Editorial May 1, 1995 Issue

The Christian Science Sentinel—taking its place and filling it

Russ Gerber

The Sentinel, as we know it today, appears in the form of a weekly magazine, a weekly radio broadcast, and on audio cassette. Yet, the initial thought of its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, was that the Sentinel would be a newspaper.

In 1898, Mrs. Eddy sent a letter to one of the Trustees of The Christian Science Publishing Society, saying, "The dignity of our cause and the good of the students demand of us to publish a weekly newspaper." A few weeks later, the Christian Science Weekly, its original name, was being published. In addition to articles on Christian Science and testimonies of healing, it also contained international, national, industrial, commercial, and general news of the day.

The Weekly soon underwent a change, however. The unique place it was to fill was becoming clearer and clearer to Mrs. Eddy, as seen in a letter she sent to its Editor four and a half months after publication had begun. She wrote: "Sentinel is the proper title for our Weekly.... Also let me prophesy 'Sentinel' and the motto with it describes the future of this newspaper. It will take that place and must fill it when numerous periodicals of our denomination are extant" (see Clifford P. Smith, Historical Sketches, p. 127).

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

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