We are in receipt of a letter from a friend who asks us to say something editorially about "the distribution of literature." This is a phrase which has easily taken its place in the vocabulary of Christian Scientists because it expresses in few words a denominational activity which in later years has assumed much importance and has accomplished much good.
Of course the literature referred to consists of the authorized publications of the Christian Science church. First in rank in the list of these publications is the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Following closely are the other published writings of Mrs. Eddy, and then come the Journal, the Sentinel, the Herald, the Monitor, the pamphlets, and other publications of The Christian Science Publishing Society. From very early days branch churches and societies have interested themselves to place Mrs. Eddy's books in their local public libraries and institutions, and in this way they have been largely circulated. Within the last few years this beneficent work has been supplemented by that of the Trustees under the Will of Mary Baker Eddy, so that today these books are to be found in practically every public library throughout the United States and many other countries. In these libraries, and also in the reading-rooms to be found in every city or town where a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, is located, these books may be read free of expense or borrowed for a specified time.
As to the periodicals, Mrs. Eddy has written of their names and uses as follows: "I have given the name to all the Christian Science periodicals. The first was The Christian Science Journal, designed to put on record the divine Science of Truth; the second I entitled Sentinel, intended to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love; the third, Der Herold der Christian Science, to proclaim the universal activity and availability of Truth; the next I named Monitor, to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent. The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind" (Miscellany, p. 353).
