Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to header Skip to footer

Church Alive

CHURCH. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
 The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick.
 – Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

Mary Baker Eddy initiates church services at a New Hampshire county jail

Notes from the Mary Baker Eddy Library: The history of Christian Science institutional work

From the February 2011 issue of The Christian Science Journal


Irving Tomlinson recorded in his reminiscence that soon after he arrived in Concord to serve as a secretary to Mary Baker Eddy, she spoke to him about the need to reach prison inmates with the message of Christian Science. Tomlinson, at Eddy’s request, began meeting with Sheriff Edgerly, who was at that time warden of the Merrimack County Jail.