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tried to take her Science and its market away from hershe crushed them；
she obliterated them； when her own National Christian Science Association
became great in numbers and influence； and loosely and dangerously
garrulous； and began to expound the doctrines according to its own
uninspired notions； she took up her sponge without a tremor of fear and
wiped that Association out； when she perceived that the preachers in her
pulpits were becoming afflicted with doctrine…tinkering； she recognized
the danger of it； and did not hesitate nor temporize； but promptly
dismissed the whole of them in a day； and abolished their office
permanently； we have seen that； as fast as her power grew； she was
competent to take the measure of it； and that as fast as its expansion
suggested to her gradually awakening native ambition a higher step she
took it； and so； by this evolutionary process； we have seen the gross
money…lust relegated to second place； and the lust of empire and glory
rise above it。 A splendid dream； and by force of the qualities born in
her she is making it come true。
These qualitiesand the capacities growing out of them by the nurturing
influences of training； observation； and experience seem to be clearly
indicated by the character of her career and its achievements。 They seem
to be：
A clear head for business； and a phenomenally long one；
Clear understanding of business situations；
Accuracy in estimating the opportunities they offer；
Intelligence in planning a business move；
Firmness in sticking to it after it has been decided upon；
Extraordinary daring；
Indestructible persistency；
Devouring ambition；
Limitless selfishness；
A knowledge of the weaknesses and poverties and docilities of human
nature and how to turn them to account which has never been surpassed； if
ever equalled；
Andnecessarilythe foundation…stone of Mrs。 Eddy's character is a
never…wavering confidence in herself。
It is a granite character。 Andquite naturallya measure of the talc
of smallnesses common to human nature is mixed up in it and distributed
through it。 When Mrs。 Eddy is not dictating servilities from her throne
in the clouds to her official domestics in Boston or to her far…spread
subjects round about the planet； but is down on the ground； she is kin to
us and one of us： sentimental as a girl； garrulous； ungrammatical；
incomprehensible； affected； vain of her little human ancestry； unstable；
inconsistent； unreliable in statement； and naively and everlastingly
self…contradictory…oh； trivial and common and commonplace as the
commonest of us！ just a Napoleon as Madame de Remusat saw him； a brass
god with clay legs。
CHAPTER XIII
In drawing Mrs。 Eddy's portrait it has been my purpose to restrict myself
to materials furnished by herself； and I believe I have done that。 If I
have misinterpreted any of her acts； it was not done intentionally。
It will be noticed that in skeletonizing a list of the qualities which
have carried her to the dizzy summit which she occupies； I have not
mentioned the power which was the commanding force employed in achieving
that lofty flight。 It did not belong in that list； it was a force that
was not a detail of her character； but was an outside one。 It was the
power which proceeded from her people's recognition of her as a
supernatural personage； conveyer of the Latest Word； and divinely
commissioned to deliver it to the world。 The form which such a
recognition takes； consciously or unconsciously； is worship； and worship
does not question nor criticize； it obeys。 The object of it does not
need to coddle it； bribe it； beguile it； reason with it； convince itit
commands it； that is sufficient； the obedience rendered is not reluctant；
but prompt and whole…hearted。 Admiration for a Napoleon； confidence in
him； pride in him； affection for him； can lift him high and carry him
far； and these are forms of worship； and are strong forces； but they are
worship of a mere human being； after all； and are infinitely feeble； as
compared with those that are generated by that other worship； the worship
of a divine personage。 Mrs。 Eddy has this efficient worship； this massed
and centralized force； this force which is indifferent to opposition；
untroubled by fear； and goes to battle singing； like Cromwell's soldiers；
and while she has it she can command and it will obey； and maintain her
on her throne； and extend her empire。
She will have it until she dies； and then we shall see a curious and
interesting further development of her revolutionary work begin。
CHAPTER XIV
The President and Board of Directors wil1 succeed her； and the government
will go on without a hitch。 The By…laws will bear that interpretation。
All the Mother…Church's vast powers are concentrated in that Board。 Mrs。
Eddy's unlimited personal reservations make the Board's ostensible
supremacy； during her life； a sham； and the Board itself a shadow。 But
Mrs。 Eddy has not made those reservations for any one but herselfthey
are distinctly personal； they bear her name； they are not usable by
another individual。 When she dies her reservations die； and the Board's
shadow…powers become real powers； without the change of any important By…
law； and the Board sits in her place as absolute and irresponsible a
sovereign as she was。
It consists of but five persons； a much more manageable Cardinalate than
the Roman Pope's。 I think it will elect its Pope from its own body； and
that it will fill its own vacancies。 An elective Papacy is a safe and
wise system； and a long…liver。
CHAPTER XV
We may take that up now。
It is not a single if； but a several…jointed one； not an oyster； but a
vertebrate。
1。 Did Mrs。 Eddy borrow from Quimby the Great Idea； or only the little
one； the old…timer； the ordinary mental…healing…healing by 〃mortal〃 mind？
2。 If she borrowed the Great Idea； did she carry it away in her head； or
in manuscript？
3。 Did she hit upon the Great Idea herself？ By the Great Idea I mean；
of course； the conviction that the Force involved was still existent； and
could be applied now just as it was applied by Christ's Disciples and
their converts； and as successfully。
4。 Did she philosophize it； systematize it； and write it down in a book？
5。 Was it she； and not another； that built a new Religion upon the book
and organized it？
I think No。 5 can be answered with a Yes； and dismissed from the
controversy。 And I think that the Great Idea； great as it was； would
have enjoyed but a brief activity； and would then have gone to sleep
again for some more centuries； but for the perpetuating impulse it got
from that organized and tremendous force。
As for Nos。 1； 2； and 4； the hostiles contend that Mrs。 Eddy got the
Great Idea from Quimby and carried it off in manuscript。 But their
testimony； while of consequence； lacks the most important detail； so far
as my information goes； the Quimby manuscript has not been produced。 I
think we cannot discuss No。 1 and No。 2 profitably。 Let them go。
For me； No。 3 has a mild interest； and No。 4 a violent one。
As regards No。 3； Mrs。 Eddy was brought up； from the cradle； an old…
time； boiler…iron； Westminster…Catechism Christian； and knew her Bible as
well as Captain Kydd knew his； 〃when he sailed； when he sailed；〃 and
perhaps as sympathetically。 The Great Idea had struck a million Bible…
readers before her as being possible of resurrection and applicationit
must have struck as many as that； and been cogitated； indolently；
doubtingly； then dropped and forgottenand it could have struck her； in
due course。 But how it could interest her； how it could appeal to her
with her make this a thing that is difficult to understand。
For the thing back of it is wholly gracious and beautiful： the power；
through loving mercifulness and compassion； to heal fleshly ills and
pains and grief allwith a word； with a touch of the hand！ This power
was given by the Saviour to the Disciples； and to all the converted。
Allevery one。 It was exercised for generations afterwards。 Any
Christian who was in earnest and not a make…believe； not a policy
Christian； not a Christian for revenue only； had that healing power； and
could cure with it any disease or any hurt or damage possible to human
flesh and bone。 These things are true； or they are not。 If they were
true seventeen and eighteen and nineteen centuries ago it would be
difficult to satisfactorily explain why or how or by what argument that
power should be nonexistent in Christians now。
To wish to exercise it could occur to Mrs。 Eddybut would it？
Grasping； sordid； penurious； famishing for everything she seesmoney；
power； glory vain； untruthful； jealous； despotic； arrogant； insolent；
pitiless where thinkers and hypnotists are concerned； illiterate；
shallow； incapable of reasoning outside of commercial lines； immeasurably
selfish
Of course the Great Idea could strike her； we have to grant that； but why
it should interest her is a question which can easily overstrain the
imagination and bring on nervous prostration； or something like that； and
is better left alone by the judicious； it seems to me
Unless we call to our help