The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-23

pronounced results are In the cure OF
organic diseases, and that scores Of pnysi-
clans Of botn schools, trained nurses ana
medical students put themselves under
their care with successful results. Chris
tian Science in its method and practice
wholly differs from what Is known as
prayer and faith cure. suggested thera-
peutics, mind cure, hypnotism, and
animal magnetism. The radical depart
ure 10 makes is in its deductions rs to
causation. It teaches that all causation
is mental, i'm the conscious or unconscious
thought, and that in the realm OF men,
taIity must be fought the battles OF the
future for health, holiness. and harmony
for the race. 1t recognizes and appre-
ciates the Humanitarian effort and labor
Of all true-hearted physicians and sur
geoDs. but at all times elevates the Divine
method of healing established by the
Founder of tho Christian Religion, and. /
as rule. Is not sought unil all the means
known to medical skill have failed.
The work of Christian Scientists
throughout the land can be well likened
to single hospital in one of our great
cities that has been forced TO receive all
the incurable cases, all the instances that
had proven failures in the other hospitals
of that city; yet "a large proportion of the
people have demanded that the average of
successful healing should be as high, II
not higher, than the average of all other
healing methods combined. When it is
rememh hered that few people ever seek
aid from Christian Science until after the
best curative skill of Europe and America
has failed, it must DO frankly admitted
that the percentage of successful healing
is extraordinarily large. when it is stated
on good authority that the average re-
suit in such cases Is in the neighborhood
OF 75 per cent. and this percentage is
being daily increased through greater
mastery and understanding of the thera-
peutical possibilities OF the system.
The religious growth of the movement
and Of its church. donominationally
known as Church Of Christ, Scientist.
during the past year. has been marked in
all parts of our land, in Canada, and in
foreign lands. Today tho body reports 1913
chartered churches, representing an
average growth of nearly five new So
cieties for each month in the year. Be-
sides these chartered churches there are
l4S regularly established Sunday services,
from which nearly every month some
churches are chartered. There are 50 pub
lie Christian Science Reading Rooms.
situated mostly in the larger cities of
the country.
In 1895 there was finished and dedicated
in the city of Boston, Mass, the Mother
Church of the denomination. known as
Tho First Church of Christ. Scientist"
The ediice is one Of the most beautiful
in New England. and cost over $500, OO0
1t was erected by the Christian Scientists
of the world as testimonial of loving
gratitude to the Discoverer and Founder,
the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy. Its local
Dership is now nearly 1900, and its
general mem bership about 1000 The
wr&I, enrolled demon national church
mem bership is conservatively put ut
80, 600, while the actual numb of
avowcd adherents and church attendants
is much larger, icing not less than 200, 600
in the Unitsd States and Canada. The
increase in church attendance during the
last year has been about 200 ger cont.
The active ministry of the body composed
of official church Readers, missionaries,
and healers. who devote their whole
time to tho healing of the sick through
the established methods of Christian
Science. is over 5000. and is being rapidly
increased by the acquisition of many train
ed nurses. surgeons am physicians of high
standing from both schools of materia
medica, as we'll as many consecrated men
and women from the walks of mercan-
tile, social. religious, and literary life.
During 1896 five fine church edifices wers
either erected or purchased in the cities
Of New York, st. Louis, Providence Il.
J., Lawrence, Mass, and Brghampton,
n. y. At the present time some 80
American cities have Christian Science
church buildings in course of erection,
among them being Chicago. Brooklyn,
Troy. Kansas City, Cleveland and
Toronto. Canada. New York State is one
of the strongholds of the body. there being
some "a churches in the state. The m O.
tropolis has four established churches
known and situated as follows: First
Church of Christ, Scientist, li3 to li7
West Fort eighth street. The tine edi-
flee of this Suciety was opsued to the pub
lio on Sept. "a, 1896, and has seating
capacity of 1900. Now York Second
Church of Christ, Scientist, worships in
the church edillce known as Scottish Rite
hall. Madison avenue and Twenty y-ninth
street. Metropolitan Third Church of
Christ, Scientist, worships in Ellerslie
hall. So West l26th street, near Lenox
avenue. The West Side Church nf