New-York tribune., 1909-11-07
MENTAL BRlCKBATS
WE4PONS USED BY
MRS. STETSON.
Deadly Thought Shafts Hurled
against Christian Science
Editor, Says Strickler.

Instead of having been IN any sense
cleared by the open meeting of Thurs
dav last. the atmosphere in the neigh
borhood of 96th street and Central Park
West was thick yesterday with rumors
and accusations from the two factions
OF the First Church of Christ Scientist
There was a buzz Of activity and OF ex-
recitation along the entire block from
the park west 10 Columbus avenue all
afternoon.
Trustees and officials OF the church
who live in 96th street near the church
discussed the most persistent rumor OF
all which was 10 the effect that Mrs
Augusta z Stetson's communication
from the church was only a question Of
q few days Virgil o. Strickler, first
reader of the church. gave 70 the public
for the first time the account of some OF
the hidden actions and secret words Of
Mrs Stetson.
Among Mr.. Stricklers announcements
were a few excerpts from his diary.
which daily memorandum of events has
recently attained considerable fame in
Christian Science circles.
'Testifying in the absolute" which
by the uninitiated would be likely 10 be
called by the shorter and uglier word.
appears from the record OF this diary 70
have been one of Mrs Stetson's COM
mands 10 such Of her pupils as were
summoned 10 testify about her in Bos-
ton before the board of directors of the
Mother Church
SOME ABSOLUTE TESTIMONY.
As Mr.. Strickler puts II in his diary,
this sort Of thing. testifying in the "ab-
solute. is far ahead Of such things as
Immunity baths. The following extract
from his diary shows the point Of view
which was taken by Mrs. Stetson with
regard 70 the inquiry into her methods
by the Boston Mother Church authori-
ties.
She had just returned from Boston.
ard IN talking 10 him surmised that the
directors there would want testimony
from her students as 70 her methods.
particularly on the question OF maIprac-
tice and personal control. the term NAL
practice" in this instance being synon-
omous with malicious animal magnet
ism"
| said. Mrs StetsOn. if we tell this
they will expel You instantly from the
Mother Church She said. I know it,:
what shall We dO2" After A while she
said. We must deny that I ever said any
Of those things I deny that ever said
them" ] said, Mrs StetSOn. but ylu
did say them, and You have habitually
taken people up by name and treated
them" She replied that IL was not she
that took them up; that il was the
human that said those things. and that
the human was not her real self. and that
she could say that she never aid them.
and do II with 4 mental reservation thai
Ter real self had never said them.
| then repeated several of the things
that she had said by way Of treatment
Of Mr.. - and others. and asked her
What her attitude would be at this time
with respect 20 them. and she said that
she would deny that she had said them.
that she was not in the absolute" and
that those things were not said by her
real self: therefore. she could with per-
fect prOpriety deny that she had said
them.
| could not quite believe my ears. so 1
continued 20 ply her with questions until
/ vas finally convinced that il was her
intention by this sort of mental legerde-
roain 10 square accounts with herself for
what would ordinarily he called lying
was learning something II began
70 dawn on me that by this sort Of res-
scning / might commit murder or arson.
and il by any mIsChance I should be
caught I could say 7 had never done IL.
and would go scot free simply because
II was the darned old human that did il.
and that il was not me. An immunity
bath is not in it with this sort of logic
NEW NAME FOR PERJURY.
Three practitioners. pupils of Mrs.
Stetson. wrote Mr.. StrickIer in his diary
at this time. told him that they had ap-
Piled this principle Of testifying in the
absolute" 10 their testimony in a law
suit
In plain English" says the diaBy.
they had carried the case by perjury
which they were iustifying on the
ground that they had testified from the
absolute
II developed yesterday that before the
recent trial-two months before, in fact
Mrs. StetsOn was scheduled for trial on
the same charges, and was only saved
from trial and suspension az that time
bv the intervention of Mr. Strickler.
If she had so corrected them at that
time said Mr.. Strickler yesterday. the
subsequent action revoking her license
might never have been taken The di-
rectors waited almost two months. dur
ing which time she was given every op-
portunity 70 abandon the errors pointed
out 10 her by the directors Failing 10
IL this. she was again summoned before
tb.. directors on September "a. az which
time twenty-five of her students and
nractttiOnATs were the only witnesses.
and upon their testimony the action OF
the directors was based
An official Of the First Church. Of New
York. commenting yesterday on the
malicious animal magnetism practised
and taught by Mrs Stetscn. said that II
might be termed mental assassination
DOwIEIsM DE LUXE
II was practised most strongly and
continuously against Archibald Mac
Islan. the editor of the Christian Sci
ence publications. and was started on
December :, 1905. continuing TO about
July Il OF this year.
Just previous 20 the pronouncing OF