In March, Linda Kohler, a Christian Science nurse; Judy Wolff, C.S.B.; and Michael Pabst, C.S.B.—the three members of the Board of Trustees for The Christian Science Publishing Society—were interviewed by the Journal’s Rosalie E. Dunbar. Joining them were John Sparkman, C. S., Managing Publisher of the Journal, Sentinel, and Herald magazines; Jonathan Wells, Managing Publisher for The Christian Science Monitor, and Christian Harder, Manager of Bible Lesson Products. Part one of a two-part interview.
Judy: Actually, “trustee” is a legal term, and there is a legal document called the Deed of Trust organizing The Christian Science Publishing Society, which Mrs. Eddy used to convey the property of The Christian Science Publishing Society to the Board of Trustees in 1898 “for the purpose of more effectually promoting and extending the religion of Christian Science as taught by me [Mrs. Eddy] . . .” (p. 1). It is not the same deed of trust that is at the back of the Church Manual, which is the deed of trust for The Mother Church property conveyance. It’s a separate legal document that is not in Mrs. Eddy’s published works. As the successors to those original Trustees, we are legally bound to that document, and an early signed copy of it is in the public records of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, showing the Trustees as the holders and guardians of the property, the intellectual property, and the finances of The Christian Science Publishing Society.
Although this Deed of Trust, as well as the Church Manual, requires us to turn over profits to The Mother Church, the Trustees keep in mind that in managing this property for the promotion of the interests of Christian Science, it’s not just for “us here” in Boston. We’re in a constant relationship with members, protecting and managing these assets for the sake of the Christian Science Field, and for the world.
