains the affidavits Of CALVIN A.
Frye, Of Lewis O. Strang and Of Mrs,
PAMELA j. Leonard MRS. Leonard be.
ing the person falsely accused Of fraud
ulently impersonating Mrs. Eddy, de-
nying the sensational stories of The
dayits are long and 20 into minute de.
tail, each covering the period Of the
affiant Is residence as a member OF Mrs
Eddy's household. being In the case
Of Mr.. Frye continuously for twenty
four years, Of MT. Strang for nine
months continuously, and Of Mrs. Leon
ard off and on for eight years continu'
oqsly since Feb. 10, 1906. The affida.
ever impersonated Mrs. Eddy or even
entered Mrs. Eddy's carriage, denies
the presence in Mrs. Eddy s house OF
stimulants or Of galvanic battery, de-
nies the attendance Of a physician from
Boston, or from anywhere, denies that
| Mrs. Eddy has palsy Of the hand OF
sny other disease, stating that she Is
and has been in daily contact with Mrs.
Eddy, seeing her r, many times each .f day:
simply that Of paid employee. She
conducts her own affairs, financial and
otherwise, today as she always, has. and
the statement that Mrs. Eddy is donin-
cabinet or combination Is positively
false-absurdly 50 to any one who is
acquainted with Mrs. .Eddy's extraor-
binary ability as an executive. " The
affidavit Of Mr.. Strang states: "Slnce
the middle Of March. 1905, one Of my
duties has been to hand Mrs. Eddy into
AeI CdII1dS0 Od11Y huo ttuIuot oAo SGt
rage robes about her. Since the middle
Of March, she has failed but one day
personally to go on her drive. She did
not 20 one day account of the roads
breaking up in the early spring" The
affidavits Of Mr.. Frye and Of Mr.. Stang
make the same denials as Mrs. Leon.
ard IS affidavit, extending the period of
time to cover the term Of their respec'
tive service, and state that Mrs. Eddy
is in her usual good health, in fact that
she Is in unusual good health for wo'
man Of her years, that she is active
i about the house more or less daily, that
she goes up and down stairs at least
once day, and usually more, and that
nobody has ever impersonated her.
! The above named article in the Con
cord Evening Monitor contains q state
ment by the mayor Of Concord, Charles
4 r. Corning, after a personal interview
! with her Of nearly half an hour, declar
ing: "Mrs. Eddy is keen Of intellec,
and strong Of memory. She is q sur
prising illustration Of longevity; bright
eyes, emphatic expression, and an alert
ness rarely to be encountered In so ven
cradle person.
The Monitors article also contains
long statement Of General Frank s
Streeter, declaring, among other things
tsI have been counselor for Mrs. Eddy
at various times during the last twelve
or fifteen years and have known he1
i we'll T think the last time L saw he]