The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-11
LOOTING PLAN ALLEGED
Organist and Reader Say
Politics and CONNER
cialism Rule.
HOPE TO HALT .WRECKER
Hundreds of Mrs. S]tetsOn's
Followers HereabOut to Re-
turn Under COnitiODs.

The success of twenty-six followers
of Mrs. Stetson in compelling the trus-
tees of First Church of Christ, Scieu-
tist, to restore them to membership
has started fireworks all along the
line. Two and possibly three. Grim
inal lawsuits are threatened, in adj
dition to a civil action.
a movement is under way to force
the trustees to restore to membership
all of Mrs. Stetson's disciples, number
expelled from the church by the trus-
tees in the eleven years that have
passed since the accommodation of
the founder of the New York church
by the Mother Church in Boston. 1t is
indicated that the long contemplated
fight for the recovery by Mrs. Stet-
son of First Church. which she be-
lieves TO have been given into her
hands by Mrs. Eddy. has started in
earnest.
Meanwhile two Of the best known
men in Christian Science. neither of
whom, it appears, is a member of the
Stetson faction, are bent on going to
law in order, as they say, to obtain
justice from the ruling powers OF
with having become possessed by poll
tics and by the spirit Of commercial
ism and autocracy and with exercis-
ing an unendurable tyranny over and
viIifying any who dissent.
These men arc Campbell MacCulloch.
formerly first reader of First Church,
and ward-Stephens. its organist, who.
he made known yesterday. is under
notice OF dismissal from that position
20 take effect December Is.
Before District Attorney To-day.
Half dozen members OF the church
whom MFR. afacCulloch named have been
summoned to appear to-day before AS
sIstant District Attorney Rorke TO be
questioned regarding a charge made by
Mr. MacCulloch that his desk was
broken open and papers stolen. which
subsequently were used by members TO
harm him. He has resigned his men,
bership in the church for the purpose.
he says, of being free 10 press this COM
plant and also If necessary. a COM
plant OF criminal libel against two
trustees and sixteen others OF the
church. Giving November 1s as the date
his desk was broken open. he says that
the person who rified his desk even
pieced together and photographed scraps
OF a torn envelope found i'm his waste
basket. Mr. Rorle apparently contem-
plates a preliminary inquiry to see II
there Is reasonable basis for a criminal
prosecution.
Mr.. MacCulloch made public two
scorching letters he has written TO the
trustees Of tho church and personal
statement intended for the newspapers
Declaring that the democracy which
was the ideal OF Christian Science has
been replaced by an "absolutism that
would make the Russian regime blush
for shame" he says Mark Twain's pro-
diction that in time the Christian Science
church would establish regime more
autocratic' than anything yet known TO
religion has been fulfilled.
Ward-Stephens. organist OF First
Church for eleven years. composer Of
much OF the music used i'm Christian
Science churches everywhere and known
as composer OF secular music and
n coach OF operatic and concert singers.
said last night that he had asked his
attorney. Thomas II. Fielder. to start q
mandamus suit TO compel the trustees
OF the First Church to supply MIN with
a copy OF the charges upon which. he
saws. his dismissal from his post was
based originally.
lie also said that II the writ was OBJ
tanned and the charges produced he
would start libel actions against the
persons responsible for the charges
The trustees say that no charges were
made or exist. and that in Diminishing
Mr.. stephens they merely avalled them
selves OF clause in the contract per-
nittlng either party TO terminate the
contract upon sixty days notice.
see. Rule or Ruin Policy.
Mr.. stephens. insisting that serious
charges actually were preferred as
pretext for getting him out. says he
believes that tho Stetson adherents have
for years been trying systoma ticaly TO
ruin the church for the purpose OF taxi
ing possession of the Nreckage and that
spieg OF the Stetson faction within the
church have conspired 10 have him re-
moved because his music was an s'rsc'
tive ana even healing feature Of the s.
vices. With him out one more bloN.
would have been struck at tile prestige
of the institution and the anti-Stetson
rustees now in control. Such is Mr.
Stephenss expressed theory OF the
motive Of his enemies.
Mr.. MacCulloch gave out his public
statement In Assistant District Attor-
nev Rorke's ONCE and over the protest
OF MIR. Rorkc who preferred that moth
Ing should be said about his inquiry un-
III its completion. Mr.. MacCulloch be-
gar the statement by saying that he
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