A pleasure is often enhanced by the unexpectedness of its coming, and this was surely true with regard to the opportunity to visit Concord and see the well-nigh completed church. Our Leader's gracious invitation was read at the close of each of the Communion services, and at half past eight Monday morning special trains began to deport the very large number who responded.
The day was most comfortable, and in the afternoon it was flooded with sunshine. Nothing happened to mar in any way the pleasure of the trip, and love and joy held sway in all hearts. The church was a delight to the eyes of all.
While on her regular afternoon drive Mrs. Eddy responded graciously to the silent greetings of the people who were assembled on the lawn of the Unitarian Church and of the High School. Her carriage came to a standstill on North State Street and she was greeted in behalf of the Church by the President, Mr. Edward P. Bates, to whom she presented as a love token for the Church a handsome rosewood casket beautifully bound with burnished brass. It contained a gavel for the use of the president of the Mother Church. Its further contents were to be disclosed at the annual meeting of the Mother Church on Tuesday afternoon. The wood of the head of the gavel was taken from the old Yale College Athenaeum, the first chapel of the college. It was built in 1761, and razed in 1893 to make room for Vanderbilt Hall. The wood in the handle was grown on the farm of Mark Baker, father of the Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, at Bow, N. H.
