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Part of the American
History & Genealogy Project |
Women in Christian Science

Mary Baker Eddy
By Alfred Farlow
Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy was born at Bow,
New Hampshire, a few miles distant from Concord, the Capital
City of the state. Her home commanded a charming view of the
picturesque valley of the Merrimac Riven. She was the daughter
of Mark and Abigail Ambrose Baker. Her great-grandfather was
Captain Joseph Baker, among her ancestors were Captain Joseph
Lovewell and General John Macneil, of Revolutionary fame. Her
father was a well-to-do farmer and gave his daughter Mary all
the school privileges that his neighborhood afforded. Besides
school advantages, Mary Baker's educational opportunities were
enhanced by private tutors, among whom were Rev. Enoch Corser,
of Sanbornton Bridge Academy, and Professor Dyer H. Sanborn, the
author of Sanborn's grammar.
In her youthful days Mrs. Eddy wrote
both prose and poetry which were acceptable for publication in
the periodicals of their day. Letters written to members of her
family in her early girlhood, which have recently been published
in Munsey's Magazine, give evidence of her close observation and
depth of thought, as well as of her piety. These letters show
that peculiar fondness for her home and the members of her
family -which is always in evidence in a deeply spiritual
nature.
Samuel B. G. Corser, A.M., her boyhood
friend, referred to her as the "brightest pupil" in his father's
class, and declared that, "intellectually and spiritually, she
stood head and shoulders above any girl in the community," that
"she discussed philosophical and religious subjects" with his
father which were oftentimes too deep for his comprehension.
In 1843 she was united in marriage with
George W. Glover, a contractor and builder of Charleston, North
Carolina. Mr. Glover was at one time a member of the governor's
staff, and thus received the title of colonel. He was a man of
large affairs. The records of Charleston show that between 1839
and 1844 he transferred thirteen pieces of real estate, while
two were transferred to him in that city. Most of his property,
however, consisted of slaves, which Mrs. Eddy was unwilling to
own, and which she allowed to go free after Colonel Glover's
death. During her early widowhood Mrs. Eddy earned some means by
her pen. She possessed advanced ideas, and found ready
acceptance for her writings with progressive thinkers.
At the early age of twelve she had
pronounced religious Opinions, some of which conflicted with
those of her father and his co-religionists, notably a disbelief
in the doctrine of eternal punishment. She contended that if her
brothers and sisters, none of whom had made any public
profession of religion, but all of whom were honorable,
trustworthy and commendable citizens, were to be debarred from
the heavenly estate, she wished to remain outside also. While
wrestling over this religious problem she became ill. In her
book, "Retrospection and Introspection," she states that on this
occasion her mother "bathed" her "burning temples," bade her
"lean on God's love, which would give" her "rest, if" she "went
to Him in prayer, as" she "was wont to do, seeking His
guidance." She further states, "I prayed; and a soft glow of
ineffable joy came over me * * * * the 'horrible decree' of
predestination, as John Calvin rightly called his own tenet,
forever lost its power over me. When the meeting was held for
the examination of candidates for membership, I was, of course,
present. The pastor was an old-school expounder of the strictest
Presbyterian doctrines. He was apparently as eager to have
unbelievers in these dogmas lost, as he was to have elect
believers converted, and rescued from perdition; for both
salvation and condemnation depended, according to his views,
upon the good pleasure of infinite Love. However, I was ready
for his doleful questions, which I answered without a tremor,
declaring that I could never unite with the church, if assent to
this doctrine was essential thereto * * * * To the astonishment
of many, the good clergyman's heart also melted, and he received
me into their communion, and my protest along with me." Mrs.
Eddy continued a member of the Congregational Church until after
she organized a church of her own. It was in 1866, after many
disappointments and sorrows which culminated in invalidism that
she met with an accident while living in Lynn, Massachusetts. As
a result she found herself in a critical condition, and in her
extremity her thoughts turned to God, and, as she afterwards
more fully realized, she thus came in touch with the divine
influence, and was instantly healed. This experience caused her
to ponder upon the subject of spiritual healing.
She was impressed that what she had
experienced on the momentous occasion above mentioned might be
repeated in all cases of sickness and disorder, if mortals could
but understand how to approach the infinite Spirit. For the next
three years she made a constant study of this subject, searched
the Scriptures night and day, and finally arrived at the
conclusions which, in 1875, she set forth to the world in her
text-book, "Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures." She
attached the name "Christian Science" to her teaching, and at
once began to put her ideas to a practical test by healing the
sick. The propaganda of her system of thought was effected by
the circulation of her book and also by the personal instruction
which she gave to those who sought it. In 1879 she established
the Christian Science Church, of which the name was afterwards
changed to First Church of Christ, Scientist. This, the mother
church of the denomination has at the present time a membership
of tens of thousands, and it has branch churches in all parts of
the United States and in many foreign countries. In this
dissemination of her healing apprehension of Truth, Mrs. Eddy
has contributed very largely to the health, happiness and
general wellbeing of mankind.
Christian Science is founded upon the
Scriptural declaration that God is Spirit, Mind, Truth, Love,
Good; that man is made in God's own image and is, therefore,
spiritual, and not material, a point which accords with the
generally accepted truism that "like begets like," and that, in
accordance with the Master's teaching, "the flesh (matter)
profiteth nothing," material sense is false, a deception which
will vanish from consciousness through spiritual awakening. This
teaching of Christian Science does not mean that the universe is
unreal, but that it is not what it seems to be to uneducated
human thought, to that quality of understanding which does not
perceive objects from the spiritual viewpoint. Christian Science
teaches that when one has attained to that spiritual perfection
which St. Paul denominated "the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ," the creations of God will be recognized as
spiritual, and will appear infinitely more wonderful and
beautiful than are the projections of our present material
concept of being. This corrected view of man and the universe,
the Christ-idea, destroys the false foundation of human woe and
thus heals the sick. Christian Science reforms the sinner by
destroying his false belief of life, substance and intelligence
in matter, and of pleasure or benefit in sin, and thereby
removes the incentive to do wrong.
Mrs. Eddy was an indefatigable worker.
Although her books brought her a liberal income she spent
relatively little money on herself, her whole aim in life being
to advance the cause of Christian Science and to do good. She
made her church the principal legatee of her fortune. She was an
eloquent and fluent speaker, an inspiring teacher and a
brilliant and convincing conversationalist.
In the early part of her life as leader
of the Christian Science Church, she resided in Boston,
Massachusetts. In 1889 she removed to Concord, New Hampshire,
where she resided until 1908, when she returned to Boston,
taking up her residence in the beautiful suburb of Chestnut
Hill, where she remained until her demise, December 3, 1910.
Mrs. Eddy was not only much beloved by
her own followers, but was highly respected by the community at
large, and on the event of her passing away the newspapers of
the country spoke in appreciative terms of the character which
she had attained and of the good which she had accomplished.
Sue Harper
Mims
Mrs. Mims was one of the most prominent women in the Christian
Science movement in America, and a social leader of Atlanta,
Georgia. She was born in Brandon, Massachusetts, May, 1842, and
was the daughter of the late Colonel William C. Harper and Mrs.
Mary C. Harper. Her father was a lawyer of great learning and
distinguished ability. She became the wife of Livingston Mims in
1866, one of the most prominent business men of Atlanta, a
gentleman of aristocratic lineage and culture. For many years he
was president of the Capital City Club, by which President and
Mrs. Cleveland were entertained while on a visit to that city.
Mrs. Mims gathered about her a circle of literary, artistic and
musical people, exerting a wide influence for intellectual and
ethical culture. She is a devoted follower of Mrs. Eddy, and has
been one of the prime movers and teachers of Christian Science
in the South.
Women of
America

Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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