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Monday, 2 September 2013

A book to encourage, enlighten and alter your whole perception of life


It’s been said before, but I love the way reading a book can alter your whole perception of life; can enthuse, encourage, enlighten.  Over the past month, the book We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Amplified Edition, Vol II, has done all that and more for me.  I am indebted to my Mum (our very faithful blogger, Joyce Voysey) for setting the pace in delving in to its treasures. 

 

Some writers are completely new to me; others I have known about for decades; all of their accounts provide compelling reading.  What they have given us are warm, tender, and grateful accounts from those who knew from close-up association, a remarkable spiritual leader, Mary Baker Eddy.

 

This blog site, sponsored by Christian Science Society Redcliffe, is for sharing the joy of the riches available in Christian Science Reading Rooms.  One might think that Reading Rooms are, these days, an anachronism.  However just last week I visited a yacht club in the north of Queensland that had its own Reading Room/Library which was comfortably and suitably furnished so that one or more people could simply sit and read there.  Alas, we were not able to stop to enjoy doing so, but the welcoming “feel” of that attractive space has remained with me nevertheless.  I hope, as you join in reading our chosen book each month, that you will feel just as welcome on our blog.

 

This month, as I have been reading, I have had my pretty, gifted black pencil at hand to mark passages which stand out to me.  Dear readers, there are far too many to list them all, but it occurs to me that I might collate a number of them here so that they can easily be referred to later.  The overall impression I am left with as I near the completion of this marvellous collection of reminiscences, is the tender solicitude felt by these students from their Teacher.  She was indefatigable in supporting, correcting, encouraging; always listening to God’s direction and leading her students on.  And so, today, we can learn and grow through our study of the Bible in conjunction with her writings, and be buoyed by the stirring accounts of these faithful early workers.

 

1. Jennie Sawyer – on thinking

I love that Jennie Sawyer writes, on page 21 “In all these trials, we had letters of guidance and cheer from Mrs Eddy that sustained and comforted us” and that after 47 years of “continuous practice and teaching of Christian Science, it has been one glorious experience of endeavour to undo self and sense and thereby serve God” (p. 26). 

 

An outstanding comment from this writer is the following recollection of Mrs Eddy’s having said “To never be found thinking on the wrong side of any question would solve the problem.”

 

And also from Eddy: “If a negative thought comes to you, rise to your feet immediately and declare the Truth aloud.” 

 

2. Victoria Sargent – on attachment

Mrs Sargent quotes Eddy (p. 35) “Evil cannot attach itself to man, and you deceive yourself when you believe that it can.”

 

3. Janette Weller - regarding getting along with others

Weller shares a time when “a difference in opinions and methods of work arose between two students” (p. 50).  She writes: “The Christian Science pathway, while leading heaven-ward, is not always strewn with flowers, and like all other religious denominations, its followers are not always of the same mind...” and she shares Eddy’s letter to her, which begins “What a great matter a little fire kindleth.  What an unruly member is the tongue—what a mischievous thing is the pen if not governed in wisdom...” and continues “Help each other. In union is strength.  But it is best not to take the opinion of any student on points of Science...”  

 

4. Captain Joseph Eastaman - on working diligently

 Eastman’s account is very touching.  He speaks so humbly of himself as (p. 62-3) “a sailor, with only a seaman’s knowledge of the world” and that he “felt very much out of place” in joining “many highly cultured people” in the class when he was taught by Mary Baker Eddy.  However, he explains that Eddy’s answers to his earnest questions “brought forward and cleared up many points that otherwise might not have been touched upon” and so the result was that “all, except one, went into active work in the Master’s Cause.”

 

In speaking of the obstacles he faced in establishing and maintaining his Christian Science practice he writes (p. 66-67) “Unless faithfulness and energy are at the helm, there is and can be no permanent success.  Each must diligently work, and watch his own work—not that of others—here as well as elsewhere, if he would succeed.  I myself never worked so hard...but I can say...never did I find, in any other work, the abiding happiness that is mine in the service of suffering, sin-sick humanity.  I have proven beyond all doubt that errors of every sort, whether foolish or malicious, are cowards.”

 

5. Mary Eastaman – on remuneration

Mrs Eastman shares the following helpful comment (p. 78): “Captain Eastaman always said that he worked for one-third of his patients for love, expecting no remuneration but rejoicing in their healing and acceptance of Christian Science.  In after years, as God had prospered them, the expressions of gratitude, monetary and otherwise, from many of these patients [were] very gratifying and beautiful.  He never hesitated to sow the seed and leave the rest to God.”

 

6. Julia Prescott – Bible passages in times of great need

Mrs Prescott shares a defining moment in her experience on p. 90.  Her son was unwell, and had not recovered under Christian Science treatment.  She writes “in my extremity I resorted once more to the old medical remedies and used them just as I had for months every winter before.  But the child continued to grow worse until, at six o’clock the next morning, I cried out to God for help and laid the child down and left the house, saying as I rushed out, “I will never come back until I find my God.”  As I looked up to the stars, these words came: “Abide in me and I will abide in you.”  Instantly the whole world changed to me from a sense of agony to one of peace and rest...[the child] was perfectly normal...and never had another attack.”

 

Prescott writes of Mary Baker Eddy’s “gentleness and loving interest” (p. 90) and shares some teaching that left a deep impression on her (p. 91): “First, that Love was our only weapon and would destroy all error that might come to our consciousness.  Second, that all Bible passages that came to us in times of great need were messages direct from Him.” And regarding “seeing the error”, “always know it was the ‘adversary’, that Jesus came to destroy, not personality.”

 

Finally, Prescott shares what many writers have noted, Eddy’s generosity of spirit, expressed in tangible ways. “She delighted to give always in every direction” (p. 94).

 

7. Emma Estes – on healing

Estes shares her first encounter with Christian Science (p. 99 – 100).  Her mother was critically ill when a visitor (whose little boy had been cured of heart trouble), drew her aside and cautiously suggested she take her mother to a Christian Science practitioner, adding that “That will heal her.”  Her first visit with the practitioner resulted in a “holy calm” and “through earnest, faithful study of that precious book [Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy], one by one the dreadful physical ills began to disappear, and health and strength were slowly restored.”

 

She also relates (p. 101) an early experience of helping a man “groaning in agony” to whom she said: “God can help you if you will let Him.”   He replied “I don’t believe in God.”  She said “You surely will when you are helped.”  And he did.

 

Later, when an “urgent call for help came from a gentleman,” Mrs Eddy answered Estes’ reluctance to attend the case with the encouraging words “You have only to be a transparency for Truth” (p. 103).

 

8. Lida Fitzpatrick – helpful comments on healing

Here are some helpful comments from Eddy as recorded by Fitzpatrick (p. 110- 112):

·        “You do not have to argue; know.”

·        “I speak sharply sometimes but the thought must move.”

·        “The building up of churches, the writing of articles, and the speaking in public is the old way of building up a cause. The way I brought this Cause into sight was through healing; and now these other things would come in and hide it, just as was done in the time of Jesus....be a transparency for Spirit.”   

 

I found this especially helpful (p. 113) “You do not have to wait for your patient to tell you all about what to meet; you should see it and meet it.”

 

Some other noteworthy passages include:

p. 117 “In healing a patient, do not try to regenerate the whole; be like a carpenter—strengthen the weak place first, and while [you are] doing so, the patient will be helped mentally.  You cannot take the whole structure until you have reached that point.”

 

“Break the so-called laws which say you cannot heal...Work at it every day until they are destroyed; [do] not wait until you have to meet with the patient, but work every day just as hard as though the patient was dying until you have the mastery.  Then you will have dominion over your work.  Look to God, whose only law is harmony.”

 

“Keep awake by loving more; love the idea of God and you will love God. You can only love God as far as you love His idea...”

 

p. 118 “...speak with authority, stamp your foot if necessary...”

p. 119 “It is not necessary to eat as much as we do...”

p. 124 “There is a time to do everything...”

p. 129 “Learn what watching means.”

p. 140 “It is not Science to be too thin or too fleshy; either is a state of fear, for flesh manifests mind.”

 

9. Joseph Mann – a faithful servant

Mann writes (p. 150) “It is not an exaggeration to say that without doubt, in her time, Mrs. Eddy was the busiest woman on earth.”  And speaking of some of her qualities he tells us she (p. 154-5) “bore her daily cross with Christian dignity and godly poise...She allowed neither multiplying years nor time’s vicissitudes to interfere with her usefulness.  Her riper years only added wisdom to her ability to do, while age but added to the stateliness of her womanhood...”

 

In response Mann decided he “must demonstrate an aliveness to duty which amounted to a spontaneity of wisdom in action...to be so alive to the originality of God-with-me as to enable me to do harmoniously and quickly the things of which I knew she had need...” (p. 155).  He reports (p. 155) that “Mrs. Eddy rejoiced not so much in whatever was accomplished as in the manner of its accomplishment.”

 

I love when he shares the story of her rebuking his false modesty on p. 161-2 by pointing out that “God is never seen apart from man...”  As a faithful servant, Mann learned (p. 166) that “it is impossible unselfishly to give without also receiving.  I had come to Pleasant View only to give, but I left feeling greatly enriched.”

 

An Easter lesson was that “You must get rid of the ‘old man,’ the old woman; you cannot make them better and keep them” (p. 167).

 

As a trusted worker in Eddy’s household, Mann was called upon to help others who may have been homesick – see page 170. 

 

10. Clara Shannon – seeing and conquering error

Shannon relates an incident (p. 188-9) which showed Mrs. Eddy was always of woman of action if she felt God demanded it, ready to obey in the middle of the night if necessary.

 

Some lessons:

o  “If we are misjudged, persecuted, it is a sure sign that we are ascending the mount.”  See p. 93.

 

o  “For us to progress, we must go alone and work out our own salvation, and then if we meet one to teach Truth who has not learned before, we know more than that one and teach what we have learned of God through experience; this is progress.  We have not got the momentum of long years to work out of...” (p. 194).

 

Shannon had a patient who, after a week of Christian Science treatment was “much better, but not completely well.”  She “was alarmed at having a patient for so long as a week” and wrote to her teacher (Mrs. Eddy) to let her “know of what sin [she] was guilty.”  Eddy “told [her] that man was already healed and that what was preventing both of us from realizing this was malicious mental malpractice against [her] Christian Science practice, and that [she] must ...just handle that.”  The patient was soon well.  See p. 196-7.

 

She learned to always “give God the glory” (p. 209) and to say, “With God’s help I will do so and so...”

 

In Shannon’s account of the dramatic healing of Calvin Frye she includes her teacher’s instruction that “when you speak the Truth to anyone, if the Truth you speak causes him to laugh, cry, or get angry, you have reached the thought that needed correction.”  See pp. 210, 211.

 

On seeing and conquering error, Shannon says Eddy showed the students that if they “neglected to do [their] duty and did what was wrong without detecting, correcting, and overcoming error, but continued repeating the same mistakes and justifying [themselves}, the suffering which would result would be simple interest, which [they] would have to pay.  Then, if Christian Scientists refused to see the error when it was shown and wilfully or maliciously continued to repeat it, allowing their thoughts to be governed by hate, malice, jealousy, or any of these subtle conspirators, this would result in moral idiocy and would bring compound interest.”  See p. 215.

 

There are some interesting comments regarding insanity, dementia, imbecility and moral idiocy on p. 217.

 

11. Laura Nourse – beloved hymns

Readers will be interested that verses from Nourse’s poem “In Transitu” are the basis for hymns 197/198 (Now sweeping down the years untold, The day of Truth is breaking), and 392 (one of my all-time favourites with music by Arthur Sullivan)/393 (With love and peace and joy supreme).  See Endnotes p. 603.

 

Nourse opens her recollection with a description of her experience of class taught by Mary Baker Eddy in November 1888.  She speaks of having Eddy’s words “burned into [her] consciousness...and never forgotten” (p. 223).  The words were: “You will handle it, [malicious animal magnetism] or it will handle you.”

 

12. Septimus Hanna - support for a diligent worker

Hanna’s account is both interesting and important.  He speaks of Eddy’s “dignity of demeanour” (p. 230), and observes that she was “wholly devoted in all her thought and purpose to God and humanity” (p. 231). He also shares with us how Eddy strongly supported and instructed him in his work as a healer, preacher, teacher, lecturer, and editor. 

 

I love the portrait of Eddy on p. 232.

 

I was interested to read in Mrs. Eddy’s letter of Nov. 29, 1898 that (p. 250) “No student shall receive a certificate of qualification nor shall be accepted for examination who has not a fair education in English and especially the grammar of the old tongue and the branches requisite for good writing, speaking, and teaching Christian Science in good English.”

 

13. Edward Norwood – moments of profound clarity

Norwood, like many others, shares his experience of the Class of 1889, and especially Eddy’s two questions: “What is God?” and “How would you heal the sick instantaneously?”  Her answer to the latter question rings out to me (p. 269) – “It is not so much to realize the presence of Love—but love! Love enough, and you’ll raise the dead!”

 

On page 273, Norwood shares a tender letter from his Teacher: “When any strong impression comes to you..., ‘try the spirits’ before you submit.  Mentally treat yourself that nothing can govern your actions or come to your thought that is not from the divine Mind.”  Such wise counsel.

 

Norwood states bluntly that “Mary Baker Eddy was the most remarkable woman in the history of the world,” adding that one on her staff many years told him, “You would not tell Mrs. Eddy more than once that a thing could not be done” (pp. 282, 283).

 

I like when he writes (p. 283) that “We find God only as we find our real selfhood.  And Mary Baker Eddy showed us how to do it.”  The second last paragraph on that page is so interesting on the effect of the Christ on the physical and moral.

 

Page 286 has a wonderfully witty quote from Eddy “Some people are like wheelbarrows—they need to be pushed along.”  There is also a wonderful account here of Eddy’s healing a child with cataracts.

 

And finally, a pithy remark that will be helpful to us all in doing our own work faithfully whilst leaving to others the work that is rightfully theirs: “I will do what belongs to me patiently and faithfully but this is not my work” (p. 287).

 

14. Anna White Baker – pray at least 3 times a day by giving thanks

Baker tells us (p. 292) that having a medical practitioner become a Christian Scientist, and Christian Science healing cases given up by physicians, resulted in better attendance at church services in Concord and respect given to Christian Scientists there.

 

Baker also tells us of Eddy’s “longing to make every day count as gain.  Her demands had to be met, and she had neither time nor desire to tarry with inefficiency” (p. 297).  “There was no time for idle thinking or listless waiting.  The entire household was awake and alert in the early morning.  Mrs. Eddy was herself the first to greet the day, for at five o’clock, even on dark winter morning, she was accustomed to read from both the Bible and Science and Health and to make a note of thoughts which came to her then” (P. 301).

 

Page 303 is interesting.  Baker writes: “Mrs. Eddy deplored lack of culture at every point.  I once told her that I had been severely censured for sending my daughter to college...” Mrs. Eddy responded that “I wish every student I have had a college education.  I want them to be able to talk intelligently with educated thinking people everywhere.”  We learn that Mrs. Eddy subscribed to the Literary Digest and “read it regularly, thus keeping herself generally informed of important world conditions.”  We also learn that students should be reading the Christian Science periodicals with an educated thought which “silently corrects” and therefore helps to improve them.

 

I LOVE the section headed “Advice for parents” which begins p. 313.  We must not antagonize through “mistaken zeal.”

 

Page 314 gives a wonderful recollection on the topics of “body” and “numbers of a problem” – so

interesting and helpful.

 

I like that students need “faith, pluck, and patience enough to endure without fainting, apparent defeat and delayed rewards” (p. 315).  Two paragraphs on this page have been really helpful to me.  Praying at least three times a day by giving thanks and realizing the perfect, has transformed my days from worrying about what I have not accomplished to listening to what God is telling me—sometimes with surprising results, always resulting in more peace.  It’s really trusting as a child does (explained on p. 316).

 

The importance of naturalness is brought out on p. 320.  Baker writes that Eddy “disliked affectation or mannerisms.  It was this perfect naturalness about Mrs. Eddy that drew me to her...” 

 

A lesson on erasing error is pointed out on p. 326.  After hearing from Mrs. Eddy on the subject, Baker responded “When I cross out a figure as error I erase it from the problem, and it is no longer in my thought.”

 

Regarding how we regard Mrs. Eddy and represent her to others, Baker shares a letter from Eddy (p. 327): “Do not say to anyone ‘You must love Mrs. Eddy to be well,’ or anything like this.  It gives the enemy a plea to urge, ‘You make her as God.’  You can speak of the good I do and so incline the individual to the truth relative to me.  Any other way hurts the Cause.”

 

15. Mary Eaton – just love (p. 336)

Wonderful.

 

16. Lydia Hall – the time to work

Hall reports that Eddy said “...when everything seems to be going smoothly, that is the time to work as much as when you are having the struggle with the error” (p. 343).

 

17. Charles Reynolds - revelation

Reynolds wrote a lovely letter which included the following comments: “I saw clearly that Christian Science came by revelation.  That God spoke to Mrs. Eddy as truly as [He] did to Moses or Isaiah...I saw, as I had not before, that Christian Science is God manifesting Himself and that He had found in Mrs. Eddy a channel that was transmitting His presence and power.

 

“My impression of Mrs. Eddy might be summed up by saying that her view of men and issues was from an altitude of thought and insight so high and pure that she discerned their needs.”

 

We read of Reynolds’ own healing on p. 352.  He writes that “I read almost day and night for several weeks when the light broke through.”  The book was Eddy’s Retrospection and Introspection.

 

18. George Kinter – regard for others

Kinter makes a keen observation (p. 362): “I submit that the kindly thoughtful attitude of Mrs. Eddy’s mind, her regard for others, and her consideration for others’ comfort and happiness has here a fine, practical illustration in fact, well worth emulation by us all in all our dealings with each other as Christian Scientists and with people generally.  The general adoption of her philosophy in this respect would make and keep the world young.”

 

Here we read a further stirring account of Mrs. Eddy’s rousing Calvin Frye back to consciousness after which Kinter recalls Eddy’s “wholesome, good humor” when she said to Frye “Now, Calvin, don’t let the devil catch you napping again, for it takes a lot of valuable time sometimes to outwit him” (p. 369).

 

19. Minnie Scott – lean on God as a little child

Scott was called to work in Eddy’s home and doubted her ability to carry out the tasks.  How lovingly Mrs. Eddy responded “My dear, you have only to lean on God as a little child and divine Mind will teach you all you need to know every moment.  Love will direct your footsteps and lighten your labours.”  How encouraging as we today sometimes despair over learning new computer skills!

 

During the “Next Friends” lawsuit we are told that Mrs. Eddy was “patient, courageous, and joyful”, but Scott felt that “the whole affair seemed oppressive” until Eddy called in the staff and said “We are never worse for persecution but better because we turn more unreservedly to God...” (p. 377).  What a Leader!

 

Scott demonstrated her practical good sense when confronted with a “disgruntled woman” at their door.  Her method of caring for the situation, as explained to her teacher, would be not only to know that “Love was [her] protection” but also to “take special care that the windows and doors on the first floor were kept fastened” (p. 379/380)!

 

20. Adam Dickey – an able bodyguard

This man was solid and faithful and Mrs. Eddy soon knew it.  She relied on him and trusted him.  He comments that “People were not invited to Mrs. Eddy’s house for their own improvement.  They were invited there to work and what she required of them was not that they should work for themselves but that they should work for the Cause of Christian Science” (p. 389).”

 

“...every person who went to Mrs. Eddy’s home had to be tried and tested before he assumed his duties” (p. 391).

 

“I had no idea that she was constantly besieged by all the forces of evil and that she had to be in the frontline of battle, day and night, throughout all the years of her leadership” (p. 391).

 

Dickey speaks of Eddy’s “beautifully modulated voice”, the “daintiness and neatness of her attire” (p. 400) and of her “orderliness, neatness, and dispatch” (p. 417) which of course spilled over into the lives of those in her household.  It seems that mealtimes demonstrated both orderliness, promptness and regularity.  Dickey writes that “There was no confusion, no friction, no lost time. Indeed the question of meals and mealtime occupied very little space in the thought of the members of Mrs. Eddy’s household” (p. 421). 

 

I find it instructional that (p. 422) “Mrs. Eddy never let down on anything.  She kept everything up to the highest point of perfection—her appearance, her hair, her fingernails, her house, her horses and carriage—in fact, none of the evidences of age or neglect were ever allowed to show themselves.  She admired pretty things and beautiful things as one may infer from a [telegram] to the St. Louis church, in which she points out that it is not evil to enjoy good things but that it is evil to be a slave to pleasure.”  This is such a lesson in caring for our churches, our appearance, and our homes.

 

He recalls that she said to “Never fear a lie.  Declare against it with the consciousness of its nothingness.  Throw your whole weight into the right scale” (p. 406), and then she “picked up a lead pencil ...and balanced it there like a pair of scales...,” concluding that “When we admit a lie we put the weight into the wrong scale and this operates against ourselves.”

 

Faithful work was required and Eddy’s counsel was to “Never forsake your post.” (See Retrospection and Introspection p. 85: “Seek to occupy no position whereto you do not feel that God ordains you. Never forsake your post without due deliberation and light, but always wait for God’s finger to point the way.”)

 

Eddy’s students often got things wrong, as is illustrated in the passage regarding her instructions regarding praying about the weather.  She asked “Can a Christian Scientist control the weather?”  They all answered in the affirmative, to which Mrs. Eddy replied “they can’t and they don’t.”  She repeated the statement “They can’t,” but immediately she added, “but God can and does.”  The next paragraph of explanation (see p. 413) is very helpful regarding the nitty gritty behind that statement.

 

Dickey recounts an incident when Mrs. Eddy was obviously struggling physically prior to her daily carriage ride.  See pp. 423 – 424 on how he was instructed to pray, and the good results ensuing!  It demonstrated how to become law to oneself.  (See S&H p. 442:30.)

 

I love that Mrs. Eddy was very comfortable in passing on gifts so they could do double service (p. 424/5).  Indeed we learn how generous she was.

 

Dickey speaks of Eddy’s “accuracy”, of leaving “nothing unfinished or uncertain”, and of “painstaking exactness” (p. 427).  He also recalls her speaking about being changeable—that she had been accused of changing her mind frequently, but that it was always because she had got new light and a new point of view.

 

Dickey points out Eddy’s firm insistence on accurate statements when voicing truths.  See pp. 430 and 432. 

 

A noteworthy recollection is on page 443: “Often I heard her say with great impressiveness that in over forty years of church leadership, she had not made a mistake, a record that is most truly remarkable. 

Mrs. Eddy’s ideas of church government differed greatly from those of the general run of mankind. She knew that her Church, established as it was under divine direction, would incur the hatred and opposition of every known form of religion which has been evolved according to the wisdom of man.”

 

21. Adelaide Still – personal maid

This is such a lovely account.  Still served as Mrs. Eddy’s personal maid, and recounts many of the same experiences we’ve previously heard from the others, but with a new, clear, fresh and lively perspective and extraordinary wisdom.

 

She shares what Mrs. McKenzie said to her just before Still embarked on her work for Eddy: “Remember, half the world is condemning Mrs. Eddy, and the other half is deifying her, and the workers there stand between the two” (p. 460).  She recounts that she was willing “to do anything that God wants...” (p. 464) and that she “was very anxious to save Mrs. Eddy any unnecessary trouble” (p. 466).

 

Still tells us about Eddy’s love of “homemade ice cream and custard pudding” and also recounts Mr. Frye’s telling her that “nearly all of Unity of Good was dictated between the hours of four and six on cold winter mornings...” (p. 470)!

 

I find it particularly instructive to think of Eddy’s saying “God’s face is there...” when confronting a storm, as narrated p. 471.

 

Homesickness is mentioned again on p. 478.  I had never before thought of Mrs. Eddy’s response to the move from Pleasant View to Chestnut Hill as homesickness.  I love that “she grew to love her rooms and her drives...very much” (p. 479).  Home is such an important concept for us all.

 

This is lovely – Eddy’s response to Mrs. Sargent’s query “Mother, how did you do the wonderful healing when you first discovered Science?” –

 “I just got out of God’s way” (p. 482).

 

There is a lovely sketch of a time when a sixteen month old baby was brought to Eddy and how she absolutely delighted in it (p. 495).

 

22. William Rathvon – study her books

Rathvon describes Eddy as “the chosen evangel of Truth” (p. 503) and he lists some of her accomplishments as (p. 504):

-        The installation of a simple form of service

-        The building up of efficient agencies and institutions for the dissemination and protection of a radically new system of ethics

-        The launching of a great metropolitan daily in the interests of clean journalism

and he recounts her

-        Wisdom and sagacity

-        Strength and determination

-        Wit and humour

-        Love of little children

-        Delight in the beautiful

-        Inexpressible charm of manner

-        Eloquent voice.

And then he tells us that it was her desire that her followers “disregard her personality and address their thought to the things of God...She would have us study her books... (p. 514).  As our Church Manual tells us in the section Teaching Christian Science – Care of Pupils sect. 2 (Article XXVI Section 2)  - [The teacher] “shall persistently and patiently counsel his pupils in conformity with the unerring laws of God, and shall enjoin them habitually to study the Scriptures and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as a help thereto.”

 

Julie Swannell

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