THE SUNDAY O REG ONI AN. PORTLAND, JUNE 10, 1906.
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THE dedication today of a magnificent
new addition to the Mother Church
, of the Christian Science denomina
tion! In Boston, Is an event of the highest
significance In the history of this religious
body. The Interest or all Christian Sci
entists .is centered on Boston, and thou
sands from all parts of the world, includ
ing Portland, are thronging the historic
old city. The regular communion, of the
Christian Science Church always brings a
multitude of its adherents to Boston, but
the dedication of the new structure this
year '.has made the attendance unusually
large. , .
Built as the result of a spontaneous
recognition of .Mrs. Eddy's life work and
of the Imperative demands of the marvel
ous growth of the movement, expressing
the liberality of thousands of Christian
Scientists, and embodying the best in
architectural design. and modern construc
tion, this new building Is logically the
central figure of this year's gathering,
although Christian Scientists say that
l hey lay the greater stress upon the spir
itual awakening which has inspired the
generous liberality expressed.
Facts About tlie New Church.
The church is one of the largest, if
not the largest. In the United States. Its
seating capacity being oOli. Its style of
architecture ii ltaliuh renaissance. The
pews and other Interior woodwork finish
ings are of mahogany. The walls are
Concord granite and Bedford stone, with
beautiful decorative carvings. The Inside
finish Is a soft gray to harmonize with
the Bedford stone columns supporting the
dome. The height of the building to the
top of the lantern is 234 feet, just one
foot higher than Bunker Hill Monument.
The dome is S2 feet in diameter and ia
covered with terra cotta to match the
Bedford stone. The building presents a
stately, dignlfled and Impressive appear
ance and It is already recognized as one
of the landmarks of Boston.
The first floor contains the various of
fices, a large foyer. Sunday-school room,
cloak-rooms, etc. There are 12 exits and
seven staircases. The cost of the build
ing is something lfss than J2.00O.0O0. The
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new chimes consist of 11 bells made by
the Meneely Bell Company, of Troy, N. Y.
The largest bell, which is C sharp, weighs
4000 pounds. The smallest bell weighs 400
pounds. The organ is necessarily one of
the largest In the world. It is strictly
up t date and contains all modern ap
pliances. Christian Science was discovered by
Rev. Mary Baker G. . Eddy In 1866. Re-
GROWTH OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Year
1 S 7 1
1S79
1SS9
JSS4'. .....
1x99
190 1
19J6
No. of Other
chartered organized
cnurcnes enurches
0
1
11
111
301
19
657
1
0
34
" 131
115
1'31
Total
church
services
1
1
45
242
41S
40
934
No. of
reading
rooms
0
.1
27
fi9
J2t
400
579
No. or
recognized
practitioners
0
1
' 134
2.734
3.000
3,169
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE TODAY.
Total
7
26
4o0
2,536
18,131
84,599
72,030
Number of chartered churches
Other Organized societies
Total number church services : . .-
Church edifices erected
Reading-rooms maintained
Christian Science practitioners
Membership of the Mother Church in Boston
Total listed membership of the denomination
Cofcs of ".Science and Health" sold
lsumaied number of
......... . 657
277
934
143
579
3.169
35,30.1
72.000
. . nan nnn
adherents .1,0001003
1S66 Christian Science discovered bv Mrs. Mary Baker Glover '
MarynB8ked GkaIth' W'th Ky Sorlplures'" published by Mrs.
lilt h,rst Christian Scienceassociation formed.
I .i?f.,rst ?nurch 'f 17. Church of Christ. Scientist, formed. .
liil J,-nt,dy ordained as pastor of the First Church of Christ,
Jf S3 Christian Science Journal established.
1 fS National Christian Science Association formed.'
Ia86 First church edifice of the Christian Scientists erected at Oconto,
E'rst ?Lr,istian Science Church erected in Boston at cost of J250.OO0.
l&3o The Bible and Science and Health ordained as pastors ot the
?AiJrrne and e-ther preaching abolished.
1898 Official board of lectureship cstablisned.
J!.um of. - 000 ,)00 Pledged for new church auditorium in Boston
1936 Denomination encircles the world.
ferrlng thereto in her book entitled "Ret
rospejetion and Introspection," she de
clares: "During 20 years prior to my dis
covery I had been trying to trace all
physical effects to a mental cause: and
in the latter part of 1866 I gained the
scientific certainty that all causation was
Mind, and every effect a mental phenom
enon." It should be noted that tn this
statement Mrs. Eddy capitalizes the word
Mind thus making it synonymous with
deity and thus designating the divine
Mind as the only cause. or creator. It
follows, in her philosophy, that the uni
verse is in reality spiritual though it does
not so appear to our present immature
apprehension. Christian Science thus
bases its entire modus operandi upon the
proposition that God is the only real Mind.
In Christian Science It is maintained that
through the realization of the supremacy
of the divine Mind healing is affected
even as light dispels the darkness, on
the basis that light is real, while dark
ness is unreal and therefore cannot re
main in its presence. Thus it is that in
Christian Science healing there is no pre
tense of human force.
History declares that from early child
hood Mrs. Eddy had been spiritually in
clined and that even in her youthful
days she was interested in deep religious
subjects and philosophic study. One who
knew her well in her girlhood has re
ferred to her gift of expression as very
marked, and that she often conversed
with her pastor upon subjects which
were too deep for him to follow. Her
superior ability, her breadth and inde
pendence of thought, and her spiritual
mindedness, were all prophetic of that
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eminence as a teacher, an organizer and
a leader to which she has attained, and
to those who have followed the course
of events tn the advance of the Christian
Science movement, Mrs. Eddy'a far-seeing
wisdom, initiative insight and ex
ecutive ablity have become more and
more impressive.
The orieinal "Mother Church" which
adjoins the new building seats about
1200. and yet three Sunday services are
required to accommodate the attendance.
It is said that when this edifice was
planned some of the members were dls-
turbed on account of its size. They
thought that the provision of so large an
auditorium was entirely uncalled for
the attendance at that time being only
about 650.
Mrs. Eddy organized the First Church
of Christ. Scientist, In Boston in 1S79
with 2 members. So slow was the
growth of the movement at first that
in 1S89. ten years later, there were only
11 churches. From that time, however,
the growth was more rapid. In 1S99
there were 301 churches. At the present
time, 1D06, there are 657 churches and
275 societies not yet organized as
churches, making 932 societies holding
church services. In 18S9 there were only
450 members in the entire connection.
In 1894 the total membership was 2536.
five years later it had reached 18.134.
These figures show that the principal
growth has taken place during the past
seven - years. The membership at the
present time is about 72.000. but that
there are multitudes Interested in the
movement outside of the actual church
membership is evidenced by the large
attendance at - the Christian Science
services and the fact that nearly 400.
000 copies of the Christian Science text
book are at present in circulation.
It has been said that the Christian
Science denomination is made up largely
of recruits rescued from the grave, a
very large percentage of Christian Sci
ence con-verts having become Interested
on account of the healing benefits which
they have received. In fact. Christian
Science has drawn its adherents from all
classes, the clergy and medical fraternity
included. Scarcely a village or town can
be. found which has not a band of Chris
tian Scientists, and hardly an Individual
who has not some friend or relative that
has been a benoiiclaTy of it.
A building like the one Just completed
In Boston as a central place of meeting
for the annual gatherings of the organi
zation and which has been built by con
tributions from Christian Scientists in
all parts of the world, evidences a genu
ine interest in their own movement which
has probably been paralleled by no reli
gious denomination In the history of the
world. It would appear as though the
Christian Scientists believe they arc get
ting the worth of their money or they
would not continue such unusual liberal
ity year after year. A Christian Scientist
said to the wrile.r: 'When I was a mem
ber of another denomination I contributed
less than 5 per cent of the amount whicli
I now give, and did that somewhat
grudgingly. The change In my attitude
has been altogeher due to the prospective
results of my giving. In the Christian
Science Church I find such an unusual
abundance of fruitage that I am glad
to make the larger and more fitting re
turn." It is evident that even in reli
gious matters one likes to get the worth
of his money.
The dedicatory exercises today will be
attended by visitors from all parts of the
United States and Canada, from Great
Britain. Australia. Sweden, Denmark,
France. Germany. Switzerland, the Ha
waiian Islands. South America and other
foreign countries. It is said that they
will not come simply to see the church
edifice or for the exclusive purpose of
being present at the dedicatory service,
but largely to show their Interest in the
movement, their respect for its leader
and to further their understanding of
Christian Science.
The Sunday service of the Christian
Science Church consists of opening and
closing exercises similar to those of other
denominations. The distinguishing fea
ture is the lesson-sermon which Mrs.
Eddy has Instituted in the place of the
clerical address. The lesson-sermon is a
compilation of Scriptural passages inter
spersed with correlative selections from
the Christian science text-book. Science
and Health, With Key to the Scriptures,
by Mrs. Eddy.
Today Is the date of the annual com
munion service and in addition to the
usual service and the dedicatory address
there will be added the characteristic
communion of the Christian Scientists,
which consists of a silent service during
which the entire congregation kneels in
self-examination and communion with
God. This part of the service closes
with the repetition of the Lord's Prayer
in unison.
An Interesting and distinctive service
in the Christian Science Church is the
Wednesday evening meeting, which is de
voted exclusively to testimonies and ex
periences descriptive of the benefits re
ceived from .Christian Science. These
meetings at the Mollis-- Cbjurch of th
denomination In Boston are said to be,'
as a rule, of more than average Interest
because Boston, being the headquarter?
of the denomination. Is frequently vis
ited by Christian Scientists from all
parts of the United States, Canada and
other countries.
One hundred and forty-five church edi
fices have already been erected by the
Christian Scientists. ThYse. as a whole.
(Coucludcd on Pace to t