The Great Litigation Time-Line

Mr. Eustace goes into the details of the Great Litigation in the chapter “To The Reader” in his book “Christian Science Its ‘Clear Correct Teaching'”. Another valuable resource which includes historic facts is: TheGreatLitigation.com.

Synopsis of

TIME LINE OF EVENTS

January 25, 1898 – Mary Baker Eddy prepared a Deed of Trust without the Board of Directors knowing. She did this as a “check and balance” against ecclesiasticism and greed. A copy of the “Deed of Trust” is included on this website.

February, 1916 -A joint conference was held between the Board of Directors and the Trustees of the Publishing Society. There arose the demand to acknowledge the directors as the supreme governing power of the Christian Science movement, thus attempting to nullify the “checks and balances” that Mrs. Eddy put in place.

September 11, 1918 – Another joint conference was held where the Board of Directors made demands on the Publishing Society Trustees.

September 30, 1918 – The Trustees of the Publishing Society wrote a letter to the Directors defining the true democracy of Christian Science (also known as the Second Declaration of Independence, a copy of which can be found on this website.)

March 17, 1919 – The Board of Directors voted to remove one of the Trustees from office.

March 6, 1920 – Judge Dodge found the Publishing Society Trustees correct “in all the essential facts and made his rulings of law in conformity with those facts.” The Trustees won.

1920 – The Directors appealed to the Supreme Court of Massachusetts.

November 23, 1921 – A new decision reversed the previous rulings, deciding for the Board of Directors.

November/December, 1921 – “WE LAY DOWN OUR TRUST” was written, which can be found on this website under the tab “We Lay Down Our Trust”.

January 30, 1922 – The Board of Trustees were released from all responsibility as Trustees of the Christian Science Publishing Society.

October, 1922 – Mr. Eustace was excommunicated forever.

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MISCELLANEOUS FACTS

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The Board of Trustees of the Publishing Society consulted the best legal authority obtainable. The Senior Counsel was the Honorable Charles Evans Hughes. Charles Evans Hughes accomplishments include: the 11th Chief Justice of the United States, the 44th United States Secretary of State, (under Warren Harding), the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (nominated by William Howard Taft) and the 36th Governor of New York. He was a Presidential candidate, defeated by Woodrow Wilson in a close election. The Honorable Charles Evans Hughes represented the Board of Trustees basically free of charge.

During the Litigation years, books were mutilated, people were told not to buy periodicals, subscriptions plummeted, and employees quit. A small group of workers stayed on to publish the periodicals. Frederick Dixon “held down the fort” with the help of Joseph E. Johnston, Gustavus Paine, Gertrude D. LaMotte, Samuel Greenwood, Clarisse Hale and others. Elsie Farr was the confidential secretary of the Trustees before and during the litigation. Herbert Eustace was also clearly involved in getting the correct teaching out, as well as printing the details of the law suit.

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