Christian Science is based on the teachings of Christ Jesus. It
presents God as all-powerful, ever-present, and all-good and contends
that each individual, as created by God, is inseparable from God's
love. This unfolding understanding of reality brings healing to
individual lives. The Church of Christ, Scientist, founded in 1879 by
Mary Baker Eddy "to reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost
element of healing," has been in Utah for well over a century. Its
history began in July 1891 when Mrs. Eddy sent one of her followers,
Mrs. N. A. Bagley of Chicago, to Salt Lake City to organize a branch
church.
 
This led to the formation of the first Utah congregation, which later
became First Church of Christ, Scientist, Salt Lake City, incorporated
on August 27,1891. The small group initially met at various sites,
including members' homes, the Odd Fellows Hall, and the Jewish
synagogue. In 1897 the local members voted to build their own church,
located at 352 East 300 South. The Richardsonian Romanesque structure
was planned by architect Walter E. Ware, who also designed the First
Presbyterian Church, St. Mark's Hospital, the Old Masonic Temple, and
many other structures in Salt Lake City. On Sunday, November 27,1898,
the new church was dedicated, according to church policy, free of debt.
At least 1,000 people crowded into the church, which was designed for a
seating capacity of 650. Christian Scientists from several nearby
states traveled to Salt Lake City for the occasion. Services were
opened by Mrs. Frank D. Kimball, acting First Reader in the absence of
Lewis B. Coates, who was back east on church business with Mrs. Eddy.
Mrs. Kimball read a letter from Mrs. Eddy praising the dedication of
the Utah members. Thus began the thirty-second Christian Science branch
church in the United States. The church building was restored in the
1970s and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The
building was sold by the members in 2002.
 
In 1909, increased participation at First Church, Salt Lake City led to
the formation of a new congregation. Some of the members organized to
erect a new building that became Second Church of Christ, Scientist,
Salt Lake City at 566 East South Temple. G. H. Kent was the architect.
This building, free of indebtedness, was dedicated on March 17, 1918.
This church building was sold in the early 1960s and Second Church held
its first services in a new meeting house, which is their present
location, at 1165 Foothill Drive in 1965.
 
The third Christian Science church in Salt Lake City was started in
1952 when twelve individuals organized a society to serve the
southeastern part of the city and to relieve members of the long drive
to the two other churches in the downtown area. Services were first
held in a rented house at 2605 East 3300 South. This society was
renamed First Church of Christ, Scientist, Millcreek in 1964. In 1974
it became known as Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Salt Lake City.
Today Third Church, Salt Lake City is located at 1306 Spring Lane (5000
South) and its Reading Room is at 2124 S. Highland Drive.
 
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Ogden, was started in May 1895.
Meetings were held in various locations until in 1899 members purchased
the former Presbyterian meetinghouse at 24th Street and Lincoln Avenue.
In 1907 that structure was sold and meetings were held in the local
Congregational church and the Masonic temple. A new church building,
located at the corner of Monroe Avenue and 24th Street, was built and
dedicated on December 26, 1915. Today the church is located at 780 E
24th St. (Martin Luther King Dr.), Ogden.
 
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Provo, began in 1897 when four
persons organized an informal society, which was recognized by The
Mother Church in Boston in 1898, and was incorporated according to
state law on November 29, 1902. Some members came from other parts of
Utah County. For example, Medora Pierson traveled by train from
American Fork to serve as First Reader in Provo. After meeting in
temporary quarters, members built their own edifice at 105 East 100
North. The first services were held on July 18, 1926, and the new
church was dedicated debt-free in 1933. Due in part to high maintenance
costs, the Provo Christian Scientists sold their historic building at
the end of the 20th century.
 
The St. George Christian Science Society, formed in 1979, serves as a
religious "oasis" on Interstate 15 between the Salt Lake and Las Vegas
churches. Its members currently meet for Sunday services at 11 a.m. at
373 S.100 E.
 
In 1982, a group of Christian Scientists in Park City began meeting
informally in the home of Bess Ward. They formed a Christian Science
Society in 1984, meeting at various locations in Park City, until 2001
when in anticipation of the upcoming 2002 Winter Olympic Games the
Society joined with the Salt Lake churches to open a Christian Science
Reading Room in the Main Street Mall. The Society held church services
at that location until 2006 when the Society became First Church of
Christ, Scientist, Park City and purchased space at 605 Main Street for
the Reading Room and church services.
 
In 2006 a group of Christian Scientists in Kanab, Utah opened a new
storefront location on 20 North Main. Their Sunday church services are
held for the public at 11 a.m.
 
In the past there have been temporary Christian Science meetings in
several other communities, including Milford, Logan, Helper, Price,
Green River, Richfield, Cedar City, Eureka, Garfield, and Tooele. Since
some members were transient college students or railroad workers, those
groups have ceased.
 
One of the major Christian Science contributions to Utah has been
Christian Science Reading Rooms set up in convenient downtown locations
and sometimes in church buildings. The public has been welcome to read,
borrow, or purchase the Bible and various items of Christian Science
literature, including the Christian Science textbook, Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures, and other works of Mary Baker Eddy,
and the international newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor. The
Holy Bible and Science and Health are read at church services.
 
Each local Christian Science Church sponsors one or more annual public
lectures given by a member of the Board of the Christian Science
Lectureship in Boston. The first such lecture in Utah was given by
Edward A. Kimball in the original Salt Lake Theatre in September 1898.
 
To interface in public settings, such as with the media and the state
legislature, Christian Scientists are annually appointed to serve as a
one-member Committee on Publication. The current Committee on
Publication for Utah is Elizabeth Beall of Park City:
utcommittee@comcast.net. To obtain more information go to
www.christianscience.com.