To Loyal Christian Scientists

 Miscellaneous Writings is dedicated to “LOYAL CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS in this and every land”.  Eddy adds the following on her dedication page:

 

“I lovingly dedicate these practical teachings

indispensable to the culture and achievements which

constitute the success of a student

and demonstrate the ethics

of Christian Science.”

 

Dedicate: to offer formally (a book, piece of music, etc.) to a person, cause, or the like in testimony of affection or respect, as on a prefatory page.

Practical: adapted or designed for actual use; useful: practical instructions.

Teachings: doctrines or precepts: the teachings of Lao-tzu.

Indispensable: 1. absolutely necessary, essential, or requisite: an indispensable member of the staff.

2. incapable of being disregarded or neglected: an indispensable obligation.

Culture: 1. the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.

2. that which is excellent in the arts, manners, etc

3. a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period: Greek culture.

4. development or improvement of the mind by education or training

5. the behaviours and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group: the youth culture; the drug culture

Achievements: act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment: the achievement of one's object.

Constitute: to compose; form: mortar constituted of lime and sand.

Success: the favourable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavours.

Student: 1. a person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school or college; pupil: a student at Yale.

2. any person who studies, investigates, or examines thoughtfully: a student of human nature.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin student- (stem of studēns ), present participle of studēre to take pains; see -ent; replacing Middle English studiant, aphetic variant of estudiant < Old French, noun use of present participle of estudier to study

Demonstrate: 1. to make evident or establish by arguments or reasoning; prove: to demonstrate a philosophical principle.

2. to describe, explain, or illustrate by examples, specimens, experiments, or the like: to demonstrate the force of gravity by dropping an object

3. to manifest or exhibit; show: He demonstrated his courage by his actions in battle

4. to display openly or publicly, as feelings: to demonstrate one's anger by slamming a door

5. to exhibit the operation or use of (a device, process, product, or the like), usually to a purchaser or prospect: to demonstrate an automobile

Ethics: 1. a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture

2. the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics

3. moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence

4. that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions

 

It’s an interesting study to see how these terms are used elsewhere in Mrs Eddy’s writings.

Julie Swannell