The Somerset reporter., 1907-01-10

1t is calumny on Christian Science to say
tina, man is aroused to thought or action
only by case, pleasure, or recompense
Something higher, nobler more imperative,
mpels the impulse Of Soul.
1t becomes my duty to be Just to the de-
parted and to tread not ruthlessly on their
ashes. The attack on me and my late father
and his family in McClure's Magazine, jan
nary, 1907, compels me as a dutiful child and
the Leader Of Christian Science to speak.
McClure's Magazine refers to my fathers
"tall, gaunt Frame" and pictures "the old
man tramping doggedly along the highway
regularly beating the ground with huge
walking-stlck.
My fathers person was erect and robust.
He never used walking stick. To illus
trate One time when my father was visit
ing Governor Pierce, President Franklin
Pieree's father, the Governor handed him
gold-headed walking-stick as they were about
to start for church. My father thanked the
Governor, but declined to accept the stick,
| saying, 81 never use cane"
| Although McClure's Magazine attributes
to my father language unseemy, his house
hold law, constantly enforced, was no pro-
ianity and no slang phrases McClure's
! 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
characterizes as Ignorant, dominating, pas
sionate fearless" was uniformly dignlhed-
| a wel-informed, intellectual man, cultivated
| in mind and manners. He was called upon
to do much business for his town, max ng
out deeds, settling quarrels, and even acting
as counsel in a lawsuit involving a question
of paupe1sm between the towns OF Loudon
and Bow, \. IL. Franklin Pierce aiterward
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 II was decided
Mr. Pierce bowed to my father and congrat
ulated him. For several years, father was
chaplain of the New Hampshire State Militia.
and as | recollect it, he was Justice of the
believer in States rights, but slavery he re-
garded as great sin.
Mark Baker was the youngest Of his ia
Their family, and inherited his fathers real
estate, an extensive farm situated in Bow
and Concord y. H. 1t is on record that
Mari, Bakers father paid the largest tax in
the colony.
McClurc's Magazine says, describing the
Baker homestead at Bow: "lhe house itself
was small, square box structure of rudimen.
tary architecture" My fathers house had a
slopng roof after the prevailing style Of ar
chtecture at that date.
MoCure's Magazine states; "Alone Of
the Bakers he (AlberO received liberal
education. Mary Baker passed her
first fifteen years at the ancestral home at
Bow. 1t was a lonely and unstnnuating eX-
istence. The church supplied the only social
diversion, the district school practically all
the intellectual life"
Let us see what were the fruits Of this
'Honely and unstimulating existence" All
my fathers daughters were given an &C
ademic education, sufficiently advanced SO
that they al taught school acceptaby at
various times and places.
My brother Albeit was distinguished
lawyer. In addition to my academic train
ing. | was privately tutored by him. lie
was a member Of the New Hampshire Leg
isture, and was nominated for Congress but
died before the election.
McClures Magazine calls my youngest
brother, George sullivan Baker, "a workman
in a Tiltun wooden mill As a matter OF
fact, he was Joint partner with Alexander
1ilton, and together they owned large
1 manufacturing establishment in Iilton, \.
IL. His military title of Colonel came from
appointment on the staff of the Governor Of
ewIlampshire.
Ny oldest brother, Samuel ID. Baker, car.
ried on a large business in Boston, Mass
Regarding the allegation by Mctlure's
Ma aline that all the family, Excepting
Albert, died Of cancer will say that there
was never DEATH in my fathers family re-
ported by physician or post mortem eNami.
nation a, caused by cancer
MeClure's Magazine says that THE quar-
rcls between Mary, child ten years old, and
her father gray-haired man Of nifty, fire.
uuently sci the house in an uproar, and
adds that these ITS were diagnosed by Dr.
I.add as "hystcria mingled with bad temper.
My mother often presented my dlsT osition
as exemplary for her other children TO imi-
tate, SAYING, when do you ever see MaN
angry" When the first edition Of Science
and Health was published, Or. Ladd said 10
Alexander 1lton; "Read Il, for il will dc
you good. 1t does not surprise NE, II So
resembles the author
will relate the following incident, which
occurred later in life, as illustrative OF my
disposition:
While was livirg with DR.. Patterson at
his country home in Rumney, \. H., girl,
totally blind Knocked at the door and was
admitted. She begged to be allowed to re-
main with me and my tenderness and sym
patty were such that | could not refuse her.
Shortly after, however, my good housekeeper
said to me:
All this blind girl stays with you, shall
have to leave; she troubles me SO much,'
1t was not in my heart to turn the blind
girl out, and SO lost my housekeeper.
My reply 10 the statement that the clerk 5
book shows that ! joned the Iilton Congre-
gational Church at the age Of seventeen IS
that my religious experience seemed to cul-
inmate at twelve years Of age. Hence a
mistake may have occurred as to the enact
date OF my first church membership.
The facts regarding the Mcneil eoat-of.
arms are as follows
Fannie Mcneil President Pierce's niece,
afterward Mrs. Judge Potter presented 10 me
my coat-of-arms, saying that it was taken in
connection with her own family coat-of-arms.
never doubted the veracity Of her gilt. |
have another coat-of-arms, which IS of my
mothers ancestry. When ! was last in
Washington, d, c Mrs, Judge Potter and
myself knelt in silent prayer on the mound
of her late father, General John Mcneil, the
hero Of Lundy Lane.