The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-20

An event. remarkable i'm many ways,
dedication on Sunday last Of the First
Church of Christ. Scientist, Of Chicago.
The formal opening of such an ediilce
rs the superb and classic temple at the
corner OF Drexel boulevard aud Fortleth
street in the Garden City would in itself
have been worthy OF especial note, but
there were blended with this feature
Others Of vastly greater Importance. For
the initial service in this the first notable
permanent place OF worship erected by
the Christian Scientists of the West, was
the occasion of an outpouring OF people,
and "a display OF fervor, which stamped the
occasion with real Significance.
To those unacquRinted with the recert
rapid spread of Christian Science ideas and
the wide public recognition won by Mary
Baker q. Eddy, "the revoaler OF the
motherhood of God, as u religious
teacher, the demonstration must have
been great SURPRISE Fully 5000 people
took part in the services of the day, and
from the unmistakable signs OF interest
anu feeling manifested no one could doubt
that large majority of those present
were firmly fixed in the belief that In
Christian Scence they had found "a
higher and mcrs practicat Christianity.
capable OF meetln9- all the wants OF
humanity in sickness and i'm health. "
The Chicago lnter-Ocean reports eX-
baustively the dedicatory ssrvicrs. From
that report The News makes the following
sketch n Of wide contemporaneous in
terest TO its readers:
striking ana almost unprecedented
feature of the day, and one which proved
beyond cavil the general and vital in
terest aroused by the event, was the pres
once At the ceremonies of fully sU0U
Christian Scientists from other cities nnd
states, brougi { hit her by their enttusi-
asm and their desire to participate in
what TO them marked the dawn Cf new
religious epoch. These visitors were from
all parts of the country, nearly every
state being represented. although the
gathering did not In any way pnrtake
Of tie nature OF u convention. Boston, tie
seat of the mother church, and the home
of MrS. Eddy, was especially well
represented.
In order 10 accommodate the large
number Of people who were expected 20 DO
present almost the entire day aud evening
were occupied with services, four in NAM
ber. These were held ut 9:l5 ard II as
O'Clock in the morning. 3 o clock In tha
afternoon, and 1880 o'clock i'm the even
ing, the exercises being practically
identical.
On each OF these occasions every one of
dreds Of persons stood against the walls
and filed the entrances.
In spite of the inclemept weather, many
persons unable To gain admission ut ono
service, waited outside until the time set
for the next. At II o'clock three quarters
of an hour before the beginning of the
second morning service, fully 900 people
Were in waiting on tho church steps, ana
the sidewalk in front while scores OF car-
risges filled Drexel boulevard. the first
service ended promptly at II :45 O'Clock
and within ten minutes the large audi-
ence had died out and every scot TAD
been taken by other rcopls who hai
been IN waiting. As one audience left
the church by the side entrances an0taer
surgcd in from tho front like great
wave and filed the spacious auditorium
almost as If by magic. A. ono Oil 2eatle-
man, O. identity vlsitCr, was heard 90
observe, the crowd was "almost like {. G
Worlds Fair.
The exercises were impressiveiy sim
pls. In addition to exceptionally line
music by soloists aud quartet. ttty
comprised readings from the scriptures by
mir. Edward A. Kim bnll. the first render
of the congregation, and extracts frCm
"Sciencs and Health, the text book Cf
Christian Science, by Mrs Eddy, the
reader being Mrs. Ruth Is. Ewing.
Ihs special feature of each service was
however. an address from Mrs. Eddy, the
founder of the denomination, which was
read by Mr.. kimbalI. The stir of antici-
patton and the atmosphere of eager expec.
fancy which were invariably % prelude to
the reading Of drs. Eddy's striking mes
sage served To show clearly the hold
which she has upon her converts.