REMARKABLE WOMAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20111, 23 November 1928, Page 10

REMARKABLE WOMAN.

MBS. AUGUSTA STETSON.. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE LEADER;; SUCCESSOR TO MRS. EDDY." END OF INTERESTING CAREER, [FROM OUIt OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW YORK, Nov. 1. m. Mrs. Augusta E. Stetson, Christian Science leader, who maintained she would never die, has passed away after ten weeks' illness, during the lust few «f which she was attended by a physician. Death was believed due to advanced age. She was 87. Since the death of Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy in 1910 Mrs Stetson has been tlio most prominent figure in the Christian Scienco movement, despite the fact that In 1909 she was excommunicated by tlio Mother Church, and resigned from the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in New York, which she founded. Around her centred a great internal quarrel, which at ono time threatened to disturb th&« Church.

Consistent with her prediction that sho would never die Mrs. Stetson made a mystery of her birth and early life, that was aided by tho burning of the records of the town in Maine where she was born about 1842. In 1867 she married Mr. Frederick Stetson, a Civil War veteran, whose health had been broken by imprisonment after capture. The first nine years of her married life were spent abroad. In 1884 Mrs Stetson met Mrs. Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science Chirch. At the request of Mrs. Eddy she came to New York, with tlio instruction: "I want you to establish the Christianity of Christian Science in New York." Large and Influential Following.

This was the beginning of a career that one time threatened to overshadow in importance the figure of Mrs. Eddy herself, and only the most determined efforts by the Mother Church in Boston enabled it to keep the spiritual leadership of the Christian Science movement. Within two years Mrs. Stetson organised the First Church of Christ, Scientist, and her following was so large and influential that «he was able to erect a new church at a cost of £250,000,. in the corner-stone of which was placed a letter from Mrs... Eddy, showing that at the time she was* still in accord with Mrs. Stetson's teachings. Mrs. Stetson planned to build a branch of her Church in New York City, but Mrs. Eddy prevented it with a ruling that only the Mother Church could have branches.

The dissension capie to a head as Mrs. Eddy's death approached, and resulted finally jii Mrs. Stetson's expulsion. She was charged with teaching "pretended Christian Science." There was a great deal of public discussion at the time of a practice of Mrs. Stetson's, variously called "mental assassination," "absent treatment," "death messages," and most often "malicious animal magnetism," which was directed against her enemies.

Mrs, Stetson Excommunicated. Airs. Stetson appeared before the directors of the Church, and was excommunicated, along w'ith 15 practitioners who stood by her. She was never after connected officially with any Christian Science Church. She became a national figure when Mrs. Eddy died. The breach was widened when she announced that Mrs. Eddy was not dead but would return to earth in tangible form. She never abandoned that idea, and reiterated it last year. She also announced that the Millennium was near, and that she herself was immortal. In 1913 she announced herself as successor to Mrs. Eddy, and spiritual leader of the Christian Science Church. The Mother Churcn expelled every follower of Mrs. Stetson. Deprived of a church she resorted to a campaign of propaganda in newspapers and magazines throughout the country. In the next five years she spent £150,000 in advertising alone. During the last few years she adopted the radio, and in August last year she startled her followers by repeating in stronger terms the belief that she would live for ever. She said her body, as well as her soul, would never die.