What Hath God Wrought!

An account of the dedication activity of Christian Science church organizations in St. Louis and St. Louis County, Missouri, from September, 1942 to November, 1946.

Final Report of the

Joint Dedication Activity Committee of St. Louis and St. Louis County

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES ARE DEDICATED ONLY WHEN FREE FROM DEBT

On page 199 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, the following statement is found:

“The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible.”

In order to understand what was accomplished toward dedication in the St. Louis field of thirteen Christian Science organizations between the autumns of 1942 and 1946, it is necessary to con­sider the situation at the beginning of that period.

First Church of Christ, Scientist, in St. Louis was organized in 1894. Within eleven years thereafter it had built, paid for, dedicated, and outgrown one church edifice, and built, paid for and dedicated another. Also, during that period, it had attested its loyalty as a branch of the vine by contributing generously to The Mother Church. These facts are recorded merely as outward manifestations of the courageous faith in Christian Science and obedience to its Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, that characterized the first builders in St. Louis, and which were abundantly fruitful in healing.

Background

At this point we need, perhaps, to review briefly the history of church building in St. Louis and St. Louis County.

First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Sr. Louis was organized in 1894. Within eleven years there­after it had built, paid for, dedicated, and outgrown one church edifice, and built, paid for and dedicated another. Also, during that period, it had attested its loyalty as a branch of the vine by contributing generously to The Mother Church. These facts are recorded merely as outward manifestations of the courageous faith in Christian Science and obedience to its Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, that characterized the first builders in St. Louis, and which were abundantly fruitful in healing.

In the course of years, Second, Third, Fourth, and Sixth Churches in St. Louis, and Kirkwood, Webster Groves, and University City Churches in St. Louis County were organized. Their church edifices were completed and they were helped toward dedication from time to time by three separate joint activities of the field.

Between 1929 and 1942, no joint dedication activity was undertaken by the churches in this field. During those thirteen years a noticeable apathy toward dedication seemed to affect the field. Growth in the number of churches had been rapid but undoubtedly greater progress would have been made without this burdensome debt.

During that dull period it took no small degree of courage for some of the undedicated churches to keep the interest paid on their indebtedness. This interest on the five undedicated churches was totalling about $1,000 monthly.

An Awakening Activity

In the spring and summer of 1942 came an awakening. A conviction was born in the hearts of a few that this indebtedness was inconsistent with the high calling of our church as a healer of the sick and sinful, and it need not be. With this conviction, a meeting of the Chairmen of the Churches in St. Louis and St. Louis County was held in June, 1942, to consider the first steps toward the annulment of the false claim of debt in the field. In July, 1942, representatives of all the churches, appointed by their respective Chairmen, met in First Church, St. Louis, and organized themselves into a committee. This committee sponsored a meeting of all the local memberships, held in the newly completed edifice of Seventh Church on September 24, 1942.

A representative body of Christian Scientists of the field attended, and in the course of the meeting they listened to a resolution drawn up by the the committee. In substance, the resolution recommended that the church organizations unite on a project which should be effective in wiping out the debt of approximately $333,000. and lead to the dedication of all local churches contem­plating dedication without delay; second, that a committee be formed consisting of two representa­tives of each organization, authorized to draw up plans to accomplish the desired result, and to administer the operation of such plans through the approval of the various church organizations, and to be dissolved when the object should be accomplished; and, third, that on the completion of such plans they should be submitted to the Board of Directors of The Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts, for comment and advice. The resolution was received enthusiastically, freely discussed by the assembled body, voted on, and passed.

Simplicity in Organization

In accordance with the resolution, the com­mittee was formed, composed of two representa­tives from each church organization, and agreed to call itself the Joint Dedication Activity Committee of St. Louis and St. Louis County. This organization meeting took place on November 13, 1942, at which time a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary were elected. Meetings of the Committee were held quarterly, also several special meetings were held during the period. Meetings of the Committee were chiefly inspira­tional, and the Committee became the central point for the dissemination of information on dedication activity. Simplicity was considered in formulating plans for the work, it being intended to have only sufficient organization for orderly procedure.

Basic Procedure

Seven inspirational meetings of all members in the field were held, having planned programs, including local speakers. At one of these meetings, held on November 30, 1943, a resolution was adopted containing paragraphs which provided basically, the procedure and policy in which the work was carried out. These paragraphs are:

(1) that each branch church in this field, unless it has already done so, adopt a program of activity that, in its opinion, will result in the greatest possible achievement in spiritual and financial support of the purpose of this work: “the dedi­cation of all local churches now contemplating dedication without undue delay;” (2) that the formulating of plans suitable to each membership and the methods of carrying out of such plans be the privilege of each individual church; (3) that each church wholeheartedly endeavor to keep its entire membership informed and alert to the values here offered as opportunities for individual growth and church progress; and (4) that the various plans of the individual churches, considered collectively, shall constitute a united effort, and that this activity, as a whole, be viewed as con­tinuing until the desired objective of dedicating all of the undedicated churches shall have been reached.

Quarterly reports were compiled from state­ments prepared by the individual undedicated churches on uniform blanks furnished by the Committee. These quarterly reports were printed and distributed through the churches to all members in the field.

Thus the work was launched; and from the beginning it was joyous—a fresh breeze dispelling the sultriness of discouragement and apathy. Churches previously dedicated responded with enthusiasm. Hope was revived in the hearts of the others, and strengthened by experienced workers from other churches in the field whom they often invited to speak at their inspirational meetings.

Each Church Acted Individually

At no time was pressure put on any church to dedicate; nor was any church told how contribu­tions should be made. Each undedicated church was free to decide its date of dedication, and the contributing churches to develop their own methods of help. But at all times did Joint Committee members keep before their respective organizations the great purpose—to prove that there could be a field of Christian Science churches that should owe no man anything but the love that saves and heals—churches’ free to pay the, debt of love in continuous healing of all manner of sickness, sorrow, and sin.

In less than a year after the joint activity was started, the field had done so well that the indebtedness was reduced by $50,000. Several of the churches were able to make more advanta­geous arrangements for financing. Eighth Church began to think of advancing its proposed date of dedication, which had been set for 1946. It promised itself to dedicate in November, 1944, but growing braver, it advanced the date again, setting it definitely for March 12, 1944, although still in debt $42,000 and having only about five months in which to raise this amount.

But its courage was rewarded by a pouring in of funds from God’s infinite supply, so that on March 12, 1944, it had a surplus of $7,000 which it immediately distributed to the undedicated churches. The dedication of Eighth Church distinguished the 50th anniversary of the starting of Christian Science church organization in St. Louis.

Now the debt in the field was reduced to $204,263.

In April, 1944, First Church of Overland, Missouri, still in debt more than $12,000, an­nounced its dedication date to be December 31, 1944. On that date its dedication took place with a surplus of $1500 which it turned over to the three still undedicated churches.

And the debt in the field was reduced to $147,000.

Meanwhile, Fifth Church, which had been heavily burdened for a long period became, by wise management, an example to the field. Pre­viously, it had hoped without help of sister churches to be dedicated in 1953, but in July 1944, still in debt $60,000, it announced its dedication date to be July 1, 1945. On that date it was dedicated with a surplus of $4,150 which it gave to the still undedicated churches.

And the debt in the field was reduced to $97,300.

Second Church, paying for its second edifice, and mindful of the fact that it had been helped by the field in the dedication of its first building some years before, had thought that it could, without help, finish paying for its structure by 1960. Meanwhile, it had been contributing generously, as indeed had each of the undedicated churches, toward the work. But realizing that delay toward the payment of debt was not in accordance with the wise economy of God’s government, and encouraged by the example of others, it decided to break all sense of limitation, and although still in debt $18,000, decided to dedicate on January 27, 1946, thus advancing its original intention by fourteen years.

And again God’s infinite supply flowed in, giving Second Church at its dedication a surplus of $2,000, and this it gave at once to Seventh Church, the last undedicated church in the field.

And the debt in the field was reduced to $55,000.

Seventh Church for years had been in much the same situation as Fifth Church and the more recently constructed Eighth Church. Before the joint dedication activity began to function, unmindful of conditions when the original in­debtedness was incurred, some in the field had been more inclined to criticize their burdened sister churches for original extravagance than they were to help lift the burden. But now under the inspiration of this activity all the churches of the field were working together and had partaken of the spirit of him who “loved and healed man­kind.” (Hymn No. 30) So all turned, in loving thought, to the help of Seventh Church.

At its quarterly meeting in April, 1946, Seventh Church, still in debt $50,000, had the courage to set its dedication date for approximately seven months later, November 24, 1946.

Rapid reduction of this indebtedness took place and two weeks before the date set for its dedication Seventh Church notified the churches of the field that sufficient funds had been received. Surplus funds were sent to First Church, Ferguson, Mo., which had grown from a society during the activity.

Final Joint Meeting—A Rejoicing

The last joint meeting of the churches of St. Louis and St. Louis County was held in Seventh

Church on the evening of September 24, 1946—the fourth anniversary of the first joint meeting starting this dedication activity in the field. The general subject of the meeting was taken from Chronicles: “The Building of Solomon’s Temple,” and was handled under three headings:

“Preparation of Thought.”

“Achievement Through Obedience to the Pattern”

“Rejoicing, Praise and Thanksgiving to God.”

So on Sunday, November 24, during the Thanksgiving season of 1946, and with general rejoicing, Seventh Church, the last of the five undedicated churches in the field, held its dedica­tion services.

Again the truth of our Leader’s words was demonstrated:

“The devotion of thought to an honest achieve­ment makes the achievement possible.”

(Science and Health, page 199)

In a little more than four years of consecrated devotion, the St. Louis field of Christian Science churches had been loosed from the impeding debt and were free to accomplish the holy object of ministering to the need of mankind.

Foremost Purpose—Healing

From its inception, the Joint Dedication Activity Committee of St. Louis and St. Louis County had considered its work as wholly a work of healing, not merely a money-raising plan, but an activity offering opportunities, if utilized, for individual and church growth and development in all directions.

During the period, instances showing greater interest in the carrying on of general church activi­ties by the memberships, and growth in attendance at church services, were frequently reported. Three of the churches established Reading Rooms out­side of their edifices, indicating an aroused thought in the field.

Whether or not previous joint activity un­knowingly had encouraged the erection of church edifices larger than needed at the time, or extrava­gance in building, the present Joint Committee endeavored to carry out a general feeling that wise remedial steps were necessary in order to correct a condition that seemed out of balance, had been long present, and one that need not be repeated.

Achievement Realized

The Joint Committee considered the activity expedient yet temporary; therefore, with deep gratitude for the consecrated work and splendid accomplishments of the church members of the field as well as many members of the congregations in reaching their objective, the Committee dissolved.

Since all things do work together for good to them that love God, so did this joint effort of the field operate to heal the disease of debt and unite the churches in the bond of love.

It was a joyous project from start to finish, a time of rapid spiritual development. At no time during the special joint effort had the Christian Science organizations in St. Louis and St. Louis County been divided into givers and receivers. All had been equal receivers, receptive of the truth that breaks the bondage of pride and sel­fishness, and opens the way into the liberty of the children of God, of boundless good, united in

“One holy church, one army strong,

One steadfast high intent,

One working band, one harvest song,

One King omnipotent.”

(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 37)

Summary of the Activity

The activity took place from November, 1942 to November, 1946.

*

All of the thirteen Christian Science organizations in St. Louis and St. Louis County, twelve with completed edifices, participated in the activity. Seven of these churches had been dedicated previously.

*

The building indebtedness of the remaining five churches totalled approximately $333,000.

*

This indebtedness was paid and the five churches dedicated between March 12, 1944 and November 24, 1946.

*

The Committee sponsored-joint meetings of the memberships of the field with planned programs and local speakers. Quarterly financial reports were issued showing the progress being made toward reduction of the indebtedness. These reports were distributed by the various churches to their memberships. Copies of the reports were sent to the Board of Directors of The Mother Church.

The Committee did not handle funds nor did it recommend how funds should be raised nor where contributions should be sent. Each individual church made such decisions.

*

Each church, those already dedicated as well as those in process of dedicating, formed a Dedication Activity Committee among its own membership and adopted methods of keeping its membership informed and alert toward the oppor­tunities afforded by the activity.

*

The activities of the individual churches in­cluded inspirational meetings to which, occasion­ally, members of the congregation were invited; letters and printed cards to the membership; financial reports at quarterly meetings; references co articles in our periodicals and statements by our Leader regarding dedication and giving; announcements in services regarding the progress of the activity; special contribution envelopes; and whatever plans and methods the members should consider appropriate.

*

Following the dedication of Seventh Church, the Joint Dedication Activity Committee of St. Louis and St. Louis County dissolved.

Dates of the Dedications

Eighth Church of Christ, Scientist, St. Louis, March 12, 1944

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Overland, Mo., December 31, 1944

Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, St. Louis, July 1, 1945

Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Sr. Louis, January 27, 1946.

Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist, St. Louis, November 24, 1946