It is but a little more than ten years since the first Christian Science meeting in this district was held in a small room on the ground floor of premises at Glenfield Place, Burnley Road, the actual date being Oct. 21, 1906. At this first meeting only two persons were present, the attendance being increased to five at the second meeting a week later. In a few weeks an upstairs room was prepared for use, and this was occupied until Dec. 10, 1907, when the society moved to a small room at the corner of Cow Green and Central Street. Less than eighteen months later it was deemed necessary to find larger accommodations, owing to the increased attendance at the services. A room was then rented at the corner of Central and Silver Streets, only a few yards from the old premises, and services were held there from April, 1909, to June, 1915. During this period much progress was made.
A Christian Science Sunday school was started in February, 1911, and has been maintained with a steadily growing attendance of scholars. In October of the same year several members of the congregation met together, and organized the Halifax Christian Science Society. This form of organization was continued until January, 1913, when the society disbanded, and immediately reorganized as First Church of Christ, Scientist, Halifax. Increased attendance at the services again made it necessary to seek more commodious premises. A search was made of the available untenanted properties in the town, but nothing suitable appeared until, in February, 1915, Savile Lodge was offered to the church. A meeting was called, and the members promptly took action, deciding to purchase at a cost of twelve hundred and twenty pounds. Over six hundred pounds was subscribed in a few days by members of the church and congregation, and the remainder of the purchase money was forthcoming by the use of the temporary expedient of a first mortgage loan, possession of Savile Lodge being obtained in March. Subscriptions poured steadily into the treasury, so that in less than a month it was possible to let the contracts for structural alterations to the new premises. Once started the work was pushed forward with all speed.
The terms of tenancy of the Central Street premises expired on June 30, 1915. It was therefore necessary for the church to be installed at Savile Lodge before that date. Many times in the course of remodeling the interior of the new premises the obstacles in the way of finishing in time seemed almost insurmountable to those in charge of this part of the work, but they pressed on, conscious that "with God all things are possible," and saying as they went, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."
