Read Ebook: Manual of the Mother Church The First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston Massachusetts by Eddy Mary Baker

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Eligibility. SECTION 2. The Directors shall select intelligible Readers who are exemplary Christians and good English scholars. They must be members of The Mother Church.

Removal. SECTION 3. If a Reader in The Mother Church be found at any time inadequate or unworthy, he or she shall be removed from office by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and the consent of the Pastor Emeritus, and the vacancy supplied.

First Reader's Residence. SECTION 4. Unless Mrs. Eddy requests otherwise, the First Reader of The Mother Church shall occupy, during his term of Readership, the house of the Pastor Emeritus, No. 385 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. The Board of Directors shall pay from the Church funds the taxes and rent on this property; the Board shall attend to the insurance before it expires, suitably furnish the house, and keep the property in good repair, so long as Mrs. Eddy does not occupy the house herself and the occupants are satisfactory to her.

First Readers' Duties. SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of the First Readers to conduct the principal part of the Sunday services, and the Wednesday evening meetings.

Suitable Selections. SECTION 3. The First Readers shall read, as a part of the Wednesday evening services, selections from the SCRIPTURES, and from SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES.

Order of Reading. SECTION 4. The First Readers in the Christian Science churches shall read the correlative texts in SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES; and the Second Readers shall read the BIBLE texts. The readings from the SCRIPTURES shall precede the readings from SCIENCE AND HEALTH. The Readers shall not read from copies or manuscripts, but from the books.

Naming Book and Author. SECTION 5. The Readers of SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, before commencing to read from this book, shall distinctly announce the full title of the book and give the author's name. Such announcement shall be made but once during the lesson.

Readers in Branch Churches. SECTION 6. These Readers shall be members of The Mother Church. They shall read understandingly and be well educated. They shall make no remarks explanatory of the LESSON-SERMON at any time, but they shall read all notices and remarks that may be printed in the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY. This By-Law applies to Readers in all the branch churches.

Enforcement of By-Laws. SECTION 7. It shall be the duty of every member of The Mother Church, who is a First Reader in a Church of Christ, Scientist, to enforce the discipline and by-laws of the church in which he is Reader.

A Reader not a Leader. SECTION 8. The Church Reader shall not be a Leader, but he shall maintain the Tenets, Rules, and discipline of the Church. A Reader shall not be a President of a church.

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Article IV--QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Believe in Christian Science. SECTION 1. To become a member of The Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., the applicant must be a believer in the doctrines of Christian Science, according to the platform and teaching contained in the Christian Science textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, by Rev. Mary Baker Eddy. The BIBLE, together with SCIENCE AND HEALTH and other works by Mrs. Eddy, shall be his only textbooks for self-instruction in Christian Science, and for teaching and practising metaphysical healing.

Free from Other Denominations. SECTION 2. This Church will receive a member of another Church of Christ, Scientist, but not a church member from a different denomination until that membership is dissolved.

Children when Twelve Years Old. SECTION 3. Children who have arrived at the age of twelve years, who are approved, and whose applications are countersigned by one of Mrs. Eddy's loyal students, by a Director, or by a student of the Board of Education, may be admitted to membership with The Mother Church.

Article V--APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Students of the College. SECTION 1. Applications for membership with The Mother Church from students of the Massachusetts Metaphysical College who studied with Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, shall be signed by the Christian Science Board of Directors as evidence of the loyalty of the applicants.

Other Students. SECTION 2. Applicants for membership who have not studied Christian Science with Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, can unite with this Church only by approval from students of Mrs. Eddy, loyal to the teachings of the textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, or from members of The Mother Church, as provided in Article VI, Sect. 2, of these By-Laws.

Students' Pupils. SECTION 3. Applications for membership with The Mother Church, coming from pupils of loyal students who have taken the Primary or Normal Course at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College or in the Board of Education, or from pupils of those who have passed an examination by the Board of Education, shall have the approval and signature of their teachers, except in such cases as are provided for in Sect. 4 of this Article.

Exceptional Cases. SECTION 4. Loyal Christian Scientists whose teachers are deceased, absent, or disloyal, or those whose teachers, for insufficient cause, refuse to endorse their applications for membership with The Mother Church,--can apply to the Clerk of this Church, and present to him a recommendation signed by three members thereof in good standing, after which, the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors may admit said applicant to membership.

Addressed to Clerk. SECTION 5. All applications for membership must be addressed to the Clerk of the Church.

Endorsing Applications. SECTION 6. A member of The Mother Church shall not endorse nor countersign an application for membership therewith until after the blank has been properly filled out by an applicant. A member who violates this By-Law shall be disciplined.

Notice of Rejection. SECTION 7. If an application for membership with The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., is rejected, the Clerk of the Church shall send to the applicant a notice of such rejection; but neither the Clerk nor the Church shall be obliged to report the cause for rejection.

Article VI--RECOMMENDATION AND ELECTION

Pupils of Normal Students. SECTION 1. One Normal student cannot recommend the pupil of another Normal student, so long as both are loyal to their Leader and to the Christian Science textbook, except as provided for in Article V, Sect. 4.

Members of The Mother Church. SECTION 2. Only members of The Mother Church are qualified to approve for membership individuals who are known to them to be Christians, and faithful, loyal students of the textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES. If the approver is not a loyal student of Mrs. Eddy, a Director of this Church, or a student of the Board of Education who holds a degree, the application must be countersigned by one of these.

Election. SECTION 3. Applicants for membership in this Church, whose applications are correctly prepared, may be elected by majority vote of the Christian Science Board of Directors at the semi-annual meetings held for this purpose.

Members who once Withdrew. SECTION 1. Individuals who have heretofore been members of this Church, or were members of the Church of Christ, Scientist, organized in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, but who have voluntarily withdrawn, may be received into this Church on one year's probation, provided they are willing and anxious to live according to its requirements and make application for membership according to its By-Laws. If, at the expiration of said one year, they are found worthy, they shall be received into full membership, but if not found worthy their applications shall be void.

Members once Dismissed. SECTION 2. A full member or a probationary member, who has been excommunicated once, and who afterward, when sufficient time has elapsed thoroughly to test his sincerity, gives due evidence of having genuinely repented and of being radically reformed, shall be eligible to probationary membership upon a unanimous vote of the Christian Science Board of Directors.

Ineligible for Probation. SECTION 3. If a member has been twice notified of his excommunication, he shall not again be received into this Church.

DISCIPLINE

A Rule for Motives and Acts. SECTION 1. Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.

To be Read in Church. SECTION 2. The above Church Rule shall be read in The Mother Church and in the branch churches by the First Reader on the first Sunday of each month. On Communion day the Church Tenets are to be read.

Christ Jesus the Ensample. SECTION 3. He who dated the Christian era is the Ensample in Christian Science. Careless comparison or irreverent reference to Christ Jesus is abnormal in a Christian Scientist, and is prohibited. When it is necessary to show the great gulf between Christian Science and theosophy, hypnotism, or spiritualism, do it, but without hard words. The wise man saith, "A soft answer turneth away wrath." However despitefully used and misrepresented by the churches or the press, in return employ no violent invective, and do good unto your enemies when the opportunity occurs. A departure from this rule disqualifies a member for office in the Church or on the Board of Lectureship, and renders this member liable to discipline and, possibly, dismissal from The Mother Church.

Daily Prayer. SECTION 4. It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to pray each day: "Thy kingdom come;" let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!

Prayer in Church. SECTION 5. The prayers in Christian Science churches shall be offered for the congregations collectively and exclusively.

One Christ. SECTION 7. In accordance with the Christian Science textbooks,--the BIBLE, and SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES,--and in accord with all of Mrs. Eddy's teachings, members of this Church shall neither entertain a belief nor signify a belief in more than one Christ, even that Christ whereof the Scripture beareth testimony.

No Malpractice. SECTION 8. Members will not intentionally or knowingly mentally malpractise, inasmuch as Christian Science can only be practised according to the Golden Rule: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

A member of The Mother Church who mentally malpractises upon or treats our Leader or her staff without her or their consent shall be disciplined, and a second offense as aforesaid shall cause the name of said member to be dropped forever from The Mother Church.

Formulas Forbidden. SECTION 9. No member shall use written formulas, nor permit his patients or pupils to use them, as auxiliaries to teaching Christian Science or for healing the sick. Whatever is requisite for either is contained in the books of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Sometimes she may strengthen the faith by a written text as no one else can.

No Incorrect Literature. SECTION 11. A member of this Church shall neither buy, sell, nor circulate Christian Science literature which is not correct in its statement of the divine Principle and rules and the demonstration of Christian Science. Also the spirit in which the writer has written his literature shall be definitely considered. His writings must show strict adherence to the Golden Rule, or his literature shall not be adjudged Christian Science. A departure from the spirit or letter of this By-Law involves schisms in our Church and the possible loss, for a time, of Christian Science.

Obnoxious Books. SECTION 12. A member of this Church shall not patronize a publishing house or bookstore that has for sale obnoxious books.

Per Capita Tax. SECTION 13. Every member of The Mother Church shall pay annually a per capita tax of not less than one dollar, which shall be forwarded each year to the Church Treasurer.

Church Periodicals. SECTION 14. It shall be the privilege and duty of every member, who can afford it, to subscribe for the periodicals which are the organs of this Church; and it shall be the duty of the Directors to see that these periodicals are ably edited and kept abreast of the times.

Church Organizations Ample. SECTION 15. Members of this Church shall not unite with organizations which impede their progress in Christian Science. God requires our whole heart, and he supplies within the wide channels of The Mother Church dutiful and sufficient occupation for all its members.

Joining Another Society. SECTION 16. It shall be the duty of the members of The Mother Church and of its branches to promote peace on earth and good will toward men; but members of The Mother Church shall not hereafter become members of other societies except those specified in the Mother Church Manual, and they shall strive to promote the welfare of all mankind by demonstrating the rules of divine Love.

Forbidden Membership. SECTION 17. A member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., shall not be a member of any church whose Readers are not Christian Scientists and members of The Mother Church.

Officious Members. SECTION 18. A member of The Mother Church is not entitled to hold office or read in branch churches of this denomination except by invitation.

Illegal Adoption. SECTION 20. No person shall be a member of this Church who claims a spiritually adopted child or a spiritually adopted husband or wife. There must be legal adoption and legal marriage, which can be verified according to the laws of our land.

Use of Initials "C.S." SECTION 21. A member of The Mother Church shall not place the initials "C.S." after his name on circulars, cards, or leaflets, which advertise his business or profession, except as a Christian Science practitioner.

Practitioners and Patients. SECTION 22. Members of this Church shall hold in sacred confidence all private communications made to them by their patients; also such information as may come to them by reason of their relation of practitioner to patient. A failure to do this shall subject the offender to Church discipline.

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