UNTRUE "HISTORY."

Editor with contributions from Marshall, Chas. F. Chevaillier, Marion Turney, S. S. McClure, Archibald McLellan

The utter unreliability of the alleged story of the life of Mrs. Eddy which is appearing in McClure's Magazine may be determined by the manner of its exploitation and the methods employed in the so-called "investigation" conducted by the staff writers of the magazine. Notwithstanding the boasted accuracy of these articles,—"Of the facts we have made a thorough investigation ... and the result is probably as near absolute accuracy as history ever goes" is what the editorial announcement says,—the advance notice of the articles was accompanied by a portrait said to be that of Mrs. Eddy taken in 1882, but which was in fact a portrait of Mrs. Sarah C. Chevaillier. This portrait was immediately recognized by Mr. Charles F. Chevaillier of Marshall, Tex., as that of his mother, and he made affidavit to this fact as follows:—

"Marshall, Tex., Nov. 27, 1906.

"Mr. Alfred Farlow, Boston, Mass.

"Dear Sir:—The photograph enclosed herewith, taken by the Notman Photographic Company, 3 Park Street, and 184 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts, is a portrait of my mother, Mrs. Sarah C. Chevaillier. By a comparison any one can easily see that the portrait published on page 202 of McClure's Magazine for December, 1906, is the picture of my mother, and to the best of my knowledge and belief is an exact copy of the photograph enclosed.

Chas. F. Chevaillier."

"The State of Texas,
"County of Houston.

"Before me, Marion Turney, a Notary Public in and for Harrison County, Texas, on this day personally appeared Charles F. Chevaillier, to me well known to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing letter, who, after being duly sworn by me, on oath says that the statements made in the foregoing letter are true, and that the photograph therein enclosed is a portrait of his mother, Mrs. Sarah C. Chevaillier.

"Given under my hand and seal of office this Nov. 27, 1906. "(Signed)

Marion Turney,"

"Notary Public in and for Harrison County, Tex. "(Seal.)"

When this portrait first appeared in McClure's advertisements of these articles, the present writer addressed the following letter to Mr. S. S. McClure:—

"Boston, Mass., Nov. 19, 1906.
"S. S. McClure, Esq., 56 East 23rd St.,
New York, N. Y.

"Dear Sir:—My attention has just been called to the full-page advertisement of McClure's Magazine in the November 17th issue of Ridgeway's, the most striking features of which are a half-tone portrait and the line, 'The Truth about Mrs. Eddy.' From the nature of the advertisement I assume that the half-tone cut is intended to be a portrait of Mrs. Eddy. Permit me to say that if this assumption is correct you have been most thoroughly imposed upon. The cut is not a portrait of Mrs. Eddy, and does not resemble her in feature, outline, or expression. I have seen Mrs. Eddy face to face and have conversed with her a number of times, the last time within three weeks, and I unhesitatingly say to you that the portrait appearing in Ridgway's is a portrait of some other person if it is a portrait of any one.

"It is to be hoped that you have not been imposed upon in the matter constituting the text of the articles to appear in McClure's as you have been in this alleged portrait of Mrs. Eddy. Yours very truly,

"Archibald McLellan."

No reply to this letter has been received, nor have similar letters written by other persons been answered. Two issues of McClure's Magazine have appeared since the date of the above letter, one of them since the publication of Mr. Chevaillier's affidavit, yet not a word of explanation or apology has been vouchsafed. The animus of the publication of this portrait is easily seen in the fact that it conveys the appearance of a woman of very advanced age, whereas authentic photogaphs of Mrs. Eddy taken about the same time show nothing of the kind.

Several months ago, during the preparation of these articles. Mr. Farlow and other Christian Scientists offered their services to McClure's, in order to protect them from the many false and absurd stories which past experience had shown would be offered for incorporation in this so-called "history," but these offers were rejected because, forsooth, Christian Scientists were so prejudiced that they could not be relied upon. The manner in which the "members of the McClure staff have worked ... to make this history absolutely fair and accurate" is shown in an editorial in the Concord Patriot. This editorial says in part,—

"The men who came to Concord did not have for their purpose the ascertainment of facts; they did not want the truth as known to Concord people, but ardently desired to have preconceived notions affirmed and slanderous insinuations and statements endorsed.

"A citizen of Concord, a trusted and honored official, said to one of McClure's representatives, after some questions had been asked and answered and the bent of the interviewer's mind had been made apparent, 'There is little to gain by continuing this conversation; you are not after what I know; you desire that I should approve your guesses. It is clear to me that your purpose is to write Mrs. Eddy down, regardless of what her neighbors and those who know her best may say.'

"Of one of our business men, the same McClure representative asked, 'Is Mrs. Eddy a moral woman?'

"The business man looked at the would-be searcher for truth, and asked by way of answer, 'Have you a mother, and is she a moral woman? It seems to me, young man, that it is not the truth or fact you are after, but gossip and slander,' and closed the interview by directing the stranger's attention to that part of the building where he could find a door. ... In this city, because of the manner in which McClure's agents pursued their quest, they earned for themselves the title and were discussed as muckrakers."

If these are the methods of "historians" we wonder what methods are adopted by writers of fiction.

Archibald McLellan.

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