Visitors to the Wednesday evening meetings of the Christian Science churches are often startled by the frequent occurrence and recurrence in testimonies of such expressions as, "I am very grateful to God, also to Mrs. Eddy, for the blessings which have come into my life." To those who give testimony, and probably to a majority of the audience, there is apparently nothing strange in the use of such a statement; to them it seems the most natural and proper thing, an expression of genuine gratitude. Not infrequently, however, visitors get a wholly wrong impression because these names are thus linked together; nor are they backward in expressing their surprise, and perhaps even indignation, that, as they say, Christian Scientists should substitute Mrs. Eddy for Jesus Christ.
There is no more effective way to correct a misconception than to state the truth. If people for a time are not willing, perchance, to accept the truth, it is of small consequence; the truth remains quietly intact nevertheless, and because of its vitality, nay, immortality, it awaits the inevitable self-destruction of all misconceptions and its own ultimate triumph. This fact is constantly illustrated in the history of the Christian Science movement; people who at first entertained these misconceptions, sooner or later get the correct idea, perhaps are healed of some ailment, become members of a Christian Science church, and like those whom they formerly criticized, publicly declare at the Wednesday evening meetings that they are "grateful to God, also to Mrs. Eddy." To them, as to their predecessors, it has become as natural a thought and expression as their lips can frame. So completely has their own misconception been swallowed up by the truth, that they even fail to consider that any one else can possibly make a similar mistake. They would be surprised, perhaps even shocked, to learn that a visitor had so misunderstood them as to think that they considered Mrs. Eddy and God on more or less of a footing of equality.
While it is a fact that nothing could be farther from the truth than the belief that Christian Scientists deify Mrs. Eddy, it is also a fact that her followers do more than give her honor for her work. Sir Isaac Newton may be given full meed of honor for his work in formulating and proving the laws of universal attraction; Benjamin Franklin may be honored for his varied achievements; kings, statesmen, discoverers, inventors, authors, soldiers, "all sorts and conditions of men," may be given honor, each in his own realm of effort, and yet the vital glow which characterizes the feelings of Christian Scientists toward the Founder of this movement be wholly lacking. Mrs. Eddy properly belongs to that small class of people, both men and women, to whom their contemporaries and also succeeding generations of humanity owe debts of gratitude which can never be fully paid.
