0.0 – Christian Science – 16 Books by Mary Baker Eddy – Bk 10 – Miscellaneous Writings – Chpt 0 – Cover, Dedication, Quotation, Preface, Table of Contents

Preface 

 1	    A certain apothegm of a Talmudical philosopher
  	suits my sense of doing good. It reads thus: "The
 3	noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting
  	charity; and the best alms are to show and to enable a
  	man to dispense with alms." 
 6	    In the early history of Christian Science, among my
  	thousands of students few were wealthy. Now, Christian
  	Scientists are not indigent; and their comfortable fortunes
 9	are acquired by healing mankind morally, physically,
  	spiritually. The easel of time presents pictures —  once
  	fragmentary and faint — now rejuvenated by the touch
12	of God's right hand. Where joy, sorrow, hope, disap-
  	pointment, sigh, and smile commingled, now hope sits
  	dove-like. 
15	    To preserve a long course of years still and uniform,
  	amid the uniform darkness of storm and cloud and
  	tempest, requires strength from above, — deep draughts
18	from the fount of divine Love. Truly may it be said:
  	There is an old age of the heart, and a youth that never
  	grows old; a Love that is a boy, and a Psyche who is
21	ever a girl. The fleeting freshness of youth, however,
  	is not the evergreen of Soul; the coloring glory of

      Miscellaneous Writings – Preface                                           x

 1	perpetual bloom; the spiritual glow and grandeur of
  	a consecrated life wherein dwelleth peace, sacred and
 3	sincere in trial or in triumph. 
  	    The opportunity has at length offered itself for me to
  	comply with an oft-repeated request; namely, to collect
 6	my miscellaneous writings published in The Christian
  	Science Journal, since April, 1883, and republish them
  	in book form, — accessible as reference, and reliable as
 9	old landmarks. Owing to the manifold demands on my
  	time in the early pioneer days, most of these articles
  	were originally written in haste, without due preparation. 
12	To those heretofore in print, a few articles are herein
  	appended. To some articles are affixed data, where these
  	are most requisite, to serve as mile-stones measuring the
15	distance, — or the difference between then and now, — 
  	in the opinions of men and the progress of our Cause. 
  	    My signature has been slightly changed from my
18	Christian name, Mary Morse Baker. Timidity in early
  	years caused me, as an author, to assume various noms
  	de plume. After my first marriage, to Colonel Glover
21	of Charleston, South Carolina, I dropped the name of
  	Morse to retain my maiden name, — thinking that other-
  	wise the name would be too long. 
24	    In 1894, I received from the Daughters of the American
  	Revolution a certificate of membership made out to Mary
  	Baker Eddy, and thereafter adopted that form of signa-
27	ture, except in connection with my published works. 
 
      Miscellaneous Writings – Preface                                           xi

 1	The first edition of Science and Health having been
  	copyrighted at the date of its issue, 1875, in my name
 3	of Glover, caused me to retain the initial "G" on my
  	subsequent books. 
  	    These pages, although a reproduction of what has
 6	been written, are still in advance of their time; and are
  	richly rewarded by what they have hitherto achieved for
  	the race. While no offering can liquidate one's debt of
 9	gratitude to God, the fervent heart and willing hand are
  	not unknown to nor unrewarded by Him. 
  	    May this volume be to the reader a graphic guide-
12	book, pointing the path, dating the unseen, and enabling
  	him to walk the untrodden in the hitherto unexplored
  	fields of Science. At each recurring holiday the Christian
15	Scientist will find herein a "canny" crumb; and thus
  	may time's pastimes become footsteps to joys eternal. 
  	    Realism will at length be found to surpass imagination,
18	and to suit and savor all literature. The shuttlecock of
  	religious intolerance will fall to the ground, if there be
  	no battledores to fling it back and forth. It is reason for
21	rejoicing that the vox populi is inclined to grant us peace,
  	together with pardon for the preliminary battles that
  	purchased it. 
24	    With tender tread, thought sometimes walks in memory,
  	through the dim corridors of years, on to old battle-
  	grounds, there sadly to survey the fields of the slain and
27	the enemy's losses. In compiling this work, I have tried 

      Miscellaneous Writings – Preface                                          xii

 1	to remove the pioneer signs and ensigns of war, and to
  	retain at this date the privileged armaments of peace. 
 3	    With armor on, I continue the march, command and
  	countermand; meantime interluding with loving thought
  	this afterpiece of battle. Supported, cheered, I take my
 6	pen and pruning-hook, to "learn war no more," and with
  	strong wing to lift my readers above the smoke of conflict
  	into light and liberty. 

 9	                                   MARY BAKER EDDY 

  	CONCORD, N.H.
            January, 1897SHOW ALL