Accession: 155AP2.24.052
Editorial Title: Edward A. Kimball to Mary Baker Eddy, December 6, 1893
Author: Edward A. Kimball 
Recipient: Mary Baker Eddy 
Date: December 6, 1893
Manuscript Description: Handwritten by Edward A. Kimball on lined embossed paper from Chicago, Illinois.
Related Topic: V01274Digital document V01274 not available
Final Edits
Original Document
Click image to magnify
Full
Back
Close
View Document
View Image
155AP2.24.052
-
Reproduced from the archive of The Mary Baker Eddy Library
X

Copied document link to clipboard.

Chicago Dec 6/93
My Dear Teacher

I am in receipt of your letter of 4thEditorial Note: See V01274.

For 20 years I was a businessmanAs Written:business man. I never had any other education- I do not know anythingAs Written:any thing about books, or the proprieties of literature- I do not know what I ought to do or what I ought not to do

You told me that you wanted me to do my part in averting an impending evil, namely, the publishing of your paperEditorial Note: Mary Baker Eddy’s address, "Unity and Christian Science," which was read to the World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition by any of the three publishing houses that had been named

Nothing was said as to what I was to do– They had all had legal notice and were all mad about it and I went to each one of them and smoothed them down and got them to a point where they were not ugly-

I did this in the quickest way I could, so that I could give you prompt assurances that could relieve As Written: reliave you of any anxiety or uneasiness

Of course all of these publishers felt sore over being deprived of a paper that would be permitted to appear in a rival publication and in order to satisfy them and at the same time have their record of the proceedings of our CongressEditorial Note: The Christian Science Congress held on September 20, 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. make a fair appearance, I promised to prepare something for them -

Now, I ask you to particularly note this fact, that all of these publishers have the legal right to publish every word that was uttered in those Congresses, that was not copyrighted

None of the papers read by the speakers in our Congress were copyrighted and are absolutely beyond our control

If the publishers wish to they can print every word of Cap't Linscotts paper or any of the others, and he has no option in the matter.

In this emergency, it seemed to me to be proper, and for the general good of the causeEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science. that, inasmuch as W T. Conkey & Co expected to publish a history of the ParliamentEditorial Note: The World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition anywayAs Written:any way, it would be better for us to take some pains to supervise the preparation of the Christian Science section

If you will notice the botch that NeelyEditorial Note: Walter R. Houghton, Neely's History of The Parliament of Religions and Religious Congresses at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago: F. T. Neely, 1893). made of it in his history, you will understand why I have put myself out to make a more creditable showing

I am sorry that I have made an error

Now a few words about the prospectus

All of the Publishers issued these a long time ago–

Until just before the Congress was held, it was expected that the mormons would be allowed to take part, and because they were not allowed, in acc ordance with an alleged promisethey made a fuss in the papers

It is a fact however that they were expected to take part and this is why, (probably,) Conkey put them in his catalogue.

I do not think there is any chance whatever that Conkeys bookEditorial Note: John Wesley Hanson, The World's Congress of Religions: The Addresses and Papers Delivered Before the Parliament, and an Abstract of the Congresses Held in the Art Institute, Chicago, August 25 to October 15, 1893 (Chicago: W. B. Conkey Company, 1894). will have anything about Mormons in it because they did not take any part in the Parliament whatever and could have no place in his book–

The Theosophists did take part in the Parliament & of course As Written: cause their participation is a part of the history of the Parliament and will appear in all the books

I saw Mr Myers today who is getting together the material for the Conkey book and he said they would put nothing in it about Christian Science except what I furnished them

I inserted in the copy, the lines from page 5. of "Science & Health with Key to the ScripturesEditorial Note: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy"

I had already made full reference to the book and to you as the Discoverer and Founder of "Christian Science"

I am extremely sorry that I had anythingAs Written:any thing to do with it and did not let him put anythingAs Written:any thing in the book he saw fit to

I think I will learn after a while to keep out of these things or at least to never do a solitary thing, that I am not explicitly instructed to do-

I have got so that I am afraid to do, or not to do - and this excessive fear of displeasing you, unfits me for proper work and makes me very unhappy

I hope that I will soon be through with this Parliament business, and that there will never be another one or any more such business for me to do.

Sincerly yours As Written: yrs
Edwd A. Kimball

In the 10 pages of our material, your name is given in full as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science in three different places.– I do not see how it would be possible for a reader to fail to get the impression that this fact was fully recognized, and affirmed

The title "Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures" is given in full with your name as the author. -

In other places "Science & Health" is several times alluded to- and reference is made to our Leader— and to the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science -

The intent was to have the article clearly state that you were the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, and to have further allusions made in good taste, and also to have it appear in the students articles that they recognized "Science & Health" as the source of their Knowledge and the basis of their writings

I was obliged to take a medium position- and not have the article look like an advertisement, and be rejected by the Editors

I had but little time to ponder any of these questions- Ample time had been given to the Christian Scientists, in which to prepare material, and the Publishers, although disposed to accommodate me, convinced me that they ought not to be expected to defer the publication of their work, for anythingAs Written:any thing more than a hasty revision of what their Editors had done. I had a few hours in the night to make the change

It was not enough time to do it well, but poor as it is, it is vastly better than what they had printed, and would have been published had I not assumed this responsibility - for the students part of it contained no reference to you- or to "Science & Health'

There are students who go around saying that you are "Gods Christ" and that you are "greater than Jesus Christ"

These things are not favorably received by the public - and the practice makes it seem necessary to be wise and discriminating, to be uncompromising but not fulsome

I endeavored to properly cover the ground but not overdo

Answering your question, I do most thoroughly appreciate the fact that any such statement of Christian Science as we are making would be grossly improper and incomplete if it did not clearly that you were the Revelator of Christian Science

155AP2.24.052
-
Reproduced from the archive of The Mary Baker Eddy Library
X

Copied document link to clipboard.

Chicago Dec 56/93
My Dear Teacher

I am in receipt of your letter of 4thEditorial Note: See V01274.

For 20 years I was a business manCorrected:businessman. I never had any other education- I do not know any thingCorrected:anything about books, or the proprieties of literature- I do not know what I ought to do or what I ought not to do

You told me that you wanted me to do my part in averting an impending evil, namely, the publishing of your paperEditorial Note: Mary Baker Eddy’s address, "Unity and Christian Science," which was read to the World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition by any of the three publishing houses that had been named

Nothing was said as to what I was to do– They had all had legal notice and were all mad about it and I went to each one of them and smoothed them down and got them to a point where they were not ugly-

I did this in the quickest way I could, so that I could give you prompt assurances that could reliave Corrected: relieve you of any anxiety or uneasiness

Of course all of these publishers felt sore over being deprived of a paper that would be per [?] Unclear or illegible mitted to appear in a rival publication and in order to satisfy them and at the same time have their record of the proceedings of our CongressEditorial Note: The Christian Science Congress held on September 20, 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. make a fair appearance, I promised to prepare something for them -

Now, I ask you to particularly note this fact, that all of these publishers have the legal right to publish every word that was uttered in those Congresses, that was not copyrighted

None of the papers read by the speakers in our Congress were copyrighted and are absolutely beyond our control

If the publishers wish to they can print every word of Cap't Linscotts paper or any of the others, and he has no option in the m [?] Unclear or illegible atter.

In this emergency, it seemed to me to be proper, and for the general good of the causeEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science. that, inasmuch as W T. Conkey & Co expected to publish a history of the ParliamentEditorial Note: The World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition any wayCorrected:anyway, it would be better for us to take some pains to supervise the preparation of the Christian Science section

If you will notice the botch that NeelyEditorial Note: Walter R. Houghton, Neely's History of The Parliament of Religions and Religious Congresses at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago: F. T. Neely, 1893). made of it in his history, you will understand why I have put myself out to make a more creditable showing

I am sorry that I have made an error

Now a few words about the prospectus

All of the Publishers issued these a long time ago–

Until just before the Congress was held, it was expected that the mormons would be allowed to take part, and because they were not allowed, in acc [?] Unclear or illegible  ordance with an alleged promisedthey made a fuss in the papers

It is a fact however that they were expected to take part and this is why, (probably,) Conkey put them in his catalogue.

I do not think there is any chance whatever that Conkeys bookEditorial Note: John Wesley Hanson, The World's Congress of Religions: The Addresses and Papers Delivered Before the Parliament, and an Abstract of the Congresses Held in the Art Institute, Chicago, August 25 to October 15, 1893 (Chicago: W. B. Conkey Company, 1894). will have anything about Mormons in it because they did not take any part in the Parliament whatever and could have no place in his book–

The Theosophists did take part in the Parliament & of cause Corrected: course their participation is a part of the history of the Parliament and will appear in all the books

I saw Mr Myers today who is getting together the material for the Conkey book and he said they would put nothing in it about Christian Science except what I furnished them

I inserted in the copy, the lines from page 5. of "Science & Health with Key to the ScripturesEditorial Note: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy"

I had already made full reference to the book and to you as the Discoverer and Founder of "Christian Science"

I am extremely sorry that I had any thingCorrected:anything to do with it and did not let him put any thingCorrected:anything in the book he saw fit to

I think I will learn after a while to keep out of these things or at least to never do a solitary thing, that I am not explicitly instructed to do-

I have got so that I am afraid to do, or not to do - and this excessive fear of displeasing you, unfits me for proper work and makes me very unhappy

I hope that I will soon be through with this Parliament business, and that there will never be another one or any more such business for me to do.

Sincerly yrs Corrected: yours
Edwd A. Kimball

In the 10 pages of our material, your name is given in full as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science in three different places.– I do not see how it would be possible for a reader to fail to get the impression that this fact was fully recognized, and affirmed

The title "Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures" is given in full with your name as the author. -

In other places "Science & Health" is several times alluded to- and reference is made to our Leader— and to the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science -

The intent was to have the article clearly state that you were the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, and to have further allusions made in good taste, and also to [?] Unclear or illegible have it appear in the students articles that they recognized "Science & Health" as the source of their Knowledge and the basis of their writings

I was obliged to take a medium position- and not have the article look like an advertisement, and be rejected by the Editors

I had but little time to ponder any of these questions- Ample time had been given to the Christian Scientists, in which to prepare [?] Unclear or illegible  material, and the Publishers, although disposed to accommodate me, convinced me that they ought not to be expected to defer the publication of their work, for any thingCorrected:anything more than a hasty revision of what their Editors had done. I had a few hours in the night to make the change

It was not enough time to do it well, but poor as it is, it is vastly better than what they had printed, and would have been published had I not assumed this responsibility - for the students part of it contained no reference to you- or to "Science & Health'

There are students who go around saying that you are "Gods Christ" and that you are "greater than Jesus Christ"

These things are not favorably received by the public - and the practice makes it seem necessary to be wise and discriminating, to be uncompromising but not fulsome

I endeavored to properly cover the ground but not overdo

Answering your questi [?] Unclear or illegible on, I do most thoroughly appreciate the fact that any such statement of Christian Science as we are making would be grossly improper and incomplete if it did not clearly that you were the Revelator of Christian Science

 
View Image
 

Back Text

Shown for development purposes only
See V01274. Mary Baker Eddy’s address, "Unity and Christian Science," which was read to the World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition The Christian Science Congress held on September 20, 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. The cause of Christian Science. The World's Parliament of Religions at The World's Columbian Exposition Walter R. Houghton, Neely's History of The Parliament of Religions and Religious Congresses at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago: F. T. Neely, 1893). John Wesley Hanson, The World's Congress of Religions: The Addresses and Papers Delivered Before the Parliament, and an Abstract of the Congresses Held in the Art Institute, Chicago, August 25 to October 15, 1893 (Chicago: W. B. Conkey Company, 1894). Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy