The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-06-11
W0NDROUS GROWTH
Of CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE
tcontlnued from page ~

effect mental phenomenon" 1t
should be noted that in this statement
Mrs. Eddy capitalizes the word mind
thus making it synonymous with deity
and thus designating the divine Mind
as the only cause or creator. 1t fol-
lows. in her philosophy, that the uni
verse Is in reality spiritual though 1t
does not SO appear to our present i'm
mature apprehension. Christian Sci
ence thus bases its entire mOdus
oDerandi upon the proposition that
God is the only read Mind. In Christi
an Science it is maintained that
through the realization of the supre-
macy of the divine Mind healing is
effected even as light dispels the dark
ness. on the basis that light is real
while darkness is unreal and there
fore cannot remain in its presence.
Thus it is that in Christian Science
healing there is no pretence of human
force. but rather yielding of human
will to the divine.
History declares that from early
childhood Mrs. Eddy had been spirit
ually inclined and that even in her
youthful days she was interested in
deep, religious subjects and philo-
sophie study. One who knew her we'll
in her girlhood has referred to her
gift of expression as very marked, and
that she often conversed with her pas
tor upon subjects which were too deep
for him to follow. Her superior abili-
ty, her breadth and independence of
thought, and her spiritual mindedness,
were all prophetic of that eminence as
teacher, an organizer and leader to
which she has attained, and to those
who have followed the course of
events in the advance of the Christian
Science movement, Mrs. Eddy's far
seeing wisdom, initiative insight and
executive ability have become more
and more impressive.
Remarkable Growth.
The original Mother Church" which
adjoins the new building, seats about
1900, and yet three Sunday services
are required to accommodate the at
tendance. 1t is said that when this
edifice was planned some of the men,
bers were disturbed on account of its
size. They thought that the provision
of so large an auditorium was entirely
uncalled for. the attendance at that
time being only about $50.
AO AioI SuulCA VI 6du1AoIlOu VI
Christian Scientists was formed in
Boston by Mrs. Eddy in 1879 with
twenty-six members. So slow was the
growth of the movement at first that
in 1889, ten years later, there were
only eleven churches. From that time.
however. the growth was more rapid.
In 1889, there were 301 churches. At
the present time, HOG. there are 657
churches and 275 societies not yet Or
ganized as churches. making 932 So
cieties holding church services. In
1889 there were only $50 members in
the entire connection. In 1894 the to-
tai membership was 1886. Five years
later it had reached 1874. These
figures show that the principal growth
has taken place during the past seven
years. The membership at the present
time is about $4,000. but that there are
multitudes interested in the movement
outside of the actual church member
ship is evidenced by the large attend
ance at the Christian Science services
and the fact that nearyl 100000 copies
of the Christian Science textbook are
at present in circulation.