The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories

ther, it will unriddle many riddles, it will make clear and simple many things

al things which we do all see alike; things which we all accept, and about which we do not dispute. For instance, we who are outside of the asylum all agree that water seeks its level; that the sun gives light and heat; that fire consumes; that fog is damp; that 6 times 6 are thirty-six; that 2 from 10 leave eight; that 8 and 7 are fifteen. These are perha

er than that; for we know that in all matters of mere opinion that same man is insane-just as insane as we are; just as insane as Shakespea

y question I am spiritually insane. I cannot prove to him that he is insane, because you never can prove anything to a lunatic-for that is a part of his insanity and the evidence of it. He cannot prove to me that I am insane, for my mind has the same defect that afflicts his. All democrats are insane, but not one of

ist, The

el, The M

stic, Th

, The Laure

odist, H

the other The Gr

sects, the T

excepted, The

edan sects, T

, The Republ

y-Buddhist,

list, The M

an, The Fai

ist, The Ment

st Indian Th

The Hom

People, The

edenbo

f them! And all insane; each in his own way; insane as t

ad in the world is worth the same as the opinion of the brightest head in the world-a brass farthing. How do we arrive at this? It is simple: The affirmative opinion of a stupid man is neutralised by the negative opinion of his stupid neighbour-no decision is reached; the affirmative opinion of the intellectual giant Gladstone is neutralised by the negative opinion of the intellectual giant Cardinal Newman-no decision is reached. Opinions that prove nothi

atters. If we were sane we should all see a political or religious doctrine alike, there would be no dispute: it would be a case of 8 and 7-just as it

urtesy, and I am not charging-nor even imagining-that he is insaner than the rest of the human race. I think he is more picturesquely insane t

anded down in our day to Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy of New Hampshire and translated by her, word for word, into English (with help of a polisher), and now published and distributed in hundreds of editions by her at a clear profit per volume, above cost, of 700 per cent.!-a profit which distinctly belongs to the angel of the Apocalypse, and let him collect it if he can; a 'little book' which the C.S. very frequently calls by just that name, and always inclosed in quotation-marks to keep its high ori

me in full. Perhaps the Angel of the Apocalypse likes this kind of piracy. I made this remark lightly to a Christian Scientist this morning, but he did not receive it lightly, but said it was jesting upon holy things; he said there was no piracy, for the angel did not compose the book, he only brought it-'God composed it.' I could have retorted that it was a case of piracy just the same; that the displayed texts should be signed with the Author's initials, and that to sign them with the translator's train of names was another case of '

o hear the Bible read

Science, "Science and

Baker G. Eddy. These

God.'-Christian Sci

8

r Mother.' How long will it be before they place her on the steps of the Throne beside the Virgin-and later a step higher? First, Mary the Virgin and Mary the Matron; later, with a change of Precedence, Mary the Matron and Mary the Virgin. Let the artist get ready with his canvas and his brushes; the new Renaissance is on its way, and there will be money in altar-canvases-a thousand times as much as the Popes and their Church ever spent on the Old Masters; for their riches were as pover

great wonder in heav

e moon under h

h the sun will be a p

that any new religion has made in the world since the birth and spread of Mohammedanism, and tha

here seems argument that it may come true. The Christian-Science 'boom' is not yet

anency than any other existing 'ism;' for it has more to offer than any other. The past teaches us that, in order to succeed, a movement like this must not be a mere philosophy, it must be a religio

st be money-an

ated in the grip of a small and irresponsible clique, with

ook with some new and attractive advantages

Mohammedanism, for instance-may count upon a widely extended conquest. Mormonism had all the requisites but one-it had nothing new and nothing valuable to bait with; and, bes

. Christianity had the Saviour, but at first and for generations it lacked money and concentrated power. In Mrs. Eddy, Christian Science possesses the new personage for worship, and in addition-here in the very beginning-a working equipment that has not a flaw in it. In the beginning, Mohammedanism had no money; and it has never h

e other fine and delicate 'isms?' The few again: Educated people, sensitively organised, with superior mental endowments, who seek lofty planes of thought and find their contentment there. And who are attracted by Christian Science? There is no limit; its field is horizonless; its appeal is as universal as is the appeal of Christianity itself. It appeals to the rich, the poor, the high,