Gosh, we are almost at the end of April, and we need something about our book Mary Baker Eddy: A Centennial Appreciation.
Most of the twelve writers who contributed to the year-long series of articles about the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, in 1966 (one hundred years after that discovery), are familiar to this reader. One, Allison W. Phinney, Jr., has just retired from the Christian Science Board of Directors. All shared their understanding of Christian Science in the Christian Science periodicals, as I am discovering with a little detective work.
For instance, in the 1950's, Julia M. Johnston wrote a series of articles for children and these were collected into a book called Elizabeth and Andy. Ms Johnston is also the author of the biography, Mary Baker Eddy: Her Mission and Triumph. Her article in the centennial appreciation series (Chapter 1 in our book this month) describes Eddy as 'in the forefront of the seers of the ages' (p. 6). Among her many articles in the periodicals is one in the May 24, 1924 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. It is an insightful article called 'Heaven and Earth', and it seems especially relevant at this Easter season. Here is an excerpt:
As human thought has been impressed with the Biblical statements, it has slowly gained a truer sense of heaven. The word "heaven," however, has always symbolized the total absence of evil, as distinguished from earth. To the extent that men have believed in a future or absent heaven, evil has seemed to be a present reality. When the truth dawns that heaven and earth are indivisible and omnipresent, there ceases to be opportunity or place for error to exist either temporarily or eternally. So, the belief that men must leave earth to reach heaven will vanish, and in its place will abide with them the true idea of earth and heaven. All that men need to leave is their misconception of earth and heaven.
Likewise, the second writer, Robert Peel, was himself an established author. Our book club has read quite a few of his scholarly and thoroughly researched works, including his important 3-set biography of Mrs. Eddy: Mary Baker Eddy: The Years of Discovery; The Years of Trial; The Years of Authority. In chapter 2 of our book, Peel writes of Eddy as discoverer. Here he addresses some of the difficulties and challenges she faced. He says:
The challenge came in communicating to the world what she was discovering, for the whole entrenched belief of life in matter seemed to concentrate itself in outraged opposition to the message and the messenger. While those who were healed were grateful and even enthusiastic, they all too often took alarm as gradually they realized the demands the new teaching made on them. ...
The supreme example of human resistance to Truth - and of its overcoming - is found in the life of Christ Jesus. The greatest exemplar of Love the world has ever known was nailed to a cross by the hatred his example had aroused. Yet in the triumph of the resurrection he proved the ultimate powerlessness and falsity of all that opposes itself to God, as well as the indestructible reality of the Life and Love that are God.
How grateful is today's reader for the insights shared by these writers.
Julie Swannell
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