Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-12
MRS. A. T. STETSON
DIES AT AGE OF 81
Former Christian Science
Church Leader III for
Ten Weeks.
By the Associated Press.

ROCHESTER,, N. Y. October H.
Mrs. Augusta e. Stetson, at one time
leader In the Christian Science Church
died here today at the age Of 81. Sh,
had been III for 10 weeks.
Mrs. Stetson has been staying with
her nephew. Maj. Harold w. Simpson
at the Hotel Sycamore here since hel
return from his cottage in Canada ir
August.
Maj Simpson and his mother, Mrs
2. w. Simpson, sister Of Mrs. stetson
survive. Reports several weeks ago thai
Mrs. stetson was seriously III at hel
hotel suite brought denials from hel
relatives. Private funeral services viii
be held here and In New York.
Mrs. Stetson was born at Waldboro
Me-. and was the daughter Of Peabody
and Salone Sprague Simmons. She wal
educated In schools at Damariscotta
Me-: Newcastle, Me-, and the Blist
School Of Oratory and the Metaphysical
College Of Boston. The late Mary Baker
Eddy conferred upon her the degree Of
Christian science doctor. Mrs. Stetson'l
husband, who died several years ago
was Capt. Frederick j. Stetson. They
were married at Damariscotta, Me.
Began Church Work in 1884.
Beginning the practice Of Christian
Science healing In 1884, Mrs. Stetsor
the next year preached on alternate
Sundays In the mother church, In Bos.
ton. She was sent to New York City
In 1885 by Mrs. Eddy and became one
Of the organizers and charter members
Of the First Church of Christ. Scientist
New York.
She preached regularly In the church
and In 1888 became its pastor, which
title was changed in 1895 to flrst reader
She continued In that ONCE until the
rule Of rotation was irlaugurated, max
ing q term three years. Her tote
tenure Of office as pastor and first
reader was II years.
When the New York Christian Sci.
ence Institute was chartered, In 1891
Mrs. Stetson became It's principal She
raised $l,250,0o0 to build the firsl
church In New York City and dedicated
1t, free of debt, az soon as 1t was com.
pleted, In 1908. The entire sum was
contributed By MRS. 6tetson and heI
students.
After her years Of labor in behalf OF
Christian Science friction arose be.
tween Mrs. StetSon and the mother
church. She resigned her membership
IN the First Church, New York, In 1909
Mrs. stetson frequently expoundeo
her doctrines nj full-page newspaper
advertisements throughout the country
Some years later Mrs. stetson and
trustees Of the First Church In New
York became involved in litigation
which occupied the attention Of the
courts for q long time and which be-
came known as "the spite wall" suit
Mrs. Stetson brought the action to re-
strain the trustees from building IT.
foot stone wall between the church edi-
nee, on West Ninety-sixth street, and
Mrs. Stetson's home. which adjoined
the church.
The litigation grew out Of differences
which began In 1909, when Mrs. Stetson
was summoned to Boston by the Chris
tian Science board OF directors for Ques-
tioning by them as to the correctness
Of Mrs. Stetson's teaching of Christian
Science.
Eddy Scholar.
Mrs. Stetson, who had been person
ally taught by Mary Baker Eddy as q
class student and had been guided by
Mrs. Eddy In her New York work fol
more than IS years, by letter and BY
personal conferences, refused to recant
or compromise with the directors on the
doctrlnal issue and was dropped by
them from membership In the Boston
church organization.
Mrs. Stetson then resigned her posi-
ton in the church in New York to still
factional strife within the church be-
tween the Boston directors adherentI
and Mrs. Stetsor'S students, who haC
built the edif1ce. Mrs. Stetson's co-trus'
tees Of First Church, then in ONCE, re-
signed with her, and newcomers IL
sympathy with the Boston directors anC
hostile to Mrs. Stetson gained possession
of her church edifice on January /, 1910
The project to build the lT-foot wall
which the trustees claimed was to b
part of O covered passageway" to thu
rear door Of the church. began In 1911
Counsel for Mrs. Stetson claimed tina
the proposed wall was not In good faith
but an effort to harass Mrs. Stetson
through jealous animus, that 1t woult
damage her property to the extent o
$26, 900. that 1t was case Of "Shylocl
demanding q pound of flesh" and tina
the wall was useless TO the church.
| Counsel for the trustees introduced
/ AAO CNAQShlSC Va WAtAACooSot SSAASCGAAAk OAA'
physical facts in the case, but claimet
the legal right to erect the wall. ant
denied that the agreement in the deet
prevented the church corporation from
building the wall.
witnesses who appeared In court TO
Mrs. Stetson included her architect
Richard Rowland Hunt, and several o
her former co-trustees, William H. Tay
| lor, Joseph B. Whitney and DR.. JohI
Franklin Crowell The outcome of tn
preliminary suit was In favor of Mrs
Stetson. but the litigation continue,
1 for IS years thereafter.
The appellate division of the Su
preme Court fn New York then uphelI
the lower court injunction against tn
| church.
The decision decreed that no con
struction Of any kind should be erectet
to shut OF the light, air, view ant
access" between Mrs. Stetson's $75,00l
home and the church.