Editorial October 26, 1899 Issue

Historical

Editor with contributions from Joseph Armstrong, Septimus J. Hanna, Mary Baker Eddy, Oliver C. Sabin, The First Members, William B. Johnson

We desire to quote some letters and articles which will give a retrospect for a year, and inform our readers regarding the opportunities given the Washington News Letter.

In May, 1898, Captain Linscott of Washington, D. C., reported to Rev. Mary Baker Eddy that a patient of his had been filling the pages of a little sheet of which he was editor with articles relating to Christian Science, and as a consequence had so lost patronage that financial ruin threatened him. The response of Mrs. Eddy to this appeal was immediate.

In the Christian Science Journal for June, 1898, appeared a letter from our Leader, recommending "every Scientist on terra firma" to subscribe for the News Letter for one year. Can one imagine greater kindness to a struggling paper about to cease its existence, than this recommendation, which gave it entrance and welcome into thousands of homes of good people? Kind thoughts were given to the editor, many subscriptions were sent in to his enterprise, and contributions poured in for his columns, so that success was assured; but it should be clear that all this grace of love was solely the outcome of the recommendation referred to, which called it forth. Years and years of toil could not gain for any paper such a position. Does this warrant the charges now made by Mr. Sabin about exclusive "combines," "trusts," etc.?