Page:The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany.djvu/169

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The general communion service of the Christian Science denomination, held annually in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in this city, has been abolished by order of Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy. The services attended last Sunday [June 14] by ten thousand persons were thus the last to be held. Of late years members of the church outside of Boston have not been encouraged to attend the communion seasons except on the triennial gatherings, the next of which would have been held next year.

The announcement in regard to the services was made last night [June 21] by Alfred Farlow of the publication committee as follows: —

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, has taken steps to abolish its famous communion seasons. In former years, the annual communion season of the Boston church has offered an occasion for the gathering of vast multitudes of Christian Scientists from all parts of the world. According to the following statement, which Mrs. Eddy has just given out to the press, these gatherings will be discontinued: —

“The house of The Mother Church seats only five thousand people, and its membership includes forty-eight thousand communicants, hence the following: —

“The branch churches continue their communion seasons, but there shall be no more communion season in The Mother Church that has blossomed into spiritual beauty, communion universal and divine. ‘For who