Did Mary Baker Eddy write it? “Day”

We are frequently asked about a manuscript titled “Day.” It begins, “When you awake in the morning—[you] should realize and repeat—understandingly and at once—‘There is only one Mind.’” While Mary Baker Eddy is not the author, we have learned something about this piece through our research.

The contents are drawn from Bicknell Young, an early Christian Science practitioner and teacher who served on the Board of Lectureship of The First Church of Christ, Scientist. In 1933 the Christian Science Board of Directors wrote to Young, asking about a manuscript titled “Day.” It had been attributed to him and was circulating among Christian Scientists.

Young replied:

…let me say that I am the author of the gist of the manuscript “Day” which you enclosed, and which I hereby return.

In further explanation, may I add that the remarks which this manuscript somewhat inadequately records, were made at an Association meeting of my students about five years ago. I deeply regret that these and other notes have been quite widely circulated throughout the field, and I have done my best to stop it.¹

For further reading, see an article in our “Ask our Researcher” series—”What do we know about writings attributed to Bicknell Young?“

This article is also available on our French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish websites.