Page:The Life of Mary Baker Eddy (Wilbur).djvu/398

352 a private personage, but one of the capitol’s best known and most public-spirited citizens.

The world which had been so long in recognizing her seemed at last ready to acknowledge her work as an important factor in the progress of latter-day civilization. It was women who conferred the first general honor upon her, an honor quite apart from that accruing to her by reason of her religious leadership. The Daughters of the American Revolution made her a member of their body in February, 1893, when the wife of the president of the United States, Mrs. Harrison, was chief officer of the organization. And it was at Mrs. Harrison’s request that the honor was bestowed.

Newspapers and magazines now frequently besought her for interviews and communications on important matters. She occasionally acceded to the latter requests, giving her views on the War with Spain, and, after the death of President McKinley, paying her tribute to his noble life. On the occasions of public festivals and celebrations she also gave on request her views as to the meaning of the Puritan Thanksgiving Day and its significance to this generation and the true meaning and best celebration of the spirit of Christmas. On such questions of public morals as marriage and divorce she responded to requests for her opinions.

But to the interviewer in person, Mrs. Eddy was not accessible. Her reasons for refusing to receive press correspondents in general were not based on selfishness or indifference to public interest, but rather that she might not be represented as