Diplomas/Certificates

Mary Baker Eddy provided students she taught at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College with diplomas certifying they had studied with her and successfully completed the course they were enrolled in, whether it was a Primary, Normal, or Obstetrical class.

Because of the growth during the 1880s of “mind cure” and confusion of it with Christian Science, it became increasingly important for Eddy’s students to have these certificates to show that they were practicing genuine Christian Science. The collections of The Mary Baker Eddy Library contain some of these diplomas, as well as documents that make reference to them, such as the curricula of the Massachusetts Metaphysical College and Eddy’s correspondence with her students.