MRS. EDDY DEAD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 992, 6 December 1910, Page 5

MRS. EDDY DEAD.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE LEADER. By Tcteirraph—Press Assoctation-Coyyrigiit, (Rec. December 5, 9.20 p.m.) Now York, December 5. The death is announced of Mrs. Mary Bnkcr Kddy, the founder and leader of Christian Science. MRS, EDDY'S CAREER.

A REMARKABLE WOMAN. „ Mrs. Mary Baker Glover Eddy, the ioimder o£ the Christian Science movement, was born in 1821, and was theretore S9 years of age. Her education ineluded natural philosophy, chemistry, and astronomy, besides the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Freuch languages. She'was a member of the Congregational Church till 1879, though she began to teach tho Science of Mind Healing" in 1867. She Sounded the first Christian Science Association in 1876, and tho National Christian Science Association in 1886. She organised the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, in 1579, and became pastor emeritus of tho Mother Church. .She is the author of a large number of books on subjects connected with Christian Science.

Mrs. Eddy was born of good old New England stock in New Hampshire. Her father, Mavk Baker,-was the descendant of men who for two hundred years had {armed in that State. 'Ho was a Congregationalist o£ the old school, who died in 1865, at the age of SO. He has been described as "ignorant, dominating, passionate, fearless. He drove the sharpest bargains, paid his workers tho smallest wages." But he "never cheated a man, am\ he always sacredly kept his ivord." He was a strong advocate . cf slavery, openly rejoiced over the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and so strict a Sabbatarian that he made his six children after attending service on Sunday sit quietly with folded hands all the rest of the day. His children resembled him in being high-tempered and headstrong. Mary A. Morse Baker—who was afterwards to become famous as Mrs. Eddy—was his' youngest, and was the belle of the village. She lived -till she ■was fifteen in the little farmhouse, where everj-ono worked twelve hours a day but herself. She was ah interesting, beautiful, delicate child, with good taste in dress and a glorious head of hair. From her youth up she was Subject to fits of hysteria.

Story of Christian Science. ' The origin and growth of Christian Science is described as follows by Mr. Frederic Dixon, a Christian Scientist:— Christian science is the name given by Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy to the metaphysical system of healing sickness and sin, discovered by her in February, 1860. Tho discovery came about through her own recovery from the effects of wl:at threatened to be a fatal accident. Unable, as sho told the physician who was then attending her, to explain tho manner of her recovery, the spiritual significance of which was manifest to her, she withdrew from the world for three years, and, with the Bible as her only textbook, sought the scientific explanation of the occurrence.

In 1870, Mrs.'Eddy copyrighted the first Christian Science publication, the. little book known as "The Science of ;Man," which has since been converted into the chapter called "Recapitulation," in. her book, "Science and Health, with Key to tho. Scriptures," first published in 1875. This book, which is the text-book of Christian Science, contains a complete statement of Christian Science, including its religious tenets,

Faith-healing Begins. In ISO 7 Mrs. Eddy introduced her system of metaphysical healing. She begun by teachiii" one student, but from this resulted the formation of the Massachussets Metaphysical College, chartered in Boston, in ISSI, and still , open for the purpose for whioli it was instituted. Nino years later, in 1876, she and six of her students organised the first Christian. 'Scientist Association, and on April 19, .1879, at a meeting of this association, it was determined, to organise a church to commemorate the words and works of our Master, u Mind-healing Church, without a creed, to be called the "Church of Christ. Scientist." The charter for this was obtained in June of the same year, and, the church was organised with a membership of twenty-seven. In 1908 the membership was about 45,000. In 1892 this church was reorganised under the title of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Mass., ami on May 21, 1891, the cornerstone of th<S edifice" was laid. This church, which accommodated 1100. persons, rapidly became too small. "Within toil years plans had to bo,undertaken for its enlargement, and in June, 190G, the extension; in the form of a new church, capable of seating upwards of 5000 people, adjoining and communicating with the original building, was opened to the public.

The Movement Criticised. At'the Fan-Anglican Church Congress held in London in 190S Dr. Eleanor M. Reed, of the United States,' who spoke on Christian Science, said those who had honestly investigated ■ available evidence, acknowledged that among those with whom the so-called religion had become a .matter of genuine personal conviction (here were occasionally wonderful cures ,of real organic disease. . She had personally examined innumerable cures wrought by Christian Science, and in every case a good working knowledge of psychology explained the physical changes. The followers of Mrs. Eddy claimed immunity both from infective 'diseases and also from accidents. As to the former, it was probable, looking at tho question from a scientific standpoint, that that claim could often be verified. . Much depended upon vital' resistance, and that power was largely controlled by the mental and physical conditions under which the individual lived. One; of the saddest of facts regarding Christian Science was that it denied the reality of suffering. As to accidents, it was generally observed that the disciples of Mrs. Eddy wero a distinctly cautious people. Bishop Mylue (formerly of Bombay) narrated an incident of healing a sick person by prayer, iu which he took part'. Dean Hart, of Denver, told an anecdote. "At a meeting in Denver tho chairman got up and asked, 'Are there any Christian Scientists hero?' A lady in tho audience rose and said, 'I am a Christian. Scientist.' 'Then, madam,' was the reply, 'I wish you'd change places with me. I'm sitting in a draught.'" .