The house that Christian Science built

Passing by, it would be easy to write off the imposing three-story Victorian estate on 400 Beacon St. as yet another elegant Chestnut Hill home or elite private school.

This estate, however, was once home to Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science Church. The estate is currently closed to the public, but until recently it remained open, offering public tours, in an attempt to teach about the life of this noteworthy figure in both medical and theological history.

"During the later years of her life, Mary Baker Eddy was one of the most important women in the United States," said Mike Davis, a researcher at the Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity, located in Boston. "Hers was a household name and she was regularly featured in newspaper headlines, and people would stand outside her Chestnut Hill home, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, much the way reporters treat celebrities today."

Mary Baker Eddy, born in 1821 in New Hampshire, was plagued throughout childhood by chronic illness. During her struggle against her infirmity, she was forced by the sometimes unsafe medical practices of the time to pursue alternative treatment methods.

She studied and experimented with a number of unorthodox treatments until she was inspired by a healer in Maine. His methods, which included the use of hypnosis and placebos, seemed to work, and Eddy was intrigued by the seemingly miraculous potential of faith to alleviate illness.

In 1866, while recovering from an injury, Eddy was reading the Bible and was shocked to find that she had made a substantial improvement. Later calling this the moment she discovered Christian Science, Eddy went on to study and teach her newfound faith, publishing Science and Health, a manifesto of her beliefs, in 1875.

In 1879, Eddy secured a charter for the Church of Christ, Scientist, also called Christian Science, as existing Christian churches refused to adopt her philosophies.

In recent years Christian Science has received a high level of media scrutiny for its practice of mind/body healing, sometimes called "faith healing." Members favor prayer over modern medical practices, believing that their faith will ultimately alleviate suffering.

The religion also professes several other deviations from traditional Christianity, such as a significantly smaller focus on the sacraments.

Throughout her life, Eddy was more than a religious activist; in 1881 she founded the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, where she taught for several years.

Eddy also established the Christian Science Publishing Society in 1898. In 1908, she began publishing the Christian Science Monitor, an international newspaper published five days a week, which remains in print today.

The Monitor, with reporters in 11 countries, is known for its devotion to accuracy and presentation of a global perspective, and has won seven Pulitzer Prizes since its inception.

"Eddy founded the Christian Science Monitor when she was 87, and it has been one of the world's leading papers ever since," Davis said.

Eddy's countless forays into the realms of publishing, medicine, education, and religion were almost unheard of during the time in which she lived.

"She achieved this prominence and fame in the male-dominated 19th century. She showed basically what a woman could do under those circumstances despite the obstacles thrown in her way," Davis said.

"As a religious figure, [Eddy] was multifaceted; there have been religious visionaries and those who wrote sacred books and scriptures, but Eddy did it all. She published books, created an organization for her faith, served as an editor, and even did her own finances. There are so many facets of her life," said Davis.

"College students could approach her life in different ways depending on their interests. It's important for college students to be aware of women's history," he said.

The estate in Chestnut Hill was Eddy's home during the last three years of her life and served as an office from which Eddy oversaw the organization of her church and its many publishing efforts.

"The house in Chestnut Hill was not one that [Eddy] lived in as long as those in New Hampshire, but it's important due to her accomplishments there and due to her importance as a historical figure," said Davis.

The home remains largely unchanged; many of Eddy's personal belongings remain on display both as mementos of her life and examples of 19th-century furnishings. During the time in which the estate offered tours, visitors were told not only about the history of the particular house, but also broader historical information about Eddy.

The house in Chestnut Hill was forced to close to the public due to the substantial costs associated with maintaining an estate of its size. The Mary Baker Eddy Library hopes to reopen the estate sometime in the future, but no specific date has been set.

Located in the heart of Boston, The Mary Baker Eddy Library is home to several collections of Eddy's writings and artifacts from her life with focuses on both her personal life and her contributions to Christian Science.

The museum also features several exhibits focusing on influential thinkers throughout history and how their work contributes to humanity's quest to understand life's meaning. The library's Mapparium, a three-story stained glass globe, offers visitors a chance to explore how ideas have changed the world. The library also has a reference room and a research room, where visitors can make appointments to inspect and study the library's documents more closely.

In addition to the estate in Chestnut Hill, historic homes of Eddy have been preserved on Commonwealth Avenue and in Lynn, Mass. The residence in Lynn, like that in Chestnut Hill, once offered tours, but is currently closed to the public. Eddy's Commonwealth Avenue estate is currently a working residence and is also closed to the public.

The home in New Hampshire in which Eddy was born is no longer standing, but the site has been preserved.

The public is also welcome to visit Eddy's grave, located in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Mass.