Page:The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy.djvu/435

Rh After completing his course at Mrs. Eddy's Metaphysical College, Dr. Foster returned to Waterbury Center and resumed the practice of homœopathy, experimenting more or less with the Christian Science method of healing, and industriously reading Science and Health. In the following May he received an urgent letter from Mrs. Eddy requesting him to attend the National Convention of the Christian Scientists' Association, which was to meet at Chicago in June. Because of division and discord in the Boston church, Mrs. Eddy, foreseeing serious trouble, was strengthening her position by every possible means, and was ascertaining, in one way and another, which of her students could be depended upon in case of an emergency. Dr. Foster was easily persuaded to go to Chicago. After the convention adjourned and Mrs. Eddy returned to Boston, he went to visit his brother in Wisconsin. There he soon received a telegram from his teacher, bidding him come at once to Boston. Before he could start, another telegram from her told him not to come. Soon afterward he received a letter urging him to come at once.

When Dr. Foster arrived at Mrs. Eddy's new house in Commonwealth Avenue, July 4, 1888, he was at a loss to know just why she had sent for him, except that the recent schism in the Boston church, resulting in the withdrawal of thirty-six members, had left her short of active workers.

Mrs. Eddy soon made it known to him, however, that he was to be a teacher in her college, and she duly installed him as professor of obstetrics. She took great comfort in Dr. Foster's presence in the house and began to feel that from