Aristotle said, "What does a man gain by telling a lie? Not to be believed when he speaks the truth." If the simple falsehoods uttered about me were compounded, the mixture should be labelled thus: "Some Christians' mistaken views of Mrs. Eddy's text-book and the malice aforethought of sinners."
That I take opium, that I am a book-thief, a mesmerist, a medium, a "pantheist," or that my hourly life is prayerless, or not in strict obedience to the decalogue, is not more true than that I am dead. The St. Louis Democrat is alleged to have reported me dead, and said in my obituary that I died of poison, and bequeathed all my property to Susan Anthony!
The opium falsehood has only this to it. Thirty years ago the regular physicians prescribed morphine, which I took, when they could do no more for me. Afterwards the glorious revelations of Christian Science saved me from that necessity and made me well, since which I have not taken a drug, with this exception. Years ago when the mental malpractice of poison was undertaken by a mesmerist, to thwart that design, I experimented by taking some large doses of morphine to watch the effect, and I say it with tearful thanks, the drug had no effect upon me whatever,—the hour had struck, "if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them."
The falsehood, that I have appropriated other people's manuscripts in my works, has been met and answered legally. In private and public life, especially through my teachings, it is well known that I am not a spiritualist, a pantheist, or prayer-less. The most devout members of evangelical churches will say this, as well as those of my household, and none are permitted to remain in my college building whose morals and Christian character are not unquestionable. I have neither purchased nor ordered a drug since my residence in Boston, and to my knowledge, not one has been sent to my house, unless it was something to remove stains.
The report that I was dead arose no doubt from the combined efforts of some malignant students, expelled for immorality, to kill me, of whose designs I have proof, but have no fear. My heavenly Father never leaves me comfortless, in the amplitude of His love, coming nearer in my need more tenderly to save and bless.
