Page:The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy.djvu/188

150 he called upon Mrs. Glover and repeated this request. On January 13, 1872, Mr. Wright published a signed letter in the Lynn Transcript, stating that he believed Moral Science and Mesmerism to be one and the same thing, and warning other students against being misled. Mrs. Glover replied to this letter in the same paper, January 20th, stating that Mr. Wright had made an unreasonable demand to which she had refused to accede, and that he was now attacking her Science from motives of revenge:

'Tis but a few weeks since he called on me and threatened that if I did not refund his tuition fee and pay him $200 extra he would prevent my ever having another class in this city. Said he, "my simple purpose now is revenge, and I will have it"—and this, too, immediately after saying to individuals in this city that the last lesson the class received of which he was a member, was alone worth all he had paid for tuition. . . . Very soon after this, however, I received a letter from him requesting me to pay him over and above all I had received from him, or in case I should not, he would ruin the Science. I smiled at the threat and told a lady at my side, "If you see him, tell him first to take a bucket and dip the Atlantic dry, and then try his powers on this next scheme." . ..

My few remaining years will be devoted to the cause I have espoused, viz:—to teach and to demonstrate the Moral and Physical Science that can heal the sick. Well knowing as I do that God hath bidden me, I shall steadfastly adhere to my purpose to benefit my suffering fellow-beings, even though it be amid the most malignant misrepresentation and persecution. &emsp;

This controversy continued several weeks, occupying columns of the Transcript, and on February 10th, Mr. Wright issued the following challenge:

And now in conclusion I publicly challenge Mrs. Mary Baker Glover to demonstrate her science by any of the following methods, promising, if she is successful, to retract all I have said, and humble myself by asking forgiveness publicly for the course I have taken. Her refusal to do this, by silence or otherwise, shall be considered a failure of her cause: