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

| thhiSII1N StiENtE.
The religion OF Christian Science
which offers relief and strength to tn
body harmoniously with soul develop
ment is attracting. widespread attention
by reason OF the amazing growth IL Is en-
joying.
.:As illustrating this The News prints OIL
another page sketch of the church edi
flee dedicated in Chicago last Sunday
with brief description OF the services.
The church building is one of the most
pretentious, houses of worship in the
country, and the dedicatory services were
highly impressive. They were attended
by tremendous throngs, the devotion of
the Scientists TO their faith being dem.
onstrated in the pilgrimage of large num-
gers from all over the country to attend
the exercises.
Indeed, the earnestness and loyalty of
the Christian Scientist are among the
chief characteristics that distinguish
those who hold that faith. Like the
mother church in Boston, the temple in
Chicago, which cost more than one hun.
dred thousand dollars, was paid for before
the doors were open, the funds being con-
tributed without any fuss. Indeed, any
thing in the nature Of sensationalism
seems to lie missing from every move
that this wonderfully growing denomi-
nation makes. Its members are amazingly
in earnest but they seem to ever scrupu-
lously avoid all ordinary measures of pro-
selytipg except thu desire to learn their
word and work first springs from the in-
dividunl-in this respect suggesting the
traditional attitude of free masonry to-
ward the rest OF the world. For instance,
whom, last summer, The News undertook
TO prepare an article to tell its readers
about the Christian Science church OF
Providence. 1t found curious reluctance
TO accept such friendly offer of publicity.
the local Scientists appearing to feel
that tho motive of the article would
be misunderstood as being n species of
self advertising which is plainly abhor-
ent TO the Christian Science faith.
And, by the way, 1t is worth remarking
that in Providence stands the second
church built expressly as temple to
Christian Science. Boston's mother
church is the first aud Chioago's splendid
edifce the third. Large congregations of
Scientists in all parts of the country meet
today in halls of in churches bought from
other denominations and rebuilt But wa
believe that Providence claims the second
to be expressly erected to the faith
Referring TO the Chicago dedication, the
Chicago Inter.O Ocean observes with truth
ut is for the observer and philosopher TO
inquire why an obscure company Of worship
pers, which very few years ago could not
hll Kimball hail. are now dedicating beau
tiful church. which, though II cost more than
100000, was entirely paid for before its doors
were open TO worshippers. Certainly the
crowds wore not there because any great
proarher5 or fuudurs wurC 10 he present and
thrill them with eloquence or teach them new
doctrines for there was no preaching. There
was an epistle from Mrs. Eddy, whom they
call the mother Of the church; there were
two or three other papers read, and this,
with prayer, music and the reading of the
Bible and Mrs Eddy's book, constituted the
services. It must be that something more
than all this brought together such lar1e,
eager and happy throng. The answer was To
be seen in their countenances and the touch
ing words that passed from lip to lip. They
felt they had found something that had been
hidden away from the world-an idea, n
great thought-that was to conquer and bring
about the reign Of Righteousness.