A LITERARY CORNER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7139, 28 May 1910, Page 9

A LITERARY CORNER

THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF " CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.'' (BY “hUiVAi.") “The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy and » hr: n istory of Christian fch-i----cnec.” By G‘orgijic M limine. 11liiki rated. I.oiKiuii : Hodd-y and VvVllingUm : SN hitcomoc and Tombs, E'.d. Dl. D Is said that the followers or Mrs Eddy., u li'-ho name is generally accepted us t/iat oi (he launder of what D ki.own a.s ‘‘Christian Science,'’ arc •->a , d. U> aua.bnr over msly limn.-aml. Limi-e are “Christian Seiuiee” "groups’ or Cliure.-irs in i/.oiuuii, us well as in most of in;; principal ci.es oi .i uk r;ca ; the sect is jo prr.M'nied in Sydney ami M‘-d----honl'ne, and mayo-', too, for aught 1 know 1 o \ m euii'M.rv, in V\ ciuugioii itbell. 'id ti.e wuiv devoU-.I "Cumtialj M'jcoitisf.’' At is Cody k- aimed as sacm us is i Trid to ('hri.-i.ians. Mahumm-d io lho Moslem.- , and Buddha ;o the Buddhist UTiaicvcr the exaggerations, stupldi Ccs aml tuiU.s lout may nave been debited to Um-> laCe.T of "iin.' rengiuus tho fact rOmaios, ami is admitted b> the author of what ns a most rut exposure of A Ira ioady. Iter dvgnm.c and especially her imahods, that Hie "fccJonee” ot this rc mai kabic woman, half bolf-duiiul tl, hah charlatan, lias brought, to great numbers of men and women, in her -own country and eDewheri._..,o long as they reiainul their allegiance to it—tranquility and posifive happiness, often luting a cloiui of settled temperamental glaoiu or t>r the wnow oi real nusiorliinc -Mrs MHmine traces .Mrs Eddy* Mo awl career as a rel'°uous teacher —a divinely mh,ir«l su° she « regarded as bciug hjr a larg-» pi upors.un ui her followersfrom Hit bind at »Uo little township of Jiow, in New llampsiiii'e, m IKsl, r.ght op W the pr.scr.Uhiy. The author <lescril.cs ills Eddy's girlhood at some leugtn.ana shims how sire was always oi a hjst-oii-cal temperament, being subject lo tigjv<nis fits and cur.vulskms. TUe tirsfc marriarm of tho future "Mother” ol the Church was tu one “Wash” Glover, a young stonemason, who died of yellow lever" at Charleston, only .six mouths after the wedding. Trie widow returned to her parents, and began to take a great intercut in mesmerism ami clairvoyance, and in IboJ married a hand«oiue. genial gentleman, “Dr” Daniel Patlcrsun. an itinerant <lonl-ist. Patterboi4 also practised homeopathy, and it is just [lo-'iSiblu that it was from him that, his wife picked up not a little of that extraordinary jumble of knowledge and ignorance of matters connected wita the healing art which, in later life, she was to put lo such profitable employment. After thirteen years of married life the den list-homeopathist separated from his wife, no doubt having hud more than enough of her hysterical outbreaks.

MARY BAKER C. EDDY. (From a photograph taken in Com N. H., in 1892).

“Quimbyism.” We now come to one of the most important periods in Mrs Eddy's life. She became a pupil and devoted follower of one Phineas Parkhouse Quimby, whom Mrs Miimino describes as the “amiable empiric who stumbled upon the psychic fact that is tho foundation of ‘'Chris* tian Science." Quimby, who was a cloekmaker at Belfast, in the State of Maine, was a student of philosophy in his leisure hours. Mrs Miimino describes him as “a mild mannered New England Socrates, constantly looking into his own mind and subjecting to proof all the commonplace beliefs of liis friends.’' Quimby took up the study of “animal magnetism," and finding ho possessed, remarkable mesmeric powers, travelled about as a “mesmeric healer," Ho was an earnest Christian, and believed he had rediscovered tho method of Christ's miraculous healing when ho camp to tho conclusion that tho patient could heal himself, if only he could once get into his mind “an unspeakable •faith that bo would get well." Such a faith was, so contended Quimby, possible only after a course of “mindcure." Mrs Mary Glovor Patterson went to Quimby and was cured of a ■“spinal trouble." She was now forty■ono. She sat at the feet of Quimby, imbibed Ilia ideas, and later on put them into practice, churning, by the way, that she was tho real discoverer, indeed, the “divinely inspired" first apostle df “Christian Science." Mrs Eddy’s partisans maintain, says Mrs Milminc, that she received her inspiration from Uod, while Quimby's adherents (ho has to-day thousands of followers'who are convinced that ho was tho discoverer and founder of mental healing in America) contend that she stole tho whole idea of “Christian Science" from Quimby. Mrs Milminc devotes two or three chapters to whut is called “The Quimby Controversy," and shows that Mrs Eddy, clever though sho may be, has not scrupled to descend to gross misrepresentation and, indeed, suppression of tho mil facts connected with her discipleship of Quimby,

Other Associates. There is also a long account of Mrs Eddy’s partnership or association with a mesmerist, named Kichard. Kennedy, with whom she quarrelled, and against whoso “malicious mesmerism," as sho calls it, slic has devoted many columns —many hundreds of columns—of very scathing denunciation. It would lake up too muen space to follow .Mrs kiddy's career in every detail. To Kennedy succeeded, ns an associate, a “Dr” Spofford, of Lyuu, who styled himself a “Scientific Physician’ - ’ —all her life the ■“founder oi Christian Science" seems to have taken as naturally to faddists and quacks as does a duck to water—and through this 4< l)r ,> S.iofford the lady met her tnird husband. Asa Gilbert .Eddy, who died in, l&>2. Jn course of time Mrs Eddy founded *’ Vhc Church of Christ .Scientist ,J> at Lyni., but support fell away, and she retreated from Kynn and beid’y attacked a wider field in .Boston, How the nev; Ciitli grew into wider recoanilieii; v.’i'l po, ■ alarity I

cannot: toil at length. Suffice it to gay that one rises from a perusal of Mrs M iimii-e’s brmk w'ith a very sincere admiration for .Mrs Eddy’s qualities as an organ ism- and business woman., whatever may be one’s opinions as to her sincerity as a. religious teacher.

A Wonderful Organisation. Slowly but surely this ill-cducatcd. ;;e. vou>. dedicate woman built up the largest and most powerful organisation ev r founded by ar;y ‘woman in America. Mrs .Milmine says: The result of Mrs Eddy's planning aml training and pruning is that she has built up tiie largest and most powerful organisation ever founded hy a:.v woman in America. Probably no -yljjcr unman so handicapped—• so limited jn intellect, so uncertain in conduct:, so tortured by hatred end pampered by petty animosities—has ewer risen iruin a stale of helpiesMuv.- and dep ndence lo a position of sink power and authority. Ail that < iinst ian Science tod.iy litc M dlmr Church, branch Cn urciii'S, hoaici s, leachess. readers, boards, committees, soviet ies arc as completely under Mrs Eddy’s control as it -am were their temporal as vvcdl as their .spiritual, ruler. . . . What; Mrs Eddy lias accomplished has been due solely to her own compelling personality... tfhe hu-s never b-.cn a dreamer of dreams or a seer of vis.oas, and she lias not the mind, for deep and Starching investigation into any problem. Her genius has been pf the eminently practical kind, which can pne- t and overcome unfavourable! conditions by sheer force of energy, and in Mis Eddy’s case I iiis potency has been accompanied by a remarkable shrewdness, which has had its part in determining her career. Her problem lias been, not to work out: Hie problem of mental healing, but lo it, and having popularised it, to maintain, a personal monopoly of its principle. The Autocrat of the Church In tho maintenance of her personal pou or—an act mil autocracy—. Mrs Eddy has i.in fortu mucly exhibited many most unamiablc traits. She lias push.-d her jealousy of prominent Ghristian healers and members of Uio “Church of ChristScientist” to tho veige of malignity. Time after time, when any member has attained a certain prominence in tho Church, he or she lias been denounced by tho jealous “Moth.-er” as being a most uiKiutiiul '‘Son'' or "■Daughter.'” and, indeed, as a traitor. Mrs EddyAj dread of being affected by what she calls "malicious mesmerism.” approaches mania. She declares that the evil working mesmerist cun permeate the atinospJiero of a whole street, a whole quarter of tho city, with mesmeric iniluences which are intended to be most noxious to the persecuted "Eouudcr of Christian Science,” and some of ucr deliverances on this subject, botli in speech and iu print, are contemptibly childish. Such nervous four contrasts very curiously with her claim to the possession of Divine powers. This claim may be based upon selfdelusion, a recrudescence of the hysteria which made her so unpleasant to live with whyn a child and a young married woman.

The Business Side of “Eddyism. M But despite her nervousness, her fears of the “malicious mesmerists,” who are ever, so she tells her followers, “demoniacally plotting to destroy the faith and its ‘Founder’”~lhut poor Quiniby, at whose feet she sat, ever lived, she now' most conveniently forgets —Mrs Eddy has all that love of lire Almighty Dollar which characterises the average New r Englander. In a dozen different directions “Bddy.sm" brings grist to the Eddy mill, 'illus I read ol ‘‘Christian Science jewelry.” Mrs Eddy’s “iavourite Hower” is made up into cuff-buttons, rings, broodies, wamnes and pendants, varying in price from ton shillings to Mo. The sale of the "Christian Science” teaspoons appears to have “been especially profitable. The “Mother Spoon,” an ordinary silver spoon, was sold for five dollars. Mrs Eddy’s portrait was engraved on it, and the motto, “Not Matter, hut Mind Satisfhth.” The

“Founder” pushed the sale of this spooo by inserting the following rerxuesc in the “Journal”: — On each of these most beautiful spoons is a motto in has relief that every person on earth needs to hold in thought. Mother requests that Christian Scientists shall not ask to bo informed what this motto is, but each Scientist shall purchase at least one spoon, and those who can afford it one dozen spoons, that their families may read this motto at every meal and their guests bo mads partakers of its simple truth, MARY BAKER G. EDDY. The above-named spoons are sold by tho Christian Science Souvenir Company, Coricord, N.H., and will

soon be on sale at the Christian Science reading rooms ■ throughout tho country.

The “Pdothep Church.” Mrs Eddy is the Autocrat of the Church. Directors, President, First and Second Headers. Clerk and Treasurer of tho Church aro all elected “subject to Mrs Eddy’s approval." The facts as to Mrs Eddy's personal power, as given in one of tho later chapters of Mrs Milmine’s narrative, which is document©, as the French say, at every possible point, ar© most extraordinary, and showhow, even in this twentieth century, thousands of people of presumably average intellect can subordinate their intelligence and cheerfully accept and submit to the domination of a half-educa-ted but certainly, in her owm way, very clever yoman. I give a picture of the Mother Church, and what is its most recent addition —“the Excelsior Extension," as Mrs Eddy calls it. The auditorium is capable of holding five thousand people j tho walls are decorated with texts signed “Jesus the Christ" and “Mary Baker G. Eddy," these names standing side by side! I might here add that Mrs Eddy's income from royalties on her various publications must make her one of the richest women in America. For the three years, 1893-1895, the accounts of Dr Foster, her “literary adviser," show a total profit of over forty-five million dollars! And since then her annual royalties must have greatly increased. It is true she has contributed largo sums for buildings, but her personal wealth must Do enormous.

Airs Alilmine’s book is a handsome, well-printed, attractively bound volume of dose upon five "hundred pages, and. contains illustrations from photographs of Airs Eddy at various ages, of her three husbands, and of other persons connected with the history of “Christian/ Science. ,J The price is 3s Gd. EDUCATIONAL WORKS “Broad Lines in Science Teaching” Edited by F. Hodsou. With an introduction by Professor Sadler. London: Christophers and Co. It was a decidedly happy thought, this assembling in one volume of a number of essays, mostly very practical in character, on the teaching of science to boys and girls of secondary school age. The editor's object has been, through the variety of the contributors’ experience and varietv of presentation, to cover a wide a field as possible and thus to show how strong is the case for a wider public comprehension of the many-sided human value of science in modern education. The contributors include many

educational experts, who can claim to bpcak with no small authority - on the subjects dealt with. Many of them are practically engaged in the teaching of science at various universities and secondary schools, and are fully conversant .with "the difficulties to be surmounted ‘and the limitations which ailect certain phases of science leaching. The scope of the work is very wide, as may be scon by ar> enumeration of a few only of tho titles in the table of contents:— “The Scope and Teaching of NatureStudv"; “The Place of Science generally in “tho School Curriculum”; “The Teaching of Hygiene”; "Biology in Schools"; "The Claims of .Research Work and ‘‘School Ala* themutics in .Relation to School Science”; "The Co-ordination of Physics Teaching in School and College” (with tpcciaj reference to electricity and magnetism); "The Teaching of Economic and Domestic Science”; “Science in the Teaching of Jiislory”; ‘‘flow the School may hc.p Agiiculturo”—these and many other .suojects are dealt with at more or le.s.s length and in varying detail. Two of the most interesting and impoitaiit chapters of the book deal with tho present condition of physics-teach-ing in the L Jilted States, and with school science in Germany. Professor Sadler's introduction is a sound and eloquent appeal for a wider and deeper recognition of the value to the nation of a well planned system of science teach-

The writers of the various essays are far (ho says) from claiming for physical science a pieponderant part ni the course of general education, which should precede any form of specialised study. Language and literature, history., art, and music, arc in their view indispensable factors in a liberal education. But they hold that on educational grounds the study of .nature should xilso be a necessary part of the school training of every child. They feel, moreover, that, as Earaduy said, everything depends upon the spirit and manner in which scientific instruction is given and honoured. They wish to sc? school work and tho conditions of school life imbued with science. They believe that in the cncourugemeut of Hie scientific temper and attitude of mind lies one of tho best hopes of culture, the surest guarantee of intellectual activity and of temperate judgment in the nation, and one necessary means of preparation fur the duties of citizenship. They have therefore brought into common stock their experience of the ways in which the study of science may become, directly and indirectly, a vitalising influence in the work of a school.

The work is one which should specially commend itself to the attention of those who are engaged in secondary school work, and, indeed, all who are interested in the progress of national education upon sane and broadly modern lines.

Chambers's Student’s History of England and Great Britain. By W. J.Bees, B.Sc., and Johnson Fenwick. Edited by Fb I’atrick. LL-D-, and William Woodburn. London and Edinburgh ; W. and E. Chambers, Ltd.

Yet another Student’s History of England! Yes, and. it is or/o in which, 1 am glad to say, there are some dis» tinctly new features, features which are as useful as they arc novel. It is many years now since the firm of W. and It. Chambers first became famous for their educational publications, and in this year of grace, nineteen hundred and ten. they are still just as active in the compilation and publishing of this eminently useful class of literature. It isa stout, yet haudy sized tome of over 700 pages, in which Messrs Bees and" Fenwick now present their version of the long and crowded chronicle of British history. A carefully planned system of notes relieves the text from the burden of too many explanatory details, an abundance of sketch maps enables the reader to follow with ease the march of events, and the record of each reign is followed by a series of brief biographies of leading actors in the great historical pageant. A series of summaries and selected questions is another good feature, as the student is thus enabled to test his knowledge for himself and judge how far his reading has prepared him for examination and cross-examination. The book should therefore prove useful bo teachers as well as to pupils in the higher forms of secondary schools; and also to such as are preparing for various entrance examinations, such as the Civil Service. Text, summaries, questions, notes, maps, all aim to save and recover something from the deluge of time; at the same time to encourage the diligent to seek fuller knowledge in the works of the greatest and wisest historians of our national life and see for themselves that “history is philosophy teaching by examples.” Now that there is a fair prospect of more attention being paid to the teaching of history in our New* Zealand schools, the appearance of this admirable compilation is most opportune. It would form an admirable pendant or accompaniment to such a work as Green’s famous “Short History of the English People,” in that it would Mford convenient reference to that detail, a knowledge of which is sometimes necessary to the full comprehension of the force of Green’s argument and of the .accuracy of his general record of tho nation’s progress.

A ROYAL VISIT TO CANADA. “Boyish Reminiscences of the King’s Visit to Canada in I 860." By Liout. Thomas Bunbury Gough. R.N., then, a midshipman on H.M.th Hero. Illustrations London: John Murray, 1910. In ISSO, when the late King Edward, then Prince of Wales, paid a visit to Canada, the author of these “boyish reminiscences," a gentleman whosodeath occurred shortly aftej, the accession to the throne of the laro monarch, was a middy on board the screw line of battleship, tho Hero, of 91 guns, 600 h.p., and having a complement of hOO officers and men. It was on this vessel that the Priiitce voyaged to Canada. The captain was Captain G. ii. C.B., and the Commander, G. H. Stirling. The latter was well known in Australia, las father being Admiral Stirling, once Governor of Western Australia, and he himself afterwards Commodore of the Australian station. Tho author notes, too, the fact that the bandmaster, Pritchard, afterwards served in the same, capacity on tho Galatea on the occasion of the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to tho colonies. Mr Gough's story includes reminiscences of many lively and amusing scenes on shipboard and on shore, and some most entertaining descriptions of the various official and private functions and festivities organised, in the young prince's honour, at St. John's, Quebec. Toronto. Ottawa, and other places. He has many excellent nnoedotes to tell.of the more or less distinguished personages met with on the voyage to and the tour through Canada, and tells them with much spirit and point. It is a good, straightforward, briskly written narrative, tne interest of which is considerably enhanced by the reproduction, from tho “Illustrated London News," of the pictures drawn for that journal by its special artist, Mr W. H. Andrews, R.W.S. The Reminiscences, which first appeared in the columns of a Melbourne weekly newspaper, were well worth collecting and reprinting in their present form.