On her extensive travels—mainly to Europe as well as one around-the-world voyage—Museum founder Mary Beecher Longyear readily shared information about Christian Science and its teachings.1 One way she did this was by distributing copies of the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, to those she met along the way.2
Thus, it’s not surprising that the Deed of Trust Mrs. Longyear established for the Museum included a provision to distribute copies of Mrs. Eddy’s writings as well as the Bible on an ongoing basis. Historical records over the decades show that for a while Longyear distributed books around the world—from Australia to Brazil, Chile to Indonesia—and also through Christian Science college organizations and educational institutions serving young Christian Scientists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.3 In recent years, the distribution of books has focused on students at Principia School and College.
In fact, Executive Director Sandy Houston was among the recipients of a Longyear gift when she was a college student herself! “The Gift Book program … is especially dear to me,” Sandy says, “as I still use the Church Manual that I received from Longyear Foundation when I was a student at Principia!”
Earlier this year, Longyear Museum purchased and shipped off yet another set of books procured from The Christian Science Publishing Society for all incoming freshmen and new students at Principia Upper School. In the fall, each student had indicated which book they wanted—including the type of edition (for example a “Sterling” edition or a pocket-size version).
In fact, the pocket-size or “mini” versions seem to be quite popular with students. Such a Science and Health will accompany one student who is embarking on a military career; another student writes that “I can’t wait to take [my book] to camp with me. …” And, when it comes to the Bible, one student remarks on the benefits of having a physical copy of the book that’s relatively small and “isn’t on my phone.”
For several students, the gift from Longyear marks the first time they had their own copy of a specific book. One student is excited “to finally be able to annotate and take care of my own copy” of The Manual of The Mother Church, while another writes, “I have been a Christian Scientist my whole life and have never had my own Hymnal.”
A few students expressed a specific love of poetry, and were thrilled to receive a copy of Poems, a cream-covered collection of poems by Mrs. Eddy, bearing a delicate design of roses on the cover. “I really love reading poetry … it makes me feel connected to others [and] I can’t wait to start reading” the book, wrote one happy student.
Whatever book or version the students have chosen, as Sandy observes, “It’s wonderful to be supporting each generation in their study of Mrs. Eddy’s writings and the Bible!”