Annie C. Bill Collection, 1842-1937, bulk 1910-1936

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Summary

Creators:
Bill, Annie C.
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of English religious leader Annie C. Bill (1861-1936), first of the Church of Christ, Science, and then her own denomination, the Church of Universal Design.
Extent:
17,349 pieces in 48 boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the papers of English religious leader and author Annie C. Bill and consists of manuscripts, correspondence, and ephemera, chiefly dating from 1910-1936.

Manuscripts
There are 8,002 pieces of manuscripts, 6,044 of which are by Annie C. Bill. The manuscripts comprise of articles, drafts, essays, excerpts, notebooks, proofs, speeches, statements, and miscellaneous notes. The manuscripts with titles are arranged alphabetically by author and title; however, the majority of Bill's manuscripts that do not have titles so they are arranged alphabetically by the first line of the manuscript. In addition, the bulk of Bill's manuscripts are fragments that are drafts of her books and religious manuals. An item of interest is an unpublished manuscript contained in two volumes written by Daniel H. Spofford titled, “The First Six Lessons of Christian Science” and “The Last Six Lessons of Christian Science.” In addition, there is a handwritten transcript of Mary Baker Eddy's private directions for treating the disease metaphysically. The subjects covered in the manuscripts section are: Christian Science, First Church of Christ, Scientist, (Boston, Mass.)., First Church of Christ, Scientist, (Boston, Mass.). Board of Directors, Fellowship of the Universal Design of Life, Mary Baker Eddy, 1821-1910, prohibition, religion and science, and signs and symbols.

Correspondence
There are 7,218 pieces of correspondence, 1,629 of which are by Annie C. Bill; most of her correspondence comprises of incomplete drafts of letters. The majority of the correspondence includes letters by her publisher, A.A. Beauchamp, Deputy Advisor, John V. Dittemore, officers, and students relating to her religious movement. Some of the correspondence includes reply letters from the addressee in the same folder, which is also indicated on the folder front. Also, integrated within the correspondence are letters addressed to and from A.A. Beauchamp, before he was associated with Annie C. Bill. In addition, there are also carbon copies of letters written by astronomers, economist, engineers, inventors, physicists, and a steel magnet to Walter Russell that appear to have no relation to Annie C. Bill. Notable authors include: George W. Baker, Frederick Dixon, Wellesley Tudor Pole, Frederick Lawrence Rawson, and Walter Russell.

Ephemera
There are 2,129 pieces of ephemera, the majority being related to Annie C. Bill. The first part of the ephemera is applications, brochures, fliers, and tracts that are arranged according to Bill's religious organization that she joined or led. Some of the listed periodicals are only fragments. The remaining ephemera consists of an appointment book, British Museum copyright receipts, Bill's British passport, calling cards, circular letters, empty envelopes, financial records, a greeting card, Kelly's Directories LTD., legal documents, miscellaneous ephemera, newspaper clippings, periodicals, photographs, postcards, and reprints.

The two oversize green ephemera boxes contain a notebook, photographs, a poster, rubber stamps, and reprinted articles from the Christian Science Sentinel.

Biographical / historical:

Annie Cecelia Bulmer Bill (1861-1936) was born on November 20, 1861 in Sheffield, England. She was the daughter of Reverend Richard W. Bulmer and the wife of Major Robert William Bill. The couple had four children.

Annie C. Bill became interested in Christian Science in the early 1900s after being introduced to the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science. She later joined the Third Church of Christ, Scientist, London, which was an additional branch of the Christian Science Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist located in Boston, Massachusetts. During her time at the Third Church of Christ, Bill became acquainted with Frederick Lawrence Rawson, an engineer and influential leader during the New Thought movement. Rawson was a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, London; however, his knowledge and teachings of Christian Science were divergent from Eddy's orthodox doctrines. He was soon expulsed from the domination for his deviating influence within the church. Having the same adoptions as Rawson, Bill resigned from the Third Church of Christ, Scientist, London and First Church, Boston after six years of service on December 11, 1909.

The death of Mary Baker Eddy on December 3, 1910, left the Mother Church in much disorder, specifically between the Board of Directors and the Trustees of the Publishing Society over who had authoritative control over Eddy's church. As Bill watched the litigation unfold between both sides, she saw this as an opportunity to interpret and adopt Eddy's manual herself. Seeing herself as Eddy's rightful successor, she labored for years to reform the movement but failed to make much headway.

The course of Bill's religious movement could be tricky to follow because she changed the name of her religious organization numerous times to avoid confusion and legal action from the Mother Church. On December 31, 1922, Bill and her followers of “The New Community of Christian Scientists” dissolved and re-united under the title, “The Church, In the Beginning of a New Scientific Generation.” Nearly a year later, Bill arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1923 to extend and promote the development of “The Parent Church of the New Scientific Generation.” In 1928, Bill severed all ties with Christian Science and transformed her reform movement into a new denomination, “The Church of Universal Design,” which taught her version of Christian Science after having discovered Eddy plagiarized and used drugs. This church, never large, disappeared after the death of Bill and other leaders in the late 1930s.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Edward Morrill Sons, 1959-1961.
Processing information:

1. The item count on each folder indicates individual pieces.

2. Annie C. Bill's notes, annotations, and revisions appear throughout the collection, including ephemera and printed works.

3. The majority of the collection is about Christian Science, so the subject index does not exhaust every instance of the subject.

4. Oversize boxes of manuscripts, correspondence, and ephemera are integrated throughout the collection.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in the following order: Manuscripts (Boxes 1-17); Correspondence (Boxes 18-37); and Ephemera (Boxes 38-48). Each section is arranged alphabetically by author and title.

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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