Article September 19, 1908 Issue

AMONG THE CHURCHES

John L. Wright

The experience of the Christian Science church in Chelsea, Mass., at the time of and since the great fire of April 12, 1908, seems of sufficient general interest to warrant its being related briefly to the readers of the Sentinel. After the fire it was recalled that the Scripture selections read at several services preceding the fire, as well as the Lesson-Sermons, had been wonderfully fitting, in view of the experience to be faced. Even as the fire was raging—although it was not known by those present to be of especially threatening character—the First Reader read the 91st and 23d Psalms, and the closing hymn was "In heavenly love abiding." The appropriateness of the Lesson-Sermons to the situation in Chelsea, following the fire, also was so striking as to impress many.

As soon as the city was cool enough for any one to enter it, Mr. William D. McCrackan and Mr. F. B. Homans, as a committee representing The Mother Church, came to Chelsea in an automobile seeking fire victims, and bringing the cheering news that The Mother Church stood back of the Chelsea branch church to relieve suffering, among Scientists or non-Scientists. The hall occupied by the church and the homes of thirteen of the church members were burned. Furthermore, all but three of the church edifices in the city were destroyed, and two of those remaining were given up to housing and feeding the homeless; nevertheless the way was opened for our church to use the auditorium of the Horace Memorial Free Baptist Church. There was no interruption of services, and the regular testimony meeting, three days after the fire, was especially inspiring. Several of those affected by the fire spoke, and all these bore glad and grateful testimony to being sustained in the time of trial. There was no note of depression and there seemed to be wonderfully little sense of loss. All were eager to help those less fortunate than themselves, and at a business session immediately following the service all members were formed into a relief committee. Persons in the congregation, a number of whom were sympathizing Scientists from other places, left substantial sums of money for relief work. Some of the money was placed that night in the hands of persons known to be in immediate need. An executive committee was chosen to distribute cash and goods on behalf of the church. Excellent relief quarters were offered on the premises of Mr. James S. Wilson, and Mr. Horace P. Stevens was given immediate charge of the work.

Contributions of money and clothing came promptly. One of the first was one hundred dollars telegraphed by a church which had been through a similar experience,—that at San Francisco. The Mother Church took up two special collections, amounting to more than two thousand dollars. Special collections in many branch churches far and near were forwarded to the relief committees, those of The Mother Church and the Chelsea church handling the funds jointly. Many members of The Mother Church residing in Boston gave unsparingly of their time to assist at the relief station during the five weeks it was kept open. That Christian Scientists are not without charity was demonstrated by the fact that one family in The Mother Church collected and sent to Chelsea six hundred dollars and sixty packages of clothing. More than six thousand dollars cash, about twenty-two thousand garments of good quality, and other useful articles were distributed, and between two thousand and three thousand sufferers, who came disheartened, were sent on their way rejoicing. The vast majority of these were in no way identified with Christian Science.

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AMONG THE CHURCHES

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