Article November 13, 2006 Issue

FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

REPLY TO A QUESTION ABOUT SELLING MARY BAKER EDDY'S HOMES

Questions have come in, asking why The Mother Church has placed on the market two of the three Churchowned homes in which Mary Baker Eddy lived. The following is a response recently sent to one questioner.

"This last year we have given a great deal of thought to the issue of selling the homes. While the cost of upkeep isn't irrelevant, it isn't the key to our decision. It has been estimated that maintenance and expenses of running the homes result in a cost of about $500 per person who views them. If the two homes are purchased, brought to code, and restored to their original conditions, costs could run into the $20 to $30 million range, with a per person cost of viewing at about $17,000 if those costs were to be recovered that year.

"We began to ask ourselves whether this is the way our Leader would want us to be focusing our energy, activity, and resources—whether the figure is $17,000, $500, or even less. There are presently nine homes being maintained, three by The Mother Church and six by The Longyear Foundation. Mrs. Eddy named in the Church Manual only one home she wished to have preserved—not as a memorial to her, but for the practical care of the First Reader of The Mother Church.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

OSCAR THE DOG NEVER FAR FROM HOME