The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-31
Directors Of Mother
Church Resent Mrs.
Stetson's Attitude.
SERIOUS SPLIT
THREATENS CULT
Election in New York Church
Comes Within Month, and Ex-
communicated Leader May
Be Returned to Power.
Her Following Incrcas-
ing Daily.
Especial to The Times-Dispatoh.

Especial to The s-Dispatoh.1
New York. December 30.-Ths
declaration by Mrs. Augusta e. Stetson.
the communicated leader of the
First Church of Christ Scientist. in
this city. of her conviction and that
of many Christian Scientists through
out the country of the imminence OF
the resurrection in neshly form of Mary
Baker Eddy. tho founder Of the Chris
tian Science cult. had the effect to-day
of forcing the directors of the Mother
Church of the faith in Boston into
vehement denial of the orthodoxy of
Mrs Stetson's doctrines and those of
her followers who believe with her
that Mrs. Eddy will make demon
stration of her triumph over death.
even as Jesus Christ did in Palestine
1000 years ago.
1t also became evident to-day that
the directors of the Mother Church In
Boston, who have been left as SUI
preme arbiters of the faith which Mrs
Eddy discovered and built up. have
been forced to meet a distinct line of
| cleavage in the ranks of Christian
Scientists throughout the church by
their action, quickly seized upon by
Mrs. stetson, In dropping from the
manual of the Mother Church the name,
and title of Mrs. Eddy as Pastor Emer-
titus, of the parent church in Boston.
BY their action. the directors have
declared themselves in the matter of
an ecclesiastical difference of opinion
in a way which threatens to open
wider the breach between the "prac-
ticar' and the visionary" devotees of
the faith.
No Longer Pastor Emeritus.
Eugene r. Cox. the mouthpiece of
the directorate in Boston, said that
Mrs. Eddy's name had been dropped
from the roll of the officers OF the
| mother church because she was no
| longer pastor emeritus. That portion
Eof the church which believes with Mrs
Stetson looks upon this action of the
directors as indicative of rank lack of
faith, since to their notion Mrs. Eddy
still lives and still is pastor emeritus.
| nr leader over her pupils
| There also appeared to-day the first
definite indication that the crystalliza-
tion of Mrs. Stetson's views concerning
the inevitable demonstration of Mrs.
Eddy in tho flesh forecasts renewal
| of the strife between the factions in
the First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in this city, when the annual election
of trustees shall take place in January.
Mrs. Stetson's beliefs have won to- her
party in the church large number OF
converts. and the issue of the future
lcontrol of the large congregation here
| will be fought out at the election
which Is to come within the month.
| The publication In this mornings
papers of Mrs. Stetson's unusual be-
licfs concerning the resurrection of
Mrs Eddy stirred Eugene r. Cox, who
is the chairman of the publication COM
mittee of the Christian Science Church
| for the State of New York into un-
/ III actfN Ia OF
ment on his own behalf and two he
took later over the telephone from
/ John V. Dittemore, the clerk of the
| Mother Church, and a member of the
| board of directors of the central or
ganization in Boston. The latter state
ments were obtained at the behest OF
lintcrviewers.
This Is the first statement which AR.
Cox had ready for the newspaper men
| at his office at No. 1 Madison Avenue,
this afternoon.
There is nothing In the teachings of
Christian Science nor the writings of
Mary Baker Eddy, its discoverer and
l founder. to Justify any statements
looking to physical resurrection. and
any tendency or thought in that direc-
tion is abnormal in Christian Scientist.
as it takes account OF the personality
of Mrs. Eddy. which she deprecated.
Idea RepuEnant.
ITO attempt to deity her or make her
equal with God or Jesus tho Christ is
equally repuSnant to the normal teach
Z ings of Christian Science. When asked
liz she were the second Christ. Mrs.
Eddy said: Even the question shocks
me- What I am is for God to declare
in EIis infinite mercy. There was and
is and ever can be but one God. one
Jesus of Nazareth.
"such authoritative statements by
Mrs Eddy should forever put at rest
any wild and visionary ideas regarding
resurrection or reappearing In bodily
form Mrs. Eddy gave to the world
Christian Science. demonstrahle
knowledge of good. and this will for-i
statements tending towards the del
fication of Mrs. Eddy and referring to
her resurrection recently promulgated
by one who was eNcommunicated from
the Mother Church by the hoard OF
directors In their official capacity. for,
incorrect teaching and practice Of
Christian Science. should settle all
doubt. that has or may exist as to the
|propriety of such eNcommunicationt' q
IT was freely said in Christian Sell
ence circles to-day that Mrs Stetson
had added greatly to her following by
flling the lack in faith had by many
ton to bo ION the side OF mortality In
their frankly material acceptance OF
], the fact of Mrs. Eddy's death
In January the annual election OF
trustees for the First Church here viii
be held There are three regularly
reeurrent vacancies 10 be fllled, and
two vacancies besides those caused by
4 the resignation year ago ofytrustees
who We're OF the Stetson faction In
4 ali. five of n board OF nine ars TO
be chosan the election viii deter
i mine a majority of tho board
Has Many Followers.
Il Mrs Stetson,s forces are said to
lnumher 500 which would cnnstttnts.
i, a majority necessary 10 elect Ave AZ.
i Irectors Favorable 70 her party, if all
) werc marstaled at the pollsi