The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-10
OUSTED CHRISTIAN
| SCIENTISTS BLOCK
CHURCHEXPULSION
26 Followers of Mrs. StetsOn
Get Mandamus Order for
Reinstatement.
TRUSTEES BACK DOWN
Dismissal Based on Charge
of Lax Attendance Is
Called Petext.
BATTLE FOR EX-LEADER
Excommunicated Founder of
First Church Declared to
Be True Teacher.
BATTLE FOR EX-LEADER

| Church of Christ. Scientist. all Of them
| adherents OF the communicated
| founder OF that church, Mrs. Augusta
| r. Stetson. obtained from Supreme
| Court Justice Cohalan yesterday writ
! OF peremptory mandamtrs compelling
their restoration to membership, from
| which, the suit disclosed, they were
expelled by the trustees on Novem-
Der a.
The reason for expulsion given by
the trustees was that these twenty
six men and women, some of whom
! are pioneers OF Christian Science. had
not been regular In their attendance
at the services OF the First Church
for the period of a year. Twenty
three OF the twenty-siX made affidavit
that this charge was false 1t is
agreed in their behalf that the accu-
sation of the trustees was preteXt
and that the real reason for trying to
| oust them was their persistence in ac-
cepting Mrs. Stetson and regarding
her an a true interpreter of the teach
ings OF Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy.
The trustees insist that non-attend-
ance. in violation of bylaw Of the
church, was the sole reason for their
action. On Wednesday night after
hearing of the threatened court pro-
ceedings they held a special meeting
and decided 70 renstate the whole
twenty-six. Through their counsel, g.
g. Francscus, they consented yester-
day to the issuance OF the mandamus
order They admitted that they had
gone about the custer In an imperfect
way. inasnuch as they had failed TO
observe bylaw Of the church requ!r
Ing tho trustees TO notify each MEM
Der Of the charges and give each mem
ber an opportunity to be hoard
Another Feature Revealed.
Behind Il all, THE NEW YORK HERALD
was Informed last night. Is controversy
between the trustees OF the mother
church in Boston and of Mrs. Stetson s
old church here on the one hand and the
followers OF Mrs. Stetson on the other
On the one side. II is represented. is
determined effort OF the trustees to rid
the church of the bogy of Mrs. Stetsons
return to power on the other the equally
determined endeavor OF the stetsonltes
to place her III what they believe to be
her rightful place as leader OF the Chris
tian Science Church.
One close to Mrs. Stetson said last
night that there was no idea OF. trying
TO claim control of the church for her.
out that there was a fight To have her
recognized as the teacher Of true Chris
tian Science.
Clarence A. Barnes of Boecon. wao ap-
peared with Herbert Barry OF New YORK
as attorney for the members seeking
and gaining reinstatement, said earnestly
that the dissension In the parent organ
lzation OF the church in Boston. which Is
evidenced by the suit now IN the Su-
preme Court of Massachusetts. involving
the Jurisdiction of the directors OF the
Mother Church over the Christian
Science Publishing Company. had moth
ing TO do with the quarrel here. One of
the expelled members OF the New York
church, Joseph b. Whitney. treasurer at
the time of Its founding and for several
years thereafter. said when asked II the
action OF the trustees Of the First Church
bore any relation to the trouble in Bos-
Said Mr.. Barnes: THE Issue raised
by the dismissal OF the twenty-six mem
bers Of the First Church of Christ scien-
tlst. is a far reaching one All of those
dismissed are students OF Mrs. Augusta
f.. Stetson. They believe that her teach
ing Is the true teaching of Christian
Science as based on the teachings OF
Jesus Christ, and as promulgated IN the
teachings OF Mrs. Mary Baker c. Eddy
Prepared Co Meet Issue.
THE directors OF the Mother Church
for the last ten years and the trustees of
many OF the branch churches have. upon
one pretext or another. been striking
from the membership rolls students OF
Augusta Z. Stetson. Up to the present
time no effort has been made By these
students for reinstatement, but the sltua-
tion has developed now to a point where
those who believe that Mrs. stotson's
teaching is sound and genuine Christian
Science are prepared TO meet this lssue
rhe teachings as found In Science
and Health With Key to the Scrip
lures by Mrs. Mary Baker O. Eddy.
are that man Is immortal, that he is
spiritual and not material; that all ls
life. there IN no death and Il was pri-
pies that Augusta Il. Stetson was ex-
communicated by the board Of directors
OF tho Mother Church. the arst Church
OF Christ. Scientist, Boston
The fact that these twenty -six mem
bers were dismlsscd on the finsy pre-
text OF non attendance IL simply another
evidence OF the ruscs employed by the
material heads Of the church 10 destroy
the effort being made by those who
would preserve In their true spiritual
import the teachings OF genuine Chris
tian Science as promulgated by Mrs
Mary Baker q. Eddy.
The twenty-six members have not
been absentee members. but have been
regular attendants and contributors OF
the church."
Another spokesman for the twenty-six
said that for ten years. or ever since
1902 when Mrs. Sfetson's license as
Christian Science teacher was revoked
BY the directors the trustees OF the
Noufft8tsd oY Elfpprgf PINE