Step back in time to 1889. The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Toronto began humbly. Early Christian Science services were first held informally in a private home in the city.
Now, here we stand before this historic building at 196 St. George St. This is in The Annex neighbourhood. It is just north of the University of Toronto.
The congregation first called itself Church of Christ, Scientist. That was until December 1893. It then became First Church of Christ, Scientist. This distinguished it from another new congregation.
Imagine small groups meeting in homes. They met from December 1888 through October 1889. The congregation grew. They rented Orange Hall near Euclid Avenue and College Street.
By September 1890 even larger quarters were needed. They moved to College Street and Brunswick Avenue. There, they were formally identified as a church.
In 1896, the congregation purchased an existing church building. It was previously the Reformed Episcopal Church. It was on University Avenue. They remodeled it. The church reopened on June 19, 1898. It served until 1916.
Construction of the present First Church of Christ, Scientist building began in June 1914. Dedicatory ceremonies were held on July 9, 1916. The architect was Solon S. Beman of Chicago.
Beman designed several buildings at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. He designed over a dozen other Christian Science churches. They all followed a similar architectural style.
Today, the First Church of Christ, Scientist maintains a Reading Room. It is located at 927 Yonge Street. That is north of Bloor. The church is a branch of The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston.
The Mother Church in Boston is the controlling body of Christian Science. All local Churches of Christ, Scientist, are branches of the Mother Church. Mary Baker Eddy established the Mother Church in 1879. She reestablished it as an international organization in 1892.
In 1908, Eddy established The Christian Science Monitor newspaper. It protested the sensationalism of the popular press.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist continues to publish the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It also produces four other ongoing publications through its Christian Science Publishing Society.
As you leave this place, remember the journey of faith. The First Church of Christ, Scientist began with humble gatherings. It has grown into a lasting testament to Christian Science in Toronto.