Organizational Records of The First Church of Christ, Scientist

The organizational records of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, are an active and growing body of material, which document many facets of Church and Christian Science Publishing Society activities. Only a small portion of these records is processed, and as a general rule, materials are not available for public research until more than fifty years old. In some circumstances, however, unprocessed materials can be made available upon request, with prior notification. The following collections represent a sample of the organizational records.

Committee on Publication Clipping file, c.1899 - 1952
This collection of clippings consists primarily of newspaper, magazine, and journal articles on topics related to Mary Baker Eddy and/or Christian Science. The Committee on Publication of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, collected clippings to track public perception of Christian Science and to examine and respond to false statements about Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. Items were obtained by a clipping service, by members of local Committees on Publication, and by other Christian Scientists. The collection is indexed and fully processed.

Early Organizational Records, c. 1875 - 1910   Finding Aid
This collection contains 36 books documenting early Christian Science organizations, such as the Church of Christ (Scientist), the Christian Scientist Association, and the General Association of Teachers. They are comprised of membership lists, meeting minutes, and account books. There are also certificates and charters of the Massachusetts Metaphysical College. This collection is fully processed.

Field Collection, c. 1890 - present
The Field Collection, unlike most of the Organizational Records of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, largely consists of records that have been received from outside organizations. Beginning in the 1930s, branch Churches of Christ, Scientist, have donated histories, photographs, and other records to the collections of The Mother Church in Boston. The kinds of records typically deposited by churches include meeting minutes, membership records; and building-related records (blueprints and photographs) Please note: Not all material has been processed.

Photograph/Biography File, c. 1890 - present   Finding Aid
This collection contains organizational materials relevant to the professional histories of senior-level employees of The Mother Church, histories of prominent Christian Scientists, or famous individuals affiliated with The Mother Church. The core material includes internal correspondence, internal memoranda, journal and newspaper articles, biographical sketches, reminiscences, and photographs. Please note: Not all material has been processed.

NONCSPS Publication File, c. 1890 - present   Finding Aid
This collection spans the mid-nineteenth century to the present, and contains material about Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science that was not published by the Christian Science Publishing Society. Items included are pamphlets, magazines, articles, and oversized material. The finding aid is organized by author, title of article or by publication.

Published Lecture Collection c. 1905 - present   Finding Aid
This collection spans the early-twentieth century to the present, and contains lectures given by members of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, a Board maintained by The First Church of Christ, Scientist. These lectures were delivered and published in newspapers and periodicals around the world. The collection is organized alphabetically by the author of the lecture; within each entry, lectures are organized by title of lecture, name of publication, and date published.