Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-01-16
MRS. EDDYS REPLY.
The following letter from Mrs. Mary
Baker C. Eddy is published by request
of her friends in Alma.-ED.

Concord, ~ H.. Jan. 5.-The jan
uary issue OF McClure's Magazine,
which undertakes to publish the his
tory OF the early life of the Reverend
Mary Baker Eddy, Leader of the
Christian Scientists, and her family,
has been brought to the attention of
Mrs Eddy. She has taken the pains
to correct the matter, and has sent
out the following statement over her
own signature:
1t is calumny on Christian Science
to say that man is aroused to thought
or action only by ease. pleasure, or
recompense. Something higher. mob
Ter. more imperative, impels the inn
pulses Of Soul
1t becomes my duty to be just to
the departed and 10, tread not ruth
iessly ON their ashes. The attack on
me and my late father and his family
in McClure's Magazine. January, 1907,
compels me as dutiful child and the
Leader of Christian Science to speak.
McClure's Magazine refers to my
fathers tall. gaunt frame" and pic
lures the old man tramping doggedly
along the highway regularly beating
the ground with huge walking
stick"
My fathers person was erect and
robust. He never used walking stick.
To illustrate: One time when my
father was visiting Governor Pierce,
President Franklin Pierce's father, the
Governor handed my father a gold
headed walking stick as they were
about to start for church. My father
thanked the Governor, but declined TO
accept the stick, saying, Il never use
a cane
McClure's Magazine also declares
that the Bible was the only book in
his house On the contrary, my father
was great reader.
The man. whom McClure's Maya
zine characterizes as ignorant. dom-
mating. passionate. fearless" was uni
formly dignihed-a well-informed, in
tellectual man. cultivated in mind and
manners He was called upon TO do
much business for his town. making
out deeds. settling quarrels, and even
acting as counsel in a lawsuit in
volving a question OF paupersm be-
tween the towns of London and Bow,
y. III. Franklin Pierce, afterward
President of the United States. was
the counsel for Loudon and Mark
Baker for Bow. Both entered their
pleas. and my father won the suit
After it was decided, Mr.. Pierce. bow
ed to my father and congratulated
him. For several years. father was
chaplain OF the New Hampshire State
Militia. and as | recollect it, he was
Justice Of the Peace at one time. My
father was strong believer in States
Rights. but slavery he regarded as a
great sin.
All my fathers daughters were
given an academic education. suffic-
iently advanced so that they all taught
school acceptably at various times and
places
My brother Albert was a disting
uished lawyer. In addition TO my
academic training. was privately
tutored by him He was member
of the New Hampshire Legislature.
and was nominated for Congress. but
died before the election.
McClure's Magazine calls my
youngest brother. George Sullivan
Baker. "a workman in Tilton wooden
mill. As matter OF fact. he was
joint partner with Alexander Tilton.
and together they owned large man
ufacturing establishment in Tilton, \.
II. His military title of Colonel came
from appointment on the staff OF the
Governor of New Hampshire
My oldest brother. Samuel d. Bak-
err carried on large business in Bos-
ton. Mass.
Regarding the allegation by Nc
I Clure's Magazine that all the family,
excepting Albert. died of cancer" |
will say that there was never death
in my fathers family reported by
physician or post norton examina-
ton as caused by cancer.
Fannie Mcneil President Pierces
niece. afterward Mrs Judge Potter,
presented 10 me my coat-of-arms. say
ing that it was taken in connection
with her own family coat-of-arms. ]
never doubted the veracity OF her
gift. ] have another coat-of-arms.
which is OF my mothers ancestry.
When | was last in Washington. ID.
c., Mrs. Judge Potter and myself
knelt in silent prayer on the mound of
her late father. General John Nc
Neil. the hero OF Lundy Lane.