The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-11
10000 AT
DEDICATION
Ihrong Witnesses Opening of
New Science Church
in BOSTON YESTERDAY
100000 Building Dedicated Free from
Debt Many Delegates from
Far Lands Were in At
tendance.

Boston, June Yesterday wit
messed the formal dedication Of the
magnificent new Mother Church 81
I Christian Scientist at the corner Of Fal-
| mouth and Norway streets, for which
i Scientists gathered from many parts Of
the world in thousands. Boston seemed
70 be fun Of visitors. Huntington
avenue was packed with them during
TIE entire day, and wherever one turned,
there would be group Of Scientists
from the West, from the eastern states,
4 from Canada or far,distant countries.
4 II was estimated that well over 10000
Scientists were ID Boston for the dedi-
cation and the convention, which will
begin tomorrow
| And triumph Of financing, the nfw
church starts without any debt. Ii cost
4 s2,o00,n0o, and the amount was over
Subscribed
Il MIR. Stephen A. Chase Of Boston, the
treasurer of the building fund Of the
4 Mother Church, the First Church III
Christ Scientist, iii Boston. has notified
all would be contributors that no more
Il contributions will be received Nothing
was asSel for from outside churches Of
the faith. and whatever came from them
came voluntarily and 1t came 10 the
Eextent of hundreds of thousands Of dol.
\ lars
~Ahen yoii consider that there are
nearly 100000 81 the faith on the con.
tinent that they have saved in year
Iin dollars probably four times the
amount Of their numbers BY describing
the use Of medicines, you will not won
der at the generosity OF outside members
of the Christian Science faith This was
not, of course, the reason for their CON
ltrihutions, but II was gratitude for the
health restored and the perfect poise Of
mind which Christian Science lends. that
prompted some Of the contributions
Such was the statement of a visitor
from Portland, Ore
4 The Scientist temple is one of the
largest in the world st. Patrick's, the
great Roman Catholic cathedral in New
York, has d seating capacity OF $500,
but over 5000 will be accommodated in
the new church. Its style Of architec-
tiire Il Italian Renaissance The pews
and other interior woodwork finishings
are of mahogany, The walls are Com
cord granite and Bedford stone. with
beautiful decorative carvings The in-
side finish is soft gray to harmonize
with the Bedford stone columns sup.
porting the dome. More than twice as
large as the dome OF the state house. the
groined dome of the Christian Science
cathedral rises 224 feet above the side
walk and has q diameter of So feet
There are III chime bells in the tower,
the heaviest of which weighs 1000
pounds. The first floor is given over to
directors and other committee rooms.
reception room and an oval room for
I Sunday school The great auditorium,
II which IS on the second floor, has two
] tiers OF galleries on one side and three
on the other The domed ceiling is sup.
ported BY arches that spring from stone
pillars and the walls are decorated with
lcaryed and colored marbles representing
scenes from the Bible.
The dedicatory exercises Of the church
yesterday were Of six services at $50
a. IN, 10 a. M, 1870 p. m, p. M. $50
d. IN. and s D. IN. message from
Mother Eddy was read ut each of the
six services "A feature Of the conyen.
ton week will be the experience and
testimony meetings in the new church
Formerly the testimony meetings OF the
annual conventions have been held in
Mechanics building, and even that hall
was overtaxed This wear large meet
ing will be held IN the auditorium Of the
church and eight others in various
places, the Sunday school room, the old
lchurch. Jordan hail. Horticultural hall,
Chiekering hai, and Howe. Woolson,
Potter halls at III Huntington avenue
Remarkable Growth.
The Original Mother Church. which
adioins the new building seats about
1900, and yet three Sunday services are
required 10 accommodate the attendance.
II II said that when this edifice was
planned some 81 the members were dis
turbed on account OF It's size. They
thought that the provision OF SO large an
auditorium was entirely mealled for,
tie attendance at that time being only
about $50
The first Church organization Of
Christian Scientists was formed IN Bos.
ton in 1879 with twenty-six members
SO slow was the growth Of The move.
ment AZ first that in 1855, ten years
| later, there were only eleven churches
From that time, however, the growth
was more rapid In 1899, there were
30f churches At tie present time,
1906, there are 65s churches and 275
societies not yet organized as churches,
making 932 Societies holding church
; services In 1889 there were only $50
, members IN the entire connection. IN
1894 the total membership was $3.50.
!. Five years later il had reached 1874.
: These figures show that the principle
growth has taken place during the past
seven years. The membership at the
present time is about 10000, but that
there are mutitudes interested in the
movement outside of the actual church
. membership is evidenced by the large
. attendance Al the Christian services and
! tie fact that nearly 100000 copies Of
the Christian Science textbook are az
present ID circulation.