162 The Fundamentals least 20,000 duplications—which would leave a grand total for the last census of about 65,000 members. The official board has now for several years declined to give any reports to the public, which may mean that the crest of the wave was reached some time ago, and the movement has begun to re cede. But even though the numbers were as great as claimed, this would prove nothing as to the truth of Mrs. Eddy’s teachings. In India there are millions who worship the Ganges, and other millions who worship cows—and the Hindu mind is second to none in the world in its metaphysical apti tudes. It is sad to think that a single man or woman should be misled by Joe Smith, Alexander Dowie, or Mary Baker Eddy. DISHONESTIES But these false claims are not the only dishonesties per petrated by Eddyism. The pages of “Science and Health” teem with them. The press agents of Mrs. Eddy will tell you that “unless preaching is accompanied by signs of healing the sick, one has no proof that he is presenting the Gospel as the Master said it should be.”* But it is a dangerous thing to prove too much. I f healing the sick is a necessary adjunct to presenting the Gospel, so is the power to “speak with tongues,” “take up serpents”, “drink any deadly thing”, “cleanse the lepers”, and “raise the dead.” It looks, therefore, as if, according to their own argument, all the lecturers and press agents and publish ers and “readers” of Eddyism should immediately retire and cease their propaganda. How many dead Have they raised in any community, from Boston down to the smallest town in which they have estab lished themselves? One has a feeling that it would not be * Lloyd B. Coate.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker