Christian Science was brought to New Bern, North Carolina in 1894 by Mary Hatch Harrison.  In 1903, a year after she took Normal Class with Edward A. Kimball, CSD, Harrison, and other Christian Scientists from North Carolina, won a legislative victory, thwarting attempts to prevent the practice of Christian Science in this state.  As an expression of gratitude for this victory won in the legislature as well as all the growth in the Christian Science movement, First Church of Christ, Scientist, New Bern decided to build a church.  Later that month, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, through her secretary, Calvin A. Frye, sent Harrison a copy of all her works published to that date to place in the cornerstone, which had already been purchased, and was later laid on December 31st.

In addition, during that same December, Eddy sent a gift of gratitude to Harrison, in the form of $3,000, for locating proof that Eddy’s husband, Major George W. Glover, was indeed a Free Mason.  The money was to be used to purchase land and build a church.  Construction began in May of 1907, and was finished on July 28th, with the church being dedicated, debt-free.  Eddy herself chose the four inscriptions seen on the interior walls of the edifice.  First Church of Christ, Scientist, New Bern, North Carolina was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1973.

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