Judge Clifford P. Smith, C.S.B.

Oil on canvas portrait by Linn Ball
Gift of Judge Clifford P. Smith Association
Longyear Museum Collection, AW0252

JUDGE CLIFFORD P. SMITH, C.S.B.
In 1896, Judge Smith became interested in Christian Science, and the following year was healed of poor eyesight. Several years later, he witnessed the healing of his one-year-old daughter through Christian Science treatment. This was followed by Primary class instruction in 1901, and membership in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1902. One of his great services to the Christian Science movement was to define and preserve the legal rights of Christian Scientists to heal by prayer. In 1908, he resigned his position as District Court Judge of the Iowa State Bench, and moved to Boston. Judge Smith was named First Reader of The Mother Church later that year, and, in 1910, was called upon to conduct the funeral service held in Mrs. Eddy's Chestnut Hill home after her passing. Judge Smith's career included a variety of positions in the Church: President of The Mother Church, member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, Manager of Committees on Publication, teacher of the Normal class under the Christian Science Board of Education in 1916, Editor of the Christian Science periodicals from 1930 to 1932, and Editor of the Bureau of History and Records from 1932 to 1935. He taught classes in Christian Science from 1912 to 1941.

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