Miscellaneous Writings Part 60

The good which the material senses see not is the only [15]

absolute good; the evil which these senses see not is the only absolute evil.

If I enter Mr. Smith's store and take from it his gar- ments that are on sale, array myself in them, and put myself and them on exhibition, can I make this right [20]

by saying, These garments are Mr. Smith's; he manu- factured them and owns them, but you must pay me, not him, for this exhibit?

The spectators may ask, Did he give you permission to do this, did he sell them or loan them to you? No. [25]

Then have you asked yourself this question on the sub- ject, namely, What right have I to do this? True, it saves your purchasing these garments, and gives to the public new patterns which are useful to them; but does this silence your conscience? or, because you have con- [30]

fessed that they are the property of a noted firm, and you wished to handle them, does it justify you in appro-

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priating them, and so avoiding the cost of hiring or [1]

purchasing?

Copying my published works _verbatim_, compiling them in connection with the Scriptures, taking this copy into the pulpit, announcing the author's name, then reading [5]

it publicly as your own compilation, is-what?

We answer, It is a mistake; in common parlance, it is an _ignorant_ wrong.

If you should print and publish your copy of my works, you would be liable to arrest for infringement of copy- [10]

right, which the law defines and punishes as theft. Read- ing in the pulpit from copies of my publications gives you the clergyman's salary and spares you the printer's bill, but does it spare you our Master's condemnation?

You literally publish my works through the pulpit, instead [15]

of the press, and thus evade the law, _but not the gospel_.

When I consent to this act, you will then be justified in it.

Your ma.n.u.script copy is liable, in some way, to be printed as your original writings, thus incurring the pen- [20]

alty of the law, and increasing the record of theft in the United States Circuit Court.

To The Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, which I had organized and of which I had for many years been pastor, I gave permission to cite, in the _Christian Science_ [25]

_Quarterly_, from my work Science and Health, pa.s.sages giving the spiritual meaning of Bible texts; but this was a special privilege, and the author's gift.

Christian Science demonstrates that the patient who pays whatever he is able to pay for being healed, is more [30]

apt to recover than he who withholds a slight equiva- lent for health. Healing morally and physically are one.

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Then, is compiling and delivering that sermon for which [1]

you pay nothing, and which you deliver without the author's consent, and receive pay therefor, the _precedent_ for preaching Christian Science,-and are you doing to the author of the above-named book as you would [5]

have others do unto you?

Those authors and editors of pamphlets and periodi- cals whose substance is made up of my publications, are morally responsible for what the law construes as crime.

There are startling instances of the above-named law- [10]

breaking and gospel-opposing system of authorship, which characterize the writings of a few professed Christian Scientists. My Christian students who have read copies of my works in the pulpit require only a word to be wise; too sincere and morally statuesque are they to be long [15]

led into temptation; but I must not leave persistent plagiarists without this word of warning in public, since my private counsel they disregard.

To the question of my true-hearted students, "Is it right to copy your works and read them for our public [20]

services?" I answer: It is not right to copy my book and read it publicly _without my consent_. My reasons are as follows:-

_First:_ This method is an unseen form of injustice standing in a holy place. [25]

_Second:_ It breaks the Golden Rule,-a divine rule for human conduct.

_Third:_ All error tends to harden the heart, blind the eyes, stop the ears of understanding, and inflate self; counter to the commands of our hillside Priest, to [30]

whom Isaiah alluded thus: "I have trodden the wine- press alone; and of the people there was none with me."

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Behind the scenes lurks an evil which you can prevent: [1]

it is a purpose to kill the reformation begun and increas- ing through the instructions of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures;" it encourages infringement of my copyright, and seeks again to "cast lots for his vesture,"-while [5]

the perverter preserves in his own consciousness and teaching the name without the Spirit, the skeleton without the heart, the form without the comeliness, the sense without the Science, of Christ's healing. My stu- dents are expected to know the teaching of Christian Sci- [10]

ence sufficiently to discriminate between error and Truth, thus sparing their teacher a task and themselves the temptation to be misled.

Much good has been accomplished through Christian Science Sunday services. If Christian Scientists occasion- [15]

ally mistake in interpreting revealed Truth, of two evils the less would be _not_ to leave the Word unspoken and untaught. I allowed, till this permission was _withdrawn_, students working faithfully for Christ's cause on earth, the privilege of copying and reading my works for Sunday [20]

service; _provided_, they each and all destroyed the copies at once after said service. When I should so elect and give suitable notice, they were to desist from further copy- ing of my writings as aforesaid.

This injunction did not curtail the benefit which the [25]

student derived from making his copy, nor detract from the good that his hearers received from his reading thereof; but it was intended to forestall the possible evil of putting the divine teachings contained in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" into human hands, to sub- [30]

vert or to liquidate.

I recommend that students stay within their own fields

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of labor, to work for the race; they are lights that can- [1]

not be hid, and need only to shine from their home sum- mits to be sought and found as healers physical and moral.

The kindly shepherd has his own fold and tends his [5]

own flock. Christian students should have their own inst.i.tutes and, _unmolested_, be governed by divine Love alone in teaching and guiding their students. When wisdom garrisons these strongholds of Christian Science, peace and joy, the fruits of Spirit, will rest upon us all. [10]

We are brethren in the fullest sense of that word; there- fore no queries should arise as to "who shall be great- est." Let us serve instead of rule, knock instead of push at the door of human hearts, and allow to each and every one the same rights and privileges that we [15]

claim for ourselves. If ever I wear out from serving students, it shall be in the effort to help them to obey the Ten Commandments and imbibe the spirit of Christ's Beat.i.tudes.

Notice

_Editor of Christian Science Journal_:-You will oblige me by giving place in your _Journal_ to the following notice.

The idea and purpose of a Liberty Bell is pleasing, and can be made profitable to the heart of our country. I feel a.s.sured that many Christian Scientists will respond to this [25]

letter by contributions.

MARY BAKER EDDY

[Page 304.]

COLUMBIAN LIBERTY BELL COMMITTEE, [1]

1505 Penna. Ave., Washington, D. C.