The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

been gradually growing in this
city in the last few years until
1lLGl>Ss now there are two organized
- churches and each at its regular
service has an aggregate attendance of
over three hundred persons. Those inter
ested in the study of this science are among
the best and most intellectual people of
the city, and whenever one is found who
has become a Christian Scientist he is
always very enthusiastic over the subject
and enters into it with an energy and inter-
est which shows that it is subject in
which one can become completely en-
crossed.
While Christian Science is a deep study.
it is also a very interesting one from the
fact that it is metaphysical and is rea-
soned out very much like the propositions
in higher mathematics. 1t is for this rea-
son that most of the people who are inter
ested in the science are of an intellectual
turn of mind, for much study is necessarily
connected with the subject before anyone
can begin to master the first principles
of it,
In Indianapolis there are two Christian
Science Churches and they are known as
the First and Second Church of Christian
the Propylaeum and the latter at the
Shortridge High School building. AS yet
the Christian Scientists have not been able
to build a church in this city, although
the project is often spoken of, for in many
of the cities. throughout the United States
the congregations have large churches of
their own.
There are in this country 600 organized
churches belonging to the scientists besides
800 societies which meet in the smaller
towns, making in all 500 congregations that
each Sunday hear Christian Science ser
mons. Some of these churches are large
and their congregations equal in number
proportionately those of the other churches
in the city.
Boston is the center of the Christian Sci
entlsts all ever the world, for it is there
that Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, the founder
and organizer of Christian Science, resides.
Also the mother church Of the Scientists
is located there. This is large stone edi-
fee with a seating capacity of 100. 1t
was built ir 1894 by Mrs. Eddy's students
and adherentS, and is located at the corner
of Norway and Falmouth streets, in the
fashionable Back Bay district of Boston.
The church. cost over 100000. Mrs. Eddy
herself donated the ground on which the
building stands, which was valued at
$40 900.
In the year 1896 she was made pastor
emeritus of this church, and the board of
directors, on behalf of the church. presented
the superb structure to her, but she CRATE
fully declined the gift. At the present time
large addition is being built to the church,
which will greatly enlarge the seating ca
pacity, as the size is now entirely made
quate to accommodate those who wish to
visit and attend the services.
HAVE NO MINISTER'S.
In the churches OF the Christian Scientists
there are nc ministers to conduct the serv-
ices, but instead each church which belongs
to this denomination has two readers that
are respectively known as the first and Sec
ond reader, and they are generally a man
and a woman. One of these readers has no
| more authority than the other. for there is
practically no head to the individual
churches, and the church at Boston, which
| is known as the mother church, controls all
the others.
prepare, for these are all arranged at Bos-
| ton by Mrs. Eddy and her assistants. They
are made UP in printed form similar to a
magazine, and are issued every three
months. The dates which these various
| sermons arr to be read are printed above
| them, so that the same sermons. are being
delivered i'm all of the churches of the Chris
| tan Scientists, which are located in almost
all parts of the world at the same time.
The readers are elected to serve for three
years, and besides reading the prepared
sermons, lessons from the Bible and from
| the textbook, which is known as Science
and HEALTH with Key to the Scripture -
are also read. The difference in the duties
| of the two readers is that the first reader
conducts the services a minister would
| and reads from the book of Science and
| Health" while the second reader confines
himself to Teading from the Bible.
| The readers who conduct the services in
| this city are: At the First Church the first
reader is Miss Carrie Greathouse and
| the second reader is r. Stanhope
| yesterday, while at the Second Church
| they are both women, the first reader
| being Miss Jeanette Quick and the