Interest in Christian Science was first aroused in Beatrice in the fall of 1884. A lady who had been confined to her bed several months was invited by a friend to visit her in Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston she was induced to take Christian Science treatments, with the result that she was healed. Upon returning to her home she told of the wonderful '"new religion" in Boston, known as Christian Science. Her recovery and the story she told interested others suffering from diseases the doctors had pronounced as hopeless. Several decided to go to Boston, and on writing to Mrs. Eddy were informed that a student just finishing class would be in Omaha in a few weeks. As soon as this student arrived in Omaha, a lady here, given up by the doctors as incurable, went to her and was healed in a week's treatment. This was in May, 1885. Because of this healing many others went to Omaha for Christian Science treatment.
Within a few weeks, when it was sufficiently known that the new method of healing, called Christian Science, is a practical and scientific application of the truth taught and practiced by Jesus and his disciples, a number who had been interested and benefited began meeting together in the different homes for the study of the Bible and of ''Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. The first public meeting was held in the Masonic Hall, First National Bank Building, Easter Sunday, 1886. A Sunday school was also organized on this date, which met before the regular service. A charter was granted from Boston, May 15, 1886. The meeting place was changed, on November 24, 1888, to what was then known as Gibbs' Hall; and it was on this date that First Church of Christ, Scientist, Beatrice, Nebraska, was organized and incorporated under the laws of the state, with a membership of nineteen. This was the first Christian Science church organized west of the Missouri River.
A reading room, known then as a "Christian Science Dispensary Association," was established September, 1889, and had a membership of thirty-one. In the winter of 1890, on account of fire, the church was obliged to move again, this time taking up quarters in the Le Poidevin Block. In April of the following year, 1891, it became possible to secure the Brethren Church, located in the twelve hundred block, Court Street; so another change was made. The membership at this time was seventy-eight. This last move proved to be an important one for the growth of the church, for shortly after locating here every department of work advanced rapidly. At a meeting of the board of directors June 14, 1891, it was decided to purchase a lot at the corner of Ninth and Elk Streets, for the purpose of some day building there, and this was successfully accomplished July 31, the purchasing price being thirteen hundred dollars. The next important step in the march of progress was the buying of the Brethren Church in the fall of 1900. It was planned to move this church to the lot purchased some time before; but in working this out, a more desirable location presented itself,— one closer to the business district,— which resulted in the church disposing of its first purchase and buying a lot 50 by 150 feet, on the corner of Eighth and Ella Streets.
