"in the interests of humanity"

I don't think we fully appreciate the work that Mrs. Eddy put into the revisions of her book Science and Health. On page 138 of our book, Orcutt gives us an inkling when talking about Albert Conant's putting together the copy for the revised edition of the Concordance to Science and Health produced when Mrs. Eddy had made the final amendments. He quotes Mr. Conant's preface to the new edition:

About five thousand new references

have been inserted. Of these, nearly sixteen hundred were needed for new words not hitherto indexed; and more than thirty-four hundred were required to index the changes in Science and Health which have been made by its author since the first Concordance was printed. . . . Some idea of the extent of her recent revisions may be gained from the above figures, which thus serve to enhance an appreciative recognition of the indefatigable labors of our Leader in the interests of humanity.

Orcutt was in awe at the copy produced by Conant's staff. He says,

The copy for this was prepared by Albert F. Conant, who, ten years earlier had compiled the Concordance to Science and Health. I well remember the sensation created at Plimpton Press when a huge wooden packing case was delivered, having come to us from California. When opened, we found it contained 3910 cards, on which Mr. Conant's staff had prepared the most perfect piece of copy for any book which I have ever seen.  pp. 137-8

Having put together an Index to my own modest book I have a slight idea of the work entailed in all this labour of love.

Joyce Voysey