Since its inception in 1990, Daystar has gathered and preserved a wide range of historical items related to Christian Science and the Bible including books, audio recordings, periodicals, art, and artifacts.
Daystar Collection
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Books
From an exceptional seventeenth-century Bible and rare early editions of Mary Baker Eddy’s writings to titles covering Biblical research and Christian Science history, readers can explore hundreds of engaging and inspiring volumes, housed in Daystar’s protective repository. Visitors may browse the shelves and read editions dating back two centuries. -
Audio Recordings
Over four hundred hours of recordings relating to Christian Science history, including live lectures from as early as the mid-twentieth century, inspirational talks, educational presentations, oral history interviews, audio books, and music, have been digitally preserved and are available for listening on-site. -
The Christian Science Monitor
Housed in a special area of the library, complete original issues of the first thirty-one years of the international newspaper Mary Baker Eddy established are available for research. In addition, on-site guests have free access to a complete digital archive of the paper through the ProQuest database. -
The Christian Science Monitor
These rare and oversized bound volumes contain the full Central Edition of the newspaper from the first issue on November 25, 1908 through the December 30, 1939 issue. -
Special Collections
Compilations of published as well as unpublished documents, including articles, reminiscences, correspondence, and books, are organized and housed to facilitate access for our guests. -
Artifacts
Historical items such as collectible memorabilia, jewelry, and decorative art pieces have been carefully prepared and maintained for long-term preservation, as well as for display in the library’s environmentally controlled exhibition space. -
Historic Pamphlets
Publications, including sermons, articles, and lectures, from the early years of the Christian Science movement through the twentieth century comprise the library’s large collection. -
Art
Pictures of some of the early workers in the Christian Science movement, scenes from Mrs. Eddy’s home state of New Hampshire, engravings of Biblical subjects, and images from the Holy Land are just some examples of the visual art in the collection that are on display. -
Children's Literature
Publications spanning over one hundred years make up the selection of reading material on Biblical as well as Christian Science topics available for enjoyment in a special room designed for our youngest visitors. -
Christian Science Lectures
Transcripts of hundreds of these substantive public addresses, which were printed in newspapers worldwide for several decades in the twentieth century, have been photocopied and organized for preservation and to facilitate convenient access for library guests.
Our Collection
Daystar collections include early editions of Mrs. Eddy’s published writings, original letters written by Mrs. Eddy, reminiscences prepared by those who knew her, and numerous books and other publications about her and the emergence of Christian Science in nineteenth-century America. If you would like to donate items to our collection, contact us.
Faulkner Christian Science Church Architecture Collection - NEW
In 2023, a collection of materials from the most prolific architectural design firm of Christian Science church buildings was donated to Daystar by Charles Draper Faulkner, Jr., and his family. The visually intriguing collection includes architectural drawings, photos, slides, and documents, among other historical items, related to the combined 75 years of design work of over 160 Christian Science churches by 20th century Chicago-based architects Charles Draper Faulkner, Sr., and Jr.
Charles Draper Faulkner, Sr. (1890-1979), began his career in 1913 with the Chicago firm of Solon Spencer Beman, one of the architects of the 1906 Mother Church extension in Boston. By 1919, he opened his own firm, Charles D. Faulkner, Architect, and in 1949 his son, Charles Draper Faulkner, Jr. (1926-), joined the firm. The two became partners in 1959 and established Faulkner-Faulkner & Associates. When Charles Sr. passed on in 1979, Charles Jr. continued as the principal and lead architect of the firm until his retirement in 1994.
Both Charles Sr. and Jr. designed a variety of commercial and residential buildings, but they primarily designed Christian Science church edifices. Between them both, the Faulkners designed over 160 Christian Science churches, the most of any firm in the world. Their designs were constructed in 38 states in the US and in Tokyo, Japan.
The scope of the Faulkner collection primarily focuses on the middle and late decades of the 20th century. The content of the collection includes original design contracts, architectural drawings and renderings, large-format photographs, 35mm color slides, digital photograph files, drafting tools, state registration embossing seals and licenses, award certificates, and books.
Notable books include Notes on Architecture: Responsible Architectural Design by Charles Draper Faulkner, Jr. (2022, 183 pp.), a self-published, well-illustrated biographical and philosophical survey of the careers of Charles D. Faulkner, Sr., and Jr., and Christian Science Church Edifices by Charles Draper Faulkner, Sr. (1946, 417 pp.), another self-published, well-illustrated survey of designs of Christian Science church edifices (including those of other architects besides Charles Sr.) primarily in the United States, as well as a guide to the processes undertaken to plan for and construct an effective Christian Science church building.
Guests to Daystar may view featured items from the collection on display, and research requests may be submitted to info@daystarfoundation.org.
Jewel Spangler Smaus Collection
Jewel Spangler Smaus was a lifelong Christian Scientist and a dauntless researcher of Mrs. Eddy’s life and her family. Although a native Californian, Mrs. Smaus had the opportunity to live for several years in Bow, New Hampshire, Mary Baker Eddy’s birthplace, which greatly enriched her research for her book Mary Baker Eddy: The Golden Days, published by The Christian Science Publishing Society in 1966.
The Smaus collection includes schoolbooks Mary Baker would have used, published sermons written by the Congregational ministers she knew as a young girl, histories of the towns in New Hampshire where Mrs. Eddy and her family resided, and numerous books, magazines, and pamphlets relating to nineteenth-century New England. Mrs. Smaus’ collection also includes material on the antebellum South (where Mrs. Eddy lived briefly as a young wife), as well as background on Mrs. Eddy’s son, his family, and their life in South Dakota. A series of Mrs. Smaus’ taped interviews with Mrs. Eddy’s grandson, George W. Glover III, is a highlight of the collection.
A former editor of The Christian Science Monitor had this to say about Mrs. Smaus: “She dug into town records, the musty shelves of historical societies, and the still mustier attics of old Granite State families. She found a treasure trove of neglected or unknown information” (Erwin D. Canham, The Christian Science Monitor, December 15, 1966).