nticing a separate congregation rather than offering their strength to
unite with churches already established--I was told he replied that the
Christian Science Church did not recruit itself from other churches, but
from the graveyards! The church numbers now four thousand members; but this
estimate, as I understand, is not limited to the Boston adherents, but
includes those all over the country. The ceremonial of uniting is to sign a
brief "confession of faith," written by Mrs. Eddy, and to unite in
communion, which is not celebrated by outward symbols of bread and wine,
but by uniting in silent prayer.

The "confession of faith" includes the declaration that the Scriptures are
the guide to eternal Life; that there is a Supreme Being, and His Son, and
the Holy Ghost, and that man is made in His image. It affirms the
atonement; it recognizes Jesus as the teacher and guide to salvation; the
forgiveness of sin by God, and affirms the power of Truth over error, and
the need of living faith at the moment to realize the possibilities of the
divine Life. The entire membership of Christian Scientists throughout the
world now exceeds two hundred thousand people. The church in Boston was
organized by Mrs. Eddy, and the first meeting held on April 19, 1879. It
opened with twenty-six members, and within fifteen years it has grown to
its present impressive proportions, and has now its own magnificent church
building, costing over two hundred thousand dollars, and entirely paid for
when its consecration service on January 6 shall be celebrated. This is
certainly a very remarkable retrospect.

Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of this denomination and Discoverer of
Christian Science, as they term her work in affirming the present
application of the principles asserted by Jesus, is a most interesting
personality. At the risk of colloquialism, I am tempted to "begin at the
beginning" of my own knowledge of Mrs. Eddy, and take, as the point of
departure, my first meeting with her and the subsequent development of some
degree of familiarity with the work of her life which that meeting
inaugurated for me.

MRS. EDDY

It was during some year in the early '80's that I became aware--from that
close contact with public feeling resulting from editorial work in daily
journalism--that the Boston atmosphere was largely thrilled and pervaded by
a new and increasing interest in the dominance of mind over matter, and
that the central figure in