Have Christian Science churches ever had choirs?

(Updated August 5, 2024)

The earliest mentions of a choir participating in Christian Science services date from approximately 1879, likely not long after the Christian Scientist Association, the association of Mary Baker Eddy’s students, voted to organize a church. The Mary Baker Eddy Library’s collections include an order of services written in the hand of Asa Gilbert Eddy, Eddy’s husband. It describes “singing by the choir” that occurred after reading and prayer, and before weekly notices.¹

In April 1881, two years after the Church of Christ (Scientist) was established, the Christian Scientist Association meeting minutes recorded a vote to pay a Mr. Howard (likely Eddy’s student and Association President James C. Howard) “$2.50 per Sabbath for leading the choir.”² The primary role of the choir was to support congregational singing. In 1883, Louise Proctor wrote to Eddy that she could play as the regular pianist or organist at the Sunday services, but would “have to meet the singers Saturday night.”³

By 1884 the choir consisted of two basses, two tenors, two contraltos, and one soprano—Sarah D. Howe, a student of Eddy. The personnel of the choir changed from time to time, as did its number. It was not a professional choir but rather made up of people who liked to sing. Along with William B. Johnson⁴, Howe organized the choir. She was the only regular soloist, although Johnson sang a short solo on occasion. She later recalled the choir’s formation. Except when it was preparing for the dedication services for the Original Edifice of The Mother Church in January 1895, the choir did not hold regular rehearsals.⁵

Programs for Sunday services during the 1880s and 1890s indicate the continued presence of a choir. For example, on Sunday, March 21, 1886, an “Anthem by Choir” began the service. While no other music from the choir is mentioned, it likely led the congregation in hymn singing.⁶ Other service programs indicate that an anthem was sung after the Lord’s Prayer and before the sermon (closer to where the vocal solo is sung in services today). In December 1891, Eddy gave an order of services for all Christian Science churches in The Christian Science Journal, indicating that they were to begin with an “Anthem.”⁷

Carlotta Bowers, a member of the choir, later recalled its activities during this period:

In October, 1888, I became interested in Christian Science thro’ a lady who sang in the Choir of the Mother Church, who knew of my musical training. I was invited to sing with them and do the solo work in the Anthems. At that time there was a small choir which sat at the front of the gallery, the organ at the rear. Dr. E.J. Foster⁸ was the organist and Mr. W.B. Johnson a member of the choir selected the music and was the musical director. I am quite sure at this time the anthem followed the Voluntary, and a short response followed the prayer, altho’ the latter did not continue very long…. At this time there was singing of anthems and solos. In December, 1894, Miss Elsie Lincoln sang solos on two Sundays. In January 1895, I sang the last time in the Mother Church with Miss Lincoln and Miss Simonds in a trio from the oratorio of “Eli.”⁹

The Mother Church’s choir was discontinued in 1898. While an explicit reason for this change does not appear in the historical records, some relevant letters exist in the Library’s collection. Clerk William B. Johnson wrote Eddy on September 13, 1898: “The Board of Directors have voted to dispense with the volunteer chorus choir for the present, and have congregational singing. The soloist will be retained.”¹⁰

The next month Albert Metcalf, a Boston Christian Scientist who had recently been made President of The Mother Church as well as the donor of the funds for the organ in the Original Edifice of The Mother Church, wrote to Eddy about the choir decision. He was interviewing candidates for the organist position and wanted to accurately describe the scope of duties. He asked Eddy if the decision to have no choir, and only a vocal soloist, would continue.¹¹ She responded through her secretary Calvin Frye:

… In reference to music for the Mother Church she says she prefers to let the music be congregational, led by a soloist…. Mrs Eddy begs to decline making any further decisions than those she has made hitherto regarding the church music.¹²

This was not the first time that Metcalf and Eddy had discussed the role of the choir. A year earlier, in a letter she had written to him and his wife, Eddy had expressed some concerns about the choir:

A word to the wise is always sufficient. For several months past a Divine direction has to my sense been giving me to know that congregational singing is the best song service for the Church of Christ, Scientist. Why? Because this part as well as its others should [be] of the Spirit, not matter. Again, singing is, if harmony, an emotion more spiritual than material and must, to touch my heart, or ear, come from devout natures.

 

We do not always find these in the leaders of choirs. Miss [Elsie] Lincoln is a ruler, and to rule or ruin is her temptation. Such a ruler is not fit for our choir and I shall never consent to having such an one. You are our benefactors in music as well as other things and before making this change in our church services I wanted to consult with you….¹³

“Unless we can have the best soloist possible to be found,” Metcalf had written in his response, “I would have no soloist.” And he added:

Beyond this I will also say, it has been my conviction that church music should be rendered by the Congregation only. At the same time I want to confess that I greatly enjoy & feel that I am helped by a fine choir or Quartett or a fine Soprano Soloist, and have heretofore been ready to do my share toward defraying the Cost of one or both, in churches with which I have been connected, but often with indifferent result, because they came so far short of what I desired….¹⁴

This correspondence indicates that there was some discussion on the subject for at least a year before the decision was made to discontinue The Mother Church choir.

The use of choirs continued in Christian Science branch churches, however, and it is not clear when that practice stopped completely. In 1900, an “Order of Church Services” published in the Christian Science Sentinel concluded, “The order of Sunday service is sometimes varied by the singing of a duet immediately after the organ voluntary.”¹⁵ An examination of the Christian Science periodicals indicates that choirs continued to be part of some branch church services as late as 1903.