Items of Interest

The dedication of a branch church edifice is an event close to the heart of the church member. For years the practice and rule in the Christian Science church has been that a church edifice shall not be dedicated until it is fully paid for. Mrs. Eddy phrased this rule when she wrote to one of her students, as quoted in the Christian Science Sentinel of October 14, 1905 (p. 104): "If your church is chartered, your church edifice should be dedicated when it is paid for. May heaven's rich blessing crown your faithful labors, and unity and praise dwell within yoru walls and in your hearts."

Naturally, in its procedures looking to dedication a branch church decides its course according to the majority vote of its members; but, after the decision, it is most desirable that all the members turn wholeheartedly to the accomplishment of that most commendable action, the dedication of the church edifice, free of debt, to the service of God. Indeed, democracy in a Christian Science church implies that the minority will conform to the decision made through vote in a business meeting, according to the by-laws.

While Christian Scientists find it right to strive earnestly to accomplish the dedication of their edifices, they also find it helpful to approach the desired attainment in orderly and reasonable, not precipitate, progress. Thus a church edifice should not be dedicated if there are loans, carried in the names of individuals, on its behalf. Of course, an individual, of his own accord and responsibility, may, in some instances, arrange a personal loan, so that he might give more than the condition of his assets at the time warrants. That is his privilege. But unpaid obligations of the church itself, or those arranged by it in its members' names, would, in the light of Mrs. Eddy's words, defer dedication until they were liquidated.

The question sometimes arises as to whether the church may be dedicated when it has not a church organ, but looks forward to installing one. The answer from the Directors of The Mother Church has been, Yes. Whatever is necessary to the holding of services in the church should have been provided before dedication; but music can be had, temporarily or permanently, by a piano rather than an organ.

When church members contemplate Mrs. Eddy's blessing, they are indeed guided by a bright light of promise in working with right methods toward the goal of dedicating their church edifice free of debt.

A most attractive exhibit of Bibles and of Mrs. Eddy's writings was held January 4 to 12 in a room on the mezzanine floor of R. C. A. Building, Rockefeller Center, New York City. The exhibition was under the auspices of First Church of Christ, Scientist, New York City, with the co-operation of other Christian Science churches in the city.

The Christian Science Board of Directors furnished several of the displayed items, some of which were features of the exhibits at A Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1934. They also lent for the display a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (one hundred and forty-fifth edition), at the top of the title page of which Mrs. Eddy had written, "Mary Baker G. Eddy's," so that it read, "Mary Baker G. Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The American manager of the Oxford University Press included in the exhibit some interesting versions of the Bible, among them the so-called "Vinegar Bible," published in London, England, in 1716. Current editions of Science and Health and other writings of Mrs. Eddy, in all of their various bindings, were attractively arranged; likewise all the publications of The Christian Science Publishing Society. Marking the publications in other tongues than English were small silk banquet flags of the respective countries.

The furniture and decorations were lent by a firm that advertises in The Christian Science Monitor. The room was made attractive by decorative plants supplied by the florist of Rockefeller Center. Representatives of the various Christian Science churches were in attendance to assist visitors in understanding the purpose and scope of the exhibit, and the results of the undertaking were found to be fruitful. Particularly did it emphasize the Biblical origin of Mrs. Eddy's writings.

More than five thousand visitors entered the exhibit and approximately three thousand additional inspected the two window displays on the corridors. A substantial proportion of the visitors were newly introduced to Christian Science literature. As the exhibit did not sell or take orders for literature, inquirers were given the address of Christian Science Reading Rooms nearest their homes. Several Reading Rooms in the city reported increased sales of the Bible and of Mrs. Eddy's writings during the week of the exhibit.

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