Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-08-03
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
Committee On Publication
Replies To Ditto
more Article
To the Editor:


The article in a recent issue of
your paper, purporting to be an ac-
count of the report of Judge Dodge
in the case of j. V. Dittemore vers IS
The Christian Science Board of Di
rectors, requires correction
Mr.. Dittemore was dismissed from
The Christian Science Board of Di-
rectors by majority vote of the re-
naming Directors, as provided in the
Church Manual, and he then brought
this suit, demanding reinstatement.
The Masters report in the case was
recently made public, and Mr.. Ditto
more Immediately sent out this arci-
Gle in plate form at his own expense
to several thousand newspapers. The
account is extremely unsa.r in many
particulars, and shall thank you for
space in which to correct its ost
flagrant inaccuracies.
In The first place, it fails to men
ton the controversy with the late
trustees of The Christian Science
Publishing Society, and the part that
MIR. Dittemore played in complicating
a most perpleXing situation, although
the Master repeatedly referred to
this in his report and mentioned it
explicitly as the controlling motive"
of the Directors in removing him
from office.
In the second place, while it pur-
ports to state the Masters findings
as to why the Directors voted to dis
miss Mr.. Dittemore, it neither states
nor quotes the Masters main finding
on this subject The main finding as
to tbs cause of dismissal is found in
paragraph 81 of the Masters report.
which reads as follows:
"57. I do not find however, that
their preparation and adoption of
the resolution to dismiss him was
wholly induced by feelings
against him OF the above char
acter. 1 find that the controll-
ing motive which induced its
adoption by the defendants who
voted for it was the desire on
their part to remove the obstacle
presented by the plaintiffs pres
ence on the Board to their at
temptS to arrange a compromise
with the Trustees; though they
acted the more readily under said
controlling motive by reason of
their Willingness to disassOciate
themselves from a colleague with
whom they could not agree and
whom they did not like. Except
" illS cpON = EANCllLs iIil QL.tDlE
to find that their action was not
in good faith. These were the
findings OF the Former Report"
While the art e in question claims
TO be simply an account of the Mas
ter's report, it is really propaganda
intended to prejudice public senti-
ment against the form of church
government e ablished by Mrs.
Eddy; and in his efforts 20 accom-
plish this purpose Mr. L .emore has
sought in every way possible to dis
credit his former associates, both as
A Board and as Individuals The
Christian Science Board Of Directors
is -perpetuating" simply because
Mrs. Eddy provided in the Manual
(Article I, Section 81, as well as in
the Trust Deed of Sept 1, 1892 MAN
ual, page 1900, that it should fill its
own vacancies. The Manual of The
Mother Church was recently upheld
by the Supreme Court of Massachu-
setts as the sole governing authority
of the church, and the Board OF Di-
rectors has no authority nor power
save that conferred upon it by this
Manual. Local self government of
branch churches is also explicitly
provided for in the Manual, in Ar
ticle XXIII, Section l, and this Soc
ton also states, THE Mother Church
OF Christ, Scientist, shall assume no
general official control of other
churches, and it shall be controlled
by none other"
Mr.. Dittemore also insinuates that
there are two factions in the church
by his reference to a progressive
which he claims is grow
ing in strength. In reputation, allow
me to quote the following from an
editorial in THE Boston Herald"
written at the time the Supreme
Court rendered its decision in the
former case. Referring to the atti-
tude of Christian Scientists towards
that controversy, the Herald stated:
There was no schism; there was no
there was substantial and
very nearly complete union in the
great mass of believers, which was
not weakened in the presence of a
raised by the small Of
fetal group in the Publishing House."
The same may be said today with
equal, and in fact with greater force,
in spite of Mr.. Dittemore's persistent
efforts to produce discord and dissen-
ton while the final decision of the
Court is still pending. And Christian
Scientists feel confident that the Su-
preme Court will again uphold the
Manual and the action of the Board
of Directors in dismissing Mr.. Ditto
more. just as it upheld the action of
the Board in dismissing one Of the
late trustees.
Sincerely yours,
n FD
Christian Science Committee on