The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1907-01-19
Mrs. Eddy's Reply to the January
Mcclure Article.
Published by request

Published by request
Concord, N. h, Jan. ST.
The January issue of Mcclure
Magazine, which undertakes tt
publish the history Of the early life o
the Reverend Mary Baker Eddy, Leade
Of the Christian Scientists, and her
family, has been brought to the
attention OF Mrs. Eddy. She ha:
taken the pains to correct the mater
aud has sent cut the following statemen
over her own signature:
1t is calumny on Christian Science
to say that man is aroused to though.
or action only by ease, pleasure
or recompe Sc, Something higher,
nnnlar, moro imperative .mnels the
impulses of Soul.
It becomes ny duty to be just
to the departed and to tread not
rutblessly on their ashes. The attack
on me and my late father and bis
family in McClure's Magazine,
January, 1907, compels me as a dutiful
child ard the L'sder Of Christian
Science TO speak.
McClure's Mag, zine refers to MY
fathers "taIl, geunt irame," and
pictures "the old man tramplpg
doggedly along the highway regularly
beating the ground With a huge walk.
ing stick"
Ny fathers person was erect and
robust. be lever used a 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 etick IS
they we're about 10 start for church.
ny rather thanked the Governor, out
declined to accept the stick, saylrg,
al never use a cane"
Although McClure's Magazlne
attributes to my father language
unseemly, his household law,
constantly enforced, vas no profanity
and no slang phrases. McCiuie'o
Magazine also declares that the Bible
was the only book in his house. On
the contrary, my father was a great
reader.
The man, whom McClure's Magazine
charscterizes as Ignorant, dominating,
passionate, fearless" vas uniformity
d%igniied--a well.informed, Intellectual
man, cultiva ted in mind and manners
He was called upon to do much
business for his town, making u
deeds, settling Quarrels, and even
acting as counsel in a lawsuit involv-
ing a question OF pauperism between
the towns of Loudon and Bow, N. H
Franklin Pierce aiterward President
of the UBited 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 bowed to my
father and congratulated him. For
several years, father was chaplain OF
the New Hampshire State Militia, and
as l recollect it, be was Justice of the
Peace at one time, My father was q
stroug believer In States Rights, bat
slavery be regarded as q great SIN.
Mark Baker was the youngest Of his
fathers family, and inherited his
fathers real estate, an extensive farm
situated in Bow and G ncord, N. H.
1t IS on record that Mark Bakers
father paid the largest tax in the
colony.
McClure's Magazine says, describing
the Baker homestead at Bow: "The
house itself was a small, square box
structure of documentary architecture"
My fatntr's house had a slipping roof
after the prevailing style Of
architecture at that date.
McClure's Magazine states; "Alone
Of the Bakers. (Alberl) received a
liberal educaton. Mary
Baker passed her FIRST fifteen years at
he ancestral home at Bow. 1t was a
huely and discriminating existence.
AZ church supplied the only social
Nrsion, the district school practically