Support the Library
Help the Library by contributing now—online or by mail.
Volunteer at the Library
The Library is seeking bright, enthusiastic, and dedicated volunteers to join our docent program.
Object of the Month
Mary Baker Eddy's Copybooks
March 2010
Copybooks were frequently used in the first half of the nineteenth century. The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that they are books in which “copies are written or printed for pupils to imitate” (1971 printing). They were used by students, teachers, writers, and working professionals for practicing penmanship, learning grammar, and spelling, with a focus on accuracy, attention to detail, and memory. Read more…
Chafing Dish Possibilities by Fannie Merritt Farmer
February 2010
Many of us enjoy sharing good food with family and friends, and Mary Baker Eddy was no different. As Eddy’s cook from 1899-1907, Minnie Weygandt stated in her reminiscences she kept lists of the meals she cooked in the house and kept track of favorite recipes. The Library has in its collections some of the books that Weygandt selected recipes from, including two copies of Chafing Dish Possibilities by Fannie Merritt Farmer, in the rare book collection in Lending and Reference Services. Read more…
Turkey Feather Fan
January 2010
A student of Mary Baker Eddy once commented, “Mrs. Eddy seemed to care little for the large or expensive presents given her by her followers, but she called … attention with delight to a fan made of turkey feathers …” (Reminiscence File of Emma Shipman, The Mary Baker Eddy Collection). This turkey feather fan was a gift from two of her followers, Elizabeth Earl Jones and Lily Hazzard, and it sheds light on the early history of African-Americans in Christian Science. Read more…
Winter at Pleasant View
December 2009
As we look at photographs of life at Pleasant View, Mary Baker Eddy’s home in Concord, N.H., it’s fascinating to see a quiet New England town of a century ago. These images give us a glimpse of winter, at a time when life was different than today. One important distinction—transportation did not include automobiles; horse-drawn carriages and streetcars were the norm. Walking was common for many. Read more…
Preservation of Mary Baker Eddy’s original letters and manuscripts
November 2009
With all the focus on digitization of documents today, it’s easy to forget that preservation is not a new issue. In fact, proper preservation of Mary Baker Eddy’s letters and manuscripts was first considered over 90 years ago. Read more…
Pears Soap
October 2009
Possibly some of the most unique items in the collections at The Mary Baker Eddy Library are three cakes of Pears Soap. Pears, a transparent soap first produced in 1789 in London, is said to be the first registered brand in the world. Pears Soap is still available today, and is the oldest continually existing branded product. Read more…
Gems for You: From New Hampshire Authors
September 2009
In the nineteenth century, gift books were tokens—not meant so much to be read as to be given away, often for remembrance of a person or event. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature states that almost all the gift books published in the United States were literary miscellanies. They contained selections of poems, essays, and sometimes short stories. These books had great popular appeal for those wishing to bestow an elegant gift upon acquaintances or family. Read more…
The Christian Science Monitor in Early Photographs
August 2009
Mary Baker Eddy founded The Christian Science Monitor in 1908 with the objective “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” Read more…
Souvenir Spoons In The Library Collections
July 2009
Souvenir spoons representing many localities, causes, and events were very much in demand from the 1890s through the 1920s. They were purchased as mementos of trips and vacations and also as gifts. We find a number of these spoons in the collections that were gifts to Mary Baker Eddy. Read more…
Baker Family Bible: “A holy book and a family treasure”
June 2009
Family Bibles have been used over the centuries to record births, marriages, and deaths. In many family circles, they are traditionally used for daily reading and prayer as well as at these significant family events. Commonly, these Bibles are then handed down from generation to generation. The Baker family Bible, according to family tradition, was purchased by Mary Baker Eddy’s grandparents, Joseph and Maryann Baker, using their savings after they had married and established a home in Bow, New Hampshire. The Bible was later handed down to their son, Mark Baker, Mary Baker Eddy’s father. Read more…