Joyful reading

In a side panel on page 152 of our book "A world more bright - the life of Mary Baker Eddy", we learn that William McKenzie was on the Lesson-Sermon Committee for 21 years. Also that, it was understood that the topics for the Lesson-Sermons covered the course of instruction given by Mrs. Eddy in class teaching.

I like the emphasis on beginning rightly - see page 165. This was an admonition to Eddy's adopted son Ebenezer Foster Eddy in regard to publishing her works: “...see that you start rightly in publishing this year (for much depends on right beginnings).” This echoes Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health, “To begin rightly is to end rightly” (page 262). The next sentence is rather telling, “Every concept which seems to begin with the brain begins falsely.”

That same page gives us the surprising (to me anyway) information that Mrs. Eddy gave Foster Eddy the copyright to Science and Health – this included the royalties.

In reading about the newspapers of Mrs. Eddy's day, we often hear the phrase “yellow journalism.”

We finally have it explained on page 175 in a side-bar.

We have read of Mrs. Eddy's early morning turning to the Bible for inspiration. On page 183 we have a phrase that covers its usefulness. She said that it enabled her to meet “the cares that infest the day.”

There is a picture of a phonograph on page 190, and a side-bar about that instrument. This speaks of Edison's original phonograph which used cylinders to reproduce sound. I have actually used one of these. In 1942 my family rented a house at Coorparoo, a suburb of Brisbane. Its furnishings included a phonograph and some cylinder recordings. I think they included Enrico Caruso's singing. Perhaps he sang, “O! For the wings of a dove.” I am left to wonder how old it was...and what happened to it.

What a joy it has been to read this book!

Joyce Voysey

Caroline & Edward Bates and the 120 foot tower

I am thrilled to hear about Caroline and Edward Bates' contribution to the building of the original Mother Church in Chapter 17 of our book, "A world more bright - the life of Mary Baker Eddy". I thought I knew the story from having read Joseph Armstrong's account in his book about that building project. The Bates do get a mention in the Armstrong account, but their outstanding service is more fully described in our book this month.

Edward intuitively knew that his church needed him. He offered his services as on-site manager. The Board of Directors, of which Joseph Armstrong was a member, accepted his offer. The work seemed to be stalemated, with little work proceeding on the building, and there were only seven weeks to go till Mrs. Eddy's proclaimed date for the first service to be held in the new church. Here was an opportunity to demonstrate that “all things are possible”. Soon Edward had 20 contractors and over 200 men working simultaneously.

The report of Caroline's contribution to the project is so thrilling – it needs to be read and appreciated. Her climbing of a ladder to the 120 foot tower has a legendary place in the history of Christian Science, and was written about by Mrs Eddy. 

Mrs. Eddy's orders about the work seemed impossible to accomplish, but accomplished they were, under the direction of this supremely obedient couple. Here is an example of the way the work was accomplished: the contractors had agreed that it would take 12 weeks to apply both coats of plaster to the inside of the church – it was done in 12 hours.

We are told that obstacles arose constantly, but each time Edward reports that, “I would lift my thought and know that God governed and I could witness Mrs. Eddy's work.”

The work was finished at midnight – the church was ready. Edward wrote, “I was surprised. Every person in that room finished his work at the same moment. There were cleaners, masons, carpenters, brick layers electricians, and so on, – all manner of work going on, and all finished and went to the stairways to place their tools in the lower vestry at the same moment” Remarkable!

The chapter ended, “Noted Edward, "Mrs. Eddy's demonstration was complete to the minute.""

I hope all readers of this blog will have the opportunity to read the wondrous story.

Joyce Voysey

Note: Copies of this book are available in the Redcliffe Reading Room.

A bright report on the life of Mary Baker Eddy

A World More Bright by Isabel Ferguson and Heather Vogel Frederick

What interesting women wrote this book!  I just looked up their short bios at the back of the book. They seem to be well qualified and they have given us a “bright” report of the life of Mary Baker Eddy.

I do not have the book in my collection, so was glad to be able to have it on loan from our Reading Room.  I suppose I have read it before, but have registered no impression from that reading, if I have.

It must be very difficult to find a different angle from which to come at a new biography of the Founder of the Christian Science movement.  Much of the early part of the book records matter which is quite familiar to the student of Christian Science.  But the recounting of Asa Gilbert Eddy's place and influence on the Christian Science movement, puts a new light on that significant period of her life for me.

My first note relates to page 84's first paragraph.  It tells us something of the struggle it cost this author to put Science and Health's statement into words for humanity's benefit. “Putney” (Samuel Putnam Bancroft) wrote of her persistence: “I have known her when nearly crushed with sorrow, but she wrote on.  I have known her when friend after friend deserted her, but she wrote on.  I have seen student after student bring ridicule and reproach upon her, but still she wrote on.”

I am reminded at how little I give for the cause of Christian Science.

And there is a different angle in the picture of the attic room in Lynn where she wrote (page 84).  I love the thought that the only light came from above – the skylight in this tiny room.

On page 87 we find a hint of how to be successful in business.  Daniel Spofford was in charge of book sales for this precious volume.  He was assured that, “Love, meekness, charity and patience with everybody” would increase his success.

Mary's marriage to Gilbert Eddy was a big surprise to her students.  However, as we read of the important place he had in the founding of the Christian Science movement, we are so glad he came. 

What a modern-day-like couple they were.  He healed patients while she revised her book.  He did the cooking and other household chores; she preached and lectured. 

The recounting of the visit from Mary's son George gives a glimpse of the home and family life that was enjoyed by this family of three for three months in 1879.  George seems to have accepted Gilbert as his step-father.  We hear that he wrote back to his mother from his home, referring to Gilbert as father.

I finished reading about Gilbert Eddy feeling so grateful that he had been there to steady the ark at that crucial time in the development of the Christian Science movement.  He seems to have been the means whereby chaos was changed to calm in many directions.

Page 93 tells us that Mrs. Eddy's Communion Hymn was first published as Hymn of Science. It begins, “Saw ye my Savior?” It was published in the Lynn Transcript in December, 1876, and seems to be one poem that wasn't revised over the years. One is surprised to hear that the poem  Christ my Refuge was first published in 1868, but was revised and republished for nearly 40 years; the last edit was made by Mary in 1909.

I love the phrase, “white-winged angel throng of thoughts” -- my emphasis, of course.  And I was thrilled that it was the same in the original, as in the very final version.

Page 94 -- advice to Christian Scientists from Mrs. Eddy:  “Christian Scientists should so live that they will not need to tune themselves like a violin when they are called upon to help – they always should be prepared and ready to meet the need.”

Joyce Voysey