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Mrs. Mary
Baker Eddy .... has done the greatest good for her
fellow-creatures and Christian Science - The Most Potent
Factor In Religious Life - Says Clara Barton |
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While not an acknowledged Christian Scientist, Miss Clara Barton
today talked with me regarding this wonderful cult in a manner
which left no doubt that the great woman patriot is greatly
interested in the subject, and in Mrs. Eddy, its Founder. She
said that she looked upon Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as the
one
person, regardless of sex, living today, who has done the
greatest good for her fellow-creatures, and that
Christian
Science itself is the most remarkable as well as the
most potent
factor in religious life. |
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Her
admiration for Mrs. Eddy is beyond limitation |
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Her admiration for Mrs. Eddy is beyond limitation, and she is
intimately acquainted with the life history of the Founder of
the Christian Science Church, for she outlined her story from
the beginning and commented upon the magnificent single-handed
struggle and sacrifice made by Mrs. Eddy in her effort to give
Christian Science to the world. |
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Mrs. Eddy
should have the respect, admiration, and love of the
whole Nation, for she is its greatest woman |
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"While I have not studied deeply enough the great religion
founded by Mrs. Eddy to consider myself a Christian Scientist,"
said Miss Barton, "I can say that I look upon Christian Science,
as I understand it, as the most ideally beautiful yet the most
practical and comforting of beliefs. It is doing more in the
world today, and will continue to as more people become
cognizant of the beauty of its teachings, than any other one
influence for good. Mrs.
Eddy should have the respect, admiration, and love of the whole
Nation, for she is its greatest woman. Her teachings
spread love
and good will among men, and a Christian Scientist
cannot be a
Christian Scientist unless he has
eliminated greed and
selfishness from his nature." |
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...looking
into her life history we see nothing but self-sacrifice
and selflessness. |
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Asked if she had read Science and Health, Miss Barton said that
she had, and was much comforted by its teachings. "Love," she
said, "permeates all the teachings of this great woman,- so
great, I believe, that at this perspective we can scarcely
realize how great,- and looking into her life history we see
nothing but self-sacrifice and selflessness. Never has Mrs. Eddy
tried to bring her personality before the public. She has, on
the other hand, isolated herself from the world, and her only
motive in doing so, I firmly believe, has been in order to
let
her teachings,
instead of herself, reach the people. She has never exploited
herself, but so profoundly has she
been interested in bringing a great, joyous, healing and
comforting religion to a people, that she made directly for that
object, regardless of what criticism came to her in so doing.
How beautifully she has managed her own unfortunate trials!
Without malice, always with a kindness and charity that is
almost beyond human comprehension, has this woman fought
antagonism, and that only with love.
And I say no one familiar with her life and her teachings can
help but see the marvelous consistency and beauty of
what she has given to the world in Christian Science. |
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They are
an intelligent, thinking people, ... their belief comes
after careful and scientific investigation |
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The Christian Scientists I have met all
impress me with that same spirit of unselfishness that is
characteristic of Mrs. Eddy. They are an intelligent, thinking
people, and they impress me that their belief comes after
careful and scientific investigation and
conviction, rather than from hysterical evangelism. " |
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troubles
exaggerated by mental attitude
never...celebrate birthday anniversaries |
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"Most troubles are exaggerated by the
mental attitude, if not entirely caused by them," continued Miss
Barton. "I have in mind the matter of age. Now it has been my
plan in life never to celebrate or make anything of birthday
anniversaries, because this only depresses and exaggerates the
passing of years. The mind is so constructed that we have become
firmly convinced that after a certain length of time we cease to
be useful, and when our birthday calendar indicates that we have
reached or are nearing that time, we become lax in our work and
finally cease to accomplish; not because we feel in reality that
we are no longer useful, but because we are supposed by all laws
and dictums to have finished the span of life allotted to work. |
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... at 80
or even 100 years of age ... useful to the world ... in
a much more important way ... |
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"Such a grave error I have noticed it
particularly among old soldiers. Why you know in attending many
reunions of old soldiers I have noticed that nearly the whole of
their conversation is upon the passing of time and upon their
ages. They seem to think it quite marvelous that they are even
alive, let alone having in mind the doing of anything for their
fellow-creatures. It is not their fault, but the fault of the
attitude of the world to the old in years. When a man has ceased
to feel himself useful he is no longer useful, but I maintain
that no one need feel that way just because he is fifty, sixty,
seventy, eighty, or even ninety or a hundred years of age. That
is according to year standards. Many men at eighty are as
capable of being useful to the world as they were fifty years
before; perhaps not in the same way, but maybe in a much more
important way, for life gives experience with its years that is
of some account, if made use of. |
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Let your
life be counted by the mile-stones of achievement and
not by the timepiece of years |
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"Birthday celebrations after one is ten
are without any value, and what is more, I verily believe that
they are harmful. Let your life be counted by the mile-stones of
achievement and not by the timepiece of years. We would all be
younger if that were so, and would live to be much older than we
do at the present time, when the props are pulled from under us
by tradition and precedent after threescore and ten has been
reached. Today I feel as young in my own mind as I did a half
century ago, and that is because I have not folded my hands and
given up work, and have also given up the thought that I was not
as useful as I had been in other years. Christian Science gives
one the mental attitude to live one's life in accordance with
that idea, I believe." |
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Today I
feel as young in my own mind as I did a half century ago |
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Today I feel as young in my own mind as
I did a half century ago, and that is because I have not folded
my hands and given up work, and have also given up the thought
that I was not as useful as I had been in other years. |
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Christian
Science ... attitude to live ... in accordance with that
idea... |
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Christian Science gives one the mental
attitude to live one's life in accordance with that idea, I
believe." |
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End of Interview with
Clara Barton by Miss Rodgers |
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Clara Barton Talks About Mary
Baker Eddy and Christian Science - 1908 by
Miss Rogers --- published in the New York American - FREE pdf download |
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MISS CLARA BARTON
In the New York American, January 6, 1908, Miss Clara Barton
dipped her pen in my heart, and traced its emotions, motives,
and object. Then, lifting the curtains of mortal mind, she
depicted its rooms, guests, standing and seating capacity, and
thereafter gave her discovery to the press. Now if Miss Barton
were not a venerable soldier, patriot, philanthropist, moralist,
and stateswoman, I should shrink from such salient praise. But
in consideration of all that Miss Barton really is, and knowing
that she can bear the blows which may follow said description of
her soul-visit, I will say, Amen, so be it.
Signed: MARY BAKER EDDY - PLEASANT VIEW, CONCORD, N. H., -
January l0, 1908
First Church of Christ Scientist and Miscellany page 296-297 |
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