Accession: V05002
Editorial Title: For the Transcript, January 20, 1872
Author: Mary Baker Eddy 
Date: January 20, 1872
Related Topic: For other documents related to the newspaper controversy between Wallace Wright and Mary Baker Eddy, see 327.44.002Click link to view 327.44.002 document in new window, L08301Click link to view L08301 document in new window, V05003Click link to view V05003 document in new window and L05663Click link to view L05663 document in new window.
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V05002
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For the Transcript

Mr. Editor:—I casually noticed in the Transcript an attackEditorial Note: Wallace W. Wright. Wright’s attack on Eddy’s teachings had been published in the Transcript the previous week, on January 13. It was titled “Moral Science, alias Mesmerism.” by W. W. Wright on the Moral and Physical ScienceEditorial Note: Eddy’s name for Christian Science at that time was Moral Science. that I teach, in which he states it is mesmerism, and that the MSS. he holds prove this. Mr. Wright is under a three thousand dollarEditorial Note: $3000 in 1872 is the equivalent of $58,442.99 in 2014. bond not to show those MSS. Can he annul this agreement and practice or understand Moral Science? But the same MSS. are in the hands of other of my students in this city, who will answer this question, and if the reader of his article, or any one desiring to learn this Science, will call on me, at 29 South Common streetEditorial Note: Eddy and Richard Kennedy had moved into the second floor of this address in August 1870. The first floor housed Susie Magoun’s private school for young children., they shall have the opportunity to judge for themselves, as I will satisfy them on this point; or, if I am out, one of my former students, Dr.Editorial Note: During the 1870s, “Dr.” could either refer to a trained medical doctor, or used more loosely to refer to someone practicing as any kind of healer. Thus, Eddy’s students who were practicing Christian Science healing were frequently called “Dr.,” even though they had no medical degree. Kennedy, with whom I am in business, will answer this question of Moral Science.

Mr. Wright says his principle reason for writing on this subject was to prevent others from being led into it. Here he is honest. 'Tis but a few weeks since he called on me and threatened that, if I did not refund his tuition fee and pay him two hundred dollarsEditorial Note: $200 in 1872 is the equivalent of $3896.20 in 2014. extra, he would prevent my ever having another class in the city. Said he, "My simple purpose now is revenge, and I will have it,"—and this, too, immediately after saying to individuals in this city that the last lesson the class received, of which he was a member, was alone worth all he had paid for tuition. The "whistle" was not so "dear"Editorial Note: Wright wrote in his January 13 attack: “Away from the influence of argument which the teacher of this so-called science knows how to bring to bear upon students with such force as to outweigh any attempts they may make at the time to oppose it, I commenced to think more independently, and to argue with myself as to the truth of the positions we were called on to take. The result of this course was to convince me that I had studied the science of mesmerism, and also that I had ‘paid rather dear for my whistle.’” Wright apparently felt he paid a lot of money for Eddy’s teachings that in the end proved not to be worth more than a “whistle.” Indeed, the phrase appears to have been used at the time to indicate that one has paid much for something that is worth very little. then. Very soon after this, however, I received a letter from him, requesting me to pay him over and above all I had received from him, or, in case I should not, he would ruin the Science. I smiled at the threat, and told a lady at my side, "If you see him, tell him first to take a bucket and dip the Atlantic dry, and then try his powers on this next scheme." The student in Knoxville, to whom he referred, wrote me:—"Mr. Wright puts a false construction on the Science, but says ‘he does not question its morality and Christianity.’" Also, in his letter to me he never referred to mesmerism, but said, (here I copy verbatim):—"While I do not question the right of it, it teaches a deprivation of social enjoyment if we would attain the highest round in the ladder of Science." Was not this the "side" referred to in his newspaper article, in which he said, "Had I been shown both sides nothing could have induced me to take it up”?

Christianity as he calls it at one time, and mesmerism at another, cannot be the "two sides," for these are separated by barriers that neither a geometrical figure nor a malicious falsehood would ever unite.

My few remaining years will be devoted to the cause I have espoused, viz:—to teach and demonstrate the Moral and Physical Science that can heal the sick. Well knowing as I do that God hath bidden me, I shall steadfastly adhere to my purpose to benefit my suffering fellow beings, even though it be amid the most malignant misrepresentation and persecution.

Mary M. B. Glover
V05002
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Reproduced from the archive of The Mary Baker Eddy Library
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For the Transcript

Mr. Editor:—I casually noticed in the Transcript an attackEditorial Note: Wallace W. Wright. Wright’s attack on Eddy’s teachings had been published in the Transcript the previous week, on January 13. It was titled “Moral Science, alias Mesmerism.” by W. W. Wright on the Moral and Physical ScienceEditorial Note: Eddy’s name for Christian Science at that time was Moral Science. that I teach, in which he states it is mesmerism, and that the MSS. he holds prove this. Mr. Wright is under a three thousand dollarEditorial Note: $3000 in 1872 is the equivalent of $58,442.99 in 2014. bond not to show those MSS. Can he annul this agreement and practice or understand Moral Science? But the same MSS. are in the hands of other of my students in this city, who will answer this question, and if the reader of his article, or any one desiring to learn this Science, will call on me, at 29 South Common streetEditorial Note: Eddy and Richard Kennedy had moved into the second floor of this address in August 1870. The first floor housed Susie Magoun’s private school for young children., they shall have the opportunity to judge for themselves, as I will satisfy them on this point; or, if I am out, one of my former students, Dr.Editorial Note: During the 1870s, “Dr.” could either refer to a trained medical doctor, or used more loosely to refer to someone practicing as any kind of healer. Thus, Eddy’s students who were practicing Christian Science healing were frequently called “Dr.,” even though they had no medical degree. Kennedy, with whom I am in business, will answer this question of Moral Science.

Mr. Wright says his principle reason for writing on this subject was to prevent others from being led into it. Here he is honest. 'Tis but a few weeks since he called on me and threatened that, if I did not refund his tuition fee and pay him two hundred dollarsEditorial Note: $200 in 1872 is the equivalent of $3896.20 in 2014. extra, he would prevent my ever having another class in the city. Said he, "My simple purpose now is revenge, and I will have it,"—and this, too, immediately after saying to individuals in this city that the last lesson the class received, of which he was a member, was alone worth all he had paid for tuition. The "whistle" was not so "dear"Editorial Note: Wright wrote in his January 13 attack: “Away from the influence of argument which the teacher of this so-called science knows how to bring to bear upon students with such force as to outweigh any attempts they may make at the time to oppose it, I commenced to think more independently, and to argue with myself as to the truth of the positions we were called on to take. The result of this course was to convince me that I had studied the science of mesmerism, and also that I had ‘paid rather dear for my whistle.’” Wright apparently felt he paid a lot of money for Eddy’s teachings that in the end proved not to be worth more than a “whistle.” Indeed, the phrase appears to have been used at the time to indicate that one has paid much for something that is worth very little. then. Very soon after this, however, I received a letter from him, requesting me to pay him over and above all I had received from him, or, in case I should not, he would ruin the Science. I smiled at the threat, and told a lady at my side, "If you see him, tell him first to take a bucket and dip the Atlantic dry, and then try his powers on this next scheme." The student in Knoxville, to whom he referred, wrote me:—"Mr. Wright puts a false construction on the Science, but says ‘he does not question its morality and Christianity.’" Also, in his letter to me he never referred to mesmerism, but said, (here I copy verbatim):—"While I do not question the right of it, it teaches a deprivation of social enjoyment if we would attain the highest round in the ladder of Science." Was not this the "side" referred to in his newspaper article, in which he said, "Had I been shown both sides nothing could have induced me to take it up”?

Christianity as he calls it at one time, and mesmerism at another, cannot be the "two sides," for these are separated by barriers that neither a geometrical figure nor a malicious falsehood would ever unite.

My few remaining years will be devoted to the cause I have espoused, viz:—to teach and demonstrate the Moral and Physical Science that can heal the sick. Well knowing as I do that God hath bidden me, I shall steadfastly adhere to my purpose to benefit my suffering fellow beings, even though it be amid the most malignant misrepresentation and persecution.

Mary M. B. Glover
 
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Wallace W. Wright. Wright’s attack on Eddy’s teachings had been published in the Transcript the previous week, on January 13. It was titled “Moral Science, alias Mesmerism.” Eddy’s name for Christian Science at that time was Moral Science. $3000 in 1872 is the equivalent of $58,442.99 in 2014. Eddy and Richard Kennedy had moved into the second floor of this address in August 1870. The first floor housed Susie Magoun’s private school for young children. During the 1870s, “Dr.” could either refer to a trained medical doctor, or used more loosely to refer to someone practicing as any kind of healer. Thus, Eddy’s students who were practicing Christian Science healing were frequently called “Dr.,” even though they had no medical degree. $200 in 1872 is the equivalent of $3896.20 in 2014. Wright wrote in his January 13 attack: “Away from the influence of argument which the teacher of this so-called science knows how to bring to bear upon students with such force as to outweigh any attempts they may make at the time to oppose it, I commenced to think more independently, and to argue with myself as to the truth of the positions we were called on to take. The result of this course was to convince me that I had studied the science of mesmerism, and also that I had ‘paid rather dear for my whistle.’” Wright apparently felt he paid a lot of money for Eddy’s teachings that in the end proved not to be worth more than a “whistle.” Indeed, the phrase appears to have been used at the time to indicate that one has paid much for something that is worth very little.