Christian Science

Twain turns his acerbic wit to examining what was then a new religion on the American scene. He uses Mary Baker Eddy's own words to demonstrate that Christian Science is vacuous, fatuous, and incoherent. Heavy use of irony could lead some concrete thinkers to assume that he admires the woman (at times), but those familiar with Twain's style will get the joke. There are many good moments, though some of the work lacks the charm of his other outings, though the anger he feels clearly shines through. Twain was wrong, however, in predicting that Christian Science would become the dominant religion in America and would be in full control of the government by the middle of the century.

The lighter side of a truly grim religion. This is the bitingly satirical look at Christian Science and its founder that embarrassed Mary Baker Eddy into abandoning her claim to the title of "Mother" (belatedly stating "I regard self-deification as blasphemous"), closing the Mother's Room at the Mother Church in Boston, and passing a church bylaw saying that "it is the duty of Christian Scientist to drop the word mother and substitute the word Leader" in referring to Mrs Eddy.

By the time 'Christian Science' went to press, Mary Baker Eddy had long needed a good trimming. Tom Sawyer's daddy probably did a better job than any other writer of that era could have managed. Sic 'em, Boy! Sic 'em!