she has scaled heights which no others have attained since the days of the Master, and so she alone is fitted to direct.  You, after long experience, have organized this school; you know best what is most needed to promote the highest interests of your students and maintain the superior standard of your institution.  But your word has to be law to attain these conditions, and you insist upon implicit obedience to your rules and mandates.  Are you autocratically exacting or ‘assuming unwarrantable authority’ by so doing in order to meet the responsibilities devolving upon you?  As I said before, ‘a leader must lead,’ and a general must direct, as he discerns the need from his vantage ground above the field of battle, or the cause would be lost.”

“I see your point.  It is fairly and logically argued, and I am frank to admit that much of the criticism of Mrs. Eddy may be prompted by antagonism, jealousy and prejudice,” the gentleman returned.

“But much more it is the outgrowth of misunderstanding,” said Mrs. Minturn, charitably.  “Those who have most uncompromisingly denounced Christian Science and its Founder have spoken and written without a proper knowledge of their subject, without having even attempted to investigate, in order to prove the truth or error of what they had heard.  They claim to have ’read the book,’ but you know, from your own experience, that one casual reading is not sufficient to enable one to grasp the fundamental principles contained therein.”

“That is true,” he assented.

“And no man of good judgment,” she went on, “would feel that he was prepared to write a treatise or exposition of some profound subject and give it to a critical public, until he had thoroughly mastered it; and this he would know he could not do in one, or even two, superficial readings.  But these criticisms do not disturb us; they only make us love our Leader more, for her sweet patience, forbearance and forgiveness; and we know that the time will come when all will learn the Truth, ’from the least to the greatest,’ and ‘rise up to call her blessed.’”

“I am beginning to see that, too,” said the professor.  “But there is one thing more.  Of course, you have had to meet the question many times—­one hears it everywhere, and the papers every now and then reiterate it—­how about the high price of the text-book and the teaching?”

“I would hardly have thought that such a question would have suggested itself to you, Prof.  Seabrook, knowing, as you do, the high price demanded for some of your own text-books.  Then, regarding the teaching, Hilton students pay from eight hundred to a thousand dollars a year, according to the privileges they enjoy, not counting the extras; and the course is four years, making quite a round sum in the aggregate.  You force me to be personal as well as practical in my arguments,” Mrs. Minturn interposed, with an arch smile.  “Now for the other side of the question.  Seventeen years ago I was healed of