Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-20
| sole topic Of conversation. Public sympathy
| is almost unanimously with Mrs. Eddy.
| Esteemed by Her Neighbors.

Esteemed by Her Neighbors.
She Is highly respected by the entire COM
munity almost without exception. I have
not heard an unkind word spoken against
her, and while many insist that she is an
imposter and that her 1900 followers
throughout the United States are laboring
under decisions. those who make this as
sertion nevertheless speak Of her respect
fully and declare that she is great deal
better than her critics. The editors of the
two daily papers both testified to me of
her high character and extraordinary abil-
ity. While neither of them Is a believer
in her doctrines. both insisted that she is
one of the most remarkable women that
ever lived. and that she has been wise
enough and farsighted enough to supply
a substitute for other forms OF religion to
a multitude of people whose faith had been
unsettled and whose souls had been I'M
satisfied with the teachings Of the orthodox
theologians. No other woman, they as
serted. could have done such thing, and
none but a pure and able leader could
have maintained such extraordinary pre-
tensions SO long.
A clerk in a drug store. replying to my
questions. said: Mrs. Eddy's all right;
she is q good woman; she makes lots of
the richest person in New Hampshire; but
every dollar OF 1t is honest money, and
she got 1t straight. 1 belong to the Metho-
dist Church. and have never had anything
to do with Christian Science. but l know
that a large number Of the best people in
this community believe in Mrs. Eddy and
go to her church. This fight on her is
being made by the newspaper"
Her Concord Followers.
The Christian Science congregation here is
composed of about two hundred and fifty in
telligent, well-to-do people, with sprink-
ling Of what is usually termed the upper
classes" Many. perhaps a majority, Of
Mrs. Eddy's followers have known her, or
their parents have known her, from child
hood. 1t must be admitted by her critics
and opponents that when she began what is
called her career of tmposture. she made
her own home the scene OF the attempt
and invited her old neighbors to become the
participants and spectators. 1t would have
been natural for a fakir to go where she
was unknown. A prophet is usually not
without honor save in his own country.
Mrs. Eddy was born within sight of her
present residence. Her grandfather had a
farm Of about 500 acres in Bow township
across the Merrimac river from Concord.
and 100 acres of that farm is still owned
and occupied by her cousin, James Baker, a
well-knOwn member of the community. An
other cousin, Henry M. Baker, represented
this district in Congress for several years
and is now living in Washington.
Her father was Mark Baker, an unpre-
tentious but respectable man, and is we'll
remembered by the Oldest inhabitants. Her
mother was Abigail Ambrose, daughter Of
Deacon Nathaniel Ambrose of Pembroke
village adjoining Concord on the south. Her
brother Albert Baker, graduated at Dart
mouth in 1894 read law with Franklin
Pierce, succeeded to the latter's practice
when he was elected President Of the
United States, occupied his law office and
inherited his library Albert Baker served
In the legislature for two terms and in 1S41
was elected to Congress by the largest ma
jority ever given to a candidate In this
state He died few weeks before the ses-
sion began.
Separation From Her Son.
Mrs. Eddy's own account of her separa-
ton from her son is given in her book
"Retrospecton and 1ntrospecuon,' pub
lished in 1893. She says that after the
death Of her first husband, Col George
Washington Glover of Charleston, s. c.,
she returned to the paternal roof and re-
manned with her parents until after her
mothers death.
"A few months before my fathers second
marriage to Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson Dun
can, sister of Lieut.. Gov. George w. Pat
terson of New York, my little son, about
four years of age, was sent away from me
and put under the care of our family nurse
who had married and resided in the north
ern part of New Hampshire. I had no
training for self-support and my home l
regarded as very precious. The night be
by his side throughout the dark hours, hop
ing for vision of relief from this trial
MY second marriage was very un-
fortunate and from it / was compelled to
me in the city of Salem. Mass. My domi-
nant thought in marrying again was to get
back my child, but after our marriage his
stepfather was not willing he should nave
a home with me. A plot was consummated
for keeping us apart. The family to whose
care he was committed removed to what
was then regarded as the far west
After his removal letter was read to my
little son informing him that his mother
was dead and buried. Without my
he was appointed guardian
and 1 was then informed that my son was
lost Every means within my power was
employed to find him, but without success.
We never met again until he had reached
the age Of thirtyfour, had a wife and two
children, and by a strange providence had
learned that his mother still lived and
came to see me in Massachusetts,.
Meanwhile he had served as a volunteer
throughout the war for the Union and at
its expiration was appointed United States
marshal Of the territory of Dakota"
1t is admitted that after Mrs. Eddy and
her son were reunited she built him
house costing $4,000 and has given him an
and his family in comfort Last winter
she executed deed Of trust for 100000
for the benefit of himself and his heirs
forever. When he was persuaded to go
into the pending suit this deed was re-
voked The son has visited Concord sew
eral times with his daughter and has
stopped at the Eagle Hotel, where Mrs
Eddy has paid his bills and he has fire.
quently discussed her affection for and
generosity to him with people he has met
about the town.
Without discussing the merits of the
suit it is commonly believed here that the
litigation, for reasons unexplained, was
instigated by New York newspaper,
which persuaded the son and granddaugh-
ter and other relatives to permit the use
of their names and is now paying the at
torneys fees.
1t may also be said that the court could
not have selected better man than Judge
Aldrch to make the investigation and
whatever he may decide will be accepted
as final by the public.