christian science-第24部分

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A　prominent　Christian　Scientist　has　assured　me　that　the　Scientists　do　not
worship　Mrs。　Eddy；　and　I　think　it　likely　that　there　may　be　five　or　six　of
the　cult　in　the　world　who　do　not　worship　her；　but　she　herself　is
certainly　not　of　that　company。　　Any　healthy…minded　person　who　will
examine　Mrs。　Eddy's　little　Autobiography　and　the　Manual　of　By…laws
written　by　her　will　be　convinced　that　she　worships　herself；　and　that　she
brings　to　this　service　a　fervor　of　devotion　surpassing　even　that　which
she　formerly　laid　at　the　feet　of　the　Dollar；　and　equalling　any　which
rises　to　the　Throne　of　Grace　from　any　quarter。

I　think　this　is　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　salve　a　hurt　which　I　was　the
means　of　inflicting　upon　a　Christian　Scientist　lately。　　The　first　third
of　this　book　was　written　in　1899　in　Vienna。　　Until　last　summer　I　had
supposed　that　that　third　had　been　printed　in　a　book　which　I　published
about　a　year　latera　hap　which　had　not　happened。　　I　then　sent　the
chapters　composing　it　to　the　North　American　Review；　but　failed。　　in　one
instance；　to　date　them。　　And　so；　In　an　undated　chapter　I　said　a　lady　told
me　〃last　night〃　so　and　so。　　There　was　nothing　to　indicate　to　the　reader
that　that　〃last　night〃　was　several　years　old；　therefore　the　phrase　seemed
to　refer　to　a　night　of　very　recent　date。　　What　the　lady　had　told　me　was；
that　in　a　part　of　the　Mother…Church　in　Boston　she　had　seen　Scientists
worshipping　a　portrait　of　Mrs。　Eddy　before　which　a　light　was　kept
constantly　burning。

A　Scientist　came　to　me　and　wished　me　to　retract　that　〃untruth。〃　　He　said
there　was　no　such　portrait；　and　that　if　I　wanted　to　be　sure　of　it　I　could
go　to　Boston　and　see　for　myself。　　I　explained　that　my　〃last　night〃　meant
a　good　while　ago；　that　I　did　not　doubt　his　assertion　that　there　was　no
such　portrait　there　now；　but　that　I　should　continue　to　believe　it　had
been　there　at　the　time　of　the　lady's　visit　until　she　should　retract　her
statement　herself。　　I　was　at　no　time　vouching　for　the　truth　of　the
remark；　nevertheless　I　considered　it　worth　par。

And　yet　I　am　sorry　the　lady　told　me；　since　a　wound　which　brings　me　no
happiness　has　resulted。　　I　am　most　willing　to　apply　such　salve　as　I　can。
The　best　way　to　set　the　matter　right　and　make　everything　pleasant　and
agreeable　all　around　will　be　to　print　in　this　place　a　description　of　the
shrine　as　it　appeared　to　a　recent　visitor；　Mr。　Frederick　W。　　Peabody；　of
Boston。　　I　will　copy　his　newspaper　account；　and　the　reader　will　see　that
Mrs。　Eddy's　portrait　is　not　there　now：

〃We　lately　stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　Holy　of　Holies　of　the　Mother…
Church；　and　with　a　crowd　of　worshippers　patiently　waited　for　admittance
to　the　hallowed　precincts　of　the　'Mother's　Room。'　Over　the　doorway　was　a
sign　informing　us　that　but　four　persons　at　a　time　would　be　admitted；　that
they　would　be　permitted　to　remain　but　five　minutes　only；　and　would　please
retire　from　the　'Mother's　Room'　at　the　ringing　of　the　bell。　　Entering
with　three　of　the　faithful；　we　looked　with　profane　eyes　upon　the
consecrated　furnishings。　　A　show…woman　in　attendance　monotonously
announced　the　character　of　the　different　appointments。　　Set　in　a　recess
of　the　wall　and　illumined　with　electric　light　was　an　oil…painting　the
show…woman　seriously　declared　to　be　a　lifelike　and　realistic　picture　of
the　Chair　in　which　the　Mother　sat　when　she　composed　her　'inspired'　work。
It　was　a　picture　of　an　old…fashioned？　　country；　hair　cloth　rocking…chair；
and　an　exceedingly　commonplace…looking　table　with　a　pile　of　manuscript；
an　ink…bottle；　and　pen　conspicuously　upon　it。　　On　the　floor　were　sheets
of　manuscript。　　'The　mantel…piece　is　of　pure　onyx；'　continued　the　show…
woman；　'and　the　beehive　upon　the　window…sill　is　made　from　one　solid　block
of　onyx；　the　rug　is　made　of　a　hundred　breasts　of　eider…down　ducks；　and
the　toilet…room　you　see　in　the　corner　is　of　the　latest　design；　with　gold…
plated　drain…pipes；　the　painted　windows　are　from　the　Mother's　poem；
〃Christ　and　Christmas；〃　and　that　case　contains　complete　copies　of　all　the
Mother's　books。'　The　chairs　upon　which　the　sacred　person　of　the　Mother
had　reposed　were　protected　from　sacrilegious　touch　by　a　broad　band　of
satin　ribbon。　　My　companions　expressed　their　admiration　in　subdued　and
reverent　tones；　and　at　the　tinkling　of　the　bell　we　reverently　tiptoed　out
of　the　room　to　admit　another　delegation　of　the　patient　waiters　at　the
door。〃

Now；　then；　I　hope　the　wound　is　healed。　　I　am　willing　to　relinquish　the
portrait；　and　compromise　on　the　Chair。　　At　the　same　time；　if　I　were　going
to　worship　either；　I　should　not　choose　the　Chair。

As　a　picturesquely　and　persistently　interesting　personage；　there　is　no
mate　to　Mrs。　Eddy；　the　accepted　Equal　of　the　Saviour。　　But　some　of　her
tastes　are　so　different　from　His！　　I　find　it　quite　impossible　to　imagine
Him；　in　life；　standing　sponsor　for　that　museum　there；　and　taking　pleasure
in　its　sumptuous　shows。　　I　believe　He　would　put　that　Chair　in　the　fire；
and　the　bell　along　with　it；　and　I　think　He　would　make　the　show…woman　go
away。　　I　think　He　would　break　those　electric　bulbs；　and　the　〃mantel…piece
of　pure　onyx；〃　and　say　reproachful　things　about　the　golden　drain…pipes　of
the　lavatory；　and　give　the　costly　rug　of　duck…breasts　to　the　poor；　and
sever　the　satin　ribbon　and　invite　the　weary　to　rest　and　ease　their　aches
in　the　consecrated　chairs。　　What　He　would　do　with　the　painted　windows　we
can　better　conjecture　when　we　come　presently　to　examine　their
peculiarities。




THE　CHRISTIAN　SCIENCE　PASTOR…UNIVERSAL

When　Mrs。　Eddy　turned　the　pastors　out　of　all　the　Christian　Science
churches　and　abolished　the　office　for　all　time　as　far　as　human　occupancy
is　concernedshe　appointed　the　Holy　Ghost　to　fill　their　place。　　If　this
language　be　blasphemous；　I　did　not　invent　the　blasphemy；　I　am　merely
stating　a　fact。　　I　will　quote　from　page　227　of　Science　and　Health
（edition　1899）；　as　a　first　step　towards　an　explanation　of　this　startling
mattera　passage　which　sets　forth　and　classifies　the　Christian　Science
Trinity：

〃Life；　Truth；　and　Love　constitute　the　triune　God；　or　triply　divine
Principle。　　They　represent　a　trinity　in　unity；　three　in　one　the　same　in
essence；　though　multiform　in　office：　God　the　Father；　Christ　the　type　of
Sonship；　Divine　Science；　or　the　Holy　Comforter。　　。　　。

〃The　Holy　Ghost；　or　Spirit；　reveals　this　triune　Principle；　and　（the　Holy
Ghost）　is　expressed　in　Divine　Science；　which　is　the　Comforter；　leading
into　all　Truth；　and　revealing　the　divine　Principle　of　the　universe
universal　and　perpetual　harmony。〃

I　will　cite　another　passage。　　Speaking　of　Jesus

〃His　students　then　received　the　Holy　Ghost。　　By　this　is　meant；　that　by
all　they　had　witnessed　and　suffered　they　were　roused　to　an　enlarged
understanding　of　Divine　Science；　even　to　the　spiritual　interpretation　。
。　　。　　of　His　teachings；〃　etc。

Also；　page　579；　in　the　chapter　called　the　Glossary：

〃HOLY　GHOST。　　Divine　Science；　the　developments　of　Life；　Truth；　and　Love。〃

The　Holy　Ghost　reveals　the　massed　spirit　of　the　fused　trinity；　this
massed　spirit　is　expressed　in　Divine　Science；　and　is　the　Comforter；
Divine　Science　conveys　to　men　the　〃spiritual　interpretation〃　of　the
Saviour's　teachings。　　That　seems　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　quoted
passages。

Divine　Science　is　Christian　Science；　the　book　Science　and　Health　is　a
〃revelation〃　of　the　whole　spirit　of　the　Trinity；　and　is　therefore　〃The
Holy　Ghost〃；　it　conveys　to　men　the　〃spiritual　interpretation〃　of　the
Bible's　teachings。　　and　therefore　is　〃the　Comforter。〃

I　do　not　find　this　analyzing　work　easy；　I　would　rather　saw　wood；　and　a
person　can　never　tell　whether　he　has　added　up　a　Science　and　Health　sum
right　or　not；　anyway；　after　all　his　trouble。　　Neither　can　he　easily　find
out　whether　the　texts　are　still　on　the　market　or　have　been　discarded　from
the　Book；　for　two　hundred　and　fifty…eight　editions　of　it　have　been
issued；　and　no　two　editions　seem　to　be　alike。　　The　annual　changesin
technical　terminology；　in　matter　and　wording；　in　transpositions　of
chapters　and　verses；　in　leaving　out　old　chapters　and　verses　and　putting
in　new　onesseem　to　be　next　to　innumerable；　and　as　there　is　no　index；
there　is　no　way　to　find　a　thing　one　wants　without　reading　the　book
through。　　If　ever　I　inspire　a　Bible…Annex　I　will　not　rush　at　it　in　a
half…digested；　helter…skelter　way　and　have　to　put　in　thirty…eight　years
trying　to　get　some　of　it　the　way　I　want　it；　I　will　sit　down　and　think　it
out　and　know　what　it　is　I　want　to　say　before　I　begin。　　An　inspirer　cannot
inspire　for　Mrs。　Eddy　and　keep　his　reputation。　　I　have　never　seen　such
slipshod　work；　bar　the　ten　that　interpreted　for　the　home　market　the　〃sell
all　thou　hast。〃　　I　have　quoted　one　〃spiritual〃　rendering　of　the　Lord's
Prayer；　I　have　seen　one　other　one；　and　am　told　there　are　five　more。　　Yet
the　inspirer　of　Mrs。　Eddy　the　new　Infallible　casts　a　complacent　critical
stone　at　the　other　Infallible　for　being　unable　to　make　up　its　mind　about
such　things。　　Science　and　Health；　edition　1899；　page　33：

〃The　decisions；　by　vote　of　Church　Councils；　as　to　what　should　and　should
not　be　considered　Holy　Writ；　the　manifest　mistakes　in　the　ancient
versions：　the　thirty　thousand　different　readings　in　the　Old　Testament　and
the　three　hundred　thousand　in　the　Newthese　facts　show　how　a　mortal　and
material　sense　stole　into　the　divine　record；　darkening；　to　some　extent；
the　inspired　pages　with　its　own　hue。〃

To　some　extent；　yesspeaking　cautiously。　　But　it　is　nothing；　really
nothing；　Mrs。　Eddy　is　only　a　little　way　behind；　and　if　her　inspirer　lives
to　get　her　Annex　to　suit　him　that　Catholic　record　will　have　to　〃go　'way
back　and　set　down；〃　as　the　ballad　says。　　Listen　to　the　boastful　song　of
Mrs。　Eddy's　organ；　the　Christian　Science　Journal　for　March；　1902；　about
that　year's　revamping　and　half…soling　of　Science　and　Health；　whose
official　name　is　the　Holy　Ghost；　the　Comforter；　and　who　is　now　the
Official　Pastor　and　Infallible　and　Unerring　Guide　of　every　Christian
Science　church　in　the　two　hemispheres；　hear　Simple　Simon　that　met　the
pieman　brag　of　the　Infallible's　fallibility：

〃Throughout　the　entire　book　the　verbal　changes　are　so　numerous　as　to
indicate　the　vast　amount　of　time　and　labor　Mrs。　Eddy　has　devoted　to　this
revision。　　The