There is so much wisdom in
Mrs. Eddy’s A Word to the Wise (The First Church of Christ, Scientist
and Miscellany p. 223)! How relevant it
is to our times, and, of course, all times. The patience theme is reiterated.
I was curious as to the circumstances of this
message. Why? When?
The “when” was easy to find by looking up the article in jsh-online.com. It was first published in the Christian Science
Sentinel of April 25, 1901 (http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1901/4/3-34/a-word-to-the-wise). The “why” was more difficult. My trusty source Robert Peel’s Mary Baker
Eddy: The Years of Authority seemed to fail me on this occasion, as
I could only find reference to Mark Twain and his dealings with Christian
Science; however, I finally found Chronology pp. 371-375 (it had been
hiding) which lists important events during the years 1892-1910.
The year 1901 tables the
following:
Jan 4 Crucial legal conference at Pleasant
View
Jan Puts Kimball
in charge of Woodbury case
May 1 New
York Herald interview
June 5 Woodbury
case lost by plaintiff
Aug 1 Peabody lecture, “A complete
Exposure of Eddyism,” in Tremont Temple
Aug 28 Second
visit to Concord State Fair
Nov-Dec Work
on major revision of Science and Health
There is much to read about the Woodbury case in Peel’s book;
the Next Friends horror was yet to come – in 1907 – and is also recorded
by Peel.
Always Mrs. Eddy was praying
for wisdom, for herself and for her students. And we have her marvellous poem/hymn Shepherd ("Feed my Sheep") to help us in calling on God to give us guidance. How often do we try to accomplish something in
our daily lives without saying, “Shepherd, show me”; but when we remember to
call on Him we are given immediate direction. It is truly wonderful.
Joyce Voysey
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