Forty years ago, that is, in 1893, at the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, a notable meeting of Christian Scientists and a recognition of the religion founded by Mrs. Eddy took place. The authorities of the World's Congress Auxiliary connected with the exposition assigned to the Christian Science church the privilege of holding a preliminary convention, and also of presenting to the World's Parliament of Religions an address setting forth the doctrines of Christian Science. Christian Scientists everywhere were invited to attend, and a group of Mrs. Eddy's students and other church members from Boston traveled to Chicago in a special chartered car. The porter of this car seemed unable to overcome his surprise because none of the men or women in his car used tobacco or liquor.

As is recorded in the November, 1893, Christian Science Journal, the meeting was held September 20 in Washington Hall in the Palace of Arts Building, which had a seating capacity of three thousand and with standing room was capable of accommodating another thousand. The hall was filled to overflowing, and hundreds were turned away for want of room. The Journal records that this meeting "marks a most important epoch in the history and progress of our Cause."

This year another World's Fair or international exposition, known as "A Century of Progress," is to be held in Chicago and will be officially opened on June 1. It commemorates the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of Chicago as a town, the astonishing growth of which Mrs. Eddy once referred to when she hailed Chicago as "the miracle of the Occident" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 98). In reviewing the strides of the world, as well as of their city, during the past hundred years, the planners of the Fair chose to make progress their keynote, especially the advances made by mankind through physical science, as applied to industry.

A new epoch in the progress of the Christian Science movement will be marked on this occasion. Mrs. Eddy and her attainments are to be honored at this Fair in a different way than in 1893. In the exhibit of the National Council of Women special recognition is to be given Mrs. Eddy as one of twelve foremost American women leaders of this country during the past century.

The international daily newspaper which Mrs. Eddy established, The Christian Science Monitor, is to be represented by a special building or pavilion located near the center of the Fair grounds on the edge of the lagoon on which the Fair faces. The large and excellently situated plot was donated by the Fair officials. The Monitor pavilion stands there primarily as a witness to the influence of Christian Science in journalism. It will be a little more than fifty feet square and one story in height. The larger portion of it will be devoted to a display of the Monitor, illustrative of its contribution to newspaper making, and it will also contain a commodious Christian Science Reading Room, where the visitor, whether or not he is interested in Christian Science, will find opportunity to rest, write letters, meet friends, and, if he desires, learn something of this unique newspaper.

For the first time the story of the Monitor will be told at the exhibit in motion pictures. A scenario has been worked out illustrating the paper's world-wide organization for news gathering and advertising, its printing in Boston, and its constructive news policy. The Monitor will be shown as an admirable newspaper for the home. Its wide range of circulation, which takes it to nearly every country of the globe, will be brought out. The unusual distribution of its advertising, covering some twenty-three thousand advertisers in forty nations, will also be demonstrated. The Christian Science Publishing Society aided in the expense of erecting the pavilion, some branch churches in neighboring states also contributed, but the Field is indebted to the Christian Science churches and societies of Illinois for the main support and arrangement of this attractive and helpful exhibit.

Another exhibit arranged for by The Christian Science Board of Directors, with the coöperation and help of the Executive Committee for Christian Science Activities at the Exhibition, is in the Hall of Religions, where a space about sixteen feet square has been secured for an exhibit of the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, including "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the periodicals she founded, beginning with The Christian Science Journal, and other Christian Science literature. Here the extent of Christian Science publishing activities may be seen and its literature be purchased. Christian Scientists will be in attendance at all times when the Fair is open for visitors both at this booth and at the Monitor pavilion, in each of which visitors will be made welcome.

The process of preserving Mrs. Eddy's letters which are presented to the Directors of The Mother Church for the historical files which the Church has been assembling for more than twenty-five years is that of inlaying the letters under thin silk. After being pasted, the silk is transparent. The worker doing the mounting treats each letter individually, cutting an aperture in the heavy mounting paper which will exactly fit a letter except for a marginal overlap of perhaps a quarter of an inch. On both sides of the united sheet of mount and letter are affixed thin sheets of silk. The edges where the silk and paper meet are covered by tissue strips pasted on and reaching to the outer edges of the mount. The mount and affixed letter are placed at different stages of the process under heavy pressure, and when finished the whole is almost as smooth and flat as though it were one sheet of paper. The pages are then assembled, sewed, trimmed, and inserted in bindings. Each letter has been stamped with the donor's name, and after mounting is catalogued for reference purposes. The entire work of mounting the letters is done on the premises of The Mother Church, the letters not being removed therefrom.