New-York tribune., 1910-11-15
CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS
FACE FIGHT RENEWAL
Step Taken tC BaIk Alleged Plan
of Mrs. Stetson to Re-
gain Control.
SEEK TO CHANGE BYLAWS
Deposed Leader Hurries from
Deathbed Of Friend in South
First Gun To-mor-
row Night.

OF Mrs. Augusta f. StetSon, the leduer
of the faction in the First Church of
Christ Scientist which came very near
splitting that institution about year
ago it became known that the Stetson
adherents in the local Christian Science
Church have been quietly lining up their
forces for a renewal Of the old battle
with the forces headed by Virgil o.
( Strickler, the first reader of the church,
who is backed by all the power OF Mrs
Eddys Mother Church, in Boston.
More than that the members who re
tanned their loyalty 10 Mrs Eddy, as
against Mrs. Stetson. were repeating ru
mors yesterday that the former leader
of the local church had been engaged
ever since the last struggle in a country
wide effort to line up in her behalf any
disaffected Christian Scientist who for
any reason might have become dis
gruntled over the methods of the Boston
board of directors. the supreme court of
the Christian Science cult.
It is just a little less than a year now
since Mrs Stetson and nearly score of
her pupils We're expelled from both the
Mother Church and the local Christian
Science organiza ton. and the places of
those who had been trustees of the local
church under the Stetson regime were
filed by adherents of the Strickler fac
ton who remained loyal to the Boston
powers
Mrs Stetson, it was learned yesterday,
together with those healers and teachers
who were expelled because of their 10y
atty TO her. continued their treatment of
such afflicted ones as called upon them.
and impressed it we'll on each of these
patients that they must regularly at
tend the services in the big church at
seth street and Central Park West.
Stetson Supporters in Church.
This order has resulted in the build
ing up within the supposedly peaceful
church Of a compact body of men and
women who, though they are regular at
tenoants and subscribers to the doc
trines as propounded in Mrs Eddv's
books and manuals. look upon Mrs Stet-
son and her pupils as their real leaders
in the faith.
The election of trustees comes early in
January and It was for this event that
the Stetsonites were said to be grooming
themselves inasmuch as constant at
tendance carries with it the right to vote
at congregational meeting according
tc the state laws governing churches.
Last Sunday, however. at the regular
service. II was announced that a special
o. he
held next Friday night to consider an
amendment to the bylaws of the
church. To make it conform to the
state law governing ecclesiastical mat
ters there viii also be a special meeting
CT the congregation called Tomorrow
night, after the regular Wednesday
evening meeting. because the law re-
quires that notice of an Intention to
amend the bylaws shall be given at two
separate meetings before the one at
which the proposition is to be voted
upon finally.
This announcement. it is understood
took the Stetsonites somewhat bv SIR
prise, but they expect to be ready at the
Friday night meeting. with solid opposi-
ton TO any movement to amend the hv-
laws in any way to decrease their
chances Of securing again the control of
the First Church in New York at the
January election of trustees.
Hurries Back to New York.
Mrs Stetson, at the time of the an
was in Wilmington. n C..
at the deathbed of Miss Mary Bridges.
nj that city. Miss Bridges died. and |
Mrs. Stetson hurried back to New York |
TO take personal command of her move |
ment.
The proposed amendment. the Stetson- |
ties learned, was designed to curtail the /
franchise in church matters so that il /
could be used only by such members a !
gave convincing proof of their LOYALTY. |
not only TO Mrs. Eddy but also 10 the /
Boston board OF directors.
Mrs Stetson's adherents have alwavs |
claimed that they were strictly IoyaI TO /
Mrs. Eddy personally but they drew the
line at the Boston board of directors and |
declared that the directors had wrong !
fully taken unto themselves powers !
which should be in the hands of the /
founder of the Church alone
The opponents Of Mrs. Stetson de- |
clared last night that the ousted leader |
had planned a movement which was not |
only designed TO re-establish her in the |
local church. but that her aims were so |
10 organize her adherents as to put her |
in a position 10 either supplant or sue |
ceed Mrs Eddy as the head of the entire |
cult.
To her close friends Mrs Stetson has |
declared. her opponents say. that the /
riches and power OF the Christian Sci |
ence Church. when surrendered bv the /
founder. Mrs. Eddy. shall never go TO |
any one but herself She was for |
years one of Mrs. Eddy's closest friends |
and supporters. and considered herself .
the logical successor Of the founder.
The growing power of the Boston |
board OF directors. who have gradually |
2 bsorbed the activities of the cult for
nterly looked after by Mrs. Eddy alone /
has enraged the New York leader. and |
she Is credited with the ambition TO
seize for herself these reins of power
Though willing at first TO await the
regular succession. she has learned in
The last year that the powers of the or
sanization will have passed into the
hands of the directors before Mrs Eddy
&c and che would thus he blocked