Editorial June 22, 1907 Issue

A GRATEFUL TRIBUTE

Annie M. Knott

On another page of the Sentinel we give in part an article recently published in The Onlooker, a widely read English magazine. Mrs. Martineau replies seriatim to a number of the misstatements in Mark Twain's book, but we quote only one of her corrections, that which deals with the authorship of "Miscellaneous Writings," and students of our literature may be interested in having a more detailed statement respecting Mrs. Eddy's authorship of the articles contained in this book, from one whose personal knowledge of the subject goes back over twenty-one years. In replying to the statement that only twelve pages of this book could have been written by Mrs. Eddy, Mrs. Martineau says that fully forty pages are given to addresses and sermons which had been listened to by large audiences. The writer is glad to be able to say that she was one of the privileged listeners on a number of these occasions, and while Mrs. Eddy modestly says that, owing to the great demands upon her time, "most of these articles were originally written in haste, without due preparation" (Miscellaneous Writings, Pref. p. viii.) the present writer can bear witness that they are wonderfully close to the inspired and inspiring thought given out on these occasions, as hundreds of others can testify.

On June 13, 1888, Mrs. Eddy spoke to a very large audience of people in Central Music Hall, Chicago, and the writer, who was present, could not help uttering a fervent prayer that the thrilling words then spoken might be preserved and given to all truth-seekers. And they were! It was easy to see that our dear Leader's thought was big with a divine idea, which was destined to go forth and accomplish the thing whereto God had sent it, and so her words on this occasion were given to us in the article, "Science and the Senses," from which we venture to quote as follows: "Love's labors are not lost. The five personal senses, that grasp neither the meaning nor the magnitude of self-abnegation, may lose sight thereof; but Science voices unselfish love, unfolds infinite good, leads on irresistible forces, and will finally show the fruits of Love" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 100). Wonderfully prophetic words, were they not?

So much for one article in this book. The writer, who is widely acquainted among Christian Scientists, knows of no one except Mrs. Eddy who could have written this article as we find it. It is as like Mrs. Eddy as is her handwriting, and the same may be said of all the articles in this book, which will be more and more read and appreciated as the years roll on and the truth of Christian Science is better understood. The writer remembers thinking, as she listened to the address of Mrs. Eddy to the Alumni of the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in 1895, that she would cheerfully give all she possessed if her students could have the privilege of reading it; and, happily, the address was given to us in this book (p. 110).

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

A SIGNIFICANT PROTEST