By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
The Christian Science Reading Room provides a quiet place to read and explore the week’s Bible study lessons.
The reading room on Friday had an open house, as did others around the world. The day marked an international open house for the more than 1,500 reading rooms worldwide.
The reading room at 121 W. Innes St., Suite B, is across the courtyard from the Salisbury Post in what used to be Signature Jewelers.
The reading room is also a bookstore where people can explore spirituality, prayer and healing.
The reading rooms are maintained by local people who actively study and practice Christian Science. Most are members of a local Church of Christ, Scientist.
Librarian Sue Hartgrove said the reading is a quiet place to study and meditate.
“Wherever there is a Christian Science Church there is a reading room,” Hartgrove said.
Others in the state are in Raleigh and Charlotte.
The Reading Room is open from noon-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays.
The first Christian Science Reading Room was established in 1888 by Mary Baker Eddy. Eddy founded the newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor.
Guests at the open house this are invited to find out more about The Christian Science Monitor, browse, ask questions and take advantage of the resources available in the Reading Room.
Inside the reading room, visitors will find: Christian Science magazines, works by Eddy, Bible stories for children, Bible and reference books and much more.
This is the 100th anniversary of The Christian Science Monitor. It recently underwent a change from a daily newspaper type publication to a weekly. The newspaper held about 24 pages.
The new edition is 44 pages in a glossy magazine-esque publication. The first issue came out Easter Sunday.
The Web site features up-to-the-minute reports.
The reading room will have another open house from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today.
For more information about The Christian Science Monitor, www.CSMonitor.com and about the Salisbury reading room at www.cssalisbury.org