Scientists' World

It was not a product of their kind of science, but the 6,000 Christian Scientists who flocked to Boston last week for the annual meeting of the Mother Church were left gasping with pleasure by the giant "Mapparium" just opened for inspection in their new, $4,500,000 publishing house. Entering a door off the main rotunda they found themselves on a glass trestle inside what they were proudly assured was the world's largest reproduction of the world. A globe 30 ft. in diameter, on a scale of 22 miles to the inch, it was made of grey-blue glass a quarter-inch thick set in bronze squares. Continents, islands and political divisions were fired into the glass in contrasting colors, softly lit from the outside by 300 electric bulbs. Cost: $35,000.

Having inspected this architectural marvel, the Scientists retired to congratulate themselves on the steady march of their Church across the real globe's face. In an atmosphere which the great Christian Science Monitor described as one of "peace and perfect order," they heard reports of diseases and disorders Scientifically healed during the past year, were informed that:

P: Seventy-three new branches of the Mother Church had been established during the year--47 in North America, 17 in Europe, four in Australia, two in Asia, two in Africa, one in South America--making a grand total of 2,721 branches. P: Circulation of all Science publications had increased, the Monitor having ended last March the best six months in its history with an average daily net paid circulation of 138,608.

P: Nearly 200 North American radio stations were now broadcasting "The Monitor Views the News."

From their potent, self-perpetuating Board of Directors the Scientists received the following message: "In these days of unrest ... we should turn often in prayerful expectancy that nation shall not rise up against nation. ... In reality, men and nations do not envy and hate each other; because they have one heavenly Father they respect and love each other."

Chosen by the Board to be the Church's nominal president for this year was A. Barry Bacon, a gentle, ruddy six-footer who succeeded his late, able brother Charles in 1930 as president of Boston's prosperous, 124-year-old Chandler & Co. dry goods store. Born in Pontiac, Mich, and brought up in Washington, D. C., President Bacon is married and childless, lives on a fine estate at suburban Marshfield Hills, likes to golf and garden. To assembled Scientists last week he said:

"During the past four years of the so-called Depression when the whole world has struggled under unemployment, lack, want and woe, Christian Science has come to the rescue of many, and, through the application of this Science, they have been healed of these erroneous conditions."

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