Joseph A. Adams to Mary Baker Eddy, March 22, 1887

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216.36.013

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Joseph A. Adams

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Mary Baker Eddy

Date:

March 22, 1887

Manuscript Description: Handwritten by Joseph A. Adams on lined paper from Chicago, Illinois.

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216.36.013

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146, 22ndAs Written:22d St. Chicago. IllinoisAs Written:Ill–
March 22– 1887-

Rev M. B. G. Eddy–
Beloved Teacher–

Your expressed letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant., as also the one per favor of Miss Brown was duly received. I have been seeking a favorable opportunity to answer, but it has not come till now. I thank you much for them. They have done me good, and now instead of writing I wish I could have an hour's As Written: hours talk with you, as I seem to have so much to say, and explain, for I feel sure that you would understand me. You have been frank and open with me, not sparing, what you regarded as a fault and I esteem you for it– loving you none the less but all the more, for I know that you have sought my highest good, and the greatest good of our beloved causeEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science.. At the same time, I cannot at present plead 'Guilty' to the Justness of your confessed 'rebuke' for Plagiarism. I have not only carefully examined the Article myself, but I have got others who are competent to Judge to examine it, and they confess their inability to find the least cause for the charge of Plagiarism. Several times your name is distinctly referred to in the Article, and the extracts from 'Science And Health'Editorial Note: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in quotation marks, and the tone and spirit of the whole Article is written in an impersonal sense with very few exceptions. And as for violating the church rule laid down in the 18th of Matt–Matt 18:15 ¶Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Matt 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Matt 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. I strictly complied with that to the extent of my ability, for when grieved at the letter I wrote to you immediately before mentioning my sorrows to anyoneAs Written:any one, but I fear the addition to my sorrow was not altogether at your instigation, for accompanying your letter was a large Envelope (addressed in the handwritingAs Written:hand writing of Bro Frye) containing a copy of an old Journal with a marked account of the decision of the U. S. C. Court against Mr Arens, which was evidently intended to inform me, that in his Judgment or yours (?) I had been guilty of a like offense, and that a similar fate awaited me, if et ceteraAs Written:&c et ceteraAs Written:&c But as I said, I cannot think, that such an uncalled for and cruel cut originated with you, but that Bro Frye in his zeal to defend your rights was betrayed into that which antagonizes the love that covers a multitude of sinsI Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. . And right here, I feel constrained to say, on the strength of your statement, (that Bro Frye did not deem it wise to let you see my last letter on arrival) that however much I may respect the judgment of Bro Frye, If he is allowed to see my letters to you first, and decide which you are to see and when you shall see them, I fear my communications henceforth will be very limited. But I had accepted the suggestion of your former letter and would have been glad not to mention the matter again, but the references of your last have constrained me to make this explanation which I hope will be satisfactory to you and that we shall both proceed to our respective work without any further references to the past on that score. Now in relation to another matter. I promised you that when the Article about Mr Gill appeared in the Journal I would use my influence to get it inserted in the 'Inter Ocean'Editorial Note: Chicago Inter-Ocean. When I gave that promise As Written: promised I supposed that it would be your reply, and hence concluded that it would be written in the spirit of the MasterEditorial Note: Jesus Christ and Christian Science. I did not get to see the Article till a few days ago and then I found that it was not yours. And while I cannot but acknowledge the great literary ability of the writer– the bitter, acrimonious As Written: accrimonious and witheringly sarcastic nature of the Article is so foreign to my conception of the genius and spirit of Christian Science that I cannot lend my influence to its circulation. The Motto of our Journal is 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal &c."II Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

I may be obtuse in my conception of the way to treat an unprincipled opponent but if I wanted to overcome him and commend the superiority of my cause to the public, I should never think of suggesting to my enemy, "that he had better write himself down an Ass"Editorial Note: This is an allusion to a line in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Act 4, Scene 2.. My conception of Christian Science is, that it is the practical demonstration of the Spirit of Him who when he was reviled, reviled not again, and when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously"I Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: I Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. I Pet 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. I Pet 2:26 I Pet 2:27 I Pet 2:28 I Pet 2:29 I Pet 2:30 I Pet 2:31 I Pet 2:32 I Pet 2:33 I Pet 2:34 I Pet 2:35 . Such an Article (In my Judgment) will not only sting Mr Gill to do worse things, but excite public sympathy in his behalf, for Mortal Mind will not fail to see so much of its own method of overcoming or punishing an enemy, that its conclusion will be, If that Article is a fair specimen of the fruit of Christian Science, it is greatly afflicted with human Nature. Mr Gill has only made a rod for his own back, and had he been left to himself, it would not be long before he would cry out with Cain, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear"Gen 4:13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Beloved Teacher, I grow daily in the conviction that Christian Science is of God. It is Truth, and whoever tries to oppose its onward march or to thwart the efforts of those who seek to propagate ]it, will be ground to powder as between two Nether Millstones. Hence I am not surprised or disconcerted over the action of Mr Gill. He cannot hurt you nor the cause of ChristianAs Written:C– Science. If his attack has made manifest a weakness in our Methods of propagating our cause, let us welcome it and take good care that in future the enemy shall not find an unguarded or weak place- My imagined enemies have done more to make me ChristlikeAs Written:Christ like in thought and action than my professed friends. So that I am learning instead of defending myself against those attacks, the best thing I can do is quietly and patiently to go on in the declaration of the Truth which never fails to vindicate itself.

I have deemed it my duty in response to many solicitations, and a conviction that the cause of ChristianAs Written:C– Science will be furthered thereby to publish my Article in pamphlet form, a copy of which I send you by this mail, as also a copy of the second edition of my first Article with the corrections you kindly suggested, and in the preface giving a simple reason for my independent course of action.

If you should discover any injustice done you, or any departure from the Principles of ChristianAs Written:C– Science, point it out to me, and if I fail to correct, accept and proclaim that which is demonstrable Truth, then I shall expect you to count me as an erring brother, but not beyond your offices of love. Till then, permit me to indulge the conviction, that you believe me to be, a true, though independent exponent of the principles of ChristianAs Written:C– Science.

In conclusion, Perhaps I had better say, that the primary reason which I have for refusing to be known in the future as the representative of any particular school of ChristianAs Written:C- Science, but simply a Teacher and Practitioner As Written: Practioner of the Science itself is, that according to my conception of ChristianAs Written:C, Science. His God's Truth. Truth is a Unit, and the moment you qualify Truth by a name other than God's, that moment you assume the existence of some other kind of Truth and thus attempt to divide the Unity of Truth.

Once admit an Eddy School of ChristianAs Written:C– Science which so many of your students here are contending for (and giving me the cold shoulder because I do not endorse it) then you must admit by fair logic the possibility of a Hopkins School, A Swarts School, An Evans School, An Arens School until we get into the error of the Corinthian Church, where one said 'I am of Paul, 'I of Appolos, 'I of Cephas' 'and I of Christ'I Cor 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of
Cephas; and I of Christ. So it is getting to be all through the West, "I am an Eddyite,' I of Evans, I of Hopkins, I of Swarts' I of Weeks, I of Arens et ceteraAs Written:&c et ceteraAs Written:&c—

Having been led to see that this thing is drifting us rapidly into the curse of Christendom, viz, Sectism with its fruits of jealously and strife. For one, I feel bound to set my face against itLev 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. , and declare myself simply a Christian Scientist. for to me ChristianAs Written:C, Science is one and indivisible and it is not the property of any one person, school or class of individuals but the indestructible inheritance of all God's children, because it is Truth and nothing else.

That is where I stand todayAs Written:to day, and intend to stand, (though it may cut me off from all) until a more ChristlikeAs Written:Christ like position can be shown me. Whether you approve of this course or not, I shall ever regard you as my Beloved Teacher and subscribe myself,

Your grateful and
Faithful Student

Joseph Adams.

216.36.013

Reproduced from the archive of The Mary Baker Eddy Library

Copied document link to clipboard.

146, 22dOriginal:22nd St. Chicago. Ill–Expanded:Illinois
March 22– 1887-

Rev M. B. G. Eddy–
Beloved Teacher–

Your expressed letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant., as also the one per favor of Miss Brown was duly received. I have been seeking a favorable opportunity to answer, but it has not come till now. I thank you much for them. They have done me good, and now instead of writing I wish I could have an hours Corrected: hour's talk with you, as I seem to have so much to say, and explain, for I feel sure that you would understand me. You have been frank and open with me, not sparing, what you regarded as a fault and I esteem you for it– loving you none the less but all the more, for I know that you have sought my highest good, and the greatest good of our beloved causeEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science.. At the same time, I cannot at present plead 'Guilty' to the Justness of your confessed 'rebuke' for Plagiarism. I have not only carefully examined the Article myself, but I have got others who are competent to Judge to examine it, and they confess their inability to find the least cause for the charge of Plagiarism. Several times your name is distinctly referred to in the Article, and the extracts from 'Science And Health'Editorial Note: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in quotation marks, and the tone and spirit of the whole Article is written in an impersonal sense with very few exceptions. And as for violating the church rule laid down in the 18th of Matt–Matt 18:15 ¶Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Matt 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Matt 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. I strictly complied with that to the extent of my ability, for when grieved at the letter I wrote to you immediately before mentioning my sorrows to any oneCorrected:anyone, but I fear the addition to my sorrow was not altogether at your instigation, for accompanying your letter was a large Envelope (addressed in the hand writingCorrected:handwriting of Bro Frye) containing a copy of an old Journal with a marked account of the decision of the U. S. C. Court against Mr Arens, which was evidently intended to inform me, that in his Judgment or yours (?) I had been guilty of a like offense, and that a similar fate awaited me, if &cExpanded:et cetera &cExpanded:et cetera But as I said, I cannot think, that such an uncalled for and cruel cut originated with you, but that Bro Frye in his zeal to defend your rights was betrayed into that which antagonizes the love that covers a multitude of sinsI Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. . And right here, I feel constrained to say, on the strength of your statement, (that Bro Frye did not deem it wise to let you see my last letter on arrival) that however much I may respect the judgment of Bro Frye, If he is allowed to see my letters to you first, and decide which you are to see and when you shall see them, I fear my communications henceforth will be very limited. But I had accepted the suggestion of your former letter and would have been glad not to mention the matter again, but the references of your last have constrained me to make this explanation which I hope will be satisfactory to you and that we shall both proceed to our respective work without any further references to the past on that score. Now in relation to another matter. I promised you that when the Article about Mr Gill appeared in the Journal I would use my influence to get it inserted in the 'Inter Ocean'Editorial Note: Chicago Inter-Ocean. When I gave that promised Corrected: promise I supposed that it would be your reply, and hence concluded that it would be written in the spirit of the MasterEditorial Note: Jesus Christ and Christian Science. I did not get to see the Article till a few days ago and then I found that it was not yours. And while I cannot but acknowledge the great literary ability of the writer– the bitter, accrimonious Corrected: acrimonious and witheringly sarcastic nature of the Article is so foreign to my conception of the genius and spirit of Christian Science that I cannot lend my influence to its circulation. The Motto of our Journal is 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal &c."II Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

I may be obtuse in my conception of the way to treat an unprincipled opponent but if I wanted to overcome him and commend the superiority of my cause to the public, I should never think of suggesting to my enemy, "that he had better write himself down an Ass"Editorial Note: This is an allusion to a line in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Act 4, Scene 2.. My conception of Christian Science is, that it is the practical demonstration of the Spirit of Him who when he was reviled, reviled not again, and when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously"I Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: I Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. I Pet 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. I Pet 2:26 I Pet 2:27 I Pet 2:28 I Pet 2:29 I Pet 2:30 I Pet 2:31 I Pet 2:32 I Pet 2:33 I Pet 2:34 I Pet 2:35 . Such an Article (In my Judgment) will not only sting Mr Gill to do worse things, but excite public sympathy in his behalf, for Mortal Mind will not fail to see so much of its own method of overcoming or punishing an enemy, that its conclusion will be, If that Article is a fair specimen of the fruit of Christian Science, it is greatly afflicted with human Nature. Mr Gill has only made a rod for his own back, and had he been lueft to himself, it would not be long before he would cry out with Cain, 'My punishment is greater than I cant can bear"Gen 4:13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Beloved Teacher, I grow daily in the conviction that Christian Science is of God. It is Truth, and whoever tries to oppose its onward march or to thwart the efforts of those who seek to propagate ]it, will be ground to powder as between two Nether Millstones. Hence I am not surprised or disconcerted over the action of Mr Gill. He cannot hurt you nor the cause of C–Expanded:Christian Science. If his attack has made manifest a weakness in our Methods of propagating our cause, let us welcome it and take good care that in future the enemy shall not find an unguarded or weak place- My imagined enemies have done more to make me Christ likeCorrected:Christlike in thought and action than my professed friends. So that I am learning instead of defending myself against those attacks, the best thing I can do is quietly and patiently to go on in the declaration of the Truth which never fails to vindicate itself.

I have deemed it my duty in response to many solicitations, and a conviction that the cause of C–Expanded:Christian Science will be furthered thereby to publish my Article in pamphlet form, a copy of which I send you by this mail, as also a copy of the second edition of my first Article with the corrections you kindly suggested, and in the preface giving a simple reason for my independent course of action.

If you should discover any injustice done you, or any departure from the Principles of C–Expanded:Christian Science, point it out to me, and if I fail to correct, accept and proclaim that which is demonstrable Truth, then I shall expect you to count me as an erring brother, but not beyond your offices of love. Till then, permit me to indulge the conviction, that you believe me to be, a true, though independent exponent of the principles of C–Expanded:Christian Science.

In conclusion, Perhaps I had better say, that the primary reason which I have for refusing to be known in the future as the representative of any particular school of C-Expanded:Christian Science, but simply a Teacher and Practioner Corrected: Practitioner of the Science itself is, that according to my conception of C,Expanded:Christian Science. His God's Truth. Truth is a Unit, and the moment you qualify Truth by a name other than God's, that moment you assume the existence of some other kind of Truth and thus attempt to divide the Unity of Truth.

Once admit an Eddy School of C–Expanded:Christian Science which so many of your students here are contending for (and giving me the cold shoulder because I do not endorse it) then you must admit by fair logic the possibility of a Hopkins School, A Swarts School, An Evans School, An Arens School until we get into the error of the Corinthian Church, where one said 'I am of Paul, 'I of Appolos, 'I of Cephas' 'and I of Christ'I Cor 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of
Cephas; and I of Christ. So it is getting to be all through the West, "I am an Eddyite,' I of Evans, I of Hopkins, I of Swarts' I of Weeks, I of Arens &cExpanded:et cetera &cExpanded:et cetera—

Having been led to see that this thing is drifting us rapidly into the curse of Christendom, viz, Sectism with its fruits of jealously and strife. For one, I feel bound to set my face against itLev 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. , and declare myself simply a Christian Scientist. for to me C,Expanded:Christian Science is one and indivisible and it is not the property of any one person, school or class of individuals but the indestructible inheritance of all God's children, because it is Truth and nothing else.

That is where I stand to dayCorrected:today, and intend to stand, (though it may cut me off from all) until a more Christ likeCorrected:Christlike position can be shown me. Whether you approve of this course or not, I shall ever regard you as my Beloved Teacher and subscribe myself,

Your grateful and
Faithful Student

Joseph Adams.

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This letter is not extant. The cause of Christian Science. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy Chicago Inter-Ocean Jesus Christ This is an allusion to a line in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Act 4, Scene 2.