Article August 17, 1907 Issue

On the tenth of June, 1906, it was my privilege to be...

[We have much pleasure in giving, in part, the following excellent article from Uncle Eli's Magazine, of recent date, by Clarence B. Hadden, B.L. It may not be amiss to say that the ushers for The Mother Church, to whom Mr. Hadden refers, are a remarkably fine set of men, and their efficiency and courtesy are often remarked upon by visitors to this church.—Editor Sentinel.]

On the tenth of June, 1906, it was my privilege to be appointed one of one hundred and fifty ushers to assist in seating the thirty thousand people who attended the dedication services held in The Mother Church Extention,—The First Church of Christ, Scientist (as it is known officially), in Boston, Mass. The beautiful structure, rearing its lofty dome to the height of Bunker Hill monument in the northern part of this liberty-loving and historic old city, shone resplendent in the sunlight of a perfect June day. The impression of solidity and strength, coupled with that of perfect harmony of design and beauty of its chaste, yet ornamental style of architecture—Italian Renaissance—can scarcely be appreciated by any one who has not seen it. That morning, I remember, it seemed to stand there in all its completed grandeur, as a material type of spiritual achievement, fully conscious of its mission to the world. Hardly did it seem possible, as we looked upon the great composite edifice, typifying the wonderful growth and unity of the force for righteousness behind it, that only twenty-seven short years before this Church had been organized by Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy with only twenty-six members. That even twelve years before—in 1894, when the smaller Mother Church was built—the membership was only 2,536, and that in these last twelve years, up to the present time, the membership of the Church had grown by leaps and bounds and had spread to all parts of the earth, until it then numbered forty-two thousand members, with adherents of its branch churches and students of its text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, numbered by the hundreds of thousands. It did not seem possible that there were nearly one thousand branch churches and societies scattered throughout the world, which, on that very June morning, would hold services similar to the one in which we were about to participate. But such was the fact, and this beautiful structure was not only complete, but fully paid for, every obligation being provided for before the dedication, as is the custom with all of our churches.

I think I reflected in my feeling of gratitude and love for our wise Leader, Mrs. Eddy, the thoughts of that vast throng of people who were waiting to enter—at the early hour of six o'clock in the morning—to the first service at half past seven, when I silently prayed and thanked God for the opportunity of not only being a part of this great movement, of having contributed my mite toward the cost of this great edifice, but especially that He had seen fit in His infinite wisdom to give to the world one who through bitter trials had the divine support, and understanding sufficient to "press on" in her "untiring" fight to establish, on sure foundations, the truth of Christian Science, which she had discovered only forty years before and which has so greatly needed and profited by her guiding influence and care during all these years of its tender youth. And as I was ushered into that vast auditorium and thought of what it represented, the words of our Leader's Message of that eventful day came to me as the best expression of the impression I then received. The Lesson-Sermon, consisting of appropriate passages from the Bible and correlative passages from Science and Health (which is all the sermon or pastor the Christian Science Church has throughout the world), was full of meaning. Then came the reading of the dedicatory Message of our Leader, "Choose ye." It was like a benediction and was full of hopeful thoughts. After a solo, organ offertory, and hymns, and the sending of a congratulatory telegram to Mrs. Eddy, the first of the six services of the day was concluded. It was the most profoundly sacred, religious experience I have ever had.

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