Newspaper Page Text
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MRS. MAR YBAKER EDDY
GIVES REAL INTERVIEW
IN HER CONCORD HOME
Aged Leader of Chris
tian Science Talks
Freely.
By EDWIN J. PARK.
Concord, N. H„ July 2.—For the
first time In six years Mre. Mary Baker
G. Eddy, discoverer and founder of
Christian Science, recently submitted
to a real newspaper interview at her
beautiful home. Pleasant View. The
word •‘real’* Is used advisedly, for it is
the first time in years that she has
consented to remain in the presence of
a newspaper reporter longer than a
minute. 1 was admitted to Mrs. Ed
dy's study and for forty minutes sat
and chatted with perhaps the most fa
mous woman In the United Htatetr.
It Is not m> purpose to write a brief
for Mrs. Eddy, but to relate with en
tire truthfulness and accuracy Just
what occurred between us at Pleasant
View. My first Impression of Mrs. Ed
dy was that she has a remarkable
memory—a memory for dates, names
and circumstances far superior to mine.
Had her mental competency not pre
viously been called in question by her
“next friends,” the thought that she
was not fully competent mentally
would never have entered my mind.
I was received at Pleasant View
about 1:57 o'clock by Mrs. Laura Sar
gent. Mrs. Eddy's companion. I chat
ted with Archibald McClellan, one of
the three trustees of Mrs. Eddy’s estate,
and In a few moments was conducted
to Mrs. Eddy's study at the head of
the stairs on the second floor.
Reads Rapidly and Clearly.
When I entered her study Mrs. Eddy
was reading a typewritten letter, and
■he held It in her left hand as she rose
to greet me. When she had made me
welcome and had resumed her chai^
■he said:
"I was Just rending a most cheering
and comforting letter from Mr. Mosley.
I will read it to you,” saying which
she read me the letter rapidly and
clearly. When she had laid the letter
aside I remarked that I never had had
the pleasure of meeting her personally
before, and I said: "You do not appear
In public much of late years, Mrs.
Eddy. I am sure many people would
be glad to see more of you.”
“It Is quite impossible to do so,” she
replied.
“Many have wondered that you do
not,” I ventured.
“The best reason why I do not ap
pear more In public,” responded Mrs.
Eddy, as she reached out her left hand
and took from the desk a well-worn
copy of “Science and Health,” “ap
pears In this book. I will read it to
you.”
Thep, without the aid of glasses and
ATTHEHAGUEDQQR
CAUSE AMUSEMENT
Understood That Drago
Doctrine Will Be Intro
duced Tuesday.
By HAYNE DAVIS.
The Hague, July 2.—It is generally
understood that the Drago doctrine will
be formally presented to The Hague
conference today and that either Mr.
Choate or General Porter will make the
presentation.
A strong speech Is expected in ex
planation, and the best opinion now is
that the principle that contractual
debts shall only be collected by force
after the debtor nation has had its day
in court and then refuses to pay, will be
accepted by the peace conference and
engrafted Into international law.
It Is understood tnat the English and
German opposition to the principle in
volved has been overcome and that
while the original proposition may be
modified In detail, that there will be no
determined opposition to this doctrine.
Some amusement has been created by
the presence here of a delegation from
Corea, which seeks recognition as rep
resenting an independent nation. There
is an Impression that the Coreans are
here at the suggestion of Russian
agents, but their effort to secure recog.
nltlon not only has not been seconded
by the Russian delegates, but as a mat
ter of fact the Dutch government has,
It Is said, been unofficially informed
that Russia does not desire that any
recognition be given the Coreans.
Japan, of course, would uphold the
admission of the Corean delegates.
Then, without the aid of glasses and
unhesitatingly, she read the following
from “Science and Health,” which I
found later In the copy she gave me to
has been said to the author. "The
world Is benefited by you. but It feels
your Influence without seeing you. Why
do you not make yourself more widely
known?* Could her friends know* bow
little time the author has had. In which
to make herself outwardly known ex
eept through her laborious publications
—and bow much time and toll are still
required to establish the stately opera
tions of Christian Science—they would
understand why she Is so secluded.
Others could not take her place, even If
willing to do so. She. therefore, re
mains unseen patiently at her post,
seeking no self-aggrandisement, but
praying, watching and working for the
redemption of mankind.”
When she had concluded reading this
excerpt. Mrs. Eddy laid the copy of
her book carefully back on the desk
and said:
“I shall be glad to present you with
a copy of my book. Would you like
It?”
I replied I would, and Mrs. Eddy
reached for a push-button which hung
conveniently at her right hand, and
there was an answering ring, threq
times repeated, In another part of the
house. Almost Immediately Mrs. Sar
gent appeared In the doorway and said,
"Yes, Mrs. Eddy."
“Please get u copy of ‘Science and
Health,* dear, for Mr. Park.” said Mr*.
Eddy, and Mrs. Sargent bowed ami
disappeared. She returned quickly
with the copy of the book, and Mrs.
Eddy said: “Thank you. dear." Mrs.
Sargent asked If there was anything
else Mrs. Eddy wanted, and she re
plied. "No. dear,” and then Mrs. Sar
gent retired.
“Dear,” spoken In a kind, motherly
way, appears to be a favorite expres
sion with Mrs. Eddy. At a luter time
In the afternoon, when she had sum
moned *he Bohemian housekeeper to
the study, she called her “Dear,” and
several times when replying to ques
tions I had asked her, she spoke to me
similarly, saying "Yes, dear,” or, “No,
dear."
“Before I left her this afternoon Mrs.
Eddy wrote my name and “Compli
ments of the author. Mary Baker (I.
Eddy,” on the fly-leaf of the book
■he gave me. By or on behalf of the
“next friends,” the authority of Mrs.
Eddy’s signature to several letters or
other documents has been questioned.
There can be no question as to her sig
nature In my. book. I saw her write it,
Talks of Husband's Death.
Mrs. 8argent having brought the
copy of "Science and Health," which
X was to be given, and having .retired,
I said to Mrs. Eddy:
“You know, of course, of the great
Interest which has been aroused by
the ’next friends* litigation. Won't you
tell me something about It? And also
something about your son, George W
Glover 7**
“You mean the *next friends' alias
•next enemies,’ do you not?" she re
piled, without a moment's hesitation
and with a trace of a smile. Then she
continued:
“I was unfortunately situated about
the tlrno of the birth of my son. My
husband, Major George W. Glover,
was in business in charleston. S C..
where we had gone to live after our
marriage. We had not been married
quite a year when he went to Wil
mington, K. C.. on a business trip and
I went with him. At Wilmington he
was attacked by yellow fever and he
died there after nine days.
“The people In Wilmington satd that
It waa unprecedented for a man to live
ao long with yellow fever, and they at
tributed his withstanding the disease
ao long to the prayers of his wife.
When roy husband died 1 waa In a
moat distressing predicament, aa I waa
left alone far from my friends. The
people there told me that it would be
months, perhaps years, before I could
get all hfs affairs settled, and I desired
the dear Masons of Wilmington were
very kind to me. One of them was
house, and he never left me until he
had seen me safely Inside the door.
My son was born at my father's house,
but my father married again, and it
was not pleasant for me there. You
know that old couplet, "A mother's n
mother all the days of her life, but n
father's a father until he takes another
wife.’
Leaves Father's House,
“When my son was 8 years old I de
tennlned to leave my father's house to
pursue my literary work, and I selected
as the woman best calculated to care
for the child the wife of Rlmeon Che
ney, who was formerly Mahala San
bom, who had been our nurse and
who I knew to be a good girl, kind and
tender, and who I knew would take
good care of my boy.
“I was then able to earn fifty dollars
a week by my writings, and I had been
offered three thousand dollars a year to
write for the Odd Fellows’ Covenant,
as it was called In those days, published
by the United States Lodge of the Odd
know personally, for the third one, and
I don't believe I could have done better
In making my selections. I picked them
all out myself and for the reasons I
have given you.
"By appointing them trustees of my
estate, I was made safe in my property
and was relieved of the burden of cor
ing for my material interests. I was
not only relieved of the burden of car
ing for my business, but I was also re
lieved of what I call the Inconsistency
of bearing the burden, for one can not
serve two masters, and I chose the
spiritual. I went with God. I have
_ l... ft a..* . T linifAn't Hi
Fellows. Later the name was changed
to the Odd Fellows' Magazine."
Mrs. Eddy mentioned the names of
the different men who were editors of
the magazine, and at a point where she
paused briefly 1 remarked:
"Your memory for names and dates
Is much better than mine.”
Mrs. Eddy leaned forward and said
rn»*tlv —
garpestly:
"You co
all a question
triumph of Mind
could do It If you
to have you for u
over matter. You
tried. I should lov
student."
Never Forgot Boy.
Continuing, Mrs. Eddy snld
“I was very busily engaged In my
writings, but 2 never forgot my boy.
He was n Very smart boy and the Che
neys grew very fond of him, and they
wanted to keep him for their own.
sent them money for his education and
support, and I wrote,to him many times,
but they kept my letters from him. and
they told him his mother was dead.
The result was that tlnnlly, believing
me dead and not liking the way In
which he was treated at the Cheneys,
George ran away. I searched and
searched for hlin. but never could find
him. and for a long time I could get no
trace of his whereabouts. Final
ly I heard through a letter from
tny relative, Mrs. Alexander Tilton, of
Bunbornton Bridge, that my boy had
enlisted in the army and hud gone to
the front. It was then too late to do
unythlng. George went into the army
when he was 16 und served four years,
coming out when he was 20, und then
he went buck to the West. 1 got in
communication with him then, and
wanted him to come to me, but he pre
ferret! the Black Hills. In 1899 I built
and furnished him u house In Lead
City, H. D., and it is a better house than
the one i live In, and 1 have furnished
him money from time to time.”
Other Subjects Introduced.
At a pause In Mrs. Eddy’s story
concerning her son I suddenly switched
the conversation by saying:
“You have a very beautiful place
here, Mrs. Eddy. Do you look after It
and personally control your household?"
"No living person,” she replied at
once, with marked animation, “abridges
tny rights In this house or governs tny
actions.”
Then I made another abrupt change
in the line of thought by saying: "Mrs.
Eddy, would you mind telling me what
Impelled you to place all your property
in the hands of your three trustees at
the time you did (March «)?”
"Certainly not," she said, without the
slightest hesitation. “I had come to a
place where I could not carry on my
work of Christian Science and attend
to my business affairs Some nights I
had lain awake all night considering
my Christian Science work, and then
the next day 1 would be occupied all
day with my business affairs, and
there had been long growing In my
mind the understanding that 1 must
give up one or the other. My mind
was too much diverted by business
cares to give the thought to Christian
Science which that demanded, and
finally, u week or a fortnight before I
created the trust, I called Laura Sar
gent Into my room and I said: ‘Laura,
I am going to put my business out of
my mind. I can not go on being pulled
one way and the other by material
and spiritual matters,’ I said, T am
going with God.* No one but Laura
Sargent knew of my decision until I
sent for General Streeter and told him
what I wanted done.
Selection of Trustees.
“I will tell you why I selected each
of the trustees. I selected H. M. Baker
because X knew he was a Baker and
was honest. I knew him thoroughly
and knew tfem he wan capable of my
business. 1 took Ag^ibald Mcl^ellan,
the editor of roy papers, for the next
one. because I knew him and that I
could irust him I took Joslah E. Fer-
'tlon of the establishment?'
Inadvertently I had dropped my voice
quite low, and Mrs. Eddy did not catch
the question offhand. She leaned for
ward In her chair and said: “What,
dear?” . . ,
I repeated the question, and ahe Im
mediately reached for the push-button,
which was near her right hand, and I
heard the bell ring.
“I will answer you In a few mo
ments," ahe said, smiling.
Refers to Allegations.
Pending a response to the bell, and
the response was not long in coming,
Mrs. Eeddy remarked, referring to the
allegations of the next friends that she
Is not mentally competent, ”1 think 1
am compos mentis, but I may b© mis
shut out society; I haven’t time for it.
I have things of more value to my life
and to mankind to attend to."
Devoted to Her Work.
"May I ask.” I said to Mrs. Eddy,
"If you are now at work on addltonal
writings on Christian Science; if you
are amplifying what you have already
written?”-
"Yes, constantly. I am writing and
studying, reflecting, all the time. I
have dismissed material affairs from
my mind wholly and am giving myself
altogether to my work."
At this point, although having some
what abruptly changed the subject of
conversation in the same way once or
twice before, I said to Mrs. Eddy:
"Mrs. Eddy, adverting again to the
subject of your household, do you wish
me to understand that you personally
oversee the arrangements^ and opera-
t&ken.” She smiled when she said this.
Then ehe said: ”1 look after the house
In a general way, and I look after the
whole place, too. Why, when they re
paired the fountain out there (pointing
to the lawn), a short time ago, the men
watched my window about all the time
to see If 1 was looking at them, and
they found I was. They were very
grateful to me for the words of praise
1 gave them."
When .Mrs. Eddy had proceeded thus
far there came u response to the call
she had sent on the bell, and the re
sponse was Mis. Eddy's housekeeper,
a young woman who had been recom
mended to Mrs. Eddy by a Western
Christian Scientist, and who Is greatly
appreciated by Mrs. Eddy.
The housekeeper was plainly fluster
ed at her unexpected summons before
the head of the house, and she started
In to apologize for her appearance, al
though there was nothing about it that
required an apology. She was a neat,
wholesome-looking young woman. In
the attire In which she had been at her
duties about the house.
Never mind, dear, you're all right.'
said Mrs. Eddy, and that quieted the
housekeeper somewhat.
Direction of Household.
Then, as an answer to my question
as to whether she really concerns her
self, personally, In the matter of looking
After the household and the estate at
Pleasant View, Mrs. Eddy held this col
oquy with the housekeeper:
.Mrs. Eddy—"Are you my house
keeper?”
"Yes. ma’am.” affirmed the pleased
and radiant girl, bowing and smiling.
"Do X go down stairs and look around
every day and see that everything is
running smoothly?” asked Mrs. Eddy.
"Yes. ma'am, you surely do,” an
swered the housekeeper.
o return to the home of my father at
Banboniton Bridge in this state. | |
"Ujr husband had hetn a ilftaon, and U>« Old Ladle,' ilom*. and la a man I
Am I careful and obtenant7” said
Mr«. Eddy.
•'You surely are. ma’am.”
"Have I arranged the furniture and
shown just how I wanted It 7" pursued
Mrs. Eddy.
"Yes. ma'am; you've told me Juit
how everything te to be.”
"That win be all. dear," concluded
Mrs. Eddy, and the housekeeper bowed
herself out.
As her last act In concluding the in
terview, Mrs. Eddy wrote the Inscrip
tion In the copy of "Science and
Health" which she presented to me.
and ae I was leaving her study Mrs.
Eddy, showing no signs of fatigue from
the Interview, whleh had lasted forty
minutes, said:
I am very gald to have seen you, Ur.
Park.”
raid, of Concord, who Is president of a k „.„
national bank and who Is treasurer of digestion, headache, otc.
* I ' All dranliu ioc and :5c.
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each bottle—do not accept Crab Or
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Chard Seltzer le palatable, pleasant, ef
fervescent and It cures dyspepsia, in-
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