P00662
Jennie Fenn: Sharing Christian Science across Nebraska and Iowa
The growth of Christian Science in a particular area can often be traced to the dedicated work of one individual. Jennie Fenn was instrumental to the growth of Christian Science in both Nebraska and Iowa. Her letters reveal that strong interest in Christian Science grew wherever she shared it. She wrote to Mary Baker Eddy to order copies of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by the dozen, and Eddy also received letters from individuals who had been healed by Fenn. Reading letters from Fenn and others in her area show how a small spark of interest could spread rapidly.
Articles:
Read how three members of one frontier family contributed to the expanding church
movement.
Read examples of how the early church was accomplishing its mission.
Glimpse what it took to grow the early Christian Science movement in the young state
of Nebraska.
Documents:
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, February 16, 1885 (277.41.001)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, February 16, 1885"
Jennie B. Fenn first writes to Mary Baker Eddy and expresses her desire to take Christian
Science Primary class instruction with Eddy.
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, February 23, 1885 (277.41.002)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, February 23, 1885"
Fenn details her plans for arriving at class, a trip that will take her from Omaha
to Boston.
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, May 15, 1885 (277.41.003)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, May 15, 1885"
Just beginning her practice after returning from class, Fenn shares that she is doing
"some very good work" and orders a dozen copies of Science and Health to sell.
Letter: Elizabeth Buswell to Mary Baker Eddy, June 1, 1885 (047.15.050)Click link to view "Letter: Elizabeth Buswell to Mary Baker Eddy, June 1, 1885"
Buswell writes to Eddy about receiving Christian Science treatment from Fenn.
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, June 14, 1885 (277.41.004)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, June 14, 1885"
Reporting on her large Christian Science healing practice, Fenn writes to Eddy, "I
have no thoughts but God and this good work." She also orders another dozen copies of Science and Health.
Letter: Sarah E. Benford to Mary Baker Eddy, June 23, 1885 (522.57.009)Click link to view "Letter: Sarah E. Benford to Mary Baker Eddy, June 23, 1885"
"Mrs Fenn is doing a noble work in Omaha." Benford writes to Eddy about being treated
by Fenn and now wanting to work in Christian Science.
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, July 3, 1885 (277.41.006)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Mary Baker Eddy, July 3, 1885"
Fenn orders another dozen copies of the textbook and reports that she has several
people coming to her for Christian Science treatment who will want them. She describes
several other cases she is treating.
Letter: Janet T. Colman to Mary Baker Eddy, October 5, 1885 (392.50.013)Click link to view "Letter: Janet T. Colman to Mary Baker Eddy, October 5, 1885"
Christian Science practitioner and teacher Janet Colman writes to Eddy about teaching
a class in Beatrice, Nebraska, put together with the help of Jennie Fenn, whom she
says "has done such good work out here."
Letter: Grace Deming to Mary Baker Eddy, December 1, 1885 (662A.71.044)Click link to view "Letter: Grace Deming to Mary Baker Eddy, December 1, 1885"
A patient shares with Mary Baker Eddy that she was healed by Jennie Fenn of a spinal
injury and declares her interest in studying Christian Science.
Letter: Dora A. Hoffman to Mary Baker Eddy, December 2, 1885 (678A.76.038)Click link to view "Letter: Dora A. Hoffman to Mary Baker Eddy, December 2, 1885"
A Philadelphia resident writes to Eddy about the healing she had as the result of
being treated by Fenn during a visit to Nebraska. The healing caused quite a stir
when she returned home.
Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Calvin A. Frye, April 18, 1886 (943.92.011)Click link to view "Letter: Jennie B. Fenn to Calvin A. Frye, April 18, 1886"
Jennie Fenn writes to Calvin Frye about her practice and invites Frye and Eddy to
vacation in the West so that they can "learn how the cause is growing."