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to Science and Health； Mrs。 Eddy goes on to say 〃the Bible and the above…
…named book； with other works by the same author；〃 etc。
It is an unfortunate sentence； for it could mislead a hasty or careless
reader for a moment。 Mrs。 Eddy framed itit is her very ownit bears
her trade…mark。 〃The Bible and Science and Health； with other works by
the same author；〃 could have come from no literary vacuum but the one
which produced the remark （in the Autobiography）： 〃I remember reading； in
my childhood； certain manuscripts containing Scriptural Sonnets； besides
other verses and enigmas。〃
We know what she means； in both instances； but a low…priced Clerk would
not necessarily know； and on a salary like his he could quite excusably
aver that the Pastor Emeritus had commanded him to come and make
proclamation that she was author of the Bible； and that she was thinking
of discharging some Scriptural sonnets and other enigmas upon the
congregation。 It could lose him his place； but it would not be fair； if
it happened before the edict about 〃Understanding Communications〃 was
promulgated。
〃READERS〃 AGAIN
The By…law book makes a showy pretence of orderliness and system； but it
is only a pretence。 I will not go so far as to say it is a harum…scarum
jumble； for it is not that； but I think it fair to say it is at least
jumbulacious in places。 For instance； Articles III。 and IV。 set forth
in much detail the qualifications and duties of Readers； she then skips
some thirty pages and takes up the subject again。 It looks like
slovenliness； but it may be only art。 The belated By…law has a
sufficiently quiet look； but it has a ton of dynamite in it。 It makes
all the Christian Science Church Readers on the globe the personal
chattels of Mrs。 Eddy。 Whenever she chooses； she can stretch her long
arm around the world's fat belly and flirt a Reader out of his pulpit；
though he be tucked away in seeming safety and obscurity in a lost
village in the middle of China：
〃In any Church。 Sec。 2。 The Pastor Emeritus of the Mother…Church shall
have the right （through a letter addressed to the individual and Church
of which he is the Reader） to remove a Reader from this office in any
Church of Christ； Scientist； both in America and in foreign nations； or
to appoint the Reader to fill any office belonging to the Christian
Science denomination。〃
She does not have to prefer charges against him； she does not have to
find him lazy； careless； incompetent； untidy； ill…mannered； unholy；
dishonest； she does not have to discover a fault of any kind in him； she
does not have to tell him nor his congregation why she dismisses and
disgraces him and insults his meek flock； she does not have to explain to
his family why she takes the bread out of their mouths and turns them
out…of…doors homeless and ashamed in a strange land； she does not have to
do anything but send a letter and say： 〃Pack！ and ask no questions！〃
Has the Pope this power？ the other Pope the one in Rome。 Has he
anything approaching it？ Can he turn a priest out of his pulpit and
strip him of his office and his livelihood just upon a whim； a caprice；
and meanwhile furnishing no reasons to the parish？ Not in America。 And
not elsewhere； we may believe。
It is odd and strange； to see intelligent and educated people among us
worshipping this self…seeking and remorseless tyrant as a God。 This
worship is deniedby persons who are themselves worshippers of Mrs。
Eddy。 I feel quite sure that it is a worship which will continue during
ages。
That Mrs。 Eddy wrote that amazing By…law with her own hand we have much
better evidence than her word。 We have her English。 It is there。 It
cannot be imitated。 She ought never to go to the expense of copyrighting
her verbal discharges。 When any one tries to claim them she should call
me； I can always tell them from any other literary apprentice's at a
glance。 It was like her to call America a 〃nation〃； she would call a
sand…bar a nation if it should fall into a sentence in which she was
speaking of peoples； for she would not know how to untangle it and get it
out and classify it by itself。 And the closing arrangement of that By…
law is in true Eddysonian form； too。 In it she reserves authority to
make a Reader fill any office connected with a Science church…sexton；
grave…digger； advertising…agent； Annex…polisher； leader of the choir；
President； Director； Treasurer； Clerk； etc。 She did not mean that。 She
already possessed that authority。 She meant to clothe herself with
power； despotic and unchallengeable； to appoint all Science Readers to
their offices； both at home and abroad。 The phrase 〃or to appoint〃 is
another miscarriage of intention； she did not mean 〃or；〃 she meant 〃and。〃
That By…law puts into Mrs。 Eddy's hands absolute command over the most
formidable force and influence existent in the Christian Science kingdom
outside of herself； and it does this unconditionally and （by auxiliary
force of Laws already quoted） irrevocably。 Still； she is not quite
satisfied。 Something might happen； she doesn't know what。 Therefore she
drives in one more nail； to make sure； and drives it deep：
〃This By…law can neither be amended nor annulled； except by consent of
the Pastor Emeritus。〃
Let some one with a wild and delirious fancy try and see if he can
imagine her furnishing that consent。
MONOPOLY OF SPIRITUAL BREAD
Very properly； the first qualification for membership in the Mother…
Church is belief in the doctrines of Christian Science。
But these doctrines must not be gathered from secondary sources。 There
is but one recognized source。 The candidate must be a believer in the
doctrines of Christian Science 〃according to the platform and teaching
contained in the Christian Science text…book； 'Science and Health； with
Key to the Scriptures；' by Rev。 Mary Baker G。 Eddy。〃
That is definite； and is final。 There are to be no commentaries； no
labored volumes of exposition and explanation by anybody except Mrs。
Eddy。 Because such things could sow error； create warring opinions；
split the religion into sects； and disastrously cripple its power。 Mrs。
Eddy will do the whole of the explaining； Herselfhas done it； in fact。
She has written several books。 They are to be had （for cash in advance）；
they are all sacred； additions to them can never be needed and will never
be permitted。 They tell the candidate how to instruct himself； how to
teach others； how to do all things comprised in the businessand they
close the door against all would…be competitors； and monopolize the
trade：
〃The Bible and the abovenamed book ＇Science and Health＇； with other
works by the same author；〃 must be his only text…books for the commerce
he cannot forage outside。
Mrs。 Eddy's words are to be the sole elucidators of the Bible and Science
and Health forever。 Throughout the ages； whenever there is doubt as to
the meaning of a passage in either of these books the inquirer will not
dream of trying to explain it to himself； he would shudder at the thought
of such temerity； such profanity； he would be haled to the Inquisition
and thence to the public square and the stake if he should be caught
studying into text…meanings on his own hook； he will be prudent and seek
the meanings at the only permitted source； Mrs。 Eddy's commentaries。
Value of this Strait…jacket。 One must not underrate the magnificence of
this long…headed idea； one must not underestimate its giant possibilities
in the matter of trooping the Church solidly together and keeping it so。
It squelches independent inquiry； and makes such a thing impossible；
profane； criminal； it authoritatively settles every dispute that can
arise。 It starts with finality a point which the Roman Church has
travelled towards fifteen or sixteen centuries； stage by stage； and has
not yet reached。 The matter of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary was not authoritatively settled until the days of Pius IX。
yesterday； so to speak。
As already noticed； the Protestants are broken up into a long array of
sects； a result of disputes about the meanings of texts； disputes made
unavoidable by the absence of an infallible authority to submit doubtful
passages to。 A week or two ago （I am writing in the middle of January；
1903）； the clergy and others hereabouts had a warm dispute in the papers
over this question： Did Jesus anywhere claim to be God？ It seemed an
easy question； but it turned out to be a hard one。 It was ably and
elaborately discussed； by learned men of several denominations； but in
the end it remained unsettled。
A week ago； another discussion broke out。 It was over this text：
〃Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor。〃
One verdict was worded as follows：
〃When Christ answered the rich young man and said for him to give to the
poor all he possessed or he could not gain everlasting life； He did not
mean it in the literal sense。 My interpretation of His words is that we
should part with what comes between us and Christ。
〃There is no doubt that Jesus believed that the rich young man thought
more of his wealth than he did of his soul； and； such being the case；