Ask a Researcher
Answers to questions our research team has received.
Were there ever film or audio recordings made of Mary Baker Eddy?
Unfortunately, none were. There is no discussion of film in her papers, so we have no information about why this was not done. However, one of her household workers, John Salchow, wrote in his reminiscence about Eddy being asked to have an audio recording made of her...
What was Eddy’s perspective on women’s rights?
Mary Baker Eddy made few statements about women's rights. But we do know that she valued the efforts of the suffrage movement of her day. In 1882 Eddy wrote her student Clara Choate, “Let us work as the industrious Suffragists are at work who are getting a hearing all...
Were African Americans involved in the early history of Christian Science?
The answer is yes. One noteworthy individual was Marietta Webb. Her first experience with Christian Science was in 1897, when she called a practitioner to help her young son, who was very ill. He was quickly and permanently healed, and she began attending services in...
How did Mary Baker Eddy get around in the wintertime?
Whenever there was the least bit of snow, enough to make the roads at all passable, we used to take the wheels off of her carriage and put on the runners. We had a couple of strings of silver bells for the horses and on a nice frosty day it made a pretty sight to see...
Was grace said before meals in Mary Baker Eddy’s household?
We have found some information on this topic in reminiscences written by members of her household. At Chestnut Hill, where Eddy lived from 1908-1910, there was no established procedure for saying grace before meals. Sometimes Eddy would pass the word not to have any...
Is it true that Mary Baker Eddy did not write a portion of a letter to church members? Isn’t that plagiarism?
A question from our inbox…
What’s the history of asking for “testimonies by Christian Scientists” at Thanksgiving services?
An answer to why testimonies for the Thanksgiving service specify “by members of the congregation.”
When did the profession of Christian Science practitioner begin?
Those engaged in the full-time practice of Christian Science healing can be found in the first issue of the Journal in 1883. However, even before then, in 1877…
Does Mary Baker Eddy ever make a statement comparing personal and impersonal love?
This statement appears in the reminiscence of Emma Shipman: After she had talked about the great need of love in everything we do, a pupil asked, ‘Do you mean love of person?’ Mrs. Eddy replied, in substance, ‘No, I mean love of good.’ Then she was asked, ‘How shall...
Did Mary Baker Eddy free her first husband’s slaves?
This is a difficult question to answer…
How were the members of the Bible Lesson Committee selected?
Here’s some background on a question we get asked.
How did Eddy face times of housing insecurity?
Read about several decades in which the founder of Christian Science prevailed in the struggle to keep a roof over her head.
Does Christian Science have a connection to Freemasonry?
Find out the impact this fraternal order had on Eddy’s life.
What was Eddy’s favorite home?
She had many residences, but one stood out.
How did Eddy respond in times of national crisis?
Read about steps she took during a time of tragedy for her country.
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