New-York tribune., 1920-11-30
Mrs. Hilirl Out
OF Christian
Science Case
Litigation Is Simplihed by
Withdrawal of Brooklyn
Woman Claiming Part in
Action as First Member
Closing Arguments Made
Final Stage Reached in
Controversy Over Control
of Church Organization

Of the Supreme Court to-day sat in
Judgment on the hnal stage Of the
litigation IN which several factions OF
the Christian Sclence Church are IN
volyed in an attempt to determine
where control Of the organization and
its several auxiliary activities rests
The litigation was simpliied some
what by the withdrawal Of Mrs. Emile
g. hilin, Of Brooklyn, who had claimed
voice in the proceedings in her ca
Daclty as first member of the Church.
IT, governing body that preceded the
board OF directors. Miles N. Dawson.
9t New York, her counsel, in announc-
ing Mrs Eilins withdrawal said she
abandoned her attempt TO intervene in
he suit Of the trustees Of the Chris
ian Science Publishing Society against
the board of directory of the Mother
Church, believing that all her rights
we're fully protected in the petition Of
Attorney General Allen of Massa-
chusetts which asserts that under the
manual Of the Church the directors are
she governing body and have the power
10 remove members of the board Of
trustees.
Closing Arguments in Case
Closing arguments were made to-day
by ex-Governo. John /. Bates in be
half Of the directors; William G.
Thompson, representing John v Ditto
more, who seeks restoration as a mem
Der of the board Of directors, and by
eX-Supreme Court Justice Charles L.
Hughes. in behalf Of the trustees Mr..
hughes arguments were unfinished
when Adjournment was taken, and viii
be resumed Tomorrow.
The controversies within the Chris
tian Science Church started over eX-
ceptlons taken to the findings Of Judge
Frederic Dodge, who. as master n the
or ginal suit brought by the trustees
of the Christian Science Publishing
Society against the board of directors
of the church, sust aIned the plaintiffs
in their main contentious.
The outstanding issue is whether the
authority OF the board Of directors Of
the Christian Science Church extends
over the trustees Of the D blshi g
society, which publishes The Christian
Science Monitor and other church
periodicals. Judge Dodge held that il
did not
The docket contains six cases. First
s the suit OF the trustees Of the pub
hshlng society against the directors Of
the church. in which the plaintiffs asl.
that the respondents be enjoinei from
Interfering with the affairs OF the pub
Nshing society. The trustees assert
tnat under deed Of trust made bv
Ars Mary Baker Eddy, founder oe the
church. they are independent Of con-
tloi by the directors, who. in the oy-
ercise Of powers which they maintain
are conferred under another deed OF
trust made by Mrs Eddy and in CON
formlty WITH the plan of church gov
efhment wh!ch they maintain was laid
Gown oy Mrs. Eddy in the church
manual, have sought TO remove Lamont
Rowiands from his Office as trustee.
Judge Dodge, who head the evidence.
held that the directors did not have
authority to remove Rowlands and that
such removal could be made onlv bv
the concurrent action Of the directors
and the FIRST Members OF the First
Church Of Christ, Scientist. in Boston
(tae mother church,.
,odI 5he FIRST members on January 10.
lgol, adopted a bylaw TRANSFERRING ali
their powers to the directors a~d
whether they can now regain their
f9lmer status in an issue before the
court. '''e
Although bill in equity brought bv
D.tt"more 10 comrel the latter 10 rec.
oenlze him as fellow member Of their
board, was not fully heard bv Judge
Dodge, he decided the removal Of D.-
temore was illegal This ruling is
among the exceptions taken by counsel
1Vi 0Ne directors 10 report Of the
master.
State ATTORNEY General J. Weston
Allen will ask the court to declare mat
uTder the will Of Mrs. Eddy a public
charitable trust was created when the
tnst Church Of Christ, Scientist. was
esta ab,ished; that the trust was or
gained and existed under the usage
and discipline Of the church. as set
forth in the manual, for the promotion
and extension Of the religion of Chris
tian Science
Other matters before the court are
the bills Of Daisy and Edwin A. Kraut-
hotf proclaiming the manual as the
supreme authority of the church; and
of the trustees of The publishing So
ciety to restrain individual members Of
the Mother Church from influencing
other members to cancel subscriptions
u Christian Science publications.