The Washington herald., 1907-01-05
mrs. EDDY REPLIES
Declares Recent Magazine
Article Is Erroneous.
C0RRECTS HISTORICAL POINTS
Mother of Christian Science Says
Her Early Life Was Pleasant and
That Family Was Not Uncouth, us
Pictured by Author-TeIIs OF Her
Early Religious Training.


Pictured by Author-TeIIs OF Her
Early Religious Training.
Concord, n. H.. Jan. 4-The January
issue OF McClure's Magazine, which un-
dertakes ~ publish the history OF the
early life of the Rev. Mary Baker q. Eddy.
leader of the Christian Scientists. and her
family, has been brought to the atten-
ton 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
cay that man is aroused to thought or ac-
ton only by ease, pleasure, or recon-
pense- Something higher nobler. mere
imperative impels the impulse of soul.
1t becomes my duty 10 be Just 10 the
departed and 90 tread not ruthlessly on
taeiT ashes. The attack on me and my
late father ana his family in McClure's
Magazine January. 1901 compels me as
a dutiful child and the leader Of Chris
ton Science to speak
McClure's Magazine refers 10 my faith
old man tramping d0ggedly along the
highway. regularly beating the ground
with huge walking stick"
Ny fathers person was erect and ro-
bust. he never used "a walking stick
To illustrate. One time when my father
was visiting Gov Pierce, President Frank
in Plerce's father. the governor handed
him g0ld-headed walking stick as they
were about O. start for church Ny father
thanked the governor. but declined 10
accept the stick. saying. Il never use d
cane"
Father Was Great Reader.
Although McClure's Magazine attrib-
utes to my father language unsecmly. his
household law. constantly enforced. was
no profanity and no slang phrases. Nc
Cures Magazine also declares that the
Bible was the only book Ia his house. On
the contrary my father was a great
reader.
The man whom McClure's Magazine
characteriZes as Ignorant, dominating,
passionate. fearless" was uniformly dig
nifed-a well-informed. intellectual 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
involving a question Of pauperism between
the towns Of LoudOn and Bow. y. II.
Franklin Pierce. afterward President Of
the United States. was the counsel for
LOud0n and Mark Baker for Bow Both
entered their pleas. and my father won
the suit. After it was decided. M. Pierce
bowed to my father and congratulated
him. For several years father was chap
lain of the New Hampshire State Militia,
and as j recollect it, he was justice Of the
peace at one time My father was a
strong believer I'm States rights, but
slavery he regarded as a great sin.
Mark Baker was the youngest Of his
fathers family. and inherited his fathers
real estate, an extensive farm situated IN
Bow and Concord y. II. 1t is on record
that Mark Bakers father paid the largest
tax in the colony
Home Was Pleasant One.
McClure's Magazine says. describing the
Baker homestead at Bow:
The house Itself was small. square box stric-
tuTe Of Uudimeutary architecture
My fathers house had ~ sIoping roof
after the prevailing style Of architecture
at that date
McClUre's Magazine states:
Alone Of the Bakers. he lAlbrl received
liberal education. MARY Baker passed lrer
frat fifteen years at the ancestral home a Bow
II was lonely and mstimulatiBg existence The
church supplied the only social diversion the dis
trict school practically al the intellectual lie.
Let rs see what were the fruits Of this
lonely and discriminating existence" All
my fathers daughters were given an
academic education, sufficiently advanced
so that they all taught school acceptably
at various times and places.
Ny brother Albert was a distinguished
lawyer In addition to my academic
training. ] was privately tUtoTed by him.
He was a member of the New Hamp-
shire legislature, and was nominated for
Congress. but died before the election.
McClure's Magazine calls my youngest
brother, George Sullivan Baker, "a work
man in Tilton wooden mill As a mat
ter of fact, he was joint partner with
Alexander Tilton.- and together they
owned d large manufacturing establish
ment IN Tilton. y II. His military title
Of colonel came from appointment on the
staff of the governor Of New Hampshire.
Brother Was Business Man.
My eldest brother. Samuel d. Baker,
carried on a large business in Boston.
Mass.
Regarding the allegation by McClures
Magazine that all the family, excepting
Albert. died of cancer" I will say that
there was never a death in my fathers
family reported by physician or post
norton eXamina ton as caused by cancer.
McClure's Magazine saws that the
quarreiS between Mary, a child ten years
old, and her father, a gray-haired man
of fifty. frequently set the house in an
uprOar." and adds that these fits were
diagnosed by Or. Ladd as "hysterla
mingled with bad temper"
Ny mother often presented my DISPOSE
ton as exemplary for her other children
to initiate, saying, When do you ever see
Mary angry?" When the first edition OF
Science and Health" WIS published DR.
Ladd said 10 Alexander Tilton: Read il.
for it will do you good. 1t does not sur
prise me, it so resembles the author
7 will relate the following incident,
which occurred later in life, as illustrative
of my disposition:
While / was living with DIT. Patterson
at his country home in Rumney. n. II. a
girl totally blind. knocked at the door and
was admitted. She begged to be allowed
to remain with me, and my tenderness
and sympathy were such that l c1f-l3 not
refuse her. Shortly after, however, my
good hoUsekeeper said to me:
IF this blind girl stays with you, I shall
have TO leave; she troubles me so much"
1t was not in my heart to turn the blind
girl out, and so l lost my housekeeper
Joined Church When Young.
My reply TO the statement that the
clerks book shows that / Joined the Til
ton Congregational Church at the age Of
seventeen is that my religious experience
seernad 10 cnlminate IT twelve Nears-nf