Walton Hubbard (October 25, 1874 – November 9, 1954) was a medical doctor who, after nine years of medical practice, quit medicine and became a
Christian Science practitioner A Christian Science practitioner is an individual who prays for others according to the teachings of Christian Science.Vitello, Paul"Christian Science Church Seeks Truce With Modern Medicine" ''The New York Times'', March 23, 2010. Treatment is non- ...
, teacher, and lecturer.
Life
Hubbard was born in
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with over ...
, one of four children, to Harvey F. and Anna H. Hubbard (née Warbasse), a schoolteacher. His father was seven years old when his family moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, becoming one of the first pioneer families there. Both of his parents were active in the
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
church, interested in public affairs and social work."Mrs. Hubbard, Pioneer City Teacher Dies" Evergreen Cemetery Obituaries. Republished from the '' Manitowoc Herald Times'', Manitowoc, Wisconsin (April 20, 1938) p. 2. Retrieved July 3, 2013 He graduated school and started his medical practice in 1901.
Hubbard had a successful medical practice for about four years before becoming interested in Christian Science while studying '' Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures'' by
Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy (July 16, 1821 – December 3, 1910) was an American religious leader and author who founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, in New England in 1879. She also founded ''The Christian Science Monitor'', a Pulitzer Prize-winning s ...
.Safronoff, Cindy Peyser. (2020) ''Dedication: Building the Seattle Branches of Mary Baker Eddy's Church, A Centennial Story - Part 1: 1889 to 1929'' this one thing. pp. 149-153. He had been interested in studying the possible mental causes of some diseases, but found Eddy's theory entirely different than any other because, as he put it, "Christian Science does not depend on any power inherent in the human mind, but draws all of its power from a divine source above the human mind." He did not immediately quit his medical practice however, continuing it for another five years, and wrote that he was alarmed when he saw healings through prayer. Eventually he accepted Christian Science after his own son recovered from diphtheria under Christian Science treatment, calling it "incomparably better" than medical treatment. In 1910, he joined The Mother Church, as well as a branch church in
Spokane, Washington
Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...
; and the same year took class instruction in Christian Science, followed three years later by another class taught by Laura Sargent, which allowed him to teach others.
Starting in 1916, Hubbard lectured on Christian Science in the United States, Europe, and Australasia. For some time he was based out of Spokane along with a fellow medical doctor turned Christian Science practitioner, Dr. Abraham A. Sulcer. Later he lived in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,Walton Hubbard Ancestry.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013 where he was involved in forming the Broadview Christian Science nursing facility.A History of Broadview ''csbroadview.org''. For a number of years, Hubbard was one of at least two former medical doctors lecturing on Christian Science, along with Dr.
John M. Tutt
John M. Tutt (March 20, 1879 – March 1, 1966) was an American physician who converted to Christian Science in 1905, later becoming a practitioner in 1912, and then a teacher of Christian Science in 1916. One of his early patients was the mother ...
. He retired from the lecture circuit in 1926, then returned to lecturing again from 1937 to 1940. He read the report of the Trustees of the Charitable Institutions at The Mother Church's Annual Meeting in 1951, and also spoke at the next year's meeting. He also served as First Reader in his Los Angeles church, and read over the radio on the "Columbia West Coast Church of the Air" series.
Hubbard married his wife, Maude Chase Hubbard, on Nov. 23, 1898, who was also born in Wisconsin.Detwiler, Justice Brown (1929) ''Who's who in California'' Who's Who Publishing. p. 109. They had one son together named Walton Hubbard Jr. Hubbard Jr. was a ship broker and yacht racer who won the International Star Championship in 1927, and was President of Hubbard's South Coast Company, with Hubbard Sr. serving as one of two Vice Presidents. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Hubbard's South Coast Company built
minesweeper
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
Christian Science Sentinel
The ''Christian Science Sentinel'' (originally the ''Christian Science Weekly'') is a magazine published by the Christian Science Publishing Society based in Boston, Massachusetts. The magazine was launched by Mary Baker Eddy in 1898. It includes ...
Christian Science Sentinel
The ''Christian Science Sentinel'' (originally the ''Christian Science Weekly'') is a magazine published by the Christian Science Publishing Society based in Boston, Massachusetts. The magazine was launched by Mary Baker Eddy in 1898. It includes ...
The Christian Science Journal
''The Christian Science Journal'' is an official monthly publication of the Church of Christ, Scientist through the Christian Science Publishing Society, founded in 1883 by Mary Baker Eddy.Edmund F. Burton
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Jer Master
Jer Master was an Indian pediatrician who left medicine to pursue the study of Christian Science. For more than two decades, Master worked in the field of medicine, both in private practice and as a professor of pediatrics at the Bai Jerbai Wadi ...