The Massachusetts Metaphysical College was founded in 1881 by Mary Baker Eddy in Boston, Massachusetts, to teach her school of Christianly scientific metaphysical healing that she named Christian Science. Eddy records in the preface of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, her chief work on scientific Christian healing, p. xi, that the college was opened, "under the seal of the Commonwealth, of Massachusetts, a law relative to colleges having been passed which enabled her to get this institution chartered for medical purposes." and it was located at 571 Columbus Avenue, Boston. USA. After teaching for almost seven years, Eddy closed this college in 1889 in order to devote herself to the revision of her book, Science and Health, but retained her charter and reopened the College in 1899 as an auxiliary to her Church.
The College's founder, Mary Baker Eddy, in the preface to her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which is the fundamental doctrinal Textbook on Christian Science, outlines a short history of the College as follows:
In 1881, she (Mary Baker Eddy) opened the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in Boston, under the seal of the Commonwealth, a law relative to colleges having been passed, which enabled her to get this institution chartered for medical purposes. No charters were granted to Christian Scientists for such institutions after 1883, and up to that date, hers was the only College of this character which had been established in the United States, where Christian Science was first introduced. During seven years over four thousand students were taught by the author in this College. Meanwhile she was pastor of the first established Church of Christ, Scientist; President of the first Christian Scientist Association, convening monthly; publisher of her own works; and (for a portion of this time) sole editor and publisher of the Christian Science Journal, the first periodical issued by Christian Scientists. She closed her College, October 29, 1889, in the height of its prosperity with a deep-lying conviction that the next two years of her life should be given to the preparation of the revision of SCIENCE AND HEALTH, which was published in 1891. She retained her charter, and as its President, reopened the College in 1899 as auxiliary to her church.
Mark Twain, in his critical and humorous book Christian Science, which was published in January, 1907, mentions an ad run in the Christian Science Journal for September, 1886:
MASSACHUSETTS METAPHYSICAL COLLEGE
REV. MARY BAKER G. EDDY, PRESIDENT
571 Columbus Avenue, Boston
The collegiate course in Christian Science metaphysical healing includes twelve lessons. Tuition, three hundred dollars.
Course in metaphysical obstetrics includes six daily lectures, and is open only to students from this college. Tuition, one hundred dollars.
Class in theology, open (like the above) to graduates, receives six additional lectures on the Scriptures, and summary of the principle and practice of Christian Science, two hundred dollars.
Upon Eddy's decease in December 1910, the By-laws of her church stipulated that the vice-president of the College would replace her as the College's President. This person was Judge Septimus J. Hanna who, with his wife, had been early students of Eddy and who occupied more positions of trust in the Christian Science Church than any other individual.
While Eddy stated that she taught over 4000 students at her College, she might have actually meant the sum total of all students taught under her authority as president as the College including the thousands of students taught when the College was reopened as an auxiliary to her Church in 1899 under the Church's Board of Education. By that time, other teachers such as Eddy's adopted son, Ebenezer Foster-Eddy, Edward Ancel Kimball and Judge Septimus J. Hanna had taught many subsequent classes. Kimball, for example, himself, taught over 150 classes. By 1889, her Normal (teachers class) students had also been teaching under her authority and under her signed certificates in the US and overseas. In any case, John V. Dittimore, former director and clerk of her Church and later Eddy critic, gives a far shorter list in his fairly negative biography on Eddy published in 1932. His list is probably limited to those students, at the College, personally taught by Eddy alone, until she turned over the teaching to Kimball and Hanna. In Dittemore's book, Mary Baker Eddy - The Truth and the Tradition, Dittemore's appendix lists the following students:
According to Dittemore, Mary Baker Eddy personally taught the following students at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College from 1882-1889:
May 12, 1882
Mrs. Maria BrownMrs. George HorneMrs. Hattie D. JonesMiss Susie M. LangMrs. Delia S. ManleySeabury T. ManleyMrs. Mary J. TuckerAugust 16, 1882Rev. Charles D. BarbourMrs. Clara E. ChoateGeorge D. ChoateMrs. Sarah J. CrosseMiss Alice SibleyOctober 23, 1882Mrs. Mary F. BerryMiss Jennie P. DavisPerley GreenMiss Mary B. MournMrs. Amelia WheelerMrs. George W. WhitingMrs. George S. WilliamsMrs. Mary E. WoodJanuary 22, 1883Mrs. Janet T. ColemanMrs. Elsie GrosseEdward H. HammondEdward N. HarrisMrs. Mary E. HarrisAlfred LangMiss Susie M. LangMrs. Annie V. C. LeavittMrs. Janet MarchantMrs. (Note 2) MitchellMareelus M. MunroeMrs. (Note 2) Smith----- 1883Miss Ellen BrownRichard PalmerMrs. Alice B. PooleMrs. Laura A. RandMrs. Lydia M. RoafMrs. Rose A. Wigglesworth----1883William H. BradleySolomon W. NorthMrs. Thomas PattersonMrs. Melissa J. SmithMrs. Mary J. TuckerAugust 20, 1883Mrs. Mary E. ChandlerMrs. Montgomery HuntLuther M. MarstonS. D. WalkerMrs. S. D. WalkerNovember 12, 1883Mrs. Rachel BradleyMrs. L. A. ChipmanMrs. E. P. ClarkMiss Kate L. ColbyWilliam T. SeaverMiss Hester VarneyDecember 27, 1883Albert B. DormanMrs. Emma C. HopkinsH. E. JepsonMrs. H. E. JepsonMrs. Nellie MortonJohn M. C. MurphyMrs. Jennie SawyerSilas J. SawyerFebruary 25, 1884Mrs. Sadie I. BertramWilliam H. BertramMiss Nellie M. CateLevi A. ChildsMrs. Susan E. CrockerMrs. Mary D. FullerMrs. S. E. HeywoodWilliam B. JohnsonC. T. LordMrs. Caroline Dorr NoyesMiss Sara A. PlattHorace N. PooleMrs. Mary A. PooleBradford ShermanMrs. M. E. ShermanRoger ShermanMrs. Fannie M. SilsbeeMrs. Mattie WilliamsMay 13, 1884 (In Chicago)Mrs. Olive L. AveryS. J. Avery, M.D.Mrs. E. BeachMiss Isabel A. BeecherMiss Libbie BergerMiss Sarah BickfordJ. B. CrockerMrs. E. S. CousenMrs. Ursula N. GestefeldMrs. Emma A. McDonaldMrs. Lovina MilledgeC. F. MorrillMrs. C. F. MorrillMrs. Mary H. PhilbrickMrs. Laura E. SargentRev. H. SladeBenjamin SmithMrs. E. P. VailGeorge B. WickershamIn the last five days of the course there were also enrolledMr. and Mrs. A. J. SwartsMr. and Mrs.S. J. SawyerMr. Emerson,Mrs. Dr. Heegard (Note 2)September 2, 1884Mrs. Etta French.Joseph W. FrenchMiss Mary A. GershamMiss Carrie B. GrahamMiss S. Emma GreyMrs. Janette h. RobinsonMrs. R. J. RobinsonMiss Mary E. SmithMiss Kate TaylorNovember 3, 1884Henry P. BaileyMrs. Mary A. FlaggEugene H. GreeneMrs. Grace A. GreeneMrs. T. H. HaleJohn A. LinfieldMrs. John A. LinfieldMrs. P. F. LynchMrs. Dora G. MayoMiss Dora M. MayoMiss E. P. PeckGeorge E. RickerMrs. Augusta E. StetsonDecember 22, 1884Mrs-. H. P. BaileyMrs. Elizabeth S. BangsHerbert H. BangsMrs. George B. DrakeJoseph S. EastamanMrs. Frances A. FreemanCharles M. HoweMrs. Charles M. HoweF. R. KimballIra 0. KnappMrs. Ira 0. Knapp (Flavia Stickney Knapp)Mrs. Emma A. McDonaldMrs. Almeda G. PendletonMrs. Laura E. SargentMrs. Victoria SargentMrs. Josephine C. WoodburyMarch 2, 1885J. Allen CampbellMrs. J. Allen CampbellMiss A. A. ChevaillerMrs. Mary F. EastamanMrs. Jennie B. FennC. C. FosterMrs. C. A. JonesMrs. Hannah A. LarminieMrs. B. D. MarshallMiss L. A. ProctorE. Frank WoodburyMrs. E. A. WymanApril 20, 1885Edward E. AllenMrs. Harriet G. AtwoodC. M. CharterMrs. Frank ConverseRev. A. N. HenryH. E. HosleyMrs. H. E. HosleyMrs. Charlotte IngallsMrs. A. D. KennedyMrs. Eldora E. MurphyMrs. Samuel SewardMrs. B. J. SwettCharles A. S. TroupMrs. Charles A. S. TroupRev. Eliza T. WilkesRev. J. W. WinkleySeptember 14, 1885Mrs. Mary W. AdamsEdward A. BaileyMrs. Mary A. BatchelderMrs. J. P. BeckworthMiss C. Lulu BlackmanMiss Sue E. BradshawJames E. BrierlyMrs. James E. BrierlyMiss Julia M. BurnhamMiss Sarah J. ClarkMiss Mary E. ClementsMrs. Charles H. FoyeMrs. Sarah E. HeywoodMrs. Mary E. HillMiss Susan R. KennyIra 0. KnappMrs. Ira 0. KnappMrs. Laura LathropMiss Ella LongMrs. Myra M. PhelonMrs. Mary H. PlunkettMrs. Helen L. SwanMrs. Virginia VaughnMrs. Elizabeth WebsterNovember 16, 1885Edward P. AdamsMrs. Edith D. BaileyMrs. M. Bettie BellWilliam H. BertramMrs. Mattie BowenMiss Ellen E. CrossMrs. M. A'. De Forest-BrownFrancis J. Fluno, M.D.Mrs. Francis J. FlunoMrs. 0. P. GiffordRev. 0. P. GiffordMrs. Grace A. GreenMiss M. Emma MorseMrs. M. R. NutterMiss L. A. ProctorGeorge E. RickerJ. Newton StoneMrs. J. W. WinkleyMarch 29, 1886Rev. Joseph AdamsMrs. Emma D. BehanGeorge H. BradfordMrs. George H. BradfordMrs. Anna ChamberlinMiss Fanny L. ClarkMiss Lucy A. ClarkeErwin L. ColmanCharles W. CrosseMrs. George B. DayRev. George B. DayJohn P. FilbertMrs. John P. FilbertRev. William I. GillMiss Mary E. HampsonMrs. Anna Maria HarveyMrs. Harriet W. JonesMrs. Pamela J. LeonardMiss Katie H. MaloneMiss Martha E. S. MorganGideon P. NoyesMiss Sarah A. PineMrs. Julia E. PrescottTurner N. SewardMrs. Turner N. SewardGeorge W. WheelerMrs. George W. WheelerMrs. Mary R. WhitsonAugust 30, 1886Mrs. J. A. D. Adams, M.D.Mrs. David AustinMrs. Mary V. BlainMrs. Margaret C. BurgessMrs. S. L. DavidsonMrs. Ruth B. EwingMrs. Frances A. FreemanElizabeth J. FrenchMiss Mary E. GravesMrs. Malinda J. LancasterMrs. Mary J. LewisJohn A. MooreMrs. John A. MooreRev. J. S. NorvellMiss M. Anna OsgoodMrs. Kate S. PeirceMrs. Mary D. PorterfieldMrs. Jane M. RandFremont D. SniderMrs. Fremont D. SniderMrs. F. E. StichMrs. Emma A. ThompsonRev. J. H. VeaseyRev. H. C. WaddellMiss Lucinda WillsieMrs. A. G. WilsonJanuary 10, 1887Mrs. Addie M. AllenEdward P. BatesMrs. Edward P. BatesMrs. Lucy K. BissellHenry Bradley, M.D.Mrs. Henry BradleyMiss Mary B. BullStephen A. ChaseMrs. Stephen A. ChaseJoseph L. ChurchillMrs. Joseph L. ChurchillMiss Emma A. EstesMiss M. Nettie HallB. W. HightMrs. Lillia S. HightMiss Flora M. Lamson(one lesson)Mrs. Maria B. NewsombMrs. Ann M. OtisMrs. Elizabeth A. Shepherd(one lesson)E. W. TicknorMiss Josephine TyterMiss Florence WhitesideMay 2, 1887Thomas A. Benbow, M.D.Mrs. Elconora B. BenfordMrs. Sarah E. BenfordWilliam H. H. BenfordMrs. C. C. BigelowMrs. Cemantha A. D. Brown Mrs. J. A. BrownH. C. BuhlMrs. Elizabeth BuswellEzra M. BuswellMrs. Chloe Ann DowHerbert L. DunbarMrs. Mary E. DunbarAlfred FarlowWilliam S. FarlowWinslow C. FiskeMrs. Winslow C. FiskeMrs. H. D. JonesFrances 0. LeonardJohn F. LinscottMiss Mary MacmillanFrank E. MasonGeorge A. MilesMrs. Mary S. MooreMrs. Maud E. MortonHenry A. Reynolds, M.D.Mrs. Louisa ScribnerWilliam A. SmithMrs. William A. SmithMrs. Emma G. StrongCharles A. S. TroupW. H. WallingMrs. W. H. WallingMrs. Margaret A. WattsNovember 7, 1887David AnthonyJoseph ArmstrongMrs. Mary E. ArmstrongA. M. CraneE. J. Foster, M.D.Robert C. HannonJ. C. LightWilliam H. PerkinsMrs. William H. PerkinsMiss Mary C. PiperHenry A. Reynolds, M.D.Miss Elizabeth SavilleMrs. Adell SeymourAbbot E. SmithMrs. Abbot E. SmithWalter J. VinallMrs. Ella E. WilliamsMarch 5, 1888Miss Marie M. AdamsMrs. A. L. AmesErastus N. BatesMrs. Erastus N. BatesMrs. Harriet L. BettsMrs. Elizabeth C. BurcbardMiss Jennie.L. ChaffeeGraves CollesMrs. Graves CollesC. R. CourtneyMrs. Nellie CourtneyMrs. Harriet S. CowanMiss Ella M. CraigMrs. E. W. CrawfordMiss Anna DodgeMrs. Marie FancherMrs. Christiana D. FryeMrs. Caroline W. FrameMrs. Eldora 0. GraggMrs. Mary E. KeeleyEdward A. KimballMrs. Edward A. KimballCharles F. KinzelMrs. Hannah A. LarminieB. A. LillieMrs. B. A. LillieMiss Mary K. LincolnMrs. Emily M. MeadcrMiss Phebe A. MendenhallMiss Mary E. MillerMrs. Sarah A. MooreMrs. T. Emily MooreJ. H. MurrayMrs. Sarah E. MurrayMrs. Nellie H. ParkerMrs. Belle PewMiss Lila F. ScbaffenburgMrs. Elizabeth P. SkinnerMrs. Helen A. Smith(one lesson)Mrs. Helen P. SmithMrs. H. F. StevensMiss Nancy StilsonMrs. A. L. StoneMrs. Abbie B. TregoMrs. Hattie L. VihitakerReuben WhitakerSeptember 17, 1888Miss Lou AldrichMrs. A. B. AustinMrs. E. M. BaconE. W. BaxterMrs. E. W. BaxterMrs. Ellen BoutonMiss Jennie L. BryanMiss Alice C. ChurchillWilliam ClarkMrs. A. E. ConnellyMrs. M. E. CraneMrs. M. A. CummingsMrs. Mary E. DillinghamPaul DillinghamMrs. A. DorlandMrs. Kate E. EwingMrs. Julia Field-KingA.P. FrenchFrank W. GaleJames M/ GanoMrs. Anna F. GennetMrs. Ella W. HoagMrs. Sarah E. JonesMiss Eva KelloggJoseph G. MannMrs. Mary E. C. McCoyMrs. H. G. McVickerRev. Lamson P. NorcrossMiss Myra OvermanIra W. PackardMrs. Ira W. PackardOliver M. ParsonsMrs. Oliver M. ParsonsMiss Clara M; S. ShannonMrs. C. H. ShipmanMrs. Lillian E. StoddardMrs. Harriet W. TirrellMiss Emelyn M. TobeyP. N. TrahnMrs. P. N. TrahnG. A. WaltherMrs. E. R. WertzMrs. Cordelia V. Willey.November 12, 1888Mrs. E. M. BaconFrank BaileyJoshua F. BaileyMrs. Amanda J. BairdMiss L. BallingerMrs. Martha H. BogueMrs. Margaret BolterMrs. Sallie N. ChandlerRev. J. F. ClymerMrs. Kate S. CorningMrs. H. M. EvansMrs. Sarah J. HolbrookMrs. Ella M. HoltonMrs. Emilie B. HulinMrs. F. E. MasonMiss Emma McLauthlinMiss Laura C. NourseMrs. Fannie L. PierceMrs. Anna H. RogersWard B. RogersMrs. Kate E. RousseauMrs. Emma K. SawyerMrs. A. C. SellersM. B. SellersRev. E. F. StricklandMrs. Julia W. TryonMrs. J. N. WardWilliam H. WingFebruary 25, 1889Frank BaileyJoshua F. BaileyMrs. Helen A. BakerMiss Hannah A. BalkamMrs. Sarah C. BarneyEdward P. BatesMrs. Edward P. BatesMrs. Emma D. BehanMrs. Amanda D. BelcherMrs. Eleonora B. BenfordMrs. Helen W. BinghamRev. Jesse B. BroadbentFred W. BunnellMrs. Nina BunnellMrs. Martha E. BurnsMrs. Lydia J. CalhounMrs. Henrietta E. ChanfrauMiss Lydia R. ChaseEdward C. ClarkeMrs. Myra F. ClymerMiss Mary E. CollierMiss Mary E. CrawfordMiss Mary Alice DaytonRev. D. A. EastonMiss Emma EastonMrs. Margaret E. EastonAlfred FarlowMiss Emma L. FarlowMiss Sarah A. FarlowWilliam S. FarlowMrs. Jennie B. FennMrs. Mary E. HardyThomas W. HattenMrs. Mary B. HinckleyMrs. Susan R. K. HoytEdward A. KimballMrs. Edward A. KimballMrs. Martha L. LambertMrs. Julia M. LandonMrs. Catherine G. McBeanMrs. Alma S. MetcalfRalph MoodyJames A. NealMrs. Helen A. NixonPaul NixonWilliam G. NixonMrs. J. C. OttersonWilliam H. PerkinsMrs. William H. PerkinsMrs. Mary E. PopeHenry L. PutnamCharles A. RobertsMrs. Charles A. RobertsMiss Nemi RobertsonJohn C. RyanMrs. John C. RyanMrs. Rebecca L. StebbinsMiss (Note 2) StebbinsMrs. Augusta E. StetsonMrs. H. F. StevensMrs. Estella W. StimpsonMrs. Carrie H. SniderSampson D. StilesMiss Marguerite F. SymMiss Lucretia A. VeazeyMiss Elizabeth T. WendlandMiss Gwendoline Woodbury(one lesson)May 3, 1886Edward A. BaileyMrs-. Elizabeth S. BangsMiss Isabel A. BeecherMiss Sarah F. BickfordMiss Sue E. BradshawMrs. Jennie B. FennC. C. FosterMiss Minnie B. HallMrs. Sarah D. HoweMrs. Laura LathropSeabury T. ManleyMrs. Lovina MilledgeMrs. Mary H. PhilbrickGeorge E. RickerMrs. Lydia M. RoafMrs. Laura E. SargentSilas J. SawyerMrs. Samuel SewardOctober 4, 1886Mrs. George W. AdamsMrs. J. A. D. AdamsRev. Joseph AdamsMrs. Sarah G. BakerMrs. C. A. BeecherMrs. M. Bettie BellRev. George B. DayT. H. DonahueMrs. Elizabeth J. FrenchMrs. Grace A. GreeneMrs. Pamela J. LeonardMrs. Emma A. McDonaldMrs. M. Anna OsgoodMrs. Almeda PendletonMrs. Victoria H. SargentMrs. Jennie E. SawyerSara W. SpauldingA. G. StahlJ. Newton StoneMrs. Elizabeth WebsterGeorge B. WickershamFebruary 7, 1887Mrs. Sophia E. AveryMrs. Mary A. BagleyMrs. Emma BehanMiss Antoinette P. BeldenMrs. C. C. BigelowMrs. Lucy H. BissellMrs. D. Eloise BrownellMrs. E. P. ClarkEdward H. CollinsMrs. Nellie CourtneyMiss Sarah M. CowanMiss Anna CrawfordMrs. Mary A. EastamanMrs. Clara M. EvansJohn P. FilbertFrancis J. Fluno, M.D.Mrs. Grace A. GreeneMrs. Anna Maria HarveyMrs. Harriet W. JonesMrs. Susie E. KirbyMrs. Annie M. KnottMrs. J. H. Lewis(two lessons)John F. LinscottMrs. C. R. MarshallMrs. Mary P. NicholsRev. J. S. NorvellMrs. Emma L. PalmerMiss Sarah A. PineMrs. Mary D. PorterfieldMrs. Adell SeymourMrs. Mary E. SpoonerEdward E. SpringerMrs. Anna E. WarnerGeorge W. WheelerOctober 30, 1887Mrs. E. M. H. AshtonEdward P. BatesMrs. Edward P. BatesMrs. W. F. BennettMrs. C. L. BoydenJames E. BrierlyMrs. K. W. ClarkMrs. Nellie B. EatonMiss Emma A. EstesMrs. Ruth B. EwingAlfred FarlowMrs. Berenice H. GoodallMrs. C. A. JonesMrs. Malinda J. LancasterMiss E. L. LaneFrank E. MasonMrs. Annie R. MichaelJohn A. MooreMrs. X. L. OtisMrs. Eliza PattersonHorace N. PooleMrs. Mary F. PurpleFremont D. SniderMrs. Fremont D. SniderMiss Mary E. SouthworthMrs. Ella P. SweetMrs. Maria E. TallmanMiss Emelyn M. TobeyMiss Josephine TyterJanuary 30, 1888Miss M. D. DanielsMrs. Ella L. DenchCharles M. HoweMrs. Frances A. FreemanMrs. H. Elizabeth RobertsMrs. Adelia P. HansonMiss Lizzie T. HarmonyEdward N. HarrisMrs. Salome HarrisMrs. Elizabeth P. SkinnerMrs. Amanda L. Willoughby- The name of Mrs. Abby H. Corner is omitted as it has seemed impossible to learn the exact class which she attended.
- First name unrecorded
While the Bates-Dittemore book is largely critical of Eddy, Dittemore was at one time a Clerk and Director of the Mother Church in Boston and had access to the above information for almost ten years. Numerous individual dates and students have been verified by additional documentary evidence such as the Memoirs of Martha Harris Bogue and Janet Coleman published by Gilbert Carpenter.