Q1. When the articles (which later became the book Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896) were first written, what else was happening in the Christian Science movement?

A. I have just spent a lovely hour or so visiting the Mary Baker Eddy Library’s web site and particularly, looking at the very helpful Timeline they have assembled.  See http://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/mary-baker-eddy/timeline.

 So let me share some relevant information to assist us as Book Club readers:

 In 1883, Mary Baker Eddy was sixty-two years old; seventeen years had elapsed since her unexpected recovery from a predicted fatal fall on the ice; eight years had passed since the publication of her major work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (S&H); and four years had passed since she had formed a church.  Two years previously, she had founded the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, and a year earlier, her husband Asa Gilbert Eddy had passed on.

Her pen must never have been idle!  She worked!!

In 1880, she wrote “Christian Healing”.  In 1883 she started the Journal of Christian Science (later called The Christian Science Journal) and published “The People’s God” (later renamed “The People’s Idea of God”).

“Defense of Christian Science” (later called “No and Yes”) was published in 1885, and in 1887 she published “Rudiments and Rules of Divine Science” (later “Rudimental Divine Science”) and moved to 385 Commonwealth Ave, Boston.  Two years later she moved to New Hampshire, and closed the Mass. Met. College so that she could revise S&H.

In 1888 the first Reading Room was established and her book “Unity of Good and Unreality of Evil” (now called “Unity of Good”) was published.  The “Christian Science Quarterly – Bible Lessons” appeared in 1890, and the 50^th edition of S&H was published in 1891.

 

In 1892, Mary Baker Eddy reorganized her church and moved to Pleasant View in Concord, New Hampshire.  A year later “Christ and Christmas” was published, and in 1894 two great milestones were the completion of the original 1000-seat Mother Church building in Boston and the ordination of the Bible and Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures as the Pastor of The Mother Church.  Two years later, this was extended to include the Branch churches.  In the intervening year, she published “Pulpit and Press” and the “Manual of The Mother Church”.  Can you keep up with this woman!

Mrs. Eddy’s instruction March 1897

Readers will be interested to learn that the March 1897 issue of The Christian Science Journal contained a firm direction.  It reads as follows:

Notice.

The Christian Scientists in the United States and Canada are hereby enjoined not to teach a student Christian Science for one year, commencing on March 4^th, 1897.

“Miscellaneous Writings” is calculated to prepare the minds of all true thinkers to understand the Christian Science Text-book more correctly than a student can.

The Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and my other published works, are the only proper instructors for this hour.  It shall be the duty of all Christian Scientists to circulate and to sell as many of these books as they can.

If a member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, shall fail to obey this injunction, it will render him liable to lose his membership in this Church.

MARY BAKER EDDY

Isn’t it great that in S&H we have a key to the Bible, and in Miscellaneous Writings we have material that will “prepare the minds of all true thinkers to understand” S&H! 

Thought prepared is receptive.  We find that in all walks of life.

Julie Swannell