withstanding Mrs. Leavitt's very kind and touching appeals, and greatly oblige, Very cordially yours, Thomas Hebblewhite. Oakland, California, 858 Oak Street, Mar. 21, 1902. William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Clerk, 30 Norway Street, Boston, Mass., Dear Brother: Referring to my letter of Jany. 23d and its confirmation on Feby. 20th, please forward the letters asked for at your early convenience. After becoming interested in Christian Science, I handed to Rev. Mr. Hardy, then the First Reader in First Church of Christ Scientist, of Buffalo, N. Y., a letter of transfer from the Methodist Church of Canada, of which I had been an official member for about thirty years, and I simply ask you to be so kind as to extend a similar courtesy now on my withdrawal from your Church; which will enable me to join another church organization of my choice, if I should think it best to do so, without being subject to the usual preliminary and probationary formalities, and which request is in harmony with the golden rule. Your kind attention will greatly oblige, Most respectfully yours, Thomas Hebblewhite. Boston, Massachusetts, Mar. 25, 1902. Mrs. Elizabeth Hebblewhite, Oakland, California, Dear Madame: I hereby notify you that at your own request you have been permitted to withdraw from membership with The First Church of Christ Scientist, in Boston, Mass. Very sincerely yours, For the Directors. William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Sec. Boston, Massachusetts, Mar. 25, 1902. Mr. Thomas Hebblewhite, Dear Sir: I hereby notify you that at your own request you have been permitted to withdraw from membership with The First Church of Christ Scientist, in Boston, Mass. For the Directors. Very sincerely yours, William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Sec. Boston, Massachusetts, Mar. 25, 1902. My Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hebblewhite: I am instructed to state to you, that under the rules of this Church, only letters of dismission are given to its members. This, of course, leaves them free to unite with any other church they see fit. For the Directors. Very sincerely yours, William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Sec. Oakland, California, 858 Oak Street, Mar. 31, 1902. William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Sec., 30 Norway Street, Boston, Mass., Dear Mr. Johnson: Your kind favors of the 25th inst. are received, for which please accept my sincere thanks. The notes of withdrawal accompanied by your letter of explanation will practically answer the purpose and are therefore satisfactory. There is rest in Right and sweet inexpressible peace in universal Love and good will, or, in other words, good wishes. Yours most respectfully, Thomas Hebblewhite. Boston, Massachusetts, April 1, 1902. Mr. Thomas Hebblewhite, Oakland, Calif., Dear Brother: In answer to yours of March 21, 1902, I will state that on March 25th, I sent to you and to Mrs. Hebblewhite such letters of dismission as I am authorized to give. For the Directors. Very sincerely yours, William B. Johnson, C. S. B., Sec. Students Christian Scientist Association, No. 15, Mr. Thomas Hebblewhite, 858 Oak Street, Oakland, Cal., Dear Friend: I beg to inform that in accordance with your own request, your name has been stricken from our membership roll, and you are now no longer a member of Students Christian Scientist Association, No. 15. means. Very truly yours, Students Christian Scientist Association, No. 15, per C. D. Holcombe, Secy. When we had become interested, and then joined Mrs. Eddy's church organization, we were so delighted and captivated with some beautiful fragments of truth, that we thought it must be what it was designated, viz., Christian Science. But after prolonged, patient and tedious investigation and experience, we found it to be a counterfeit of Christian Science, and that it should have been honestly designated Eddyism, or some other appropriate name. The silent thought came to us to refer to Webster's Dictionary, and see what the word Eddy We there found in part the following definition: "Eddy, a current of air or water running back; a current of water or air moving in a circular direction; to move as an eddy, or as in an eddy; to move in a circle." In the Funk Dictionary we found a similar definition of the word "Eddy, To cause to move in an eddy; gather, as in an eddy; cause to circle or whirl. To move in, or as in an eddy. A whirl or backward-circling current of water or air; a whirlpool; eddy water, dead water. Today we have made a ride down the river (Niagara) two or three miles, to a place called the Whirlpool. It is a fearful eddy. Webster correspondence, July 16th [L. B. & Co.] '57." By continued investigation, we finally reached the honest conviction, that Mrs. Eddy's organization was unchristian and unscientific, and that the beautiful and captivating fragments of distinguishing truth, were utilized to attract and for selfish money-making purposes. Then the only true course open to us, was withdrawal. This having become our honest conviction, justified our resignation and our attitude since. We have not attended a so-called Christian Science service since June, 1901. We wish to put on record here and now, the fact, that during the last two years we have enjoyed a degree of spiritual growth and Christian FREEDOM away beyond our previous experience. While in the stream of Eddyism, fortunately, we did not become so thoroughly mesmerized as to completely lose our own identity, the power to do our own thinking, and so we escaped the whirlpool, and outgrew Eddyism, as many a one before us. We have only been thankful once that we withdrew from Eddyism, and that has been ever since. A higher degree of HEALTH, HAPPINESS, HARMONY and PLENITUDE has come to our experience, and this became apparent to a degree almost immediately after our withdrawal, and we have since been on the advancing trend of progress, in the understanding and realization of Divine TRUTH and FREEDOM. CHAPTER 20 SPONTANEOUS AND MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS. Having briefly quoted a few extracts from some ancient and modern writers, including writers of the Bible, on the spiritual and divine realities of the Science of Being, in evidence of the fact that divine Truth and Love are eternal and omnipresent, we will now declare some thoughts of Truth and Love with which we are more or less preoccupied. Which thoughts, the result of prayer, investigation, meditation, and growing spiritual communion in God's Holy presence, thinking with God and looking out with Him, will, thus presented in condensed and simple diversified form, prove helpful to others who desire to grow in spiritual understanding and realization. What about God, man, and the universe? As of old, so today, there are gods many and lords many. The god of some people is money, materiality, matter; of others, political power, position, or prestige; of still others, some mortal personality. The god of some is a book, perhaps the Bible, Science and Health, or one of many other famous books; and the god of many is themselves, etc., etc. Anything on which we preeminently depend as absolute, excepting always the One eternal GOD, SPIRIT—is a broken reed or cistern, an illusion, a false god. Doubtless there are more idolators today-who ignorantly call themselves Christians or Christian Scientists, and hence are but nominal Christians,-than there are real Christians. Such people are apt to be busily on the alert, like real estate stool pigeons, booming a person, book, or some one thing which they worship and love mortally, and hence are idolators. What is God? Answer: God is, Absolute, accessible, actuator, adjudi cator, administrator, adorable, affectionate, affluent, Beautiful, beloved, benefactor, beneficent, Being. |