Page:The Life of Mary Baker Eddy (Wilbur).djvu/318

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276
THE LIFE OF MARY BAKER EDDY

she considers her duty.” As for Arens, he dismisses him with this emphatic characterization: “It would require ages and God’s mercy to make the ignorant hypocrite who published that pamphlet originate its contents. His pratings are colored by his character; they cannot impart the hue of ethics, but leave his own impress on what he takes.”

The federal courts subsequently enjoined Arens not to publish or circulate his pamphlet, and all printed copies were destroyed by order of the court. This did not happen until after Mr. Eddy’s death, or until process of law dealt with Arens, as shall be presently recounted. But Arens’ perfidy wrought upon Mr. Eddy seriously. He suffered real anguish of mind from it, being far more disturbed than was his wife, for he regarded it as a culmination of bitter attacks upon her work and an exhibition of malicious animal magnetism.

Speaking in a purely human sense, Mr. Eddy resented the unfaithfulness of one whom Mrs. Eddy had taught and trusted very largely with her business affairs. He felt it keenly that one who had gone through such an experience of unjust prosecution as Arens had suffered jointly with him in the Lynn conspiracy and who had been defended by his wife’s faithful energies should now array himself against the cause. Arens was living in Boston not far from the house on Columbus avenue which Mr. and Mrs. Eddy leased in the spring of 1882. He was teaching and preaching adversely to Christian Science, and as yet had not been restrained from circulating his pirated writings.