Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-12-08
NO SUCCESSOR TO
MRS. N. B. G. EDDY
No Office in the Christian Science
Church.
TO Be NO SHOW OF MOURNING
only a Simple Funeral From '"e
Home and No Memorial Services
at the Church the
Plan.

Of the Christian science churcn III thls
city declaring in one breath tnat
Mary Baker Glover Eddy was the
dominant power in the church right
up to the time Of her death, in spite
of the reports OF her physical weak
ness and failing mentality that nave
persisted for the past year and In the
next that her death is a mere Incl
dent In the history Of the religious
fraternity which she founded, 1t Is I'M
possible to accurately measure the
effect that the passing away OF TINS
remarkable woman Is to have on the
future Of the church.
Directors Talk Freely.
Not In years have the leaders VINO
make ND the personnel Of the board OF
directors Of the mother church In this
city talked SO freely Of inner church
matters. All Of their talk however
is aimed in the direction OF minimiz-
ing the effect Of Mrs. Eddy's death
They do not even profess great GRIEF
over 1t, saying that the church re-
cards such things as inevitable and
as merely marking the transition oil
its members from one life to another,
This is the view OF the men who
have ruled the affairs of the church
with an iron hand for years, drawing
their power from the woman who has
so long been practically a recluse.
They deplore the passing Of the
woman who has been teacher to
them and the source OF their inspira
ton and guidance, but declare that
her death cannot possibly affect the
church organization in the least. They
say there will be no successor to her,
as she had no Office save the one OF
mother which the affection Of her fol-
lowers, not their votes, bestowed up
on her.
The hand That Ruled.
It is conceded by scientists here
that the board Of directors OF the
mother church and the personal cabi-
net of Mrs. Eddy have ruled absolute,
ly for years, crushing insurgency with
ease wherever 1t has manifested Itself
and brooking no interference with
or dlsobedience of Its mandates. But
while the hand has been the hand OF
the directors, the power in 1t has been
the power of Mrs. Eddy's personality.
With that gone 1t is feared by many
that the time will come when the
right OF the board to exact unswery-
ing obedience from every son and
daughter of the church may be Ques.
toned.
I Funeral Arrangements.
The funeral Of Mrs. Eddy will occur
at II O'Clock Thursday morning
Those who will attend wiz be Archi
bald Mclean, Allied NARROW, chief OF
the publication committee and the fol
lowing members of Mrs. Eddy i
household. Calvin A. Frye, Mrs
Laura E. Sargent, William R. Rath
Won and his wife, Mrs. Ella s. Rath
Won, the Rev. Irving e. Tomlnson anc
Adam Fl. Dickey,
Others who will have place at the
funeral ceremonies If they get here
IN time will be Mr.. George W. Glover
and his son and daughter; Or. e. j
foster Eddy, the adopted son Of
Mrs. Eddy; Gen. Frank 8. Streter, o.
Concord, N. H., and Josiah E. Fernald
the executors Of the will that Gen
Streeter drew up for Mrs Eddy some
years ago,
Virgil o. stivler and Eugene r
Cox are expected here from New
York for the funeral.
The ceremonies will be Of th'
simplest character. Judge Clifford P
Smith, first reader Of the Christian
Science church here, who made th'
announcement Of Mrs. Eddy's dealt
will conduct them. There will b
prayers and reading from Science
and HEALTH" several Of Mrs. Eddy
favorite poems viii be read TheS'
poems have not been extensively pub
lished but Mrs. Eddy was very font
Of them and It has been decided t
read several Of them.
Many OF the minor members Of tn,
church we're anxious that the funera
should take place in the mothe
church here but the directors So
down hard on this. They are de
termined that the funeral shall b,
as quiet as possible. There will no
even be a memorial service for Mrs
Eddy.