The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-12-13

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
a MORE remarkable life story than
"a that Of Mary Baker G. Eddy,
1A high priestess Of Christian
Science, whose death was re-
Gently announced In Boston, is diff
cult to find In the histories of those
men and women who have been pio-
neers in the various fields of religion
Furthermore, never before has wo-
man built up such an organization as
that of the Christian Science church,
with its 997 places Of worship and
100000 or more worshipers all over
the world, its costly edifices and its
staff of lecturers and teachers. She
was almost worshiped by those who
adopted her faith, and even after her
retirement from active leadership her
influence did not wane.
One remarkable fact stands out in
the life of Mrs. Eddy, especially In the
later chapters. 1t is the loyalty of her
followers through all the strife, legal
and otherwise, which had conferred
about her. Accusations that in her de-
clining years her reason had become
impaired fell upon deaf ears among
Christian Scientists. Although she was
living in absolute retirement, shut off
from intercourse even with most of
her lifetime friends, there was never
doubt expressed by loyal followers
that Mrs. Eddy was not In the sound
possession Of her faculties.
Early Years of Mrs. Eddy.
The life of Mary Baker g. Eddy be-
gan eighty-nine years ago in the town
of Bow, which is just across the Mer-
rimack river from Concord, N. Fl. Her
parents were Mark and Abigail A.
Baker, who were of Scotch and Eng
lish extraction. Among the more dis
tinguished of her ancestors were Sir
John Mach Macneil Of Scotland and
General John Macneil, New Hamp-
shire soldier who won distinction in
the war of 1912. General Henry Knox
Of Revolutionary fame was also an an
cestor.
Her first fifteen years were passed
on the ancestral farm at Bow, but in
1886 Mark Baker, the father, sold the
place, and, according to the versions
OF her youth given out from friendly
sources, but strongly disputed, she re-
ceived fine education It is said she
moved to Sanbornton Bridge, now TIL
ton, went through Ipswich seminary
and Sanbornton Bridge academy and
afterward was taught by Professor
Sanborn, author of Sanborn's gram
mar. and by her brother, Albert Baker,
a graduate of Dartmouth college. 1t
IL declared that she was instructed in
Latin, Greek, Hebrew and French and
was proficient in these languages long
after her schooling ceased.
Some of her friendly biographers
quote Mrs. Eddy as having said in de-
scribing the discovery OF her so called
sense that she had heard
voices calling her while still small
girl and that her mother had told her
to answer In the words of Samuel:
''What wouldst thou, Lord? Here
ami" Mrs. Eddy's biography then
says:
when had spoken a curious light
ness came over me. / remember It so
well! It seemed to me was being
lifted or my little bed, and put out
my hands and caught the sides. From
that time l never heard the voices.
They ceased"
It was In this atmosphere Of super
her biographers say, that
The child grew up. Long before she
came of age she regarded herself as
one set apart for some great work, and
before she was sixteen years old she
had decided to ct herself for either
he ministry or some other life work |
n which she could make her powers
selt.
First Husband Dies Soon.
In December, 1s43, Mary Baker be-
came the wife OF George Washington
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