● ● ● animal. But that the mind of the female contains more of that superior substance required to receive the higher development of God’s wisdom. For this element is pure love. . . . It separates her from matter and brings her into that spiritual state that rises from all animal life [i.e., like a vapor]. . . . Then she becomes a teacher of that Science which puts man in possession of a wisdom that can subject all animal life to his own control . . . and man stands to woman as a servant to his Lord.120
Back in October, 1862, Quimby one day had introduced Mrs. Patterson to young Emma Morgan in his office with the words, “This is a very wonderful woman and in comparison I am the man, but Mary is the Christ.”121 Mrs. Eddy herself in later years wrote that she would never forget an occasion on which they were talking and he startled her by saying, “I see now what you mean, and I see that I am John, and that you are Jesus.” She was shocked at the time, she said, but afterwards concluded that he did not mean it personally but referred “to the coming anew of Truth, which we both desired.”122
A passage in the Quimby manuscripts refers to this coming in similar terms:
I will not go back further than John the Baptist. John saw that the time was very near when his truth or Christ was to become a science, therefore he says, “As the truth is laid at the root or foundation of their theories, every tree or supposed science that cannot stand the test of true science must be hewn down.” Therefore his belief was like water that could wash away some of their errors, but when the Truth or Holy Ghost should come then it would be reduced to a science. At this time Jesus had not received the Holy Ghost so as to explain it. Therefore He went with others to John to be baptized or hear John’s ideas, and when Jesus asked John to explain to Him, John modestly replied, “I have need to be baptized or taught of you.” Jesus declined explaining, so John then went on to tell his ideas or ● ● ●
120 Horatio W. Dresser, Quimby Manuscripts, pp. 393–394 [bracketed text Peel’s].
121 Abigail Dyer Thompson, 14 October 1928, Reminiscence, p. 1, MBEL.
122 Mary Baker Eddy, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany (Boston: Christian Science Board of Directors, 1941), p. 307.