christian science-第5部分

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worlda　brass　farthing。　　How　do　we　arrive　at　this？　　It　is　simple。　　The
affirmative　opinion　of　a　stupid　man　is　neutralized　by　the　negative
opinion　of　his　stupid　neighbor　no　decision　is　reached；　the　affirmative
opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Gladstone　is　neutralized　by　the
negative　opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Newmanno　decision　is
reached。　　Opinions　that　prove　nothing　are；　of　course；　without　value　any
but　a　dead　person　knows　that　much。　　This　obliges　us　to　admit　the　truth　of
the　unpalatable　proposition　just　mentioned　above　that；　in　disputed
matters　political　and　religious；　one　man's　opinion　is　worth　no　more　than
his　peer's；　and　hence　it　followers　that　no　man's　opinion　possesses　any
real　value。　　It　is　a　humbling　thought；　but　there　is　no　way　to　get　around
it：　all　opinions　upon　these　great　subjects　are　brass…farthing　opinions。

It　is　a　mere　plain；　simple　factas　clear　and　as　certain　as　that　eight
and　seven　make　fifteen。　　And　by　it　we　recognize　that　we　are　all　insane；
as　concerns　those　matters。　　If　we　were　sane；　we　should　all　see　a
political　or　religious　doctrine　alike；　there　would　be　no　dispute：　it
would　be　a　case　of　eight　and　sevenjust　as　it　is　in　heaven；　where　all
are　sane　and　none　insane。　　There　there　is　but　one　religion；　one　belief；
the　harmony　is　perfect；　there　is　never　a　discordant　note。

Under　protection　of　these　preliminaries；　I　suppose　I　may　now　repeat
without　offence　that　the　Christian　Scientist　is　insane。　　I　mean　him　no
discourtesy；　and　I　am　not　chargingnor　even　imaginingthat　he　is
insaner　than　the　rest　of　the　human　race。　　I　think　he　is　more
picturesquely　insane　than　some　of　us。　　At　the　same　time；　I　am　quite　sure
that　in　one　important　and　splendid　particular　he　is　much　saner　than　is
the　vast　bulk　of　the　race。

Why　is　he　insane？　　I　told　you　before：　it　is　because　his　opinions　are　not
ours。　　I　know　of　no　other　reason；　and　I　do　not　need　any　other；　it　is　the
only　way　we　have　of　discovering　insanity　when　it　is　not　violent。　　It　is
merely　the　picturesqueness　of　his　insanity　that　makes　it　more　interesting
than　my　kind　or　yours。　　For　instance；　consider　his　〃little　book〃；　the
〃little　book〃　exposed　in　the　sky　eighteen　centuries　ago　by　the　flaming
angel　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　handed　down　in　our　day　to　Mrs。　Mary　Baker　G。
Eddy；　of　New　Hampshire；　and　translated　by　her；　word　for　word；　into
English　（with　help　of　a　polisher）；　and　now　published　and　distributed　in
hundreds　of　editions　by　her　at　a　clear　profit　per　volume；　above　cost；　of
seven　hundred　per　cent。！a　profit　which　distinctly　belongs　to　the　angel
of　the　Apocalypse；　and　let　him　collect　it　if　he　can；　a　〃little　book〃
which　the　C。S。　　very　frequently　calls　by　just　that　name；　and　always
enclosed　in　quotation…marks　to　keep　its　high　origin　exultantly　in　mind；　a
〃little　book〃　which　〃explains〃　and　reconstructs　and　new…paints　and
decorates　the　Bible；　and　puts　a　mansard　roof　on　it　and　a　lightning…rod
and　all　the　other　modern　improvements；　a　〃little　book〃　which　for　the
present　affects　to　travel　in　yoke　with　the　Bible　and　be　friendly　to　it；
and　within　half　a　century　will　hitch　the　Bible　in　the　rear　and
thenceforth　travel　tandem；　itself　in　the　lead；　in　the　coming　great　march
of　Christian　Scientism　through　the　Protestant　dominions　of　the　planet。




CHAPTER　VI

〃Hungry　ones　throng　to　hear　the　Bible　read　in　connection　with　the　text…
book　of　Christian　Science；　Science　and　Health；　with　Key　to　the
Scriptures；　by　Mary　Baker　G。　　Eddy。　　These　are　our　only　preachers。　　They
are　the　word　of　God。　　〃Christian　Science　Journal〃；　October；　1898。

Is　that　picturesque？　　A　lady　has　told　me　that　in　a　chapel　of　the　Mosque
in　Boston　there　is　a　picture　or　image　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　and　that　before　it
burns　a　never…extinguished　light。　　Is　that　picturesque？　　How　long　do　you
think　it　will　be　before　the　Christian　Scientist　will　be　worshipping　that
picture　or　image　and　praying　to　it？　　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　be
before　it　is　claimed　that　Mrs。　Eddy　is　a　Redeemer；　a　Christ；　and　Christ's
equal？　　Already　her　army　of　disciples　speak　of　her　reverently　as　〃Our
Mother。〃

How　long　will　it　be　before　they　place　her　on　the　steps　of　the　Throne
beside　the　Virginand；　later；　a　step　higher？　　First；　Mary　the　Virgin　and
Mary　the　Matron；　later；　with　a　change　of　precedence；　Mary　the　Matron　and
Mary　the　Virgin。　　Let　the　artist　get　ready　with　his　canvas　and　his
brushes；　the　new　Renaissance　is　on　its　way；　and　there　will　be　money　in
altar…canvasesa　thousand　times　as　much　as　the　Popes　and　their　Church
ever　spent　on　the　Old　Masters；　for　their　riches　were　poverty　as　compared
with　what　is　going　to　pour　into　the　treasure…chest　of　the　Christian…
Scientist　Papacy　by…and…by；　let　us　not　doubt　it。　　We　will　examine　the
financial　outlook　presently　and　see　what　it　promises。　　A　favorite　subject
of　the　new　Old　Master　will　be　the　first　verse　of　the　twelfth　chapter　of
Revelationa　verse　which　Mrs。　Eddy　says　（in　her　Annex　to　the　Scriptures）
has　〃one　distinctive　feature　which　has　special　reference　to　the　present
age〃and　to　her；　as　is　rather　pointedly　indicated：

〃And　there　appeared　a　great　wonder　in　heaven；　a　woman　clothed　with　the
sun；　and　the　moon　under　her　feet；〃　etc。

The　woman　clothed　with　the　sun　will　be　a　portrait　of　Mrs。　Eddy。

Is　it　insanity　to　believe　that　Christian　Scientism　is　destined　to　make
the　most　formidable　show　that　any　new　religion　has　made　in　the　world
since　the　birth　and　spread　of　Mobammedanism；　and　that　within　a　century
from　now　it　may　stand　second　to　Rome　only；　in　numbers　and　power　in
Christendom？

If　this　is　a　wild　dream　it　will　not　be　easy　to　prove　it　so　just　yet；　I
think。　　There　seems　argument　that　it　may　come　true。　　The　Christian…
Science　〃boom；〃　proper；　is　not　yet　five　years　old；　yet　already　it　has　two
hundred　and　fifty　churches。

It　has　its　start；　you　see；　and　it　is　a　phenomenally　good　one。　　Moreover；
it　is　latterly　spreading　with　a　constantly　accelerating　swiftness。　　It
has　a　better　chance　to　grow　and　prosper　and　achieve　permanency　than　any
other　existing　〃ism〃；　for　it　has　more　to　offer　than　any　other。　　The　past
teaches　us　that　in　order　to　succeed；　a　movement　like　this　must　not　be　a
mere　philosophy；　it　must　be　a　religion；　also；　that　it　must　not　claim
entire　originality；　but　content　itself　with　passing　for　an　improvement　on
an　existing　religion；　and　show　its　hand　later；　when　strong　and
prosperouslike　Mohammedanism。

Next；　there　must　be　moneyand　plenty　of　it。

Next；　the　power　and　authority　and　capital　must　be　concentrated　in　the
grip　of　a　small　and　irresponsible　clique；　with　nobody　outside　privileged
to　ask　questions　or　find　fault。

Next；　as　before　remarked；　it　must　bait　its　hook　with　some　new　and
attractive　advantages　over　the　baits　offered　by　its　competitors。　　A　new
movement　equipped　with　some　of　these　endowmentslike　spiritualism；　for
instance　may　count　upon　a　considerable　success；　a　new　movement　equipped
with　the　bulk　of　themlike　Mohammedanism；　for　instance　may　count　upon
a　widely　extended　conquest。　　Mormonism　had　all　the　requisites　but　one　it
had　nothing　new　and　nothing　valuable　to　bait　with。　　Spiritualism　lacked
the　important　detail　of　concentration　of　money　and　authority　in　the　hands
of　an　irresponsible　clique。

The　above　equipment　is　excellent；　admirable；　powerful；　but　not　perfect。
There　is　yet　another　detail　which　is　worth　the　whole　of　it　put　together
and　more；　a　detail　which　has　never　been　joined　（in　the　beginning　of　a
religious　movement）　to　a　supremely　good　working　equipment　since　the　world
began；　until　now：　a　new　personage　to　worship。　　Christianity　had　the
Saviour；　but　at　first　and　for　generations　it　lacked　money　and
concentrated　power。　　In　Mrs。　Eddy；　Christian　Science　possesses　the　new
personage　for　worship；　and　in　additionhere　in　the　very　beginninga
working　equipment　that　has　not　a　flaw　in　it。　　In　the　beginning；
Mohammedanism　had　no　money；　and　it　has　never　had　anything　to　offer　its
client　but　heaven　nothing　here　below　that　was　valuable。　　In　addition　to
heaven　hereafter；　Christian　Science　has　present　health　and　a　cheerful
spirit　to　offer；　and　in　comparison　with　this　bribe　all　other　this…world
bribes　are　poor　and　cheap。　　You　recognize　that　this　estimate　is
admissible；　do　you　not？

To　whom　does　Bellamy's　〃Nationalism〃　appeal？　　Necessarily　to　the　few：
people　who　read　and　dream；　and　are　compassionate；　and　troubled　for　the
poor　and　the　hard…driven。　　To　whom　does　Spiritualism　appeal？　　Necessarily
to　the　few；　its　〃boom〃　has　lasted　for　half　a　century；　and　I　believe　it
claims　short　of　four　millions　of　adherents　in　America。　　Who　are　attracted
by　Swedenborgianism　and　some　of　the　other　fine　and　delicate　〃isms〃？　　The
few　again：　educated　people；　sensitively　organized；　with　superior　mental
endowments；　who　seek　lofty　planes　of　thought　and　find　their　contentment
there。　　And　who　are　attracted　by　Christian　Science？　　There　is　no　limit；
its　field　is　horizonless；　its　appeal　is　as　universal　as　is　the　appeal　of
Christianity　itself。　　It　appeals　to　the　rich；　the　poor；　the　high；　the
low；　the　cultured；　the　ignorant；　the　gifted；　the　stupid；　the　modest；　the
vain；　the　wise；　the　silly；　the　soldier；　the　civilian；　the　hero；　the
coward；　the　idler；　the　worker；　the　godly；　the　godless；　the　freeman；　the
slave；　the　adult；　the　child；　they　who　are　ailing　in　body　or　mind；　they
who　have　friends　that　are　ailing　in　body　or　mind。　　To　mass　it　in　a
phrase；　its　clientage　is　the　Human　Race。　　Will　it　march？　　I　think　so。

Remember　its　principal　great　offer：　to　rid　the　Race　of　pain　and　disease。
Can　it　do　so？　　In　large　measure；　yes。　　How　much　of　the　pain　and　disease
in　the　world　is　created　by　the　imaginations　of　the　sufferers；　and　then
kept　alive　by　those　same　imaginations？　　Four…fifths？　　Not　anything　short
of　that；　I　should　think。　　Can　Christian　Science　banish　that　four…fifths　？
I　think　so。　　Can　any　other　（organized）　force　do　it？　　None　that　I　know　of。
Would　this　be　a　new　world　when　that　was　accomplished？　　And　a　pleasanter
onefor　us　well　people；　as　well　as　for　those　fussy　and　fretting　sick
ones？　　Would　it　seem　as　if　there　was　not　as　much　gloomy　weather　as　there
used　to　be？　　I　think　so。

In　the　mean　time；　would　the　Scientist　kill　off　a　good　many　patients？　　I
think　so。　　More　than　get　killed　off　now　by　the　legalized　methods　？　　I