The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-08
Counsel for Mrs. Eddy
Feared, Discussions That
Are Now On
PROPHECY FROM
GENERAL STREETER

W4OtC LSVcSA WV AhASC 4CeeAo 1AoO
Telling Directors What Would Hap
pen if Quarrel Continued Then
Legal Action Would be the Outcome
PHILADELPHIA, May 8.-The eontro-
versy now in progress in the Christian |
Science church in Boston has brought to
light in this city document containing |
a remarkable prophecy of just the condi-
tions which it is now understood prevail
in Mrs, sEddy'ss church
The document is in the form of let |
ter written more than three years ago
by Gen. Frank S. Streeter of Concord,
n H., for many years personal counsel
for Mrs Eddy, to the directors of the
church in Boston, warning them of what
would inevitably come to pass if they
persisted in quarreling among themselves
| and failing to abide by the instructions
Mrs Eddy had given them. This letter
was written early in September, 1915. and
copy reached this city with brief com
| ment by Cen Streeter that events in
! the Christian Science movement would
be worth watching.
The communication, which is of great
length, was addressed to Archibald Me
Lelan, Alison Y. Stewart, John V Dit
temore, Adam H. Dickey and james a
Neal, who then constituted the board Of
directors But three of these men are
now said to be alive Messrs. Mcclellan
and Stewart having died, one nearly two
years ago, and the other within few
months
In his letter Gen. Streeter details just
how dangerous the condition of acrimo
NOUS controversy then prevalent in the
board Of directors must prove if it is in
sisted on, and shows that the very con
dition Of antagonism now present be
f tween the trustees Of the publishing com
g pany which issues the Christian Scene,
literature and tthe directors must come t,
/ pass if there is not change He goe
t on at great length to tell the director
that they are not faithful to the grea
5 obligations Mrs. Eddy laid upon them
\ and that sooner or later if they are no
( more careful to compose the difference
then frequently arising there viii be l.
gal action that will not rebound to tn
!. credit of the organization
= Gen. Streeter says in one paragraph c
y his communication; If the members {
your church, or any group or factor
{ should become aware of some of til
> things recently done or said and show
V. in your records, you might reasonably e,
&c pect an effort made to change the powt
Of control from YOU to the church men
- bers, or to remove you from your offices.
" hat these matters of which he speal
4 are is not specifically shown, but it
"A stated in another part of the docimeI
10 that one of the grave issues is an effol
on the part of the directors to vol
themselves larger salaries than those pr
- vided for by the rules of the church.
warns the five men addressed that
plain provision of the law any ncrea
that they might give themselves Won
be illegal and could be recovered
From the tenor of the letter II is pla
that Gen Streeter anticipated the pre-
ent suits, and was greatly disturbed ov
tie conditions he found, and used h
privilege as a legal adviser to the boar
of directors to write them a warnin
He was at that time. it is understood
the attorney for the Christian Scien
church, and feared that efforts to chan
the form of government which he sa
Mrs Eddy laid down would result in I
ttAolI va ltA1 paw VI LiG Ii1hdbSl5 VI =
church to make other changes.
One part OF the letter deals with a
rect charge that Mrs. Eddy sought
keep power ont Of the hands of the me-
hers because she believed in a more d,
potic form of government than is usua'
to be found in religious organizatio
founded in a democracy, and he tells t
directors that they should guard tn
conduct SO that no breath Of suspici
should attach to anything they might {
The letter is Is pages long. closely tyl
written, and contains an opinion render
to the directors at their request sol
months before, dealing with some Of t
troubles of the cause at that time
in all, it IS truly remarkable previsl
of the events that have come. and G.
Streeter's forecasts are regarded by
owner of the copy to have been fulfil
in ample measure.