The Church of St. Bunco : $b A drastic treatment of a copyrighted religion-- Un-Christian Non-ScienceClark, Gordon
Religion
The Church of St. Bunco : $b A drastic treatment of a copyrighted religion-- Un-Christian Non-Science
Clark, Gordon
Christian Science
As described in the _Traveler_ print, these "loyal students" were, for the
most part, rather young people, rich in their own right, or so endeared to
their parents that neither gold nor silver, if it could be given, was
denied to them. Once in the woods and groves of Teacher Woodbury's
"Christian Science" paradise, these charmed innocents were turned into
missionaries to their families, where souls might be saved and further
possessions might accrue to a blessed instructor. If the heads of these
families would not turn from the wicked ways of the world and their own
churches, and bring gifts to the shrine of Christian Science, then the
"loyal students" were taught to shake the dust from their feet, and depart
from among the unholy.
Thus were the Scriptures fulfilled "in Science." But the _Traveler_ made
it to appear that such doctrine set daughter against father, son against
mother, and wife against husband.
So, indeed, the doctrine was made to appear in a letter written by Saint
Woodbury herself and published in the _Traveler_ over her full name.[49]
Therein was this preachment:
"The Bible says that the teachings of Jesus rightly practised, will,
_must_, set at variance the members of any household, some of whom do, and
some of whom do not, imbibe the faith.... God's will be done. The command
is still on the elect to come out from the world, and to separate and to
shake the dust from their feet, of any house which will not receive the
peace bestowed."
Mrs. Woodbury, having thus justified her religion and her economics by
Scripture, proceeded to justify Scripture itself by the Absolute--the
example of Mrs. Eddy. St. Josephine went on, in her letter, thus:
"When the Discerner of this Science first apprehended the demands of this
Religion and system of ethics, she was forced to withdraw from the
Congregational Church.... I have been informed, also, that not one of her
family ever held her faith in anything but active contempt."
This latter revelation to St. Woodbury, regarding Saint Mary Baker Eddy
and her relatives, is probably true. Others have received the same
information. But when the chosen one was rejected of the Baker family,
particularly of its affluent members, it is affirmed that the spirit of
"Science" arose within Mary, like a mighty tantrum, and, recalling her
early likeness to Samuel and the Hebrews, she exclaimed with "immortal
mind," "I will yet roll in wealth!" These words of the prophetess-Mother
are sweet to the ear of Christian Science, which admonishes its adherents
to go and do likewise--assuring them that if steadfast "in Science," they
will be sure to stand solid in Dunn and Bradstreet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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