A book review in Saturday's Post was correct when it...

Albert E. Lombard, Committee on Publication for Southern California,

Pasadena Post

A book review in Saturday's Post was correct when it made clear that in "personalities, beliefs, and histories" Mesmer and Freud were dissimilar to Mary Baker Eddy. Please let me add that an impassable gulf separates the teachings of Mrs. Eddy from the theories of Freud and Mesmer; psychoanalysis and hypnotism, sometimes called mesmerism, afford no way of approach to Christian Science.

Although the review in question was correct on the point mentioned above, it contained other statements concerning Mrs. Eddy that were misleading and erroneous.

The history of Mary Baker Eddy shows her to have come from a worthy American family in a community of strong, democratic, God-worshiping New Englanders. Her history shows also that she was particularly gifted in moral and spiritual qualities and in intellectual capacity.

The Reverend Enoch Corser of the Congregational church, who knew her in her youth, spoke of her as "an intellectual and spiritual genius" (The Life of Mary Baker Eddy, by Sibyl Wilbur). Even in her earlier years publications of the day allotted space to Mrs. Eddy's prose and poetry. Throughout a lifetime of more than eighty-nine years, she had a noteworthy grasp of public subjects, and she cared for her private affairs with sane, well-balanced judgment. She had an exceptional religious sense. The great works that she accomplished for the betterment of mankind testify to her sterling character.

During many years of invalidism before she discovered and founded Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy's search for health led her to try various systems of cure, including that of the "pseudo doctor" mentioned in the review. However, the "doctor" referred to was not the source of her discovery; his system was mesmeric and consequently diametrically opposite to the teaching of the religion Mrs. Eddy founded.

Mrs. Eddy's discovery of Christian Science was the outgrowth of her deep study and assimilation of the inspired teachings of the Bible. Of her subsequent study of the Scriptures she says, "The search was sweet, calm, and buoyant with hope, not selfish nor depressing" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 109). Having gained, through revelation, a profound understanding of the life, character, and works of Christ Jesus, and being guided by reason and demonstration, she was led to present to humanity the divine Science underlying the curative method of Christ Jesus—the method by which early Christians healed for about three hundred years after Jesus' ascension. The Bible was the source of Mrs. Eddy's discovery; Christ Jesus was her Way-shower, and her teachings are in perfect accord with those of the Master.

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