Article June 8, 1912 Issue

Not only Christian Scientists but members of the community...

Boston (Mass.) Times

Not only Christian Scientists but members of the community at large have been gratified by the decision of the New Hampshire supreme court, which upholds the will of the late Mary Baker Eddy, or rather the clause by which she bequeathed the bulk of her fortune to the Christian Science propaganda. The liberal and just views incidentally expressed in this decision will please all liberty-loving people. The whole decision is in keeping with the constitution of our country, and has the ring of true Americanism.

It has been said that the law restricting the amount of money which may be accepted by any given church organization is intended to provide against giving undue power to church denominations, but in this case, as we understand it, the money can only be used for spreading the gospel of Christian Science. It cannot be used in the interest of the church either individually or collectively. The opinion rendered in this case, that "Mrs. Eddy had the constitutional right to entertain such opinions as she chose and to make a religion of them, and to teach them to all others, and their rights of belief are as extensive as hers," and that "her legal right to teach was not ended with her death," settles a very important question and one which involves not only the religious liberty of Christian Scientists, but that of the community at large.

This decision makes it plain that it is not for the state to decide what sort of religion we shall embrace. Since Christian Scientists depend upon their religion as a means of preserving and restoring health, the decision also incidentally safeguards the individual privilege of depending upon divine power as a means of preventing and curing bodily ills as distinctive from other means.

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