New-York tribune., 1920-12-11
Elk Readers Charge That
Desk Was Broken Open
and Papers Stolen the Ba-
sis of Prosecutors Action
Spy System Is Alleged
Methods Employed Are Like
Those of Inquisition, Says
Campbell Nc Cul1o c b


Attorney Alexander l. Rorke yesterday
declined to comment on tho progress
of the investigation he has begun, with
charges made by Campbell MacCulloch
as their basis.
MacCulloch was formerly first reader
Of tho church and complained to the
District Attorneys office that his desk
was broken into several weeks ago
and valuable papers stolen. He does
not directly charge any official with
being implicated, but does say that
copies Of the papers have been seen
in the possession of Christian Scien-
fists.
Advised Not to Talk
When he got through listening 'te
MacCulloch yesterday afternoon Rorke
advised him not to talk about the case
with newspapermen, but the former
gave out copies Of his letter resigning
from the church along with a state
,nent explaining certain phases Of the
controversy now raging among the
members Of tho Christian Science
Church.
In his letter Of November 81 Mac
Culloch explains to the trustees that
he Is resigning on advice Of counsel. so
that he can feel free to appeal ITO the
authorities to determine the RESPONSE
oilfty for the rifling Of my Office and
theft Of certain documents and papers
therefrom-copies Of which am In
formed have been seen in the possess
sion Of certain Christian Scientists and
at least one member Of the First Church
Of Christ, Scientist"
In his explanatory statement Mr..
MacCulloch charges that there is an or
ganized spy system in the whole Chris
tian Science Church, and that the at
tacks made upon him are the result
of his opposition to the growing COM
nercialsin of the church.
The present issue in the church IN
New York." he said, "is but an out
Growth of the situation in Boston,
where great legal battle is now being
Ought in the Supreme Court to deter
nine whether or not the directors os
the church shall remain in supreme
autocratic control of the tremendous
revenues and activities of the church
throughout the world. The income of
The church until recently has been in
excess of $1,000, 900 a year, and the
i've directors have been in absolute
control Of it. A tremendous machine
OF arbitrary power has been built up,
and any one who falls under its dis
pleasure will be disciplined in a man
ner that can only be compared to the
vicious practices of the Inquisition.
DO not hesitate to say that the present
situation in the Christian Science
Church throughout the world lacks only
the more venomous material features
Of the Inquisition to establish the par
allel. The auto-da-fe is absent, but
only because the laws forbid it.
Church Too Well Fed, He Says
''The attack made upon me and upon
others in this city is due solely be-
cause haves objected to the CONNER
cal sm of the Church as it is being
carried out. The trouble is based upon
the fact that the Christian Science
Church has become too prosperous. too
we'll fed and too powerful. The state
ment has been made that am associ-
ated with the publishing society Of the
church. This, again, is untrue, and I
have been one Of the most consistent
critics of the policies Of the publ sh-
ing society for two years. I am strictly
independent Of any party in the
Church, and it is my intention to re-
main SO, and the present persecution
IS based on that alone.
There is no question but that the
Chist en- Science organization Is split
and the split will continue until the
present regime is cleared out of the
Church in Boston and the interference
no do nf
thousands OF branch churches through
out the world abandoned by the direc-
tors.
The present trouoie in First Church
has been brewing for ten years. 1t has
little or nothing to DO with the situa-
ton in Boston, save shat it was carried
out at the direct instigation of those
Stctson are we'll known. | have beer
lnalterably opposed to the policies
which resulted in her dismissal from
The First Church here and from tbs
Mother Church in Boston, and | an
still opposed to them. The policy just
pursued by the trustees OF First
Church is one that personally rec
commended three years ago ting month
and which was embodied in letter tc
the Christian Science board of di
sectors, and for which ! hold their re-
ply. That was before the present con,
troversy broke out"
Intimations that they have becom,
Students OF Mrs. Stetson because the,
believe her the successor Of Mar,
Baker G. Eddy" were rcfuted ycster
day by the twenty-six Christian Scien
slsts in whose behalf mandamus pro
ceedings were brought against the FRS
thruch. A statement made yesterda,
ny Clarence A. Barnes, COUNSEL for tn,
twenty-six members involved, said:
I'm your article concerning man
damus proceedings brought by twenty
six Christian Scientists TO restore then
20 membership in First Church o
Christ, Scientist, appears the state
menl 'Nrs. Stetson was recognized b,
many members as the successor o
Nary Baker G. Eddy as head of the
church lnasmuch as | have represent
ed, as counsel, the twenty-six members
now re.nstated by court order, who ar,
students Of Augusta f.. Stetson. | hav,
AIKEN occasion 20 investigate their be
lief upon this point and find that each
one OF them. holds that Mrs. Stetson
teaches she Is not and does not claim
70 be The successor Of Mary Baker G
Eddy.
"Mrs. Augusta e. Stetson has her
own place as the demonstrator of the
teachings Of Mary Baker G. Eddy, and
her life, works and writings, including
Vital Issues In Christian Science
and "Reminiscences, Sermons and