St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-06-15
First Church of Christ, Scientist.

The Boston Journal gives the follow
ing account Of service held at Boston
June S, 1898:
-Four thousand people Sunday ATTENDED
the communion services at the frs
Church of Christ, Scientist, and 1885,
persons were received into membership
being the applications since the beginnin.
OF the year 1898.
There were two services in the prett,
church building at the corner of Fal
mouth and Norway streets, the after
noon service being a repetition OF tn,
morning service. They were at 1876
and 8. The church has a seating ca pacity
OF about 1900, but at least 500 people
unable to secure seats stood at each ser.
vice in the aisles, at the sides of the read
ing desks, and in the side entrances, ex.
tending out into the street. Many sat
on the stairways outside the audience
room, and caught what they could oil
the service from those points. The after.
noon service was even more crowded
than the morning.
There were many visiting Scientists
from all parts of the country, notably
from New York city, Brooklyn Philadei-
phia, Chicago, Washington, Indianapo.
lis, Buffalo, st. Louis, St. Paul, Mime.
apolis, Toronto, Kansas City and
Montreal, nearly every state in the Union
being represented. One lady was present
from Florence, Italy. Christian Scien.
lists who were regular attendants had
been requested to remain away from the
morning service SO that visiting Scientists
might be seated, and did so.
The church was beautifully decorated
with flowers for the occasion. The raised
space about the reading desks was large.
~ filled with palms, hyderangeas, and in
the center in front were two large pots
flled with pinks. The four staircases
leading to the audience chamber were
very prettily trimmed with laurel plants
and palms. Altogether the effect was
fine.
The service consisted of Bible readings
by the first reader, Judge S. ]. Hanna, a
lesson specially prepared for communion
Sunday, from the first IL verses OF the
18th chapter OF St. John, and selected
readings by the second reader. Mrs.
Gragg, from the text book of Christian
scientists, Science and Health" in
tended to interpret spiritually those
verses.
Following the lesson Miss S. Marcia
Craft sang communion hymn, written
by Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, founder of
the denomination, and set to music by
William l.. Johnson. 1t was beautifully
rendered, although very difficult ar
rangement.
The chief interest at these communion
services, which are held semi-annually.
among the members of the church, is to
know whether their mother" as they
call her, Mrs. Eddy, is to be with them,
and failing that, if she is to write them a
message. This time it was message.
and it was read by Judge Hanna, the
first reader, in the midst of absolute
silence.
AT the close of this letter the great
audience knelt and the communion ser.
vice was held, The material emblems of
the bread and wine are not used in this
service, but the communion is spiritual,
not material.
The silent prayer near the beginning of
the service, in which. the entire congrepa.
ton joins, is one of the interesting feat.
!ures OF the Scientist worship, and very
impressive.
1t was announced by Judge Hanna
before the close of the service that the
number of new members taken into the
church at this. communion was about
1850, making the entire present mem,
bersmp OF the church about II, 800. The
wonderful growth of the church as.
tonishes even its leaders and friends.