New-York tribune., 1919-03-27
Trustees of Publishing So.
ciety Act Against the Di-
rectors of First Church
Tell of 100000 Profit
Plaintiffs Declare Defend
ants Seek Control of All
Christian Science Affairs

been started in the Massachusetts Su-
preme Court to determine which of two
sets of trustees appointed by the late
Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy has author
ity over the Christian Science Publish
ing Society. On petition of the trus-
tees of the society, the court has issued
temporary injunction restraining the
directors of the First Church of Christ
Scientist from taking any action in
tended to interfere with the trustees in
the discharge of their duties and from
attempting to compel any of the trus-
tees to resign.
The trustees of the society, appointed
by Mrs. Eddy in 1898, are Herbert w.
Eustace, of Boston; David r. Ogden, of
Brookline, and Lamont Rowlands, of
Picayune, Miss. The directors of the
Church, who also are trustees under
deeds executed by Mrs. Eddy in 1892
and 1903, are Adam H. Dickey, James A.
Neal and Edward A. Merritt, all of
Brookline, and William r. Rathvon, of
Boston. Joined with them as defend
M. Knott, both Of Boston, each claim
ing to hold office as trustee and di-
rector with the other defendants.
One Director Removed
The plaintiffs say the first four
named defendants have recently re-
moved Dittemore and appointed Mrs.
Knott as his successor, and that thew
do not know which is now the legal
occupant of the position.
The bill sets forth that Mrs. Eddy,
as founder of the Christian Science
movement, determined to put into the
hands of different sets of trustees the
organization of Christian Science
churches and the work of circulating
Christian Science publications. 1t de-
clares that the trustees of the pub
fishing society have held and man
aged the property which came to them
under the deed of trust of 1898 "cx-
clusvely for the purposes declared
and defined therein, and solely for the
promotion and extension of the reli-
gion of Christian Science as taught
by Mrs. Eddy"
The plaintiffs assert that the af-
fairs Of the society have been "highlv
prosperous and successful" and that
they have paid over to the defendants
in their capacities as directors and
trustees more than s45OOOO as earn
ings and profits from their conduct of
the trust for a period of six months
ending October /, 1913. They point
out that the defendants are directors
only of the First Church, known as the
mother church, and have no official
control of the more than 1900 other
Christian Science churches and So
cieties.
Sought to Assume Powers
They declare that the directors, since
the death of Mrs. Eddy, "have been
gradually endeavoring to assume and
exercise powers with regard to the
publishing society, which the directors
never assumed or attempted to exer-
else during the lifetime of Mrs. Eddy"
Within the last few months, the plain
tiffs say "the directors have repeatedly
insisted that the board of trustees (of
the publishing society should make
open, specific and public acknowledge
ment that the directors were the su-
preme and final authority, with refer
ence to all of the affairs of the pub
fishing society and the management Of
the trust created by the trust deed of
1898"
The plaintiffs say that upon advice
of counsel they refused to make such
acknowledgement, and that on January
3 last, the directors demanded that the
trustees Of the publishing society re-
sign.
The bill of complaint then recites an
opinion submitted to counsel for the
Smith, Leon M. Abbott and Edwin A.
Krluthoff, by counsel for the trustees
Of the society, Charles f. Hughes, Silas
II. Strawn and Sherman l.. Whipple
This opinion is to the effect that the
powers of the trustees are clearly set
forth in the deed of trust and that the
directors have no authority to order
the resignation Of the trustees.
Want Counsel Repudiated
The plaintiffs say that at conferences
held in an attempt to harmonic the
different views, the directors "insistcd
as a condition Of their continuing to
hold their Offices that the plaintiffs
should explicitly and in writing re-
pudiate the advice and opinion Of their
counsel"
The bill says the directors on March
II attempted to remove Mr. Rowlands
as trustee and declare his office vacant
by serving him with notice of dis
missal, and on the next day demanded
that the remaining trustees appoint
as his successor "a person who shall