Lift the heart

What a lot of good things we find written by Mary Baker Eddy to the congregation meeting at Christian Science Hall Concord.  Miscellany 149:31 to 25 is especially dear to me.  My. 150:11-25 has always been part of my prayerful preparation immediately before going to the desk as First Reader.  The beautiful full moon at this Easter time gives a small idea of the beauty of Soul as it shines on the lake as we look to the east in the early evening.  It certainly “stirs the heart.”

I have been doing some research into Christian Science Hall at Concord New Hampshire.  Mrs. Eddy purchased the property and oversaw all the remodelling.  It served the Christian Scientists in Concord from 1897 to 1903.  Here are a couple of Christian Science Sentinel notices which I find interesting:

http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1903/4/5-34

Easter at Christian Science Hall, Concord, N. H.

From the April 25, 1903 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

Concord (N. H.) Monitor

Services appropriate to the day were held yesterday by First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Christian Science Hall. The attendance was large and the floral decorations beautiful. From Pleasant View, through the kindness of the Reverend Mary Baker Eddy, came a very large and handsome scarlet azalea, around which were grouped Easter lilies, cut flowers, ferns, and palms.

The subject of the sermon was "Doctrine of Atonement," and the Golden Text: "All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation."

The musical programme was beautifully rendered and consisted of Easter carols of the sixteenth century, "Angels Roll the Rock Away," and singing by the congregation.

http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1903/6/5-41

The Final Meeting

From the June 13, 1903 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

Concord Evening Monitor

Concord (N. H.) Monitor.

The final meeting in Christian Science Hall last night [June 3] was full of interest. A large number were in attendance not only from Concord but visitors were present from Littleton, Lancaster, Boston, and elsewhere.

The deep sense of appreciation, manifest by reason of the active preparations for the handsome new church presented by Mrs. Eddy, was accompanied by a natural regret at the thought of parting from a place so dear to all.

It was in the fall of 1897 that Mrs. Eddy purchased, and after remodelling presented, Christian Science Hall to the Concord Church. Here she preached March 4, 1898, and in November of the same year she taught a class of seventy. At various other times she has addressed her students here.

For more than five years, therefore, his beautiful hall has not only been the church home of the local congregation, but here have been the reading rooms and the headquarters of Scientists from this and all lands.

The announcement of the manifestations of fraternal good will from sister churches in Concord brought forth many expressions of gratitude. St. Paul's Episcopal Church expressed their willingness to have their Memorial Hall used as a temporary place of worship. The Unitarian Church has extended the privileges of their beautiful edifice so long as it shall be needed. This permission has been accepted, and until further notice the services of First Church of Christ, Scientist, will be held on Sunday at three o'clock and on Wednesday evening at half past seven in the Unitarian Church.—Concord Evening Monitor.

Mrs. Eddy then gifted a fine granite building to the Concord congregation and community.

It is also of interest that the Christian Scientists of Oconto, Wisconsin, built the first dedicated Christian Science church in 1889.

Joyce Voysey