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272
MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS

“Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy obtained a college charter in January, 1881, with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereunto (including the right to grant degrees) under Act of 1874, Chapter 375, Section 4.

“This Act was repealed from and after January 31, 1882. Mrs. Eddy's grant for a college, for metaphysical purposes only, is the first on record in history, and no charters were granted for similar colleges, except hers, from January, 1881, till the repealing of said Act in January, 1882.

“The substance of this Act is at present incorporated in Public Statutes, Chapter 115, Section 2, with the following important restrictions: In accordance with Statutes of 1883, Chapter 268, any officer, agent, or servant of any corporation or association, who confers, or authorizes to be conferred, any diploma or degree, shall be punished by a fine not less than five hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars.

“All the mind-healing colleges (except Rev. Mrs. Eddy's) have simply an incorporated grant, which may be called a charter, such as any stock company may obtain for any secular purposes; but these so-called charters bestow no rights to confer degrees. Hence to name these institutions, under such charters, colleges, is a fraudulent claim. There is but one legally chartered college of metaphysics, with powers to confer diplomas and degrees, and that is the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, of which Rev. Mrs. Eddy is founder and president.”


I have endeavored to act toward all students of Christian Science with the intuition and impulse of love. If certain natures have not profited by my rebukes, —