“we receive the multiple benefit of getting to know them too!”

From the very start, I was taken with the entire first paragraph of the book We Knew Mary Baker Eddy vol. II - especially where Jennie Sawyer relates, “…never having lost my first enthusiasm and conviction of its being the truth…” (p. 1)

I kept going back to it from time to time.  And from Edward E. Norwood “The new heavens and earth were appearing to my enraptured gaze, and I still cherish the memories of those first months” (p. 264) struck a resonant chord. 

Reading through these first-hand accounts by those who were privileged enough to be so close to her practically gives us all that same privilege of being with Mrs. Eddy!!  As loving followers, these were very special and dedicated people as well, so we receive the multiple benefit of getting to know them too!

All through the accounts there are so many statements by Mrs. Eddy of sweet humility such as “but for my sore experience I would never have loved Him as I hope that I do.”

I will be sharing with one friend in particular, the “Advice for parents” (p. 313) related by Anna Baker in which it was stressed “not to thrust Christian Science on the children” and that “children naturally rebelled and turned” from any religion “if forced to listen, to read, and to live by the rules…”  “They would unfold naturally in its atmosphere” was the idea.

What a find in the gift to Mrs. Eddy of the Wycliffe New Testament dated 1380 in Luke 1:78 and 1:79 which contains…“for to bring Science and Health to His people”… where the King James version had translated “Science and Health” to “knowledge and salvation”! And what a response from Mrs. Eddy! (pp. 322-323)