Mother Church--the chief corner stone whereof is, that Christian
Science, as taught and demonstrated by our Master, casts out error,
heals the sick, and restores the lost Israel: for "the stone which
the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner."

The charter for the Church was obtained June, 1879,[1] and the same
month the members, twenty-six in number, extended a call to Mary
Baker Eddy to become their pastor. She accepted the call, and was
ordained A. D. 1881. Although walking through deep waters, the little
Church went steadily on, increasing in numbers, and at every epoch
saying,

"Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

On the twenty-third day of September, 1892, at the request of Rev.
Mary Baker Eddy, twelve of her students and Church members met and
reorganized, under her jurisdiction, the Christian Science Church
and named it, THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.

At this meeting twenty others of Mrs. Eddy's students and members of
her former Church were elected members of this Church,--those with
others that have since been elected were known as "First Members."
The Church Tenets, Rules, and By-Laws, as prepared by Mrs. Eddy,
were adopted. A By-Law adopted March 17, 1903, changed the title of
"First Members" to "Executive Members." (On July 8, 1908, the By-Laws
pertaining to "Executive Members" were repealed.)

THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST, IN BOSTON, MASS., is designed
to be built on the Rock, Christ; even the understanding and
demonstration of divine Truth, Life, and Love, healing and saving the