Chapter 18 — Authorship of Science and Health
From Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy
Click here to play the audio as you read:
Page 317
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
Page 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
Page 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
Page 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
Page 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.
Page 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
Page 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.
Page 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
Page 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 SNIDER
NEW YORK, N. Y.,
December 7, 1906