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more of his wealth than he did of his soul； and； such being the case； it
was his duty to give up the wealth。
〃Every one of us knows that there is something we should give up for
Christ。 Those who are true believers and followers know what they have
given up； and those who are not yet followers know down in their hearts
what they must give up。〃
Ten clergymen of various denominations were interviewed； and nine of them
agreed with that verdict。 That did not settle the matter； because the
tenth said the language of Jesus was so strait and definite that it
explained itself： 〃Sell all；〃 not a percentage。
There is a most unusual feature about that dispute： the nine persons who
decided alike； quoted not a single authority in support of their
position。 I do not know when I have seen trained disputants do the like
of that before。 The nine merely furnished their own opinions； founded
uponnothing at all。 In the other dispute （〃Did Jesus anywhere claim to
be God？〃） the same kind of mentrained and learned clergymenbacked up
their arguments with chapter and verse。 On both sides。 Plenty of
verses。 Were no reinforcing verses to be found in the present case？ It
looks that way。
The opinion of the nine seems strange to me； for it is unsupported by
authority； while there was at least constructive authority for the
opposite view。
It is hair…splitting differences of opinion over disputed text…meanings
that have divided into many sects a once united Church。 One may infer
from some of the names in the following list that some of the differences
are very slightso slight as to be not distinctly important； perhaps
yet they have moved groups to withdraw from communions to which they
belonged and set up a sect of their own。 The listaccompanied by
various Church statistics for 1902； compiled by Rev。 Dr。 H。 K。
Carrollwas published； January 8； 1903； in the New York Christian
Advocate：
Adventists （6 bodies）； Baptists （13 bodies）； Brethren （Plymouth） （4
bodies）； Brethren （River） （3 bodies）； Catholics （8 bodies）； Catholic
Apostolic； Christadelphians； Christian Connection； Christian Catholics；
Christian Missionary Association； Christian Scientists； Church of God
（Wine…brennarian）； Church of the New Jerusalem； Congregationalists；
Disciples of Christ； Dunkards （4 bodies）； Evangelical （2 bodies）； Friends
（4 bodies）； Friends of the Temple； German Evangelical Protestant； German
Evangelical Synod； Independent congregations； Jews （2 bodies）； Latter…day
Saints （2 bodies）； Lutherans （22 bodies）； Mennonites （12 bodies）；
Methodists （17 bodies）； Moravians； Presbyterians （12 bodies）； Protestant
Episcopal （2 bodies）； Reformed （3 bodies）； Schwenkfeldians； Social
Brethren； Spiritualists； Swedish Evangelical Miss。 Covenant
（Waldenstromians）； Unitarians； United Brethren （2 bodies）； Universalists；
Total of sects and splits139。
In the present month （February）； Mr。 E。 I。 Lindh； A。。M。； has
communicated to the Boston Transcript a hopeful article on the solution
of the problem of the 〃divided church。〃 Divided is not too violent a
term。 Subdivided could have been permitted if he had thought of it。 He
came near thinking of it； for he mentions some of the subdivisions
himself： 〃the 12 kinds of Presbyterians； the 17 kinds of Methodists； the
13 kinds of Baptists； etc。〃 He overlooked the 12 kinds of Mennonites and
the 22 kinds of Lutherans； but they are in Rev。 Mr。 Carroll's list。
Altogether； 76 splits under 5 flags。 The Literary Digest （February 14th）
is pleased with Mr。 Lindh's optimistic article； and also with the signs
of the times； and perceives that 〃the idea of Church unity is in the
air。〃
Now； then； is not Mrs。 Eddy profoundly wise in forbidding； for all time；
all explanations of her religion except such as she shall let on to be
her own？
I think so。 I think there can be no doubt of it。 In a way； they will be
her own； for； no matter which member of her clerical staff shall furnish
the explanations； not a line of them will she ever allow to be printed
until she shall have approved it； accepted it； copyrighted it； cabbaged
it。 We may depend on that with a four…ace confidence。
THE NEW INFALLIBILITY
All in proper time Mrs。 Eddy's factory will take hold of that
Commandment； and explain it for good and all。 It may be that one member
of the shift will vote that the word 〃all〃 means all； it may be that ten
members of the shift will vote that 〃all〃 means only a percentage； but it
is Mrs。 Eddy； not the eleven； who will do the deciding。 And if she says
it is percentage； then percentage it is； forevermore and that is what I
am expecting； for she doesn't sell all herself； nor any considerable part
of it； and as regards the poor； she doesn't declare any dividend； but if
she says 〃all〃 means all； then all it is； to the end of time； and no
follower of hers will ever be allowed to reconstruct that text； or shrink
it； or inflate it； or meddle with it in any way at all。 Even to…day
right here in the beginningshe is the sole person who； in the matter of
Christian Science exegesis； is privileged to exploit the Spiral Twist。
The Christian world has two Infallibles now。
Of equal power？ For the present only。 When Leo XIII。 passes to his
rest another Infallible will ascend his throne； others； and yet others；
and still others will follow him； and be as infallible as he； and decide
questions of doctrine as long as they may come up； all down the far
future； but Mary Baker G。 Eddy is the only Infallible that will ever
occupy the Science throne。 Many a Science Pope will succeed her； but she
has closed their mouths； they will repeat and reverently praise and adore
her infallibilities； but venture none themselves。 In her grave she will
still outrank all other Popes； be they of what Church they may。 She will
hold the supremest of earthly titles； The Infalliblewith a capital T。
Many in the world's history have had a hunger for such nuggets and slices
of power as they might reasonably hope to grab out of an empire's or a
religion's assets； but Mrs。 Eddy is the only person alive or dead who has
ever struck for the whole of them。 For small things she has the eye of a
microscope； for large ones the eye of a telescope； and whatever she sees；
she wants。 Wants it all。
THE SACRED POEMS
When Mrs。 Eddy's 〃sacred revelations〃 （that is the language of the By…
laws） are read in public； their authorship must be named。 The By…laws
twice command this； therefore we mention it twice； to be fair。
But it is also commanded that when a member publicly quotes 〃from the
poems of our Pastor Emeritus〃 the authorship shall be named。 For these
are sacred； too。 There are kindly people who may suspect a hidden
generosity in that By…law； they may think it is there to protect the
Official Reader from the suspicion of having written the poems himself。
Such do not know Mrs。 Eddy。 She does an inordinate deal of protecting；
but in no distinctly named and specified case in her history has Number
Two been the object of it。 Instances have been claimed； but they have
failed of proof； and even of plausibility。
〃Members shall also instruct their students〃 to look out and advertise
the authorship when they read those poems and things。 Not on Mrs。 Eddy's
account； but 〃for the good of our Cause。〃
THE CHURCH EDIFICE
1。 Mrs。 Eddy gave the land。 It was not of much value at the time； but
it is very valuable now。
2。 Her people built the Mother…Church edifice on it； at a cost of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars。
3。 Then they gave the whole property to her。
4。 Then she gave it to the Board of Directors。 She is the Board of
Directors。 She took it out of one pocket and put it in the other。
5。 Sec。 10 （of the deed）。 〃Whenever said Directors shall determine
that it is inexpedient to maintain preaching； reading； or speaking in
said church in accordance with the terms of this deed； they are
authorized and required to reconvey forthwith said lot of land with the
building thereon to Mary Baker G。 Eddy； her heirs and assigns forever；
by a proper deed of conveyance。〃
She is never careless； never slipshod； about a matter of business。
Owning the property through her Board of Waxworks was safe enough； still
it was sound business to set another grip on it to cover accidents； and
she did it。 Her barkers （what a curious name； I wonder if it is
copyrighted）； her barkers persistently advertise to the public her
generosity in giving away a piece of land which cost her a trifle； and a
twohundredandfiftythousanddollar church which cost her nothing；
and they can hardly speak of the unselfishness of it without breaking
down and crying； yet they know she gave nothing away； and never intended
to。 However； such is the human race。 Often it does seem such a pity
that Noah and his party did not miss the boat。
Some of the hostiles think that Mrs。 Eddy's idea in protecting this
property in the interest of her heirs； and in accumulating a great money
fortune； is； that she may leave her natural heirs well provided for when
she goes。 I think it is a mistake。 I think she is of late years giving
herself large concern about only one interest…her power and