It has been our privilege to peruse the advance sheets of a book which is as interesting as it is novel in Christian Science, namely: a history of the building of the Mother Church, by Mr. Joseph Armstrong. It is well known that Mr. Armstrong was a member of the Board of Directors of the Mother Church during the period of its building. In fact, he occupied a position apart from all others, in that he gave his whole time to the immediate supervision of the work throughout its entire building. He is thus peculiarly fitted to give a detailed account of its erection from the breaking of ground to its final completion.
This task he has most ably performed in his book, which he appropriately entitles "The Mother Church." In the preface he says: "The writer's aim is simply to state the facts as he knows them, and but little effort is made to point out the many beautiful lessons taught and illustrated by these experiences. It seems desirable to preserve a record of at least a few of the trials, toils, and triumphs of this laborious effort, not only for the benefit of this age, but for the generations to come, which, it may be confidently asserted, will be able to see, more fully than we now can, the meaning of this demonstration, and to realize that, in the building of this Church, a Christian endeavor was successful."
Even a casual reading of the book abundantly sustains this statement of the preface. As one runs over the account of the marvellous achievement, as step by step it is unfolded, he (even though a Christian Scientist, and somewhat familiar therewith) can scarcely believe that he is not reading an almost thrilling romance.
