The authorship of “Letter to a Reader”

We are occasionally asked about a letter written to a First Reader of a Christian Science branch church in San Diego, California. It begins: “It must be clear to you that your entire term as Reader is going to be harmonious….”

These words are often attributed to William P. McKenzie, and sometimes to William R. Rathvon. Both were members of the Christian Science Board of Directors. We have been unable to locate any evidence showing that either McKenzie or Rathvon wrote this letter, and we do not know who the author was.