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Classic Roman-style, fan-shaped plan for First Church of Christs’ Scientist
From:Shanghai Daily  |  2019-08-17 04:29

ON Sunday, November 4, 1934, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Shanghai held services in this new church building, located at the corner of Avenue and Kiaochow roads.

This is the first Christian Science church to be erected in China, and the opening service will be one of dedication, the edifice being finished and ready for occupancy, free from all debt.

The cornerstone for this building was laid on March 22, 1934, and this structure, now almost completed, is the material embodiment of the aims and hopes of a small group of people who, for the past twenty years, have met for the holding of Christian Science services.

It is built according to the designs of the firm of Elliott Hazzard, Architects, and the style adhered to in the curved facade is derived from the classic Roman.

Brick, covered with plaster, was used in its construction, and the exterior is similar in appearance to buff limestone. Above the entrance doorway, in bronze letters, are the words “First Church of Christs’ Scientist,” and wrought-iron lanterns of artistic design flank the central doorway.

In conforming to the shape of this building site, the semi-circular or fan-shaped plan seemed the only possible solution.

This necessity, however, proved a desirable opportunity, as the arrangement ensuing is especially well adapted to Christian Science services, permitting a convenient seating arrangement with respect to the Readers’ desk.

The interior finish throughout of this building, while modern and artistic in every respect, has been kept simple and restrained, with the idea of preserving an atmosphere of quiet repose and dignity. It must be conceded that the entire edifice, within and without, is an admirable achievement in decorative and classic design, combined with most attractive though subdued furnishings, a notable and outstanding addition to the fast-growing collection of Shanghai’s fine buildings.

In 1914, the first public Christian Science Reading Room was opened and since that time a Reading Room has been constantly maintained, the present one being located at Room 8b, Central Arcade, 49 Nanking Road. The first free public lecture on Christian Science was given in 1915.

In the year 1928 this Society had attained a membership sufficient to become organized as First Church of Christ, Scientist, Shanghai, and thus it is known today.

Services were held in the Masonic Hall on the Bund until that building was demolished, when they were held at the Royal Asiatic Society’s building on Museum Road (today’s Huqiu Road). When the American Masonic Temple was built on Route Dufour (today’s Urumqi Road S.), they arranged to hold their services there, and have been in that location ever since.

The First Church of Christ, Scientist of Boston, Mass, and for many years resident in the home of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, will lecture in Shanghai, in this new church edifice, on Sunday evening, December 2, 1934, at 9:15pm.

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