Montreal Herald

Page 67

1          [Montreal Daily Herald, Saturday, February 2, 1895]

         [Extract]

3      CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

         SKETCH OF ITS ORIGIN AND GROWTH — THE MONTREAL BRANCH

         “If you would found a new faith, go to Boston,” has

6      been said by a great American writer. This is no idle

         word, but a fact borne out by circumstances. Boston can

         fairly claim to be the hub of the logical universe, and an

9      accurate census of the religious faiths which are to be

         found there to-day would probably show a greater number

         of them than even Max O’Rell’s famous enumeration of

12    John Bull’s creeds.

         Christian Science, or the Principle of divine healing,

         is one of those movements which seek to give expression

15    to a higher spirituality. Founded twenty-five years ago,

         it was still practically unknown a decade since, but to-day

         it numbers over a quarter of a million of believers, the

18    majority of whom are in the United States, and is rapidly

         growing. In Canada, also, there is a large number of

         members. Toronto and Montreal have strong churches,

21    comparatively, while in many towns and villages single

         believers or little knots of them are to be found.

         It was exactly one hundred years from the date of the

24    Declaration of Independence, when on July 4, 1876, the

         first Christian Scientist Association was organized by

         seven persons, of whom the foremost was Mrs. Eddy.

27    The church was founded in April, 1879, with twenty-six

         members, and a charter was obtained two months later.

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1      Mrs. Eddy assumed the pastorship of the church during

         its early years, and in 1881 was ordained, being now known

3      as the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy.

         The Massachusetts Metaphysical College was founded

         by Mrs. Eddy in 1881, and here she taught the principles

6      of the faith for nine years. Students came to it in hun-

         dreds from all parts of the world, and many are now pastors

         or in practice. The college was closed in 1889, as Mrs.

9      Eddy felt it necessary for the interests of her religious work

         to retire from active contact with the world. She now

         lives in a beautiful country residence in her native State.