MRS. EDDY'S SUCCESSOR

[rv.ros...@gmail.com]

Page 343:6-10, in Miscellany

"You would ask, perhaps, whether my successor will
be a woman or a man. I can answer that. It will
be a man."

"Can you name the man?"

"I cannot answer that now."

* * * * * * * *

Page 346:18-5, Miscellany

MRS. EDDY'S SUCCESSOR

In a recent interview which appeared in the
columns of the New York Herald, the Rev. Mary
Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian
Science, stated that her successor would be a
man. Various conjectures having arisen as to
whether she had in mind any particular person
when the statement was made, Mrs. Eddy
gave the following to the Associated Press,
May 16, 1901: --

"I did say that a man would be my future successor.
By this I did not mean any man to-day on earth.
"Science and Health makes it plain to all
Christian Scientists that the manhood and womanhood
of God have already been revealed in a degree
through Christ Jesus and Christian Science, His
two witnesses. What remains to lead on the centuries
and reveal my successor, is man in the image and
likeness of the Father-Mother God, man the generic
term for mankind."

* * * * * * * *

I interpret the idea of generic man certainly
as man being essentially the impersonal
Christ-idea. Yet, still, there was the statement
that the manhood of God had been revealed in a degree
by Christ Jesus, and the womanhood in a degree
by Christian Science.

We know that Mary Baker Eddy told us that she
could never be severed from her discovery.
Thus, I understand that in a degree the womanhood
of God was revealed in a degree by Christian
Science *and* the one who discovered, uncovered
this eternal, ever existing Science was its
Founder, Mary Baker Eddy. Thus, two specific identities
identified as God's two witnesses were Jesus and
Mary Baker Eddy. Of course Mrs. Eddy in her day
could not give her name as one of those being one of
the witnesses to the Associated Press. Even the very
hint of her sharing this news gave her great grief while
she was here, as we recall the Woodbury trial.

Some understand Mrs. Eddy's own remarks to
indicate that generic man is her successor. Whereas,
she states that generic man will lead on the centuries
and *reveal* her successor, which indicates one who
perhaps already is doing or has done the work of
the successor.

Some would identify that individual as John Doorly,
some even as David James Nolan. I find myself in the
last camp, inasmuch as it was David James Nolan who
understood Mrs. Eddy's Place and also
thoroughly understood the significance of the
eighty-eighth edition of the Church Manual and who,
as Chairman of United Christian Scientists,
freed "Science and Health With Key To The Scriptures",
the Christian Science textbook by Mary Baker
Eddy, that is itself the very pure teacher of Christ Science
for each Christ Scientist, -- the textbook which in
its original form ends with the last 700TH page as a full
and *complete* page along with the last testimony as
given by Mrs. H. S. C., of Seattle, Wash. (See all
1910 editions for this fact).

The Last Testimony In The 1910, Last Legitimate Edition of
the Christian Science Textbook, Verbatim --

A GRATEFUL TESTIMONY

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path."

This has been proven to me in every way. When
Christian Science came to me, I was a wreck, physi
cally, mentally, and financially; but since the reading
of Science and Health turned my thought toward the
light, I have found that, as far as I am willing to re-
ceive the word and live it, all comforts are supplied
me. I am especially grateful for the spiritual help. I
know that things which I did and thought last year I
would not do or think this year, and am satisfied.
Through the careful and prayerful study of Science
and Health I have been lifted from sickness to health,
from sorrow to peace, from lack to plenty, and, the
most beautiful of all, from darkness to light. — Mrs.
H. S. C., Seattle, Wash.

* * * *

In referring to David James Nolan, in the capacity as
being Mrs. Eddy's successor, I am not at all referring
to his personality for good or for bad, but rather to the
specific Christ-idea that I perceive he best expressed in
his great devotion to promoting the legality of the eighty
eighth edition of the Church Manual and freeing the
textbook, thereby maintaining Christian Science in its
pure and original state, forever free of any ecclesiastical
fetters.

CHURCH

Of the idea of CHURCH, I love the answer to that
question, "What is the center of real CHURCH?"
The answer is "UR". We each embody the idea of
Church. We carry it with us. It is not a place
we go to. This to me is why our Leader, Mary
Baker Eddy, in her latter years did not go to
church. However, it must be realized that we each
grow into this understanding individually
and at our own pace. We enter the Kingdom of
Heaven as individuals, not in mass.

Generic Man As Leading On The Centuries And
Revealing Mrs. Eddy's Successor

Of generic man leading on the centuries and revealing
Mrs. Eddy's successor - I understand those actions as
two distinct activities. I think of generic man,
using the analogy of music, as the chord - the
full *man*ifestation of God. While expressing the
chord, no individual note is ever lost to Mind.
The chord and each note it includes is always
known and heard by Mind.

In a constellation of stars, the individual stars
in that constellation are distinct and identifiable.
Similarly, I think of the successor as a *distinct*
individual, which may only be realized when acknowledged
in his most spiritually perfect state, not
before or behind perfection, inasmuch as he in his
true being is expressive fully of generic man which
is wholly perfect. We do not see that perfect individual
very often, and will not unless and until the mists of
mortal mind thin and disperse. We are therefore impelled
constantly to look beyond personality, and this is in
regards to each individual that we encounter.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote for all time in "Retrospection and
Introspection", page 70:14-19:

"No person can take the individual place of the Virgin
Mary. No person can compass or fulfill the individual
mission of Jesus of Nazareth. No person can take the
place of the author of Science and Health, the Discoverer
and Founder of Christian Science. Each individual must
fill his own niche in time and eternity."

That very sentence does not leave each of us as a portion of
some amorphous soup. Generic man allows for distinction
and specificity in its perfection to a degree
so great that we have only but the faintest notion at this
time of our present understanding of Being as Spirit,
Truth. We are therefore impelled constantly to look
beyond personality and instead to the spiritual essence
and importance of that which each individual best and
uniquely represents.

1. David James Nolan grasped the importance of the estoppels
and the authenticity of the eighty eighth edition of the
Church Manual. Others have done this, too, although not
for instance Bliss Knapp, who did however grasp our Leader's
place. 2. David James Nolan grasped our Leader's place
*and* the importance of the estoppels, along with the
fact that the Church Manual was the legal instrument to
put side the swaddling clothes of organized religion once
and for all.

http://www.christianscience.org/MBEplace.htm

3. Finally, David James Nolan grasped the importance of
identifying the correct last and final edition of
"Science and Health With Key To The Scriptures", and
therefore by his work *preserved* the true idea and
pure expression of the Christian Science textbook,

http://tinyurl.com/6rq93r

This last action was nothing less than *monumental*.
It forever changed the whole complexion of the essence
and truth of the expression of Christian Science on
the planet. It uncovered an illegality and a hoax
that was being perpetuated upon an unknowing field.

This hoax loses its false power for anyone who takes
the time and gives attention and devotion to becoming
well acquainted with the history of Christian Science
and specifically with the Illegal Copyright Case,

http://tinyurl.com/yqs3sy

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Once again Mary Baker Eddy wrote,

Page 346:18-5, Miscellany

MRS. EDDY'S SUCCESSOR

In a recent interview which appeared in the
columns of the New York Herald, the Rev. Mary
Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian
Science, stated that her successor would be a
man. Various conjectures having arisen as to
whether she had in mind any particular person
when the statement was made, Mrs. Eddy
gave the following to the Associated Press,
May 16, 1901: --

"I did say that a man would be my future successor.
By this I did not mean any man to-day on earth.
"Science and Health makes it plain to all
Christian Scientists that the manhood and womanhood
of God have already been revealed in a degree
through Christ Jesus and Christian Science, His
two witnesses. What remains to lead on the centuries
and reveal my successor, is man in the image and
likeness of the Father-Mother God, man the generic
term for mankind."

* * * *

Note that the above says "any man *to-day* on earth",
leading me to conclude that *someday* that man would
specifically appear.

Just as I accept the distinct position of Jesus
as bringing to light Christianity, and Mary
Baker Eddy as bringing to light Christian
Science, I accept David James Nolan's distinct
position as the one who promoted Mary Baker Eddy's
place as fulfilling Bible prophecy along with
upholding the legality of the eighty eighth edition
of the Church Manual, and finally and so essentially
bringing to light and effectuating the possibility
of preserving forever the authenticity and
completeness of the *final* 1910 edition of the
Christian Science textbook by Mary Baker Eddy,
"Science and Health With Key To the Scriptures",
to the extent that through his efforts "the little book"
has been freed forever from its ecclesiastical cradle,
therefore leaving it as it was intended in its authentic
state to be discerned by all those desiring to learn
God's Word.

Humanity And Its History Affected By The Successor

A well respected friend said that Mrs. Eddy's
successor was God, Himself/Herself. With this
I agree, Yes! - God along with his generic and
complete "man", manifestation which may never
be severed from Him/Her. That is the answer
in the absolute sense to absolute Science.

My perspective illustrates a more
intermediate solution.
To my thought, there is a correlative
answer that due to the nature of our present
sense of identity and being finds its realization
as expressed by a specific idea and individual.
I am speaking of the successor of
the idea of Leadership of the Cause of Christian
Science. It is the "little book" itself, wholly
unfettered by ecclesiasticism due to the efforts
of David James Nolan.

Of her reference to the various terms which
speak of the ideas, truths, laws and
modes of Spirit, Mary Baker Eddy writes in the
textbook on page 127: 9-16, under the Marginal
Heading, "Scientific terms",

"The terms Divine Science, Spiritual Science, Christ
Science or Christian Science, or Science alone, she
employs interchangeably, according to the requirements
of the context. These synonymous terms stand for
everything relating to God, the infinite, supreme,
eternal Mind. It may be said, however, that the term
Christian Science relates especially to Science as
applied to humanity."

It is my understanding that as the story of humanity
unfolds it will include the history and individuality
of the various personages that for better or worse
as "earth's actors", change "earth's scenes".

No Deification!

This is exceedingly important to make clear.

It seems fairly ludicrous to me, any thoughts
of equating Biblically or Scientifically prophesied
positions acknowledged as being equated
with any sense of deification.

I well knew several of the faults and
many virtues of my dear friend,
David James Nolan. He, along with myself
and his other close friends would get quite
a chuckle at anyone's perception that his the
human sense of his identity was in any manner
being deified by me or anyone else in the
recognition of what he did accomplish and
fulfill, including that being the position of
the Successor of Mary Baker Eddy, by
virtue of his freeing her textbook for all
mankind..

Paula