Chapter 5 — Christian Science Hall, Concord, N. H.
From Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy
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Table of Contents
- In Retrospect
- Second Sunday Service, December 12, 1897
- Address to the Concord Church, February, 1899
- Message, April 19, 1899
- Subject: “Not Matter, but Spirit”
- First Annual Meeting, January 11, 1900
- Easter Message, 1902
- Annual Meeting, January 6, 1905
Page 145
IN RETROSPECT
MY DEAR EDITORS: — You are by this time ac-
3 quainted with the small item that in October, 1897,
I proposed to one of Concord’s best builders the plan for
Christian Science Hall in Concord, N. H. He drew the
6 plan, showed it to me, and I accepted it. From that
time, October 29, 1897, until the remodelling of the house
was finished, I inspected the work every day, suggested
9 the details outside and inside from the foundations to
the tower, and saw them carried out. One day the car-
penters’ foreman said to me: “I want to be let off for
12 a few days. I do not feel able to keep about. I am
feeling an old ailment my mother had.” I healed him
on the spot. He remained at work, and the next morn-
15 ing said to Mr. George H. Moore of Concord, “I am as
well as I ever was.”
Within the past year and two months, I have worked
18 even harder than usual, but I cannot go upon the plat-
form and still be at home attending to the machinery
which keeps the wheels revolving. This well-known
21 fact makes me the servant of the race — and gladly
thus, if in this way I can serve equally my friends and
my enemies.
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1 In explanation of my dedicatory letter to the Chicago
church (see page 177), I will say: It is understood by all
3 Christians that Jesus spoke the truth. He said: “They
shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly
thing, it shall not hurt them.” I believe this saying
6 because I understand it, but its verity has not been
acknowledged since the third century.
The statement in my letter to the church in Chicago,
9 in substance as follows, has been quoted and criticized:
“If wisdom lengthens my sum of years to fourscore, I
may then be even younger than now.”
12 Few believe this saying. Few believe that Christian
Science contains infinitely more than has been demon-
strated, or that the altitude of its highest propositions has
15 not yet been reached. The heights of the great Naza-
rene’s sayings are not fully scaled. Yet his immortal
words and my poor prophecy, if they are true at all, are
18 as true to-day as they will be to-morrow. I am convinced
of the absolute truth of his sayings and of their present
application to mankind, and I am equally sure that what
21 I wrote is true, although it has not been demonstrated
in this age.
Christian Scientists hold as a vital point that the beliefs
24 of mortals tip the scale of being, morally and physically,
either in the right or in the wrong direction. Therefore
a Christian Scientist never mentally or audibly takes
27 the side of sin, disease, or death. Others who take the
side of error do it ignorantly or maliciously. The Chris-
tian Scientist voices the harmonious and eternal, and
30 nothing else. He lays his whole weight of thought,
tongue, and pen in the divine scale of being — for
health and holiness.
Page 147
SECOND SUNDAY SERVICE, DECEMBER 12, 1897
Friends and Brethren: — There are moments when at
3 the touch of memory the past comes forth like a pageant
and the present is prophetic. Over a half century ago,
between the morning and afternoon services of the First
6 Congregational Church, the grand old elm on North State
Street flung its foliage in kindly shelter over my child-
hood’s Sunday noons. And now, at this distant day, I
9 have provided for you a modest hall, in which to assemble
as a sort of Christian Science kindergarten for teaching
the “new tongue” of the gospel with “signs following,”
12 of which St. Mark prophesies.
May this little sanctum be preserved sacred to the
memory of this pure purpose, and subserve it. Let
15 the Bible and the Christian Science textbook preach the
gospel which heals the sick and enlightens the people’s
sense of Christian Science. This ministry, reaching the
18 physical, moral, and spiritual needs of humanity, will,
in the name of Almighty God, speak the truth that
to-day, as in olden time, is found able to heal both sin
21 and disease.
I have purchased a pleasant place for you, and prepared
for your use work-rooms and a little hall, which are already
24 dedicated to Christ’s service, since Christian Scientists
never stop ceremoniously to dedicate halls. I shall be
with you personally very seldom. I have a work to do
27 that, in the words of our Master, “ye know not of.”
From the interior of Africa to the utmost parts of the earth,
the sick and the heavenly homesick or hungry hearts are
30 calling on me for help, and I am helping them. You have
less need of me than have they, and you must not expect
Page 148
1 me further to do your pioneer work in this city. Faithfully
and more than ever persistently, you are now, through
3 the providence of God, called to do your part wisely and
to let your faith be known by your works. All that we
ask of any people is to judge our doctrine by its fruits.
6 May the good folk of Concord have this opportunity,
and may the God of all grace, truth, and love be and abide
with you henceforth.
ADDRESS TO THE CONCORD CHURCH, FEBRUARY, 1899
My Beloved Brethren: — In the annals of our denomina-
tion this church becomes historic, having completed
12 its organization February 22 — Washington’s birthday.
Memorable date, all unthought of till the day had passed!
Then we beheld the omen, — religious liberty, — the
15 Father of the universe and the father of our nation in
concurrence.
To-day, with the large membership of seventy-four com-
18 municants, you have met to praise God. I, as usual at
home and alone, am with you in spirit, joining in your
rejoicing, and my heart is asking: What are the angels say-
21 ing or singing of this dear little flock, and what is each
heart in this house repeating, and what is being recorded
of this meeting as with the pen of an angel?
24 Bear in mind always that Christianity is not alone a
gift, but that it is a growth Christward; it is not a creed
or dogma, — a philosophical phantasm, — nor the opinions
27 of a sect struggling to gain power over contending sects
and scourging the sect in advance of it. Christianity is
the summons of divine Love for man to be Christlike —
30 to emulate the words and the works of our great Master.
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1 To attain to these works, men must know somewhat of
the divine Principle of Jesus’ life-work, and must prove
3 their knowledge by doing as he bade: “Go, and do thou
likewise.”
We know Principle only through Science. The Prin-
6 ciple of Christ is divine Love, resistless Life and Truth.
Then the Science of the Principle must be Christlike,
or Christian Science. More than regal is the majesty
9 of the meekness of the Christ-principle; and its might is
the ever-flowing tides of truth that sweep the universe,
create and govern it; and its radiant stores of knowl-
12 edge are the mysteries of exhaustless being. Seek ye
these till you make their treasures yours.
When a young man vainly boasted, “I am wise, for I
15 have conversed with many wise men,” Epictetus made
answer, “And I with many rich men, but I am not rich.”
The richest blessings are obtained by labor. A vessel
18 full must be emptied before it can be refilled. Lawyers
may know too much of human law to have a clear per-
ception of divine justice, and divines be too deeply read
21 in scholastic theology to appreciate or to demonstrate
Christian charity. Losing the comprehensive in the
technical, the Principle in its accessories, cause in effect,
24 and faith in sight, we lose the Science of Christianity, —
a predicament quite like that of the man who could not
see London for its houses.
27 Clouds parsimonious of rain, that swing in the sky with
dumb thunderbolts, are seen and forgotten in the same
hour; while those with a mighty rush, which waken the
30 stagnant waters and solicit every root and every leaf with
the treasures of rain, ask no praising. Remember, thou
canst be brought into no condition, be it ever so severe,
Page 150
1 where Love has not been before thee and where its tender
lesson is not awaiting thee. Therefore despair not nor
3 murmur, for that which seeketh to save, to heal, and to
deliver, will guide thee, if thou seekest this guidance.
Pliny gives the following description of the character of
6 true greatness: “Doing what deserves to be written, and
writing what deserves to be read; and rendering the world
happier and better for having lived in it.” Strive thou
9 for the joy and crown of such a pilgrimage — the service
of such a mission.
A heart touched and hallowed by one chord of Christian
12 Science, can accomplish the full scale; but this heart must
be honest and in earnest and never weary of struggling to
be perfect — to reflect the divine Life, Truth, and Love.
15 Stand by the limpid lake, sleeping amid willowy banks
dyed with emerald. See therein the mirrored sky and the
moon ablaze with her mild glory. This will stir your
18 heart. Then, in speechless prayer, ask God to enable you
to reflect God, to become His own image and likeness,
even the calm, clear, radiant reflection of Christ’s glory,
21 healing the sick, bringing the sinner to repentance, and
raising the spiritually dead in trespasses and sins to life
in God. Jesus said: “If ye abide in me, and my words
24 abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you.”
Beloved in Christ, what our Master said unto his
27 disciples, when he sent them forth to heal the sick and
preach the gospel, I say unto you: “Be ye therefore wise
as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Then, if the wis-
30 dom you manifest causes Christendom or the disclaimer
against God to call this “a subtle fraud,” “let your peace
return to you.”
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1 I am patient with the newspaper wares and the
present schoolboy epithets and attacks of a portion of
3 Christendom:
(1) Because I sympathize with their ignorance of
Christian Science:
6 (2) Because I know that no Christian can or does
understand this Science and not love it:
(3) Because these attacks afford opportunity for ex-
9 plaining Christian Science:
(4) Because it is written: “The wrath of man shall
praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.”
12 Rest assured that the injustice done by press and pulpit
to this denomination of Christians will cease, when it no
longer blesses this denomination. “This I know; for God
15 is for me” (Psalms). And in the words of St. Paul, “If
God be for us, who can be against us?”
“Pass ye the proud fane by,
18 The vaulted aisles by flaunting folly trod,
And ‘neath the temple of uplifted sky —
Go forth, and worship God.”
MESSAGE, APRIL 19, 1899
SUBJECT: “NOT MATTER, BUT SPIRIT”
My Beloved Brethren: — We learn from the Scrip-
24 tures that the Baalites or sun-worshippers failed to
look “through nature up to nature’s God,” thus missing
the discovery of all cause and effect. They were content
27 to look no higher than the symbol. This departure from
Spirit, this worshipping of matter in the name of nature,
was idolatry then and is idolatry now. When human
30 thought discerned its idolatrous tendencies, it took a step
Page 152
1 higher; but it immediately turned to another form of
idolatry, and, worshipping person instead of Principle,
3 anchored its faith in troubled waters. At that period,
the touch of Jesus’ robe and the handkerchief of St.
Paul were supposed to heal the sick, and our Master
6 declared, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” The
medicine-man, far lower in the scale of thought, said,
“My material tonic has strengthened you.” By reposing
9 faith in man and in matter, the human race has not
yet reached the understanding of God, the conception
of Spirit and its all-power.
12 The restoration of pure Christianity rests solely on
spiritual understanding, spiritual worship, spiritual power.
Ask thyself, Do I enter by the door and worship only
15 Spirit and spiritually, or do I climb up some other way?
Do I understand God as Love, the divine Principle of all
that really is, the infinite good, than which there is none
18 else and in whom is all? Unless this be so, the blind is
leading the blind, and both will stumble into doubt and
darkness, even as the ages have shown. To-day, if ye
21 would hear His voice, listen to His Word and serve no
other gods. Then the divine Principle of good, that we
call God, will be found an ever-present help in all things,
24 and Christian Science will be understood. It will also be
seen that this God demands all our faith and love; that
matter, man, or woman can never heal you nor pardon a
27 single sin; while God, the divine Principle of nature and
man, when understood and demonstrated, is found to be
the remote, predisposing, and present cause of all that is
30 rightly done.
I have the sweet satisfaction of sending to you weekly
flowers that my skilful florist has coaxed into loveliness
Page 153
1 despite our winter snows. Also I hear that the loving
hearts and hands of the Christian Scientists in Concord
3 send these floral offerings in my name to the sick and
suffering. Now, if these kind hearts will only do this in
Christ’s name, the power of Truth and Love will fulfil the
6 law in righteousness. The healing and the gospel ministry
of my students in Concord have come to fulfil the whole
law. Unto “the angel of the church in Philadelphia,”
9 the church of brotherly love, “these things saith He
that is holy.”
To-day our great Master would say to the aged gentle-
12 man healed from the day my flowers visited his bedside:
Thy faith hath healed thee. The flowers were imbued
and associated with no intrinsic healing qualities from my
15 poor personality. The scientific, healing faith is a saving
faith; it keeps steadfastly the great and first command-
ment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” — no
18 other than the spiritual help of divine Love. Faith in
aught else misguides the understanding, ignores the power
of God, and, in the words of St. Paul, appeals to an un-
21 known power “whom therefore ye ignorantly worship.”
This trembling and blind faith, in the past as in the present,
seeks personality for support, unmindful of the divine law
24 of Love, which can be understood, the Principle of which
works intelligently as the divine Mind, not as matter,
casting out evil and healing the sick.
27 Christian Science healing is “the Spirit and the bride,”
— the Word and the wedding of this Word to all human
thought and action, — that says: Come, and I will give
30 thee rest, peace, health, holiness. The sweet flowers
should be to us His apostles, pointing away from matter
and man up to the one source, divine Life and Love, in
Page 154
1 whom is all salvation from sin, disease, and death. The
Science of all healing is based on Mind—the power of
3 Truth over error. It is not the person who gives the
drug nor the drug itself that heals, but it is the law of
Life understood by the practitioner as transcending the
6 law of death.
I shall scarcely venture to send flowers to this little hall
if they can be made to infringe the divine law of Love
9 even in thought. Send flowers and all things fair and
comforting to the dear sick, but remember it is not he
who gives the flowers that confers the blessing, but
12 “my Spirit, saith the Lord;” for “in Him was life,” and
that life “was the light of men.”
FIRST ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 11, 1900
15 My Beloved Brethren: — At this, your first annual
meeting, permit me to congratulate this little church in
our city, weaving the new-old vesture in which to appear
18 and to clothe the human race. Carlyle wrote: “Wouldst
thou plant for eternity, then plant into the deep infinite
faculties of man. ” ” If the poor . . . toil that we have food,
21 must not the high and glorious toil for him in return, that
he have light, . . . freedom, immortality?” I agree with
him; and in our era of the world I welcome the means and
24 methods, light and truth, emanating from the pulpit and
press. Altogether it makes the church militant, embodied
in a visible communion, the foreshadowing of the church
27 triumphant. Communing heart with heart, mind with
mind, soul with soul, wherein and whereby we are looking
heavenward, is not looking nor gravitating earthward,
30 take it in whatever sense you may. Such communing
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1 uplifts man’s being; it makes healing the sick and reform-
ing the sinner a mutual aid society, which is effective here
3 and now.
May this dear little church, nestled so near my heart
and native hills, be steadfast in Christ, always abounding
6 in love and good works, having unfaltering faith in the
prophecies, promises, and proofs of Holy Writ. May this
church have one God, one Christ, and that one the God and
9 Saviour whom the Scriptures declare. May it catch the
early trumpet-call, take step with the twentieth century,
leave behind those things that are behind, lay down the
12 low laurels of vainglory, and, pressing forward in the on-
ward march of Truth, run in joy, health, holiness, the
race set before it, till, home at last, it finds the full fru-
15 ition of its faith, hope, and prayer.
EASTER MESSAGE, 1902
Beloved Brethren: — May this glad Easter morn find
18 the members of this dear church having a pure peace, a
fresh joy, a clear vision of heaven here, — heaven within
us, — and an awakened sense of the risen Christ. May
21 long lines of light span the horizon of their hope and
brighten their faith with a dawn that knows no twilight
and no night. May those who discourse music to-day,
24 sing as the angels heaven’s symphonies that come to
earth.
May the dear Sunday School children always be gather-
27 ing Easter lilies of love with happy hearts and ripening
goodness. To-day may they find some sweet scents and
beautiful blossoms in their Leader’s love, which she sends
30 to them this glad morn in the flowers and the cross from
Pleasant View, smiling upon them.
Page 156
ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 6, 1905
Beloved Brethren: — You will accept my gratitude for
3 your dear letter, and allow me to reply in words of the
Scripture: “I know whom I have believed, and am per-
suaded that He is able” — “able to do exceeding abun-
6 dantly above all that we ask or think,” “able to make
all grace abound toward you; that ye, always hav-
ing all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every
9 good work,” “able to keep that which I have com-
mitted unto Him against that day.”
When Jesus directed his disciples to prepare for the
12 material passover, which spiritually speaking is the pass-
over from sense to Soul, he bade them say to the good-
man of the house: “The Master saith unto thee, Where
15 is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover will
my disciples? and he shall show you a large upper room
furnished: there make ready.”
18 In obedience to this command may these communicants
come with the upper chambers of thought prepared for the
reception of Truth — with hope, faith, and love ready to
21 partake of the bread that cometh down from heaven, and
to “drink of his blood” — to receive into their affections
and lives the inspiration which giveth victory over sin,
24 disease, and death.
