The Healing Revelations of Mary Baker Eddy

by Martin Gardner

A new critical assessment of Mary Baker Eddy and the international movement she spawned is long overdue. Of the hundreds of books written about Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science, almost all have been by believers. With the notable exception of Mark Twain's Christian Science, the small number penned by skeptics have long since gone out of print.
Martin Gardner, noted for his work in science, mathematics, philosophy, and literature, had intended to write a short essay about Mrs. Eddy, but became so fascinated by her life and personality that his work grew to book length. Written with humor, insight, and a wealth of fantastic detail, The Healing Revelations of Mary Baker Eddy will delight skeptics and infuriate true believers.
Learn about the granite replica of the Great Pyramid of Egypt that was erected on the site of Mrs. Eddy's birthplace, only to be mysteriously dynamited years later. Read about Mrs. Woodbury, who was on her way to becoming Mrs. Eddy's rival until Woodbury announced her "immaculate conception" of a child, which she named the Prince of Peace. Discover how Mrs. Stetson, once Mrs. Eddy's beloved pupil, was excommunicated when her Christian Science church in Manhattan began to outshine the Mother Church in Boston.
While Mrs. Eddy foretold the coming of a millennium in which all persons would be Christian Scientists and healthy, Gardner shows her to be a power-hungry individual whose life included spiritualism, a morphine addiction, frequent hysterical rages, and accusations of the use of "malicious animal magnetism" against herself and her followers, as well as litigation against her critics and persecution of those she regarded as disloyal.
Martin Gardner exposes the plagiarism that occurs in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, including the early editions of Science and Health, which were so filled with errors of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, as well as attacks on fancied enemies, that the church has done everything in its power to prevent reprintings. Later editions were edited and polished by skillful writers, notably James Henry Wiggin, who thought the book was "balderdash."
Recent scandal, financial woes, the resignation of top officials and editors of church publications, and the tragic deaths of Christian Science children denied medical aid by their parents have all contributed to the rapid decline of church membership.
Mr. Gardner's final chapter places Christian Science within the context of New Thought, a movement that anticipated all the elements of today's New Age. He focuses on the life of New Thought poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox, now forgotten but once our nation's most loved versifier. She was, in Gardner's opinion, the Shirley MacLaine of her time.

255 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Martin Gardner was an American mathematics and science writer specializing in recreational mathematics, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, literature (especially the writings of Lewis Carroll), philosophy, scientific skepticism, and religion. He wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981, and published over 70 books.

Reviews

[Kyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read, but unfortunately I was not impressed with Gardner's review of Mary Baker Eddy's life. It seemed to me more a synthesis of other great exposes than an innovative look at the controversial Mother of Christian Science. In fact, some of his chapters seem to be nearly identical (though less impressive) than the chapters covered in Georgine Milmine's revolutionary Christian Science expose, The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy: and the History of Christian Science. The book is also remarkably short and nowhere near as impressive as Gardner's work in other areas. Needless to say, I was disappointed. I wish Gardner would have used a book on Eddy to point out the actual workings behind her alleged "science" and done less of a historical recap (which has already been done quite well).

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FAMED SCIENCE WRITER LOOKS AT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND ITS FOUNDER

Martin Gardner (1914-2010) was a popular mathematics and science writer (he wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981 and the Notes of a Fringe-Watcher column in Skeptical Inquirer from 1983 to 2002), who wrote many books such as 'Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science,' 'Urantia: The Great Cult Mystery,' 'The New Age: Notes of a Fringe-Watcher,' 'The Healing Revelations of Mary Baker Eddy,' etc.

He wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, "That I should write an entire book about Mary Baker Eddy and her 'discovery'... surprised even me. Here's how it came about... My research ... led me to Phineas Quimby, the whimsical 'father' of both New Thought and Christian Science. I intended to write only one essay about Mrs. Eddy and her church, but after reading for the first time Science and Health and other writings by Mrs. Eddy, and some two dozen books about her and the history of Christian Science, my single chapter grew... into this book...

"I prefer being entertained by Billy Graham or Jimmy Swaggart to being bored by the sermons of ultra liberals who carefully conceal their private beliefs... I have a sneaking admiration for successful cult leaders and their devoted followers... at least they have the courage to believe and proclaim... the doctrines of their faith." (Pg. 9-11) He adds, "The [Christian Science] church is now in serious decline. Will my attack accelerate this tumble? It will not. In spite of dwindling wealth and membership---most Christian Science congregations now consist mainly of elderly women---the true believers, with their confident smiles and radiations of cheer, will surely be with us for another century or more." (Pg. 11)

He points out, "In her later years Mrs. Eddy frequently denied that she has ever believed in spiritualism... Mrs. Eddy lied. In addition to the previous quotations from persons who witnessed her séances, Mrs. Milmine, in her biography ['The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy: And the History of Christian Science'], gives other sworn affidavits." (Pg. 26)

He states, "For the rest of her life, after the tumble on ice, Mrs. Eddy was perpetually falling ill, having an abrupt recovery through practicing Christian Science, only to fall ill again. To relieve her bouts of intense pain, especially in her elder years, she took morphine. This was not to banish the pain, you understand, because from her point of view the pain was not real. It was to aid her in getting rid of her false belief that produced the dreadful illusion of pain." (Pg. 45-46)

He observes, "Mrs. Eddy gave her followers permission to let surgeons take care of broken bones because we have not yet reached the wonderful epoch when bones no longer will be broken... Today Christian Scientists seldom hesitate to see a surgeon if they break an arm, leg, or hip. They go to dentists to have cavities filled, teeth pulled, and bridges made. They wear glasses and wigs. If they develop a serious disease, they may go both to a Christian Science practitioner and to a medical doctor. Although there is a small hard core of Christian Scientists who prefer to die, or let their spouses and children die, rather than seek medical help, increasingly the rank and file practice Christian Science more as an odd way of talking than an odd way of behaving." (Pg. 61)

He notes, "Mrs. Eddy's belief in the power of Mind to control the unreal body was so extreme, and her credulity so monumental, that she could write in Science and Health: 'It is related that a father plunged his infant babe, only a few hours old, into the water for several minutes, and repeated this operation daily, until the child could remain under water twenty minutes...' [pg. 556-557]... The Christian Science church has refused to modify Science and Health in any way since Mrs. Eddy died. Surely it must find it embarrassing to allow this preposterous passage to remain in the sacred text." (Pg. 65)

This is obviously not a book that will appeal to active Christian Scientists; but those looking for a critical perspective on the religion will probably enjoy Gardner's typically lively and engaging book.

[Cindy Werthman · Rating 2 out of 5]

My husband’s mother was a Christian Scientist, so I read this to try to understand the early influences in her life. The book was only marginally helpful. Rambling and not very well written. There are others out there that are better.