New-York tribune., 1920-03-11
Renaissance in
Science Church.
His Prediction
Expelled Board Member
Foresees New Government
For Faith As Outcome
of. Bitter Legal Battle
Gives Three Arguments
Dittemore Says Boycott of
Periodicals Founded BY
Mrs. Eddy Is Disgrace

A Renaissance Of spiritual activity
in the Christian Science Church and
new point Of view in it's government"
will result from the controversy with
in the church organization. John V.
Dittemore. who was expelled as senior
member Of the board Of directors Of
the Mother Churcn in Boston, declared
yesterday.
The great issue growing out Of the
Christian Science litigation. which be-
gan in Boston with the filing of a
bill Of equity by the trustees Of the
Christian Science Publishing Society
against the directors, is declared by
Mr. Dittemore to be question of
whether the machinery Of this great
church organization shall be controlled
by political expediency. and the spirit
of the church's teachings thereby
strangled and submerged," or whether
"a more progressive and democratic
standard of government in the church
control" shall prevail.
Won't Discuss Decision
Mr.. Dittemore, who with Lamont
Rowlands, ousted as trustee of the
publishing society by majority vote
Of the board of directors, has played
prominent part in the long standing
dispute, said yesterday that he was
prevented from discussing the relation
ship between the directors and the
trustees, and particularly the findings
of Judge Frederic Dodge, which have
yet to be affirmed by the full bench Of
the Massachusetts Supreme Court.
although Judge Dodge in his report
and findings filed in Boston last Sat-
urday decided that I am still the
senior member of the board of direc-
tors of the Mother Church." said Mr..
Dittemore, II do not consider it proper
to discuss the matter until the full
bench of the Massachusetts Supreme
Court has affirmed them"
THE greatest necessity Of this hour"
he asserted relative to efforts now be-
ing made to have excluded from the
churches and reading rooms of the
faith throughout the world all official
literature of the denomination pro-
duced by the publishing society, "is
to prevent the destruction of the
Christian Science publications which
/ Mrs. Eddy labored to establish.
The ruthless and irresponsible cam
paign to accomplish their destruction
by boycott based upon specious argu-
ments and Inaccurate information
emanates principally from small
group of local Christian Scientists
whose first move was through a meet
ing in the First Church of New York
and which has since spread its actu-
alities to other cities and states"
Board Silenced by Court
The directors of the Mother Church,
he said, "claim not to approve the
boycott plan, but, on the other hand,
the most prominent promoters Of it
claim inside information to the effect
that the directors are really sympa-
thetic to it but cannot act for them
selves because of an injunction, and
therefore that this group or committee
of New York gentlemen, according to
their statements, are acting for them.
"[n any event, the boycott move
ment doet not represent the sane,
thoughtful element of the Christian
Science Church."
There are three arguments, in Mr..
Dittemore's opinion, that are being
used to justify the campaign of de-
struction." First, he says that at will
cripple the trustees financially; sec
ond, that ait will be impressive to the
Massachusetts courts; third, that "the
Christian Science publications are no
longer authorized because of the posi-
ton of the trustees in their assertion
of virtual independence of the di-
rectors."
THE first of these arguments" he
SAID, lis fallacious, for unless all sup
port Of the quarterly Bible lessons is
Withdrawn and subscriptions cancelled
(and that means really stopping Chris
| tian Science sources in which +hasa