The Washington times., 1920-09-24
QUITS CHURCH
AS TOOSTR|CT
Henry Ward Beeoher's Grand
daughter Withdraws Chris
tan Science Affiliations.

NEW YORK. Sept. 24-Mrs. Mar
garet Beeehsr White, grsnddauShter
Of Henry Ward Beecher and charter
member Of the First Church of Christ
Scientist, has resigned from that and
the Mother Christian Science Church
In Boston. This became known yes
terday when she announced that she
intends TO continue her practice as
healer and lecture independently
According to both Mrs. White and
members of the ataR Of Albert r.
Gilmore, head OF the Christian Science
Publicity Bureau for New York state
the severing of Mrs. Whites relations
with the Christian Science Church, OF
which she has been member eighteen
years and a practitioner sixteen was
accomplished some time ago without
bitterness.
In her home Mrs. White said yester-
day:
when a member Of q Protestant
church wishes to withdraw from a
congresation there Is no regulation
TO prevent such a step. After eigh-
teer years OF faithful service to the
Christian Science Church i came TO
the independent conclusion that
would be frser to practice the teach
ings OF Mary Baker Eddy outside than
inside the Organization. The trustees
of the church will not approve nor
will they censure or otherwise act on
my resignation. j have letters
couch he'd In the friendliest terms from
the trustees of my church here
DEPLORE RESIGNATION.
Mrs. White exhibited to the re-
porter several Ietters signed for the
trustees by the Secretary OF First
Church of Christ Scientist. Their
tenor was to deplore her resignation
and at the same time acknowledge
her work for the church and testify
to her capacities as "a Science healer.
Asked to explain the motive OF her
resignation. Mrs. White said:
II feel that the Christian Science
organization Is narrow in many OF
its precepts and rules. For instance,
il is q law OF the church as consti-
tuted at present that new pupils In
the practitioner classes shall choose
a teacher and then, forever after
ward, stick to that one master As
in any other study-matnematics
music or what1ot--one may stumble
to change. -
81, personally. had the good luck
to get a good teacher. But feel
that in this rule and in many which
restrict the readers and practitioners
to repeating by rote what they are
taught, the organization is narrow.
have a message to many who need
IL, and / want to be free to deliver
it, Hence my resignation for the pur-
pose at becoming An independent
scientist"
Mrs. White has delivered two lee
lures as an indepedent, in the Astor
Hotel. and will~centinue to do 50
weekly. Her daughter, Mrs. Margar t
signed from the First Church, but
not from the Mother Oh -rlh, which
action indicated that she merely in.
tended TO transfer her III nbcrship to
ZONE other Christian Sc 'nce Church.
NO ACTION Ely C:URCH.
Nc action will be ken by the
Christian Science organization. it was
explained at their pub'Icity heed
quarters. as Honr can follow a resig-
ms ton. 1t was eSpiain-i that Mrs
Whites case diffe.s radically from
that OF Mrs. Augusta Stetson. who
FIRST foInIcd and then way eScom-
.,uninated n 1911 from tho Fist
Church. Mrs. Stetson's activities,
which offended the Boston trustees.
occurred while she was still, a mem
Der and called for excommuni 'atton,
IL was explained. Mrs. White cannot
be held to account by the mother
church for activities following her
resignation.
or her career as Science Pract-
toner. Mrs. White said that her
grandfather, Henry Ward Beecher.
had been a close student OF Mary
Baker Eddy's works. q well-thumbed
copy of which he possessed. She said
that, as a child, she first heard Of
Christian Science from him when he
visited her father, Henry Beecher, in
Brooklyn - when she was taken to
see the taDous minister at his coun-
try home. When she once refused to
attend her grandfather's church on
the ground that she professed the
Christian Science belief, Mr.. Beech
err overruled her parents objections
and told them to let the child have
her way.
Mrs. White still processes firm
belief in Mrs. Eddy's teachings. and
claims that the church as at present
organised has drifted away from
them, it being one Of the church
founders tenets that personal free
dom in the practice OF her cult was
one of it's most important virtues.