New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-17
FEAR MRS. STETSON YET
Scientists Would Bar Her ON
Control by New Bylaw.
Congregation Hears StricL,o~ :,
Silence, but Warm Debate
May Follow.

/ In spite of the recent and 70
! by Mrs. Augusta z. Stetson 90
/ ton 10 renew her power o,-a~ -. men.
Christian Science Church. the fao+ia.s -
! ousted her and which is now. - ''''
the magnificent eiifice at asfh 80. -,
Central Park West denonst-ato. - 90
last night that they have nor ya+ -. -,
fear of her ambition a.
AT business meeting of the concro,o
ton. which was held immediately af+o, ~
regular Wednesday evening o,,-.io
meeting. Virgil . Strickler. first rode. ,,c
the church, read a proposed amendmon, -
the bylaws of the church. which If ,oseo7
by the congregation on Friday night viii
make II still harder for Mrs. Ste+son ~,
for any of her friends or supporters to &c
gam Tor her the power which She once
welded in the local church.
\ little over year ago. when Mr. Stet-
son herself was expelled from the Mother
Church IN Boston, and then from he local
church. Of which she had been the virtual
leader for years, it appeared that her power
was broken.
To make il more sure. however. fifteen
practitioners who professed allegiance to
Mrs. Stetson, and who it was feared, might
ultimately engineer movement tn rein
state her. were expelled
Just after the expulsion of the Stets.,r7-
ties, a board of trustees was elected. and
the lineup OF the two factions in the
church showed that there was still 49,
members who believed in Mrs. Stetson. as
against 49, who voted to support the --ad-
ministration" ticket
Another election of trustees will be held
in January, and the amendment proposed
last night is aimed to curtail as much
possible any further opposition by the rem
nants of the Stetson faction to the will of
the present administration.
Briefly. this amendment. if passed by
two-thirde vote of the congregation tO-mor-
row night viii prohibit any member hold
ing office in the church VINO acknowledges
allegiance to or who supports in any way
either Mrs Stetson any of the If
teen practitioners expelled because of their
loyalty TO her
The anu-Stetsonites in the church have
said in the last week that they had
learned that patients who had been at
tended by these fifteen practitioners dur
ing the last year have always been advised
10 attend the church services and to con-
tribute to its support
BY this means they would make them
selves eligible for voting al the corporate
meetings of the church. and though Mrs.
Stetson herself and the expelled fifteen
would he debarred from holding office in
the church, these patients Of theirs might.
if they Joined forces with the 4S2 who voted
for the so-caIled "Stetson ticket" of trustees
a the last election, put in a new board OF
trustees which would be favorably inclined
to the former leader.
II was said the Stetsonites were lining
I'D their forces for the January election
Of trustees. but this Mrs. Stetson specifical-
" denied.
In any case the amendment proposed
last night which Is TO be voted on tomor-
row night. brings the issue up now instead
Of in January. because it would completely
block any attempt which might be made
10 put on the board any one friendly TO
Mrs Stetson-
The proposed amendment reads as fol-
lows:
All officers Of the church shall ne mem
Church and whenever an officer ceases to
he q member OF either church his office
thereby becomes vacant
No person shall be eligible 70 be elected
or appointed TO. or to occupy or mold any
office in the church who follows or edhereS
TO the teaching or practice OF any person
whose license as 4 teacher Of CHRISTIAN
Science has been revoked by the directors
of the Mother Church. the First Church
OF Christ, Scientist. in Boston. or who fol-
lows Or adheres TO the teaching or practice
Of any practitioner Of Christian Science
who has been expelled from the Mother
Church. nor shall any such person be eli
gible for election or appointment to any
office until the expiration OF one full year
from the time when such person gives writ
ten notice to the board of trustees Of his
or her abandonment Of the teaching and
practice of such disIoyal teacher or prac-
tirioner.
II a complaint be fled by. member Of
the church with the board of trustees
charging that a person IS ineligible 70
hold office upon the grounds set forth
in this section, 1t shall be the duty of the
board of trustees within five days TO call
before them the person making the com
plant and the person against whom the