As a religious denomination, Christian Scien tists believe in God, in the inspiration of the Scriptures, in the divinity of Christ, in the sit preinaey of God as Spirit, in prayer without ceas ing. and in all the essentials of Christianity, and claim that the prime office of Christian Science is 10 destroy evil and reform mankind. They believe that all evil will eventually be destroyed and be extinet.
This denomination had in 1902 about seven hundred established church societies or emigre gations in the United States, Great Britain, Can ada. Germany, and France, many of which have acquired large and costly church edifices. At the head of these is what is called the 'Mother Church' in 'Boston, Hass., with a membership of nearly 30,000, and of which Hrs. Eddy is the pastor emeritus.
There is no central denominational govern ment. The Hother Church, through its 'manual,' or Church, by-laws. exercises some control over the denomination as a whole, but the local or branch churches have a purely congregational form of organization and government. The de nomination maintains a 'publishing society,' and issues a monthly magazine, The Christian Sci ence Journal, and a weekly paper. The Christian Science Sentinel. The publishing house is in Boston, and the denominational literature is actively distributed. Reading-rooms, generally
open daily. are maintained in connection with most of the churches.
As the discoverer of this science and the founder of the incidental religious movement, Mrs. Eddy has been and is the logical and in evitable leader of the denomination and its activity. She has written several works concern ing Christian Science, the principal one being Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures, which is known as the Christian Science text book. This book states that this science is utter ly unlike faith cure, prayer cure, spiritualism, theosophy, mesmerism, or hypnotism, and that the healiag is accomplished naturally, scientifi cally, and according to law. in demonstration of fixed principles and accurate rule.
Although there are no compiled statistics available. the Christian Scientists estimate their numerical strength as nearly a million of peo ple throughout time world, very many of whom believe that they have been healed of supposedly incurable diseases.
For a complete statement of the Christian Science belief, consult Eddy, Science and Health, with a Key to the Scriptures (226th ed., Boston, 1902, and many editions since).