Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-10

ent time, 1906, there are e57 churches and
275 societies not yet organized as churches,
making $50 societies holding church serv-
ices. In 1889 there were only 40 members
| in the entire connection. In 1894 the total
membership was 2536. Five years later II
had reached 1914 These figures show that
the principal growth has taken place dur
| ing the last seven years. The membership
at the present time is about 72.OOO. but that
there are multitudes interested In the move
ment outside Of the actual church mem
bership is evidenced by the large attend
ance at the Christian Science services and
the fact that nearly 100000 copies Of the
| Christian Science text book are at present
| in circulation.
The dedicatory exercises tomorrow will be
attended by visitors from all parts of the
| United States and Canada. from Great
Britain. Australia, Sweden, Denmark,
France, Germany Switzerland, the Ha-
waiian islands, South America and other
foreign countries. II is said that they will
not come simply to see the church edifce
or for the exclusive purpose of being pres
ent at the dedcatory service but largely
to show their interest in the movement
/ their respect for its leader and to further
their understanding of Christian Science.
| horticultural hall on Massachusetts, and
| Huntington avenues has been secured as
| headquarters and at this place are to be
| found the various committees of arrange
ment. Here visiting Scientists will be d.
rected to hotels and boarding houses where
they will be provided for. Elaborate ar
rangements have been made for the con-
venience Of visitors.
Description of Church Services.
The Sunday service of the Christian Sci
ence church consists of opening and closing
| exercises similar to those of other denomi-
| nations the distinguishing feature being
the lesson sermon which Mrs. Eddy has in
stituted in the place of the clerical address.
| The lesson sermon is a compilation Of scrip
tural passages interpreted with correlative
selections from the Christian Science text
book, Science and Health, with Key to the
Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy.
Tomorrow is the date of the annual COM
munion service and in addition to the usual
service and the dedicatory address there
will be added the characteristic communion
of the Christian Scientists, which consists
of a silent service during which the entire
congregation kneels in self-examinaton and
communion with God. This part of the
| service closes with the repetition Of the
Lords prayer in unison.
An interesting and distinctive service in
the Christian Science church is the Wednes-
day evening meeting, which is devoted ex-
clusively to testimonies and experiences de-
scriptive of the benefits received from
Christian Science. These meetings at the
Mother church of the denomination in Bos-
ton are said to be, as rule, of more than
average interest because Boston, being the
headquarters of the denomination, is fire.
quently visited by Christian Scientists from
.VN
other countries.
One hundred and forty-fve church edifices
have already been erected by the Christian
Scientists. These. as whole. compare
favorably with those Of the older denomi-
nations. It is said that when funds are no
longer needed for the completion of the
Mother church large number of buildings
will be commenced in different parts OF the
country.
Christian Science Practice.
Having noted the criticism that Christian
Science is a menace to public health be-
cause of the attitude OF Its practitioners In
regard to the quarantine and treatment
of contagious cases and It's attempt to care
for children, pains have been taken TO in
, vestigate the conduct OF Christian Scientists
with regard to these matters It has been
found that the children OF Christian sclen-
fist parents are, to say the least. quite as
strong and healthy as those of other people.
They are less subject to disease, they have
less fear and manifest a high degree Of
. happiness and contentment. On the sub
ject OF contagion an authority writes:
, Practitioners of Christian Science are
! usually careful In the observance Of quar-
! antine, for they are anxious TO avoid the
risk and extra labor which is incurred by
allowing their patients to mingle with the
public. The Christian Scientist is aware
1 that so long as the law of contagion exists
1t cannot be ignored, but must be wisely
dealt with. When necessary the Christian
Scientist follows the same course which is
followed by those who believe in medicine,
E namely, he calls an experienced medical
q diagnostician to examine the case, and
1 II he finds 1t to be a contagious disease, he
! is counseled by Mrs. Eddy not to assume
charge Of 1t. II is aflrmed that Christian
Scientists are less liable to contagious dis
ease than they were before they became
: Christian Scientists, and that they manage
D contagious cases so successfully that they
= have contributed largely toward minimizing
l the fear OF contagion and thus toward the
d abolition OF epidemics"
n Whenever this question of contagton
e comes up, Christian Scientists refer TO the
following unequivocal statement by Mrs.
t Eddy:
"on the subject OF reporting contagion
: I have this to say: I have always believed
n that Christian Scientists should be law
abiding, and, actuated by this conviction,
u authorize the following statement:
9 Rather than quarrel over vaccination. I
:, recommend that IL the law demand an