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a factory； each family turns out a Christian Science product at the
customary intervals； and contributes it to the Cause in the only way in
which contributions of recruits to Churches are ever made on a large
scaleby the puissant forces of personal contact and association。 Each
family is an agency for the Cause； and makes converts among the
neighbors； and starts some more factories。
Four years ago there were six Christian Scientists in a certain town that
I am acquainted with； a year ago there were two hundred and fifty there；
they have built a church； and its membership now numbers four hundred。
This has all been quietly done； done without frenzied revivals； without
uniforms； brass bands； street parades； corner oratory； or any of the
other customary persuasions to a godly life。 Christian Science； like
Mohammedanism； is 〃restricted〃 to the 〃unintelligent； the people who do
not think。〃 There lies the danger。 It makes Christian Science
formidable。 It is 〃restricted〃 to ninety…nine one…hundredths of the
human race； and must be reckoned with by regular Christianity。 And will
be； as soon as it is too late。
BOOK II
There were remarkable things about the stranger called the ManMystery…
things so very extraordinary that they monopolized attention and made all
of him seem extraordinary； but this was not so； the most of his qualities
being of the common； every…day size and like anybody else's。 It was
curious。 He was of the ordinary stature； and had the ordinary aspects；
yet in him were hidden such strange contradictions and disproportions！
He was majestically fearless and heroic； he had the strength of thirty
men and the daring of thirty thousand； handling armies； organizing
states； administering governmentsthese were pastimes to him； he
publicly and ostentatiously accepted the human race at its own valuation…
…as demigodsand privately and successfully dealt with it at quite
another and juster valuationas children and slaves； his ambitions were
stupendous； and his dreams had no commerce with the humble plain； but
moved with the cloud…rack among the snow…summits。 These features of him
were； indeed； extraordinary； but the rest of him was ordinary and usual。
He was so mean…minded； in the matter of jealousy； that it was thought he
was descended from a god； he was vain in little ways； and had a pride in
trivialities； he doted on ballads about moonshine and bruised hearts； in
education he was deficient； he was indifferent to literature； and knew
nothing of art； he was dumb upon all subjects but one； indifferent to all
except that onethe Nebular Theory。 Upon that one his flow of words was
full and free； he was a geyser。 The official astronomers disputed his
facts and deeded his views； and said that he had invented both； they not
being findable in any of the books。 But many of the laity； who wanted
their nebulosities fresh； admired his doctrine and adopted it； and it
attained to great prosperity in spite of the hostility of the experts。〃
The Legend of the Man…Mystery； ch。 i。
CHAPTER I
JANUARY； 1903。 When we do not know a public man personally； we guess him
out by the facts of his career。 When it is Washington； we all arrive at
about one and the same result。 We agree that his words and his acts
clearly interpret his character to us； and that they never leave us in
doubt as to the motives whence the words and acts proceeded。 It is the
same with Joan of Arc； it is the same with two or three or five or six
others among the immortals。 But in the matter of motives and of a few
details of character we agree to disagree upon Napoleon； Cromwell； and
all the rest； and to this list we must add Mrs。 Eddy。 I think we can
peacefully agree as to two or three extraordinary features of her make…
up； but not upon the other features of it。 We cannot peacefully agree as
to her motives； therefore her character must remain crooked to some of us
and straight to the others。
No matter； she is interesting enough without an amicable agreement。 In
several ways she is the most interesting woman that ever lived； and the
most extraordinary。 The same may be said of her career； and the same may
be said of its chief result。 She started from nothing。 Her enemies
charge that she surreptitiously took from Quimby a peculiar system of
healing which was mind…cure with a Biblical basis。 She and her friends
deny that she took anything from him。 This is a matter which we can
discuss by…and…by。 Whether she took it or invented it； it was
materiallya sawdust mine when she got it； and she has turned it into a
Klondike； its spiritual dock had next to no custom； if any at all： from
it she has launched a world…religion which has now six hundred and sixty…
three churches； and she charters a new one every four days。 When we do
not know a personand also when we dowe have to judge his size by the
size and nature of his achievements； as compared with the achievements of
others in his special line of businessthere is no other way。 Measured
by this standard； it is thirteen hundred years since the world has
produced any one who could reach up to Mrs。 Eddy's waistbelt。
Figuratively speaking； Mrs。 Eddy is already as tall as the Eiffel tower。
She is adding surprisingly to her stature every day。 It is quite within
the probabilities that a century hence she will be the most imposing
figure that has cast its shadow across the globe since the inauguration
of our era。 I grant that after saying these strong things； it is
necessary that I offer some details calculated to satisfactorily
demonstrate the proportions which I have claimed for her。 I will do that
presently； but before exhibiting the matured sequoia gigantea； I believe
it will be best to exhibit the sprout from which it sprang。 It may save
the reader from making miscalculations。 The person who imagines that a
Big Tree sprout is bigger than other kinds of sprouts is quite mistaken。
It is the ordinary thing； it makes no show； it compels no notice； it
hasn't a detectible quality in it that entitles it to attention； or
suggests the future giant its sap is suckling。 That is the kind of
sprout Mrs。 Eddy was。
From her childhood days up to where she was running a half…century a
close race and gaining on it； she was most humanly commonplace。
She is the witness I am drawing this from。 She has revealed it in her
autobiography not intentionally； of courseI am not claiming that。 An
autobiography is the most treacherous thing there is。 It lets out every
secret its author is trying to keep； it lets the truth shine unobstructed
through every harmless little deception he tries to play； it pitilessly
exposes him as a tin hero worshipping himself as Big Metal every time he
tries to do the modest…unconsciousness act before the reader。 This is
not guessing； I am speaking from autobiographical personal experience； I
was never able to refrain from mentioning； with a studied casualness that
could deceive none but the most incautious reader； that an ancestor of
mine was sent ambassador to Spain by Charles I。； nor that in a remote
branch of my family there exists a claimant to an earldom； nor that an
uncle of mine used to own a dog that was descended from the dog that was
in the Ark； and at the same time I was never able to persuade myself to
call a gibbet by its right name when accounting for other ancestors of
mine； but always spoke of it as the 〃platform〃puerilely intimating that
they were out lecturing when it happened。
It is Mrs。 Eddy over again。 As regards her minor half； she is as
commonplace as the rest of us。 Vain of trivial things all the first half
of her life； and still vain of them at seventy and recording them with
naive satisfactioneven rescuing some early rhymes of hers of the sort
that we all scribble in the innocent days of our youthrescuing them and
printing them without pity or apology； just as the weakest and commonest
of us do in our gray age。 Moreshe still frankly admires them； and in
her introduction of them profanely confers upon them the holy name of
〃poetry。〃 Sample：
〃And laud the land whose talents rock
The cradle of her power；
And wreaths are twined round Plymouth Rock
From erudition's bower。〃
〃Minerva's silver sandals still
Are loosed and not effete。〃
You note it is not a shade above the thing which all human beings churn
out in their youth。
You would not think that in a little wee primerfor that is what the
Autobiography isa person with a tumultuous career of seventy years
behind her could find room for two or three pages of padding of this
kind； but such is the case。 She evidently puts narrative together with
difficulty and is not at home in it； and is glad to have something ready…
made to fill in with。 Another sample：
〃Here fame…honored Hickory rears his bold form；
And bears a brave breast to the lightning and storm；
While Palm； Bay； and Laurel in classical glee；
Chase Tulip； Magnolia； and fragrant Fringe…tree。〃
Vivid？ You can fairly see those trees galloping around。 That she could
still treasure up； and print； and manifestly admire those Poems；
indicates that the most daring a