Growing up attending Christian Science Sunday School, I often heard people praise Mary Baker Eddy’s poems that have been used as hymns in the Christian Science Hymnal. I shared this appreciation to a degree; yet it was not until after studying Christian Science on my own that I really began to treasure them. I’ve come to especially appreciate how many biblical references they contain, and how well they bring out the spiritual sense of Scripture in beautiful and memorable ways.
When we read and sing these hymns, we unite with our Leader in her exalted prayers of praise, gratitude, and love for God, grounded in her Christianly scientific understanding of Scripture. This spiritualizes our thinking, bringing greater harmony to our lives.
I’ve experienced this effect many times, including in the following instance. Several years ago I was elected to the board of trustees for a condo association where I lived. Condo business meetings had often been chaotic, with people speaking out of turn, and there was a growing sense of contention and anger. One resident seemed particularly rude, sometimes yelling at the person conducting the meeting and even physically pushing other residents.
