The New York herald., 1921-10-02
Religious Notice.

paper there appeared a reply from the libra
rian, which read in part:
"The library furnishes material
on both sides Of every question, and leaves
the inquirer to do his own thinking. Mrs.
Stetson and her followers have just as much
right to be heard as the representatives of The
Mother Church.
"The library is not propaganda for any
faith or belief. 1t is laboratory in which any
one may work out his own solution of any
question"
We have been greatly interested in the re-
cent decision of the United States supreme
court regarding the case of Loewe VS.. Lawler,
popularity known as the "Danbury hatters'
case," in which it was ordered that triple DAM
ages for the boycott must be paid. We are
gratified to learn that the court handed down
the decision that "the labor organization, by
practising a boycott, was guilty of con-
spiracy in restraint of trade under the Sher-
man law" Our attention was attracted to the
strange act Of attempted control over libra
ries and efforts to boycott the aforementioned
volumes which were written by Christian
Scientist. Upon investigation we learned that
the author of these books, Mrs. Augusta E.
q
Eddy, who had received her personal indorse-
ment since the beginning Of Mrs. Stetson's
work in Christian Science. Mrs. Stetson has
been a resident of New York City for twenty
seven years, pastor and pastor emeritus of
First Church Of Christ, Scientist, of that city,
during the same length Of time, and under
Ter pastorate a church edifce was erected at
the cost of $1,250,000 and dedicated free Of
debt, Immediately upon its completion, as "a
tribute of love and gratitude" to Mary Baker
Eddy. The local membership Of this church,
under Mrs. Stetson's pastorate, grew to the
number of eighteen hundred, while thousands
throughout the world had the benefit of her
preaching, healing, and instruction in Chris
tian Science in the "New York City Christian
Science Institute" Of which Mrs. Stetson was
and is Principal.
Our exploration Of the methods that have
been used in trying to suppress Mrs. Stetson's
writings has been an interesting and astound-
ing revelation of the ways and means used in
this enlightened day to attempt to destroy the
influence Of her efforts to defend what she
says she knows to be genuine Christian
Science, as taught her by Mary Baker Eddy
and demonstrated by Mrs. Stetson up to the
present time. The men who composed the
board of trustees Of First Church Of Christ,
Scientist, New York City, during Mrs. Stet-
sons pastorate, are among the most prominent
men of affairs in that city. These gentlemen
have for years occupied leading positions in
the business, legal, and literary world, and
to-day command the respect of the public.
Upon investigation we learn that these former
trustees Of Mrs. Stetson's church continue to
indorse her spiritual Interpretation of Mrs.
do
have been aroused to renewed study of Mrs.
Eddy's teaching, since Mrs. Stetson gave to
the world in her books statement Of her ex-
periences in Christian Science and the facts
about the action taken by the board of direc-
tors of The Mother Church in 1909. In our
search for facts we have learned that the
system Of the boycotting of her books is eX-
tensive. One library discussed the demand Of
the local Christian Science church representa-
tives to keep Mrs. Stetson's books from the
public, and decided to take the case to the
committee of the state library, which imme-
sons oppressors in attempting to boycott her
books. The authorities of the state library
directed that ''these volumes remain cata-
logued, left in their places on the shelves, and
given to all who desire to read them" We
find another instance where members of the
local Christian Science church formed COM
mittee which was authorized to prevent the
circulation Of the books by going to the
locking them up without reading them, and
returning the books only to Eave them called
for at once by another member of the COM
mttee who pursued the same course. Thus
the circulation of these volumes was prevented
for three months, when the librarian learned
of this attempt to withhold from the public
these works, and the plot was frustrated. An
other librarian, speaking of the efforts made
by Christian Scientists to withdraw the books
from the library of which she was in charge,
expresses herself in the following words:
"I am not Christian Scientist but do be-
lieve in absolute justice and in granting to
other people the same freedom of action which
should demand for myself 1t is absolutely
inexplicable to me that man of Mr. ......'s
intelligence should presume to dictate to other
people what they should should not read
could not for one moment lend the assistance
of a great public institution to such narrow
ness. l shall continue to keep the books on
our shelves for free distribution for such
people as wish to read them"
We learn, also, that since these books, pub
lished by Messrs G. P. Putnam's Sons, New
York City, have been before the public, the
members of the local churches throughout the
Christian Science field have been warned
against them and have been forbidden to read
or circulate them upon implied threat of dis
mssal from The Mother Church.
The attempt to destroy these writings of
Mrs. Stetson suggests the mediaeval days, the
burning of the Bible, and excessive fear of the
enIohteninp influence of these volumes. Are