THE very word pioneers brings up a picture of courage, devotion, faith, and hope. Gratefully the world pays tribute to those pioneers who through the centuries have launched into deep and uncharted seas.
To one such group, thirty-two in number, who took their place in history on September 23, 1892, as pioneer members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, the world will forever owe a debt of gratitude. It was with this small membership that fifty-five years ago our beloved Mother Church was established in Boston, Massachusetts. Today this Church with its numerous branches is ever increasing its membership and blessing the world with the understanding of the divine influence and of God's mighty power. During these years "a great multitude, which no man could number" (Rev. 7:9), has been lifted and healed by the regenerating touch of Christian Science.
For every sin destroyed, for every sorrow healed, for the restoration to health and peace of this great multitude, for the higher, holier understanding of God and man which has come into the world because of the labor and prayers of these brave pioneers, we of today offer our humble and grateful thanks to our heavenly Father. Richly has the pioneer of yesterday earned the benediction (Matt. 25:23), "Well done, good and faithful servant."
