"Divine Remedies - A Textbook on Healing" by Theodosia DeWitt Schobert, 1926.
A fourth edition book published by the Unity Church in Kansas City, Missouri, there is a stamp on the title page from the Unity Truth Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The phone number was 4-8713. 5-digit phones numbers are a foreign concept to me.
There is a blue Unity Church bookmark at the beginning of the chapter "Healing of Headaches" and a small newspaper clipping between pages 34 and 35. It mentions my great-grandmother transferring from the Grundy Country Emergency Relief organization to "similar work in Bureau county and will make her home in Spring Valley."
The back of the clipping mentions the finals of the Canadian amateur golf tournament in Vancouver between Kenny Black from Vancouver and Albert Campbell from Seattle. With a little research, I found that Campbell defeated Black in 1933. Campbell won again the following year, but Black finally placed first in 1939.
All golfing aside, it looks like a solid 1933 for the date on this newspaper.
BOOK FORTYFOUR
"Christ and Oriental Ideals" by Swami Paramananda, 1923.
(taken from wikipedia) "Swami Paramananda was one of the early Indian teachers who came to the United States to spread the Vedanta philosophy and religion in America. He was a mystic, a poet and an innovator in spiritual community living."
My grandfather's address label is inside the front cover.
BOOK FORTYFIVE
"My Vast New World" by Lora B. Holman, 1969.
Holman was a minister in the church of Religious Science.
BOOK FORTYSIX
"The Zen Environment" by Marian Mountain, 1982.
Although it doesn't have his usual address label stuck inside the front cover, I'm assuming this book to be my grandfather's. Most of the books in the collection are clearly from my grandmother or her mother (mostly Jean), but the small handful that were my grandfather's stick out from the rest due to their take on eastern philosophies, or eastern philosophy's take on western thought (primarily Christian).
At the time of this book's publishing, my grandfather would have been 70 years old. I can't say if he and my grandmother were looking for answers more so in their later years or if this was a theme throughout their lives.
Clearly, though, my great-grandmother's influence upon her daughter stuck, as she followed in the Unity Church as well. Although, she was once kicked out of the Unity Church, went to Religious Science, was kicked out of there, and then finally went back to Unity Church, as my mother informed me this week.
BOOK FORTYSEVEN
"The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science" by Thomas Troward, 1909 - this 24th printing, 1947.
Thomas Troward was an English author whose works influenced the New Thought Movement. This book was strongly encouraged for early AA members to read to help their recovery and Troward's philosophies are credited in the opening of the 2006 film 'The Secret' for inspiring the book and film.
The book 'The Secret' reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list, after being featured on 2 Oprah episodes. New Thought is clearly alive and strong now, even though the movement began well over 100 years ago.
My great-grandmother's name is inside the front cover, dated September 1948, and she ear-marked and wrote on quite a few pages. One of her penciled-in notes reads: "You are myself in another expression."
BOOK FORTYEIGHT
"The Handbook of Scientific Right Thinking" compiled from the writings of F. L. Rawson and edited by Elizabeth Carrick-Cook, 1942 - this 3rd printing, 1944.
Well, well, well...look whose name comes up again! Mr. Rawson, I haven't seen you in nearly three weeks! Both my grandmother and great-grandmother had a copy of your book and now here is a "Cliffs Notes" version of your work by "the leader of Mr. Rawson's work in America", or so the description of Carrick-Cook reads on the title page.
Other than being the chairperson of the 1930 San Fransisco Congress of the International New Thought Alliance, I can't find any substantial information on Carrick-Cook, though.
Interestingly enough, after explaining the reason behind the handbook in the foreword dated April 1942, she references the Metaphysical Library at 177 Post Street, encouraging readers to order Rawson's books from there. She also makes note of there being a particularly higher demand for the books than the publishers in England can supply for the Americas.
More fascinating for me, of course, are all the notes my great-grandmother wrote into this book. Her name is on both the cover and title page and most pages have words or phrases underlined, with notes scribbled into the margins at times.
The last few pages were left blank by the publisher, encouraging the reader to leave their own notes there. Jean certainly took advantage and filled in each of those pages.
The final page has a full 8.5x11 sheet twice stapled to it, folded twice neatly to fit inside the book. One side has a typed list of "Reversals for Treatment Class" and the other side has extra notes added as well. On the list itself, Jean hand wrote in her own principles relating to each illness or affliction. It almost seems like a worksheet. Jean clearly got an "A" for this homework assignment.
Depression, Idleness, Misery, Laziness, Danger, Pride, Evil Power, Problems, Anxiety...these are just a few of the listed afflictions.
So far, I've tried to not be critical of the religion or its beliefs, and give a more objective documentary on what I'm learning from this project, but a chat with my mother this last week brought up her being blamed for being sick as a child for not being close enough to God. I can only imagine how a more serious and adult concern (like mental illness or cancer) would have been received, considering how chicken pox, measles, or even a cold had been treated. And certainly, there were more far serious health concerns in my family history.
I very much have a great love and respect for my parents for being able to break away from the belief system that was pushed upon them and then to teach my siblings and myself a far more open and compassionate way of thinking, concerning all aspects of life, not just religion and health.
BOOK FORTYNINE
"Lessons in Truth - A Course of Twelve Lessons in Practical Christianity" by H. Emilie Cady, 1896 - this publishing, 1925.
Cady "was an American homeopathic physician and author of New Thought spiritual writings." This book "is now considered the core text on Unity Church teachings. It is the most widely read book in that movement, and has sold over 1.6 million copies since its first publication." (taken from wikipedia)
My great-grandmother's name is on the first page and there is a purple bookmark at the end of the 12th lesson.
No comments:
Post a Comment