Page:The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy.djvu/335

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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
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Medical College. His name appeared in my curriculum as surgeon to be consulted outside, instrumental surgery not being taught in my college. His name has been removed from my curriculum. Such are the facts where with Rev. Mr. Rice would slander a religious sect.

Mary B. G. Eddy,
Prest. Massachusetts Metaphysical College.

Although a genial enough fellow personally, and a frequent caller at Mrs. Eddy's house, Eastman's "professional" record is almost incredibly sinister. His private practice was largely of a criminal nature, and at the time when Mrs. Eddy made him a director of her college he had already been indicted on a charge of performing a criminal operation. In 1890 he was again before the Grand Jury on a similar charge; and in 1893, upon a third charge (the patient having died from the effects of the operation), he was sentenced to five years in the State prison. Eastman served out his term, and died a few years after his release.

Eastman's assertion that he found traces of arsenic in Mr. Eddy's body was absolutely valueless as a medical opinion.

Mr. Eddy's funeral services were held at the house in Columbus Avenue, after which his remains were taken to Tilton, N. H., by Mr. George D. Choate, and interred in the Baker family lot, Mrs. Eddy herself remaining in Boston. On the following Sunday, Mrs. Clara Choate preached a eulogistic funeral sermon before the Christian Science congregation—still a small body of less than fifty members. Mr. Eddy, indeed, died upon the eve of the determining epoch in his wife's career, and could have had no conception of the ultimate influence and extent of the movement which bears his name.

Some time after Mr. Eddy's death, his wife wrote a colloquy in verse, which she called "Meeting of my Departed Mother