Irving C. Tomlinson
Irving Clinton Tomlinson (1860-1944) was born in Perry, New York, and
died in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a B.A. and a M.A. from Akron University in
Akron, Ohio, in 1880 and 1883, respectively, and a B.A. of Divinity from Tufts
University in Boston in 1888. Immediately after graduating, he became the minister at
the First Universalist Society of Arlington, Massachusetts. Tomlinson completed Primary
class with Mary Baker Eddy's student, Flavia Knapp, and soon after the course was over,
withdrew from the Universalist church. He joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in Boston, on July 3, 1897, and was listed in the directory of The
Christian Science Journal as a Christian Science practitioner until his
passing. In November 1898, he was invited by Eddy to attend her last Normal class and to
serve on the Bible Lesson Committee, which he did intermittently until 1927. He was one
of the five original lecturers appointed by Eddy to the Christian Science Board of
Lectureship, and he gave the first lecture ever held in The Mother Church on September
28, 1898. He continued lecturing until 1908 and lectured again from 1932 to 1935.
Tomlinson served Eddy in various ways, including as an associate secretary and a member
of her Chestnut Hill household from 1907 to 1910. At her request, Tomlinson served as
First Reader in the Concord, New Hampshire, church from 1899 to 1906. He was President
of The Mother Church in 1903 and 1921. He taught the Normal class under the Christian
Science Board of Education in 1928, was a member of the General Association of Teachers,
and in 1935, ceased lecturing so he could devote himself full time to the practice and
teaching of Christian Science. In 1916, he married Elizabeth Cadwell, who would later
become President of The Mother Church in 1936. Tomlinson wrote a book about his
experiences called Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy that was
published posthumously in 1945 and contained a firsthand account of his daily work for
Eddy from 1898 to 1910. He was a life member of the Boston Chamber of Commerce and a
member of the William Sutton Freemason Lodge in Saugus, Massachusetts.
See more letters.
Irving C. Tomlinson
Irving Clinton Tomlinson (1860-1944) was born in Perry, New York, and
died in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a B.A. and a M.A. from Akron University in
Akron, Ohio, in 1880 and 1883, respectively, and a B.A. of Divinity from Tufts
University in Boston in 1888. Immediately after graduating, he became the minister at
the First Universalist Society of Arlington, Massachusetts. Tomlinson completed Primary
class with Mary Baker Eddy's student, Flavia Knapp, and soon after the course was over,
withdrew from the Universalist church. He joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in Boston, on July 3, 1897, and was listed in the directory of The
Christian Science Journal as a Christian Science practitioner until his
passing. In November 1898, he was invited by Eddy to attend her last Normal class and to
serve on the Bible Lesson Committee, which he did intermittently until 1927. He was one
of the five original lecturers appointed by Eddy to the Christian Science Board of
Lectureship, and he gave the first lecture ever held in The Mother Church on September
28, 1898. He continued lecturing until 1908 and lectured again from 1932 to 1935.
Tomlinson served Eddy in various ways, including as an associate secretary and a member
of her Chestnut Hill household from 1907 to 1910. At her request, Tomlinson served as
First Reader in the Concord, New Hampshire, church from 1899 to 1906. He was President
of The Mother Church in 1903 and 1921. He taught the Normal class under the Christian
Science Board of Education in 1928, was a member of the General Association of Teachers,
and in 1935, ceased lecturing so he could devote himself full time to the practice and
teaching of Christian Science. In 1916, he married Elizabeth Cadwell, who would later
become President of The Mother Church in 1936. Tomlinson wrote a book about his
experiences called Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy that was
published posthumously in 1945 and contained a firsthand account of his daily work for
Eddy from 1898 to 1910. He was a life member of the Boston Chamber of Commerce and a
member of the William Sutton Freemason Lodge in Saugus, Massachusetts.
See more letters.