newsletter winter 2009 ™ News Visually, the content consists of rolling images of objects, documents, and photographs, most from the Library’s An Extraordinary Life Now on Screen collections, along with contemporary shots of the Library and the Christian Science Plaza. While revealing a life “How did all of this and career defined by profound transformation and ac- come about?” is a complishment, the video’s narration favors a measured question posed at the and straightforward tone. beginning of a new orientation video at The idea, script, and production of the video all occurred The Mary Baker Eddy in house through a Library team, consisting of Jonathon Library. The question Eder, Sherry Darling, Lesley Pitts, M. J. Pullins, and Mark refers to the physi- Thayer, together with production help from Morgan cal environment at Anderson and Noel Flatt of the Christian Science Broadcast and Multimedia Plaza, which sur- Production Services at the rounds visitors coming Church. Randye Kaye, a into the Library. The answer voiceover professional from involves telling the story of the New York City area, Mary Baker Eddy, and so provided the narration. begins the eight minute film Mary Baker Eddy: An The video concludes the sto- Extraordinary Life, which ry of Mary Baker Eddy with debuted in the Hall of Ideas her founding of The Chris- in late January. tian Science Monitor in her 87th year. In closing it offers After describing the many this quotation from Science activities taking place at the and Health with Key to the headquarters of The First Scriptures: “Thus the dawn Church of Christ, Scientist, of ideas goes on, including at the Library, forming each succes- the video explains that sive stage of progress,” all of this had its origin in encouraging visitors the most inconspicuous of to explore further this circumstances with a woman who was often on her own “extraordinary life” and of little means. In unfolding the drama and ac- and the themes of complishments of her life, the film connects The Mother transformation and Church, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Library progress through the with the story of Mary Baker Eddy. Library’s collections and exhibits. 1 Winter 2009 Issue News This periodic newsletter is provided to promote awareness of The Mary Baker Mapparium Cleaning and Restoration Eddy Library, its exhibits, programs, has History and activities, to current and potential Library patrons and supporters. As a Boston landmark, the Mapparium is a one-of- a-kind treasure. So much so, that the delicate task Mission Statement of cleaning each of the 608 stained glass panels has “The Mary Baker Eddy Library provides been featured in Life magazine and National Geo- public access and context to original materi- graphic. als and educational experiences about Mary “Brightening with each swipe of a workman’s cloth, Baker Eddy’s life, ideas, and achievements, stained glass in the...Mapparium in Boston, Massa- including her Church. The Library promotes chusetts, shows political boundaries and coastlines exploration and scholarship through its charted after millennia of mapmaking.”—from collections, exhibits, and programs.” “Revolution in Mapping,” National Geographic, February 1998. c.1940 2009 ©2009 The Mary Baker Eddy Library®. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States on 100% recycled, 100% post-consumer waste paper manufactured with Green-e® certified biogas energy and wind power. www.mbelibrary.org 200 Massachusetts Avenue n Boston, MA 02115 617-450-7000 or toll free 888-222-3711 Become a Library Friend for the new year! Contributions entitle you to receipt of our newsletters, free admission for you and a guest, and a 10% discount on purchases from the shop for the next twelve months. There are no member- ship cards or renewal notices. You may donate online at www.mbelibrary. org. FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY PROGRAM – 888-222-3711, extension 7301 e-mail: [email protected], or write us c/o Friends of the Library 2 Programs & Exhibits comments to mark the significance of a passage in rela- tion to the events of the day, and her reflections on pas- “A Holy Book and a Family Treasure” sages and their meaning to her. For example, one of the Now on Exhibit earliest dated notations next to Psalm 107 simply records the date “July 6 ’86.” Psalm 103 bears the reminiscence As a child the book I loved best was that “My brother Albert raised me the Bible. After school when the oth- up from a sick bed by reading to me er children were at play, I would steal this Psalm.” home and taking my precious Bible I would seat myself in the rocker and The exhibit is on display on the while I rocked I read the Psalms of second floor outside Lending and David or the life of the Master. Reference Services through March —Mary Baker Eddy [A11416] 15, 2009. History tells us that family Bibles play To learn how the Baker family Bible a significant role in American culture. was conserved for this exhibit, see Using historic Bibles and photo- the Fall 2008 issue of the Library graphs from the Library’s collections, Baker family Bible on view through March 15. newsletter. this exhibit explores how fam- ily Bibles have been used over the centuries to record births, marriages, and deaths. They are used at these significant events as well as in the daily reading and prayer of many families. Commonly, these Bibles are handed down from generation to generation. News The Baker family Bible, according to family tradition, First Night Fun was purchased by Mary Baker Eddy’s grandparents, Joseph Baker and Maryann Baker, with their savings after Once again the Library was a host destination for they had married and established a home in Bow, New Boston’s First Night celebration. Despite the snowy Hampshire. The Bible was later handed down to their weather, hundreds of visitors arrived at the Library to son, Mark Baker, Mary Baker Eddy’s father. hear performances by Project STEP, Boston Art School for Chinese Music, and Kalfou (featuring members The Baker Bible, over two centuries old, was printed in of Zili Misik). In addition to enjoying the wonderful 1795 in Edinburgh, Scotland, by Mark and Charles Kerr. music, families followed our scavenger hunt through Mary Baker Eddy spoke of this “great old Bible” to Irving our exhibits, ending with a well-earned cup of hot Tomlinson, a member of her household [A11437]. She chocolate and sugar cookies in Quotes® café. Face recalled that her father, Mark Baker, read from it at morn- painting, crown making, and the poetry wall were all ing and evening devotions. hits! All Library events were made possible through a generous donation from Eastern Insurance. Mary Baker Eddy shared her father’s love of the Bible throughout her life. Within its pages she found the prin- ciples upon which Christian Science was founded. Eddy would later write, “The Bible was my only textbook” [Science and Health, p. 110]. On display with the Baker Bible is Mary Baker Eddy’s book of Psalms, printed by the American Bible Society of New York in 1879. This copy of the Psalms is a re- markable example of Eddy’s deep study of the Scriptures. The book contains more than two hundred notations in her handwriting. She covered the end pages and mar- gins with notes. These record dates next to Bible verses, 3 Programs News “One Working Band” The Library Web Site Gets a Makeover On December 7, the Library hosted a program entitled The Library is thrilled to launch its Web site redesign “One Working Band: Music in Mary Baker Eddy’s New at www.marybakereddylibrary.org. Easily navigated England.” The event focused on musical expression in and now updated, the “new” Web site allows the the Episcopalian, Unitarian Universalist, and Christian Library to feature online exhibits Science traditions, particularly and up-to-date information on in the context of sacred song in Library programs. nineteenth-century New England, and it combined panel discussion Already new on the site are find- with performance, including audi- ing aids in PDF format to some ence participation. of the Library’s historic collec- tions, such as the Reminiscence The program’s title, “One Work- File, Mary Baker Eddy’s incom- ing Band,” comes from a hymn ing correspondence, and Calvin by Samuel Johnson, an American Frye’s library, among others (see hymnist and Transcendentalist, Collections > Holdings). and is included in Christian Sci- ence, Unitarian Universalist, and Past programs are also available Episcopalian hymnals. In prepar- for download on the Web site, ing for the program, it became including “One Working Band: evident that these different musi- Music in Mary Baker Eddy’s New England,” the cal and spiritual traditions are in some ways like cous- holiday celebration and discussion of congregational ins, sharing a certain heritage, but each with their own singing; the popular “Meet the Au- unique purpose and identity. Variations in text and com- thor” talk with former Library Fel- monality in music come together as low Heather Curtis discussing her “One Working Band.” book, Faith in the Great Physician: Suffering and Divine Healing in The panel included Dr. Linda Clark, American Culture, 1860-1900; and Professor Emeritus of Sacred Mu- “Varieties of Scientific Experience: sic at Boston University School of Mary Baker Eddy, William James, Theology and Director of Music at and Other Honest Investigators of Grace Episcopal Church in New- the Nineteenth Century.” ton Corner, MA; Dr. Leo Collins, archivist and former music director of First Church (Unitarian Univer- The Library’s goal for the Web site salist) in Boston; and Judy Huen- is to inform visitors about our ex- neke, Senior Research Archivist at hibits and programs and to educate the Library.