CSEC LIBRARY -- "A great reform in our ranks"

CSEC ON-LINE REFERENCE LIBRARY

"A great reform in our ranks"
EXCERPTED FROM
THE DESTINY OF THE MOTHER CHURCH
BLISS KNAPP, CSB

   That Mary Baker Eddy recognized herself to be the "God-appointed" and "God-anointed" messenger to this age is clearly shown by the following excerpts from her letters. To Ira Knapp she wrote: "I am carrying on a great reform in our ranks through my letters." To Edward A. Kimball, Mrs. Eddy wrote: "For the world to understand me in my true light, and life, would do more for our Cause than all else could. This I learn from the fact that the enemy tries harder to hide these two things from the world than to win any other points. Also Jesus' life and character in their first appearing were treated in like manner."

   Mrs. Eddy also wrote to Judge Septimus J. Hanna as follows: "I can do you most good by pointing the path — showing the scenes behind the curtain. The united plan of the evildoers is to cause the beginners either in lecturing or teaching or in our periodicals to keep Mrs. Eddy as she is (what God knows of her and revealed to Christ Jesus) out of sight, and to keep her as she is not (just another white-haired old lady) constantly before the public. This kills two birds with one stone. It darkens the spiritual sense of students and misguides the public. Why? because it misstates the idea of the divine Principle that you are trying to demonstrate and hides it from the sense of the people. . . . The truth in regard to your Leader heals the sick and saves the sinner."

   Such statements from our Leader emphasize the importance of the following By-law in our Church Manual entitled, "Alertness to Duty": "It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged, — and justified or condemned" (Manual, p. 42)

Excerpted from
"The Destiny of The Mother Church"
by Bliss Knapp, CSB, pp. 261 - 262

| Home | Library |