The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-22


ed that she was It's author. No person
who ever lived proclaimed the slghtes
intimation that he OF she was the author
of il. Even those who think that Mrs
Eddy gained through another some of hel
ideas about mental healing. admit thai
she wrote the book; and the magazine
Whlch is now surprising all other efforts
70 dlsparage ner admits that she wrote
Il. No antagonist has been so urgent, no
enemy SO viFulent no critic so reckless
as 10 deny that Mrs Eddy is the author
OF her own book. The declaFat ton which
implies that she is fraudulently mas
querading as its author. IS original with
Mark Twain. His alone viii be the
famei his alone the infamy OF this bust
ness. according IS his allegation Is true
or false.
Upon what evidence does this insinua-
ton pretend TO rest2 Through what sinu-
oSitles does the argument thread ITS way
until 1t asserts itself as a conclusion, the
dire purpose whereof, manifesty. is %
bring rcproach upon this venerable
woman. and to do it at a time when 50
many other valiant people are heaping
upon her head the fun measure OF their
cruelty2
The evidence upon which you are asked
70 forge The weight of your condemnation
IS TINS, lie says that the book. Science
ana Health, is an instance Of good Eng
llsh. lie also says that he has discovered
some OF Mrs Eddy'S writings that are
deficient IN good English. lie is then
pleased TO conclude that she could not
have written both. and finally. in the
special plea of the partisan. he invites
you 10 join him in a new and outrageous
crusade.
MIR. Clemens Works Cited.
In the book entitled Personal Reconec-
tions of Joan OF Arc there appears a
translatOr's preface which is credited to
Mark Twain. II is a superb manifesto
ton of English composition: lofty i'm tone.
sublime in its estimate of this matchless
girl, gracious and compassionate In con
ception and tribute. Let any one VINO
cares to Go so compare this satisfying,
yea, this eievating, Witchery Of words
with the book IN which this writer at
tacks the Integrity of Mrs. Eddy author
ship Observe in the latter the defects
OF composition. the trivial slang with
which is clothed the discussion of "a SUBJ
Ject OF vital concern 10 an mankind, ana
observe. too. the ruthless disregard OF
the sentiments and sensibiiitios of Il
Christian people who are holding 10 their
faith and hope FOR conscience sake.
Consider this we'll and it may seem
strange 20 you that the man who can
span the vast gulf that lies between such
antipOdes finds It impossible to reconcile
himself To the small differences that are
Incidental 10 Mrs. Eddy's writings. and
therefore calls upon you TO deuounce
her as a fraud
The confreres Of Mr.. Clemens IN this
business OF prosecuting Mrs Eddy. with
one accord have denounced the book
without reserve. They have poured out
the most whitening scorn for its sub
stance and sequence, its style. its gram
NAUTICAL details its capitalization pune
tuation. and its rhetorical shortcomings.
Mr.. Clemens is the only one of them
VINO. during thirty years has broken Ia
= a.
word of COMMUNICATION. He says the
book is an instance Of good English He
was obliged to say this in order 10 pre-
sent his polar oppOsltes and his impas-
sable gulf
The Evidence OF Literary style.
Having made this admission for the
sake Of the contamination of his purpose.
he takes pains 10 accredit himself as an
expert. An his advertisements and press
notices declare that he is competent 10
afford expert testimony. An expert on
The subject OF literary or eplstolary com
position knows that every author or
writer OF consequence possesses what ia
literary parlance is called style. Each
one has his characteristic style, as wit
messed by the writings OF Shakespeare,
Carlyle, Milton. Kipling. Maeterlinck.
Dante. Mark Twain. ana Whitman.
Every expert knows that If the page of
Mark TWains writings which ends ANTE
and pass the buck We're 20 be introduced
nto a book written 10y the sanity Whit
Ter. the page would at once betray itself
because of its distinctive STYLE
Now, il is an inc0ntestable fact that no
writer known 10 literature has "a more
distinctive style than has Mrs Eddy.
Designate u as you Whether good,
bad. or indifferent-tne fact remains that
leT style is absolutely unique, so wholly
unlike that OF any other writer that II
would be impossible to amaigamate with
ID the writings OF any other person.
Moreover IL Is true that this same unnlis-
-akaDie distinctive style inheres in every
page that has been issued IN her name
The coteTie of men and women who are
90 inJure the cause OF Chris
ian Science, and VINO evidently regard an
ittack on It's leader as being an effective
means of ouonse. have system which
would emharrass most any other effort
hat depended on public approval for its
success
The policy is to make a double attack
rom opposite directions in which part OF
he forces cannOnade the public with the
tVerment that she is a mere imbecile,
tool iE the hands of designing and cor
'upt men. herself bereft of authority or
'apacity 10 act. To the other section is
assigned the task of making II appear
ha. Mrs Eddy IS deSpOt. holding m
Ter clutch the rule and destiny Of a help
ess multitude of dupes and carrying out
plan of aggressive domination which
promises to sweep within her autOcrauc
control the affairs of the whole world.
Mrs. Eddy and the Veto.
The sphere Of influence" is greatly en-
arged by the operation of this rule Of OPP
losites with these bald contradictions, and
With this new equipment the laborers IN
his field of havoc toll on with the naive
expectation that the public VIII believe
hem both.
Mr.. Clemens has elected TO assail Mrs
eddy as d despot. a schemer who is in
lined to cOerce and possess the world,
ma is competent to do IT, Applying his
evice for the condemnation of Mrs Eddy
ut of her own mouth, he exhibits quota
ions from abe Manual" Of the Mother
'hurch to support his contention. This
Manual contains the bylaws that are
eemed essential for the government of
he church. In large degree il cOnferS on
IRIS Eddy. the Pastor Emeritus that
Which Is generally known as the veto
over - IN this Mr. Clemens sees nothing
nat mischief II seems not TO have Oc-
llrred to him that q peace-loVing Chris
ian people and devOut Christian leader
ave use for power other than 10 WOFk /
herewith unrighte0usly. nor does il or
Ut 20 him that perhaps the evildoer Is
he only one who is offended by the law. /
urely there is no Christian Scientist that
Oes not feel absolutely safe therein, /
here is none that does not know that /
his Manual exists largely as a prevent I
We whereby to safeguard the welfare Of |
he church
If this Manual had been devised as
he scepter of an autocrat, after all these /
ears there would be signs of the rule of /
n autocrat. This critic not understand I
ne the benevolent leadership of Mrs /
,ddy has erected out of his own imagin- /
ton a supposititious reign Of terror and /
0nstraint.
How speedily does this man of straw 1
all in ruins beneath the recital OF the /
istOrv Of the church, wherein loving /
indness and good will toward men hold |
way!
Mrs. Eddy has never procured nor in /
mead tho awuI1feinn of a single faaTeon 4