IT was in 1905 that a Christian Scientist visitor to this city from the United States introduced Der Herold der Christian Science to a group of seekers for Truth who could not read the text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and who had no authorized Christian Science literature in German. The healing work that was done confirmed the words, and before the visitor returned to America, a Berlin practitioner had been invited to open Christian Science work in Frankfurt. This practitioner came to the city in September, 1905, and on the first Sunday in October began the holding of regular services, according to the order of service given in the Manual of The Mother Church. About twenty-five was the usual attendance at these services, which were held in the practitioner's dwelling and given in German only.
The first testimony meeting was held in November, when nine persons, including a student from Heidelberg and two patients from Wiesbaden, spoke. Dec. 14 the first business meeting was held and a business board elected. A month later, Jan. 13, 1906, the first communion service was observed. So earnest were the workers that a month later, Feb. 11, marked the date of the first English service, and from that time testimony meetings were held on the second and fourth Wednesdays in the month. They consisted chiefly, for several months, in reading from the text-book in German and then in English, by reader and congregation alternately, to enable the people to learn to read Science and Health.
By the time of the first meeting of the business board, March 20, attendance at the services had been so augmented through healing done, that the resolution was taken to hire a second room. In April the group of workers organized as a Christian Science society, and the card of the society was published in the Herold for July of that year. So strong was the interest in the healing work that by September a second practitioner was required, and before the end of the year a third one. Naturally this rapid progress was a great encouragement, and in October the society moved from Kluberstrasse to Kettenhofweg 22, because the extension of the work required larger premises.
