In line with the spirit of Article XVII, Section 3, of the Manual of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, by Mary Baker Eddy, the corner stone of the new Publishing House was set at seven o'clock on Monday morning, October 17, 1932. There were present the members of The Christian Science Board of Directors, the Trustees of The Christian Science Publishing Society, the Publishing House Building Committee, the architect, and representatives of the builders and engineers; also the mason, foreman, and helpers, including the derrick operator. On a temporary platform specially built for the use of those present stood the corner stone in readiness for setting, and near by, already sealed and soldered, was the lead-covered copper box to be placed in the corner stone. The box contained the following items:
The Bible. The following writings of our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy: "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"; "Miscellaneous Writings"; "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany"; "Unity of Good"; "Rudimental Divine Science"; "No and Yes"; "Retrospection and Introspection"; "Christian Healing"; "The People's Idea of God"; "Pulpit and Press"; "Christian Science versus Pantheism"; Messages for 1900, 1901, and 1902; "Christ and Christmas"; Poems; Manual of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts. Concordance to "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"; Concordance to "Miscellaneous Writings" and Works other than Science and Health. "The Life of Mary Baker Eddy," by Sibyl Wilbur; "Mary Baker Eddy: A Life Size Portrait," by Lyman P. Powell; "What Mrs. Eddy Said to Arthur Brisbane"; "Christian Science and Its Discoverer," by E. M. Ramsay. Christian Science Hymnal, Revised Edition, 1932, and Concordance. Copy of Will of Mary Baker Eddy. Copy of Deed of Trust of The Christian Science Publishing Society. Current issues of the following Christian Science periodicals: The Christian Science Journal; Christian Science Sentinel; The Herald of Christian Science, German Edition, French Edition, Scandinavian Edition, Dutch Edition, Braille Edition; Christian Science Quarterly, English Edition, English-Danish Edition, English-Dutch Edition, English-French Edition, English-German Edition, English-Norwegian Edition, English-Swedish Edition, Braille Edition; The Christian Science Monitor, as follows: issue of April 17, 1931, containing first announcement of the new Publishing House; Achievement Issue, January 7, 1932; issue of October 11, 1932, containing the last published description and picture of the new Publishing House, showing the progress of building; one-star Atlantic Edition, October 14, 1932; all editions, October IS, 1932. Service Bulletin of The Christian Science Publishing Society, issue of October, 1932; cuttings from the Christian Science Sentinel and The Christian Science Monitor, containing announcements and items regarding the new Publishing House, to October IS, 1932; history of the building of the Christian Science Publishing House, as at October 15, 1932. Letters sent by The Christian Science Board of Directors to Christian Science churches and societies, dated respectively, October 14, 1931, and February IS, 1932. Architect's drawing of the front of the Publishing House; ground floor plan of the Publishing House, signed by architect.
The corner stone had been attached to the derrick cable ready to be lifted into place. The mortar had been mixed, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors spread the first trowelful. The mason then spread a complete layer of mortar upon the course on which the corner stone was to rest, and with great care and patience the mason and his two helpers, one the derrick operator, obeying implicitly the signals received, raised and then lowered the stone into exact position. A level was used to ascertain whether it was truly laid, and a round wooden mallet applied by the helper moved the stone a hair's breadth while the facile hands of the mason guided it. When set to the satisfaction of the mason and the mason foreman, the tackle was unloosed from the top, leaving unobstructed the cubical opening which had been made to receive the copper box. The Chairman of the Board of Directors lowered this box into position, whereupon the mason's helper covered it with a layer of mortar; then the company, at a request from the Chairman of the Directors, bowed their heads for a few moments in silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the "Daily Prayer" from the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy (Art. VIII, Sect. 4).
