Audited Financial Statement of The Mother Church 1904-1905

This audited financial statement by Edwin D. Pride is likely one of only five copies prepared for the Christian Science Board of Directors in 1905. It covers the period June 1, 1904 – June 1, 1905 and was the copy of William B. Johnson (based on the handwritten notes of his son, William Lyman Johnson).

The eighteen-page document is filled with a wealth of information on how the Church finances were in this important period, when the Extension was being built. Note: the Christian Science Publishing Society was a separate legal entity so its expenses are not included in this financial statement.

The following are some interesting facts from this document:

 Mrs. Eddy paid the Church $200 for its help with the volume, Book of the Presidents.

William Lyman Johnson was paid $1,600 per year as the assistant to the bell ringer. (Based on a presumed 3.5% inflation factor each year, that would be equal to about $49,000 in 2011 dollars.)

Pew rentals yielded $5,068.75, compared to per capita tax of $28,175.99 and Sunday collections of $11,530.29.

$3,000 was paid to the Church on the notes for the Roslindale property (it was sold on August 30, 1900 to Albert and Mary Childress, and three loans of $1,500 each were made by the Church in that transaction)

The Church paid rent on the 385 Commonwealth Avenue property in the amount of $1,999,92.

The following salary was noted:

—Alfred Farlow, Pub. Com. $5,000 (my understanding is that Farlow had to use this money to pay all of the expenses of his offices, including other salaries).

Insurance was paid in the amount of $601.80.

Per capita tax receipts were as follows in the fiscal years ending in June:

—1903: $22,651.08

—1904: $24,771.97

—1905: $28,175.99

The Church Building Fund received during the year $445,566.83.

Salaries for the members of the Christian Science Board of Directors:

—William B. Johnson $3,300

—Ira O. Knapp $1,000

—Joseph Armstrong $1,000

—Stephen A. Chase $3,200

—Archibald McLellan $1,000

Laura Sargent received a salary for taking care of the Mother’s Room of $800

Hermann Hering, the First Reader received $3,500, and Ella E. Williams, the Second Reader, received $2,400.

The Finance Committee (Calvin Hill, William Lyman Johnson, and Leon Abbott) received collectively $1,500.

Here are images from the financial statement:

 

Comments

[Craig Beardsley]

Thanks for the latest post, Keith. To get a such a transparent glimpse into early organizational salaries, expenses and revenue is really interesting. I'm surprised and disappointed you haven't gotten any feedback until now on this post.

Quick question for any and all: what did Mrs. Eddy mean by "Affection craves legend and relics?"

[Keith]

Thanks, Craig. I have been traveling so now get a chance to get back to this. The phrase "Affection craves legend and relics" is from Mrs. Eddy 's letter to Rufus Baker in 1899 when he was trying to sell his illustration of Mrs. Eddy's Bow homestead. She was trying to help him out and was pointing out that the affection that her followers felt for her manifested itself in many of them wanting to be able to buy souvenirs, etc.