Despite being founded by M.B. Eddy I don't think the Monitor was ever a "religious" newspaper, nor did it ever really promote Christian Science doctrine.
Looking over the newspapers of the day, one naturally reflects that it is dangerous to live, so loaded with disease seems the very air. These descriptions carry fears to many minds, to be depicted in some future time upon the body. A periodical of our own will counteract to some extent this public nuisance; for through our paper, at the price at which we shall issue it, we shall be able to reach many homes with healing, purifying thought... -- MBE
Later, yes, its mission became straight news and investigative journalism, separate from the CCS. I have a weird fragment of memory from my childhood, my parents and I were on Mass Ave in Boston and we walked into the Monitor lobby. There was this huge metal globe of the world which blew my tiny mind. I had a flaky aunt (just the one) who was a Christian Scientist.