Article January 21, 1911 Issue

A leader to succeed Mrs. Eddy "never will be put...

Minneapolis (Minn.) Journal

A leader to succeed Mrs. Eddy "never will be put forward," is the word unofficially emanating from the directors of The Mother Church in Boston. In this connection is recalled the fact that in 1895, Mrs. Eddy issued an order "ordaining" the Scriptures and her own Science and Health as "pastor" over The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, declaring that "they will continue to preach for this church and the world."

Higher criticism, so called, is supposed to have so far impeached for the majority of minds in this age the validity of a book as a medium through which God speaks, that the very props of the churches relying upon the book are considered by many to be broken. But here is a faith, new but as surely Christian in derivation and in sentiment as any Christian denomination or church, planting itself squarely on the written word, and considering that written word as so alive that it is spoken of as "pastor" and accepted as leader. A rather surprising commentary upon the alleged triumph of the higher criticism, to say the least! For Mrs. Eddy's own work is held not as in the nature of a study and critical interpretation of the Scriptures, but as an inspired interpretation. Her interpretation is no more analogous to modern rationalistic criticism than are the institutes of Calvin. As Calvin, by those who heard and read him, was deemed something more than religious scholar and thinker, was felt to be inspired by the Spirit, and his interpretation of the Scriptures to share in the spiritual quality of those Scriptures, so the followers of Mrs. Eddy have conceived of her and her writings.

We are not here discussing the authenticity of Mrs. Eddy's inspiration, but merely noting its claim and its kind. It would seem that rationalism and science have no chance ever to persuade mankind that the Scriptures are history, literature, and legend, and that their spiritual worth is a matter of value and not of letter. It would seem as if every age interprets the Scriptures according to its vision, but that the Scriptures remain for many in every generation the inspired literal word.

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