The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-06
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The passing of Mrs Eddy viii put Christian
Science to It's severest test The high nriestcss
gone. viii tho schisms and factions which even
in her life have begun To manifest themselves
confinac. or will tho new faith prove itself
strong enough 10 persist 1t cannot be doubted
that the leadership of Mrs, Eddy largely the
force and strength of her sect. \ halo of
mystery surrounded het She held in her per
son the enigma OF aoofness Her personality
held the more charm because it WAS SO little
known. Every rumor Of her death, every legal
action started against an intangible force. served
to heiehten the effect and sustain the faith OF
her followers. Now, Mrs. Eddy is gone. The
gan9ation which was her personal creation re
mains VIII it have the strength TO continue
as religious force anl power, or will it de-
generate under new leadership into hopeless
lot of remnants of its former influence?
Christian Science is iii danger of its own sue
cess, Very largely it has made appeal to PEG.
pie of cultivation and of wealth 1t is rich. won
dertuly tieh Mrs. Eday herself is stated to
have acquired % fortune from her activities. lit
erary and otherwise. Throughout the history of
the organization there Las been mixed with its
protestation OF high and impartial faith a strange
commercial instinct It's heaters, working for
+ love Of the church, have nevertheless made ii a
point nos 10 give AVA their services. Ornate
buildings have been reared, treasures have been
=. filled 10 OVERLOOKING large Investments the out
standing While Mrs Eddy lived all this power
was hers She was the Hndispnted leader Her
word was Ia~ Ia the Scientists, Factions
that anarreled among themselves went 10 her
arbitrator and sustained or punished bow ed
suhmissiveiy to her will. Only recently the "ex
communicated Stetser faction. hninbly adj
mtted that they must have been in error
simply and solely because Mrs. Eddy said so
Who now that she is dead, win be abie 10 he
come heir TO this authority?
1t is stated that there is to be no heir The
first Pope of Christian Science viii be the last
The line oil It's prophets is not self.euntinuing
There will remain the organization. tho Yarious
r churches, the riches and the members But
there viii be no woman Of mystery aud hypnotic
ability 10 weld all these things into a common
and subsetYient force Christian Science must
"t'HH VI IAN at HttS'H ulhh lte question uf how
much of logical infIuene. il excrts upon the hu
! man soul II has no pre,ernatural tradition It's
founder aud head simply a woman who IL
credited with new thought She also ''fel
into error aud passed away Who niII adj
minister her creed?
It IS because this creed is so intangible 81
many sided. adjustable that it is strong ane
weak at tae time. So long as Mrs Edd,
lived, she vivtcd it b. her dctum. Now thai
she lives no longer there will be the wan of ia.
authority To interpret finally what is constant h
r being interpreted in hundred different ways
LAYING prejudice aside, there is mach in Chris
tiau Science that promises comfort for the worth
ut large Hut there IS little in It TO the ordiua,,
. understanding which holds definite belief Even
TO its members ALREADY enrolled there is the
danger that its teachings may mean as many
different things as there are members II is
because Mis-. Eddy posed as a snpernatl,ral
list or Pope, except iItelectually thar in tho
moment ol it's greatest spread there has never
been the danger that Christian Science would
seriously encroach upon the province Of the older
'reeds IT, 100. by mutiilicit of coullscs. viii
no doubt soon or late fall into error