The Destiny of the Mother Church (Twentieth-Century Biographers Series)

by Bliss Knapp

Book Overview

The book by a first-hand observer provides an important chronicle of Mary Baker Eddy, the Christian Science church, and the challenges faced by the early workers This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087510231X
• ISBN13: 9780875102313
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: The Christian Science Publishing Society
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Knapp - a CSHeretic?, then so were her closest students!

The ignorance of the views on Mrs. Eddy by her own closest associates by the detractors of this book is astounding. Most of these detractor, though ignorant of the orgins of this view are of the so-called Chicago/Kimball School. Kimball, while a fine lecturer, turned down Mrs. Eddy's request to work in her household and never understood Mrs. Eddy's relation to Biblical Prophecy. I have heard Knapp's views described as the "Knapp heresy". If so, then let us call it the Laura Sargent, Calvin Frye, Irving Tomlinson, Victoria Sargent, Calvin Hill, Adam Dickey, Martha Wilcox, and about 50 others of her closest associates heresy) because virtually all of them shared this view of her. That this is ignored demonstrates the considerable comparative IGNORANCE of modern day Christian Scientists to the history of their own movement. If Knapp was wrong, so were the CS Board of Directors, who issued the below 6 point statement in the July 1943 CS Journal called Mrs. Eddy's Place after 3 years of research in the church archives. The findings of the editors and former editors paralleled Knapp's view. A change in the Board makeup with the passing of several members who actually knew and worked for Mrs. Eddy brought the current so-called orthodox Kimball based view. Between 1931 and 1999 only one non-Kimball line CS teacher has taught the CS Normal Class (1961)The Biblical Red Dragon does 2 things to hide Mrs. Eddy's Place, 1. It hides the actual historical facts of the commonality of this view among her closest associates, an undeniable historical fact to anyone willing to consider the actual written evidence. 2. Failing that it resorts to the common practice of lumping all these views under the heading of "deification of personality" this practice, abhorrent even to Bliss Knapp, when he is metaphysically understood, is concerned with her physical personality. While the view of Mrs, Eddy as typifying the "Woman of Prophecy" is concerned with her spiritual individuality. This reviewer was originally on the side condemning the book but was forced to 180 degree alter his view after 2 years of research. He will happily provide considerable documentary evidence to any inquirer. Here's an example, When Victoria Sargent CSD came to Boston during the so-called Next Friend's suite in 1907 and had a conference with Mrs. Eddy, it is recorded a biograpical sketch by her V's CS association the following, "Recognizing the high quality of her (Victoria's) mental work, Mrs. Eddy called Mrs. Sargent to Concord, (NH) in 1907, to help handle the error arising from the lawsuit known as the "Next Friends" lawsuit. Mrs. Sargent went to Concord and remained several weeks. She was able to go to Pleasant View a number of times, where she visited her sister, Laura, and with Mrs. Eddy. On one of these visits Mrs. Sargent addressed her Leader thus, "My students recognize you to be God's witness and mouthpiece. They are convinced that God

This book is a "must have" for every Christian Scientist!

It is a well-known fact that there are two schools of teaching in the Christian Science Movement. Bliss Knapp's book is, to a large degree, representative of the less popular "Boston School." The Christian Science Board of Directors originally voted to publish this book in 1947, but a new vote, after a change of Board members over a summer vacation, brought the decision not to. The variant "Chicago School" students claim it is incorrect, but the fact remains; this work is an excellent reference book and quite accurate in preserving Mrs. Eddy's own teaching concerning her place in prophecy. It contains much informative, historical information.