Editorial May 11, 1912 Issue

UPHELD BY SUPREME COURT

Archibald McLellan

The question of the validity of Mrs. Eddy's will has been decided by the New Hampshire supreme court, and that the decision sustains the will should come as no surprise to the public, which must have understood the fallacious and unfounded nature of the sensational charges upon which the suit was based. The purport of this decision is, that in making her will as she did, Mrs. Eddy acted entirely within the law, and that the court finds no reason for interfering in the slightest with the great humanitarian purpose which she endowed. Further comment on the decision at this time is withheld, because similar litigation is pending in other courts, and under such circumstances a discussion of the case might be looked upon as an impropriety.

The following brief report of the decision of the New Hampshire court is taken from The Christian Science Monitor of May 7, the full text of the decision being printed in the editions for May 8:—

The New Hampshire supreme court in a unanimous decision today [May 7] upheld the will of the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, giving to the Christian Science Board of Directors for the cause the bulk of her property; declared that Christian Science was not against public policy, which was one of the contentions of counsel for those seeking to break the will; that the New Hampshire stature regarding bequests churches may receive does not limit testamentary capacity, and applies, if at all, to churches in that state, and that the residuary bequest is not indefinite. The decision was in the suit of George W. Glover and others against Gen. Henry M. Baker, the executor of Mrs. Eddy's will, and others. The object of the suit was to have the will set aside in favor of Mr. Glover and E. J. Foster Eddy, who had made binding agreements, because of settlements, not to contest any bequest that might be made by Mrs. Eddy.

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