Editorial November 15, 1952 Issue

THE CROSS AND THE CROWN

Richard J. Davis

Many students of Christian Science have no doubt noted and thoughtfully considered the seal on the cover of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and on all the other works of our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. This seal is there because she specifically requested it and because it had for her, and has for all who follow her teachings, a special significance.

The question is sometimes asked, "Why does the cross appear so much larger than the crown, and does this have a particular meaning?" It does not. It may be interesting to know that the artist who designed the seal simply made the cross and the crown of the relative size that to him seemed right and artistic. The artist selected to do this work was considered the best in his line of work, and the proportions of the different parts of our seal or emblem are regarded as correct.

The crown as it appears in the seal is what is known in heraldry as a celestial crown. The celestial crown or, as it is sometimes called, the Christian crown is the one described in Revelation and in Christian history has always been emblematic of the lives of saints and martyrs. It can therefore be readily seen that this crown is the one which should be used in connection with what has come to be known as the Christian Science seal, and our Leader desired that the seal should be truly emblematic of what it stands for.

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