The need felt by students of their Teacher's counsel,— especially by those at a distance, working assiduously for our common cause,—and their constant petitions for the same, should be met in the most effectual way.
To be responsible for supplying this want, and poise the wavering balance on the right side, is impracticable, without a full knowledge of the environments. The educational system of Christian Science lacks the aid and protection of State laws. The Science is hampered by immature demonstrations, by the infancy of its discovery, by incorrect teaching, and especially by some unprincipled claimants, whose mad ambition drives them to appropriate my ideas and discovery, without credit, appreciation, or a single original conception, while they quote from other authors every random thought in line with mine.
This dishonesty—yea, fraud—is conspicuous in the verbose lectures of Mrs. Emma Hopkins. She adopts my ethics, or talks them freely, while departing from them. Her injustice to her Teacher and benefactor, to one who tenderly rescued her from unnamable conditions, and then, to spare vanity a blow, receipted in full the bill for her tuition, without ever receiving a cent,—this ingratitude is startling to those who know it all.
