0.0 – Christian Science Publication Contents

              Chapter XVIII 

  	  AUTHORSHIP OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH

1	    The following statement, which was published in
  	the Sentinel of December 1, 1906, exactly defin-
 3	ing her relations with the Rev. James Henry Wiggin of
  	Boston, was made by Mrs. Eddy in refutation of allega-
  	tions in the public press to the effect that Mr. Wiggin
 6	had a share in the authorship of "Science and Health
  	with Key to the Scriptures." 


  	                        MRS. EDDY'S STATEMENT 

 9	    It is a great mistake to say that I employed the Rev. 
  	James Henry Wiggin to correct my diction. It was for
  	no such purpose. I engaged Mr. Wiggin so as to avail
12	myself of his criticisms of my statement of Christian
  	Science, which criticisms would enable me to explain
  	more clearly the points that might seem ambiguous to
15	the reader. 
  	    Mr. Calvin A. Frye copied my writings, and he will tell
  	you that Mr. Wiggin left my diction quite out of the
18	question, sometimes saying, "I wouldn't express it that
  	way." He often dissented from what I had written,
  	but I quieted him by quoting corroborative texts of
21	Scripture. 
  	    My diction, as used in explaining Christian Science, has
  	been called original. The liberty that I have taken with
 
                                                                 Miscellany                              318


1	capitalization, in order to express the "new tongue," has
  	well-nigh constituted a new style of language. In... almost
 3	every case where Mr. Wiggin added words, I have erased
  	them in my revisions. 
  	    Mr. Wiggin was not my proofreader for my book
 6	"Miscellaneous Writings," and for only two of my books. 
  	I especially employed him on "Science and Health with
  	Key to the Scriptures," because at that date some critics
 9	declared that my book was as ungrammatical as it was
  	misleading. I availed myself of the name of the former
  	proofreader for the University Press, Cambridge, to
12	defend my grammatical construction, and confidently
  	awaited the years to declare the moral and spiritual
  	effect upon the age of "Science and Health with Key
15	to the Scriptures." 
  	    I invited Mr. Wiggin to visit one of my classes in the
  	Massachusetts Metaphysical College, and he consented
18	on condition that I should not ask him any questions. 
  	I agreed not to question him just so long as he refrained
  	from questioning me. He held himself well in check
21	until I began my attack on agnosticism. As I pro-
  	ceeded, Mr. Wiggin manifested more and more agita-
  	tion, until he could control himself no longer and,
24	addressing me, burst out with:
  	"How do you know that there ever was such a man as
  	Christ Jesus?" 
27	    He would have continued with a long argument,
  	framed from his ample fund of historical knowledge,
  	but I stopped him. 
30	    "Now, Mr. Wiggin," I said, "you have broken our
  	agreement.  I do not find my authority for Christian
  	Science in history, but in revelation.  If there had never
 
                            Authorship of Science and Health                319


1	existed such a person as the Galilean Prophet, it would
  	make no difference to me.  I should still know that
 3	God's spiritual ideal is the only real man in His image
  	and likeness." 
  	    My saying touched him, and I heard nothing further
 6	from him in the class, though afterwards he wrote a
  	kind little pamphlet, signed "Phare Pleigh." 
  	    I hold the late Mr. Wiggin in loving, grateful memory
 9	for his high-principled character and well-equipped
  	scholarship. 


  	                         LETTERS FROM STUDENTS 

12	    The following letters from students of Mrs. Eddy
  	confirm her statement regarding the work which the
  	Rev. Mr. Wiggin did for her, and also indicate what he
15	himself thought of that work and of Mrs. Eddy: —  

  	    My Dear Teacher: — I am conversant with some facts
  	which perhaps have not come under the observation of
18	many of your students, and considering the questions
  	which have recently appeared, it may interest you to be
  	advised that I have this information. On the tenth day of
21	January, 1887, I entered your Primary class at Boston. 
  	A few days later, in conversation with you about the
  	preparation of a theme, you suggested that I call on the
24	late J. Henry Wiggin to assist me in analyzing and arrang-
  	ing the topics, which I did about the twentieth of the
  	above-named month. These dates are very well fixed in
27	my memory, as I considered the time an important one
  	in my experience, and do so still. I also recall very
  	plainly the conversation with you in general as regards
30	Mr. Wiggin. You told me that he had done some literary
 
                                                                 Miscellany                              320


 1	work for you and that he was a fine literary student and
  	a good proofreader. 
 3	    Upon calling on Mr. Wiggin, I presented my matter for
  	a theme to him, and he readily consented to assist me,
  	which he did. He also seemed very much pleased to
 6	converse about you and your work, and I found that his
  	statement of what he had done for you exactly agreed
  	with what you had told me. He also expressed himself
 9	freely as to his high regard for you as a Christian lady,
  	as an author, and as a student of ability. Mr. Wiggin
  	spoke of "Science and Health with Key to the Scrip-
12	tures" as being a very unique book, and seemed quite
  	proud of his having had something to do with some
  	editions. He always spoke of you as the author of this
15	book and the author of all your works. Mr. Wiggin
  	did not claim to be a Christian Scientist, but was in
  	a measure in sympathy with the movement, although
18	he did not endorse all the statements in your textbook;
  	but his tendency was friendly. 
  	    I called on Mr. Wiggin several times while I was in your
21	Primary class at the time above referred to, and several
  	times subsequent thereto, and he always referred to you as
  	the author of your works and spoke of your ability without
24	any hesitation or restriction. Our conversations were at
  	times somewhat long and went into matters of detail
  	regarding your work, and I am of the opinion that he
27	was proud of his acquaintance with you. 
  	    I saw Mr. Wiggin several times after the class closed,
  	and the last conversation I had with him was at the
30	time of the dedication of the first Mother Church edifice
  	in 1895. I met him in the vestibule of the church
  	and he spoke in a very animated manner of your
  
                            Authorship of Science and Health                321


1	grand demonstration in building this church for your
  	followers. He seemed very proud to think that he had
 3	been in a way connected with your work, but he always
  	referred to you as the one who had accomplished this
  	great work. 
 6	    My recollections of Mr. Wiggin place him as one
  	of your devoted and faithful friends, one who knew
  	who and what you are, also your position as regards
 9	your published works; and he always gave you that
  	position without any restriction. I believe that Mr.
  	Wiggin was an honest man and that he told the same
12	story to every one with whom he had occasion to talk,
  	so I cannot believe that he has ever said anything
  	whatever of you and your relations to your published
15	works differing from what he talked so freely in my
  	presence. 
  	    There is nothing in the circumstances which have
18	arisen recently, and the manner in which the statements
  	have been made, to change my opinion one iota in this
  	respect. 
21	    It will soon be twenty years since I first saw you and
  	entered your class. During that time, from my connec-
  	tion with the church, the Publishing Society, and my
24	many conversations with you, my personal knowledge of
  	the authorship of your works is conclusive to me in every
  	detail, and I am very glad that I was among your early
27	students and have had this experience and know of my
  	own personal knowledge what has transpired during the
  	past twenty years. 
30	    I am also pleased to have had conversations with
  	people who knew you years before I did, and who have
  	told me of their knowledge of your work. 
 
                                                                 Miscellany                              322


 1	    It is not long since I met a lady who lived in Lynn,
  	and she told me she knew you when you were writing
 3	Science and Health, and that she had seen the manu-
  	script. These are facts which cannot be controverted
  	and they must stand. 

 6	                                   Your affectionate student,

  	                                                   EDWARD P. BATES 

  	BOSTON, MASS., November 21, 1906 


 9	    My Beloved Teacher: — I have just read your state-
  	ment correcting mistakes widely published about the
  	Rev. James H. Wiggin's work for and attitude towards
12	you; also Mr. Edward P. Bates' letter to you on the
  	same subject; which reminds me of a conversation I
  	had with Mr. Wiggin on Thanksgiving Day twenty
15	years ago, when a friend and I were the guests invited
  	to dine with the Wiggin family. 
  	    I had seen you the day before at the Metaphysical
18	College and received your permission to enter the next
  	Primary class (Jan. 10, 1887). During the evening my
  	friend spoke of my journeying from the far South, and
21	waiting months in Boston on the bare hope of a few
  	days' instruction by Mrs. Eddy in Christian Science. 
  	She and Mrs. Wiggin seemed inclined to banter me on
24	such enthusiasm, but Mr. Wiggin kindly helped me by
  	advancing many good points in the Science, which were
  	so clearly stated that I was surprised when he told me
27	he was not a Christian Scientist. 
  	    Seeing my great interest in the subject, he told me
  	of his acquaintance with you and spoke earnestly and
30	beautifully of you and your work. The exact words I
  	do not recall, but the impression he left with me was
 
                            Authorship of Science and Health                323


 1	entirely in accordance with what Mr. Bates has so well
  	written in the above-mentioned letter. Before we left
 3	that evening, Mr. Wiggin gave me a pamphlet entitled
  	"Christian Science and the Bible," by "Phare Pleigh,"
  	which he said he had written in answer to an unfair
 6	criticism of you and your book by some minister in the
  	far West. I have his little book yet. How long must it
  	be before the people find out that you have so identified
 9	yourself with the truth by loving it and living it that you
  	are not going to lie about anything nor willingly leave
  	any false impression. 
12	    In loving gratitude for your living witness to Truth
  	and Love, 

  	                                            FLORENCE WHITESIDE 

15	CHATTANOOGA, TENN.,
  	    December 4, 1906 


  	    Beloved Teacher: — My heart has been too full to tell
18	you in words all that your wonderful life and sacrifice
  	means to me. Neither do I now feel at all equal to ex-
  	pressing the crowding thoughts of gratitude and praise
21	to God for giving this age such a Leader and teacher to
  	reveal to us His way. Your crowning triumph over error
  	and sin, which we have so recently witnessed, in blessing
24	those who would destroy you if God did not hold you up
  	by the right hand of His righteousness, should mean to
  	your older students much that they may not have been
27	able to appreciate in times past. 
  	    I wonder if you will remember that Mr. Snider and
  	myself boarded in the home of the late Rev. J. Henry
30	Wiggin during the time of our studying in the second
  	class with you — the Normal class in the fall of 1887? 
  	We were at that time some eight days in Mr. and Mrs.
  
                                                                 Miscellany                              324


1	Wiggin's home. He often spoke his thoughts freely
  	about you and your work, especially your book Science
 3	and Health. Mr. Wiggin had somewhat of a thought
  	of contempt for the unlearned, and he scorned the sug-
  	gestion that Mr. Quimby had given you any idea for
 6	your book, as he said you and your ideas were too
  	much alike for the book to have come from any one but
  	yourself. He often said you were so original and so
 9	very decided that no one could be of much service to
  	you, and he often hinted that he thought he could give
  	a clearer nomenclature for Science and Health. I re-
12	member telling you of this, and you explained how long
  	you had waited on the Lord to have those very terms
  	revealed to you. 
15	    I am very sure that neither Mr. Wiggin nor his esti-
  	mable wife had any other thought but that you were
  	the author of your book, and were he here to-day he
18	would be too honorable to allow the thought to go out
  	that he had helped you write it. He certainly never
  	gave us the impression that he thought you needed
21	help, for we always thought that Mr. Wiggin regarded
  	you as quite his literary equal, and was gratified and
  	pleased in numbering you among his literary friends. 
24	Everything he said conveyed this impression to us — 
  	that he regarded you as entirely unique and original. 
  	He told us laughingly why he accepted your invitation
27	to sit through your class. He said he wanted to see if
  	there was one woman under the sun who could keep to
  	her text. When we asked him if he found you could do
30	so, he replied "Yes," and said that no man could have
  	done so any better. 
  	    Both Mr. and Mrs. Wiggin frequently mentioned
 
                            Authorship of Science and Health                325


 1	many kindnesses you had shown them, and spoke of
  	one especial day when amidst all your duties you per-
 3	sonally called to inquire of his welfare (he had been
  	ill) and to leave luscious hothouse fruit. One thing
  	more, that I think will amuse you:  Mr. Wiggin was
 6	very much troubled that you had bought your house
  	on Commonwealth Avenue, as he was very sure Back
  	Bay property would never be worth what you then
 9	paid for it. He regarded the old part of Boston in
  	which he lived as having a greater future than the new
  	Back Bay. 
12	    Years ago I offered my services to you in any capacity
  	in which I could serve you, and my desire has never
  	changed. Command me at any time, in any way, beloved
15	Leader. 
  	    With increasing love and gratitude, ever faithfully your
  	student, 

18	                                              CARRIE HARVEY SNYDER 

  	NEW YORK, N. Y.,
  	    December 7, 1906
Read more