Manual of the mother church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts online

MANUAL



THFi: FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST

SCIENTIST, IN BOSTON, MASS.



1904







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Manual o£th^Moth_er_ Church

The First Charch of Christ

In Boston, Massachusetts^ -^Ji^^

Mary Baker G. Eddy ^nA ^ "^



Thirty-ninth Edition



BOSTON, U.S.A. ,

Published by Joseph Armstrong

250 Huntington Avenue

1904



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Copyright, 1895,
By Christian Science Board of Directors.

Copyright, 1S95, 1896, 1897, 1S98, 1899, 1901,
By James A. Neal and Thomas W. Hati'en.

Copyright, 1903,
By Mary Baker G. Eddy.



596:









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EXTRACT FROM A LETTER IN •' MISCEL^ Y^ »^ V/^
LANEOUS "WRITINGS" Bj' Mary Baker G. Eddy ^T ^

HE Rules and By-Laws in the Manual
of The First Church of Christ, Scien-
tist, Boston, originated not in solemn
conclave as in ancient Sanhedrim.
They were not arbitrary opinions nor
dictatorial demands, such as one person might impose
on another. They were impelled by a power not
one's own, were written at different dates, and as
the occasion required. They sprang from necessity,
the logic of events, — from the immediate demand
for them as a help that must be supplied to maintain
the dignity and defence of our cause ; hence their
simple, scientific basis, and detail so requisite to
demonstrate genuine Christian Science, and which
will do for the race what absolute doctrines destined
for future generations might not accomplish.



Cable of Contents



TENETS 15

HISTORICAL SKETCH 17

LIST OF CHURCH OFFICERS 21

Church By-Laws

CHURCH OFFICERS.

Names, Election, and Duties. Art. I.



Names



25



President 25

Clerk and Treasurer 25

Readers 26

Directors 26

Publishing Buildings 27

No Trusteeships nor Syndicates z-j

Duties of Church Officers 27

Duties of Clerk. Art. II.

Reading Communications 29

Understanding Communications 29

Readers of Mother Church. Art. III.

Election 30

Eligibility 30

First Reader's Residence 30

Duties of Readers. Art. IV.

Moral Obligations 31

First Reader's Duties 31



CHURCH MANUAL



Suitable Selections » . 31

Order of Reading 31

Naming Book and Author 32

Readers in Branch Churches '32

Enforcement of liv-Laws • 32

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS.

Title, Qualifications, and Number, Art. V,

Title ' ^ 33

Qualifications ^ • 33

Number ' ♦ 33

Residence ° > 33

Transaction of Business and Election. Art. VI,

Church Business ^ = 34

Nomination and Election » • ^ •• 34

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.

Qualifications for Membership. Art. VIL

Believe in ChrL-itiau Science = = 35

Free from (.)ther Denominations - « 35

Children when Twelve Years Old .... r . 36

Applications for Membership. Art. VIII.

Students of the College â– . 2^

Other Students - . 36

Students' Pupils ...» 37

Exceptional Cases '27

Addressed to Clerk - • 37

Notice of Rejection ' - - « 37

Recommendation and Election. Art. IX,

Pupils of Normal Students = . 38

Members of Mother Church ...... = > 38

Election - ^ " •> - ^ 39



TABLE OF CONTENTS



Duties of Members, Art. X.

Per Capita Tax 39

Church Periodicals 39

Duty to Patients 39

Probationary Membership. Art. XI.

Members who once Withdrew 40

Members once Dismissed 40

Ineligible for Probation 41

MEETINGS.

Regular and Special Meetings. Art. XII.

Annual Meetings 42

Meetings of Board of Directors 42

Annual Meetings of Executive Members .... 43

Special Meetings 43

Called Only by Clerk 43

CHURCH SERVICES.

The Christian Science Pastor. Art. XIII.

Ordination 44

The Lesson-Sermon 44

Date of Communion 44

Reading in Public. Art. XIV.

Announcing Author's Name 45

Welcoming Strangers. Art. XV.

The Leader's Welcome 45

The Local Members' Welcome 46

Services Uninterrupted. Art. XVI.

Continued Throughout the Year 46



8 CHURCH MANUAL



GUARDIANSHIP OF CHURCH FUNDS.
Art. XVII.

Church Edifice a Testimonial 47

Financial Situation 47

Report of Directors » 48

Finance Committee 48

God's Requirement 49

Provision for the Future 49

Debts and Donations . 50

TEACHING CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Teachers. Art. XVIII.

Motive in Teaching 51

Care of Pupils ............. 51

Defense against Malpractice ........ 52

Number of Pupils 52

Associations = ... 52

A Single Field of Labor ..." 52

Change of Location 52

Caring for Pupils of Strayed Members 53

Teachers must have Certificates 53

Pupils. Art. XIX.

Authorized to Teach 53

Unqualified to Teach 54

Without Teachers 54

GUIDANCE OF MEMBERS. Art. XX.

A Rule for Motives and Acts 55

To Be Read in Church 55

Christ Jesus the Ensample 55

Daily Prayer 56



TABLE OF CONTENTS



Prayer in Church 56

Alertness to Duty 57

One Christ 57

Good-Will to Men 57

No Malpractice 57

Charity to All 57

Obedience Required 58

DISCIPLINE.

Complaints. Art. XXI.

Preliminary Requirement 59

Authority 59

Members in Mother Church Only 59

Removal of Cards .60

Members in Branch Churches 60

Relation of Members to Pastor Emeritus.
Art. XXII.

The Title of Mother Changed 61

Working Against the Cause 61

No Unchristian Conduct 62

Not to Learn Hypnotism 62

Reading and Attesting Letters 62

Unauthorized Reports 63

Interpreting Communications 63

Unauthorized Legal Action 63

No Adulterating Christian Science 64

Opportunity for Serving the Leader 64

Readers. Art. XXIII.

In the Mother Church 65

A Reader not a Leader 65

Executive Members. Art. XXIV.

Honesty Requisite 66

Disobedience Dealt With 66



lO CHURCH MANUAL



Teachers. Art. XXV.

Probation 66

Misteaching 67

Members. Art. XXVI.

Departure from Tenets 67

Violation of By-Laws 68

Illegal Adoption 68

Violation of Christian Fellowship 68

Formulas Forbidden 68

Forbidden Membership 69

Otficious Members 69

Uncharitable Publications 69

Legal Titles 69

Practitioners and Patients 69

No Incorrect Literature 70

Endorsing Applications 70

Music IN THE Church. Art. XXVII.

Solo Singer 71

Directors' Privilege 71

THE MOTHER CHURCH AND BRANCH
CHURCHES. Art. XXVIII.

Local Self-Government 72

Titles 72

Mother Church Unique 73

Tenets Copyrighted 73

No Executive Members 73

Manual 74

Organizing Churches 74

Communion Service 74

No Close Communion 74

No Duplicate Membership 74



TABLE OF CONTEXTS



No Impromptu Meetings 75

Laying a Corner Stone 75

75



Our Church Edifices



TTTE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SO-
CIETY. Art. XXIX.

Board of Trustees ^d

Disposal of Funds 76

Vacancies in Trusteeship 76

Editors cmd Manager ']']

Suitable Employees i"]

Periodicals 77

Rule of Conduct 78

BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Organization. Art. XXX.

Officers , . . 79

Election 79

Prcc^idcnt not to be Consulted 79

Presidency of College 80

Applicants and Graduates. Art. XXXI.

Normal Teachers 80

Qualification 80

Certificates 81

Action of the Board. Art. XXXII.

Sessions 81

Special Instruction 81

Signatures 82

Remuneration 82

Free Scholarship 82

Surplus Funds 82

Healing Better than Teaching 82



12 CHURCH MANUAL



GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS.

Organization and Regulation. Art. XXXIII.

Qualification of Members 8a

Annual Meetings 84

Basis for Teaching 84

Uniformity in Teaching and Practice Required . 85

BOARD OF LECTURESHIP.

Organization and Duties. Art. XXXIV.

Election 87

Duty of Lecturers 87

No Disruption of Branch Churches 87

Receptions 88

Calls for Lectures. Art. XXXV.

From the Directors SS

From Branch Churches 88

From Societies 89

Annual Lectures 89

Lectures by First Readers 89

No Wednesday Evening Lectures ...... 89

Lecture Fee 89

Expenses 89

Exceptional Cases 89

MISSIONARIES. Art. XXXVI.

Election 9°

Work . 90

Compensation - » 9^

PUBLICATION COMMITTEES. Art. XXXVII.

In Mother Church 9^

Duties 91



TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 3

In Branch Churches 92

Appointment 93

Removal from Office 93

Case of Necessity 94

READING ROOMS. Art. XXXVIII.

Establishment 95

Librarian 95

MARRIAGE. Art. XXXIX.

A Legal Ceremony 96

DEBATING IN PUBLIC. Art. XL.

No Unauthorized Debating ........ 96

CHURCH-BUILDING. Art. XLL

Building Committee 97

Designation of Deeds 97

The Mother Church Building 97

CHURCH MANUAL. Art. XLH.

For the Mother Church Only 98

Thirty-third Edition the Authority 98

Amendment of By-Laws 98

Hppcndix

Special Instructions Regarding Applications

FOR Church Membership loi

Present Order of Services in the Mother

Church no

Deed of Trust 115

Deed Conveying Land for Church Purposes . . 123



tienets






of Cbe JMotbcr Cburcb
Cbe first Cburcb of Cbrist, Scientist

To be signed by those uniting <with The First
Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass*

1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired
Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal
Life.

2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and
infinite God ; — we acknowledge one Christ — His
Son Christ Jesus ; the Holy Ghost or the divine
Comforter ; and man His divine image and likeness.

3. We acknowledge .God's forgiveness of sin in
the destruction of sin, and in the understanding that
evil and sin are unreal, hence not eternal. But the
belief in sin is punished, so long as it lasts.

4. We acknowledge Christ's atonement as the
evidence of divine and efficacious Love, unfolding
man's unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-
shower.

15



1 6 TENETS OF THE MOTHER CHURCH

5. We acknowledge that man is saved through
Christ — through divine Truth, Life, and Love, as
demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in the healing
of the sick and the overcoming of sin and death.
Also, that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection
were designed to elevate human faith and under-
standing to the spiritual perception of the eternal
existence of the good and the real in man.

6. We solemnly promise to strive, watch, and
pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in
Christ Jesus ; to love one another ; and to be meek,
merciful, just, and pure.

Mary Baker G. Eddy.



IFDistorical Sketch.



IN the spring of 1S79, a little band of earnest
seekers after Truth, went into deliberations over
forming a church without creeds, to be called the
*' Church of Christ, Scientist." They were mem-
bers of evangelical churches, and students of Mrs,
Mary Baker G. Eddy, in Christian Science, and were
known as '^ Christian Scientists."

At a meeting of the Christian Scientist Association,
April 19, 1879, on motion of Mrs. Eddy, it was
voted, — To organize a church designed to com-
memorate the word and works of our Master, which
should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost
element of healing.

Mrs. Eddy was appointed on the committee to
draft the Tenets of the Mother Church — the chief
cornerstone whereof is, that Christian Science, as
taught and demonstrated by our IMaster, casts out
error, heals the sick and restores the lost Israel :
2 17



1 8 HISTORICAL SKETCH

for " the stone which the builders rejected, the same
is become the head of the corner."

The charter for the Church was obtained June,
1879, and the same month the members, twenty-six
in number, extended a call to Mary Baker G. Eddy
to become their pastor. She accepted the call,
and was ordained a. d. 1881. Although walking
through deep waters, the little Church went steadily
on, increasing in numbers, and at every epoch
saying,

" Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

On the twenty-third day of September, 1892, at
the request of Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, twelve
of her students and church members met and re-
organized, under her jurisdiction, the Christian
Science Church and named it, The First Church
OF Christ, Scientist.

At this meeting twenty others of Mrs. Eddy's
students and members of her former Church were
elected members of this Church, — those with others
that have since been elected were known as '^ First
Members." The Church Tenets, Rules, and By-
Laws, as prepared by Mrs. Eddy, were adopted. A
By-Law adopted March 17, 1903, changed the
title of '' First Members " to " Executive Members."
(See Article V, Section i.)



historical sketch 1 9

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in
Boston, Mass., is designed to be built on the rock,
Christ j even the understanding and demonstration
of divine Truth, Life, and Love, heahng and saving
the world from sin, and death ; — thus to reflect in
some degree th-e Church Universal and Triumphant.



Cburcb Officers*



Rev. MARY BAKER G. EDDY

Pastor Emeritus



IRA O. KNAPP

WILLIAM B. JOHNSON , ^^ . . „ . „ ,

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG I Christian Science Board
STEPHEN A. CHASE ' of Directors

ARCHIBALD McLELLAN



EDWARD P. BATES

President



HERMANN S. HERING

First Reader

Conducts services and reads from the Christian Science textbook,

"SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE

SCRIPTURES"

By Mary Baker G. Eddy.



Mrs. ELLA E. WILLIAMS

Second Reader
Reads from the SCRIPTURES.



WILLIAM B. JOHNSON
Clerk of Church, 30 Norway Street, Boston, Mass.



STEPHEN A. CHASE

Treasurer, Box 56, Fall River, Mass.

21



Cburcb By-Laws*






CHURCH OFFICERS.



Article I.

NAMES, ELECTION, AND DUTIES.

Names. Section i. The Church officers
shall consist of a President, a Clerk, a Treas-
urer, and two Readers.

President. Sect. 2. The President shall be
elected, subject to the approval of the Pastor
Emeritus, by the Board of Directors,^ on Mon-
day preceding the annual meeting of the Church.
The President shall hold office for one year ; and
the same person is eligible for election but once
in three years.

Clerk and Treasurer. Sect. 3. The term of
office for the Clerk and the Treasurer of this
Church (also for the editors and the manager



1 See under " Deed of Trust" for incorporation of tlie " Christian
Science Board of Directors."

25



2 6 CHURCH BY-LAWS

of The Christian Science Publishing Society, and
the manager of the general Publication Com-
mittees, in Boston) is one year each, dating from
the time of election to the office. Incumbents
who have served one year or more can be re-
elected, or new officers elected, at the annual
meeting held for this purpose, by a unanimous
vote of the Christian Science Board of Direc-
tors and the consent of the Pastor Emeritus
given in her own handwriting.

Readers. Sect. 4. Every third year new
Readers shall be elected for the Mother Church
by the Board of Directors, who shall inform the
Pastor Emeritus of the names of their candi-
dates before they are elected, and if she objects
to their nomination, said candidates shall not
be chosen. The Directors shall fix the salaries
of the Readers.

Directors. Sect. 5. The Christian Science
Board of Directors shall consist of five members.
They shall fill a vacancy occurring on that Board
after the candidate is approved by the Pastor
Emeritus. A majority vote or the request of
Mrs. Eddy shall dismiss a member. Members
shall neither report the discussions of this Board,
nor those with Mrs. Eddy.



CHURCH OFFICERS 27



Publishing Buildings. Sect. 6. It shall be
the duty of the Christian Science Board of Di-
rectors to provide a suitable building for the
publication of The Christian Science Journal,
Christian Science Sentinel, Der Christian Sci-
ence Herold, and all other Christian Science
literature published by the Christian Science
Publishing Society. It shall also be the duty
of the Christian Science Board of Directors to
provide suitable rooms conveniently and pleas-
antly located in the same building for the pub-
lication, and sale, of the books of which Mary
Baker G. Eddy is, or may be, the author, and
other literature connected therewith.

No Trusteeships nor Syndicates. Sect. 7.
No Board of Trustees, nor Syndicates, shall
ever be formed by, or between, the members
of this Church, or shall exist in the Mother
Church, except the Trusteeship be constituted
by the Pastor Emeritus.

Duties of Church Officers. Sect. 8. Law
constitutes government, and disobedience to the
laws of the Mother Church must ultimate in
annulling its Tenets and By-Laws. Without a
proper system of government and form of ac-
tion, nations, individuals, and religion are un-



2 8 CHURCH BY-LAWS



protected; hence the necessity of this By-Law
and the warning of Holy Writ : " That servant,
which knew his lord's will, and prepared not
himself, neither did according to his will, shall
be beaten with many stripes."

It is the duty of the Christian Science Board of
Directors to watch and make sure that the offi-
cers in this Church perform the functions of
their several offices promptly and well. If an
officer fails to fulfil all the obligations of his
office, the Board of Directors shall immediately
call a meeting and notify this officer either to
resign his place or to perform his office faith-
fully; then failing to do either, said officer shall
be dismissed from this Church, and his dismis-
sal shall be written on the Church records.

It is the duty of any member of this Church,
and especially of one who has been or who is
the First Reader of a church, to inform the
Board of Directors of the failure of the Publi-
- cation Committee, or of any other officer in this
Church to perform his official duties. A Di-
rector shall not make known the name of the
complainant.

If the Christian Science Board of Directors
fail to fulfil the requirements of this By-Law,



CHURCH OFFICERS 29



and a member of this Church, or the Pastor
Emeritus shall complain thereof to the Clerk and
the complaint be found valid, the Directors shall
resign their office or perform their functions
faithfully. Failing to do thus, the Clerk of this
Church shall call a meeting of the Executive
Members, and their two-thirds vote, with the
consent of the Pastor Emeritus, shall elect five
suitable members of this Church to fill the va-
cancy. The salary of the Board of Directors
shall be at present one thousand dollars each
annually.

Article II.

DUTIES OF CLERK.

Reading Communications. Section i. When
the Pastor Emeritus sends a letter or message to
the Clerk of the Mother Church, to be read at a
meeting of the Executive Members, it shall be
his imperative duty to read said communication
at the place and time specified.

Understanding Communications. Sect. 2.
If the Clerk of this Church shall receive a com-
munication from the Pastor Emeritus which he
does not fully understand, he shall inform her
of this fact before presenting it to the Church,



30 CHURCH BY-LAWS



and obtain a clear understanding of the matter,
— then act in accordance therewith.

Article III.

READERS OF MOTHER CHURCH.

Election. Section i. The Readers for the
Mother Church shall be a male and a female,
one to read the Bible, and one to read Science
AND Health with Key to the Scriptures.

Eligibility. Sect. 2. The Directors shall
select intelligible readers who are exemplary
Christians and good English scholars, to read
in Church. They must be members of this de-
nomination, and Executive Members of this
Church.

First Reader's Residence. Sect. 3. 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, Bos-
ton. The Board of Directors shall pay from
the Church funds the taxes and rent on this
property, they shall attend to the insurance be-
fore it expires, suitably furnish the house, and
keep the property in good repair so long as Mrs.



CHURCH OFFICERS



31



Eddy does not occupy the house herself, and the
occupants are satisfactory to her.

Article IV.

DUTIES OF READERS.

Moral Obligations. Section i. The Readers

must devote a suitable portion of their time to
preparation for reading the Sunday lesson, —
a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian
Science largely depends. They must keep them-
selves unspotted from the world, — uncontami-
nated with evil, — that the mental atmosphere
they exhale shall promote health and holiness,
even that spiritual animus so universally needed.

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

Suitable Selections. Sect. 3. The First
Reader reads, as a part of the Wednesday even-
ing services, selections from the Scriptures,
and from Science and Health with Key to
THE Scriptures.

Order of Reading. Sect. 4. The first Readers
in the Christian Science churches shall read



32 CHURCH BY-LAWS



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. Sect. 5. The
Reader of Science and Health with Key to
the Scriptures, before commencing to read
from this book, shall distinctly announce its full
title and give the author's name. Such announce-
ment shall be made but once during the lesson.

Readers in Branch Churches. Sect. 6.
These Readers shall read well and be well edu-
cated. 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-Lav^s. Sect. 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 over which he presides.



EXECUTIVE INIEIMBERS ^^



EXECUTIVE MEMBERS.



Article V.

TITLE, QUALIFICATIONS, AND NUMBER.

Title. Section i. The members known as
First Members prior to March 17, 1903, from
and after this date shall bear the title and be
known as Executive Members of The First
Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.

Qualifications. Sect. 2. The Executive
Members of this Church shall be persons who
have proven themselves, in successive years,
strict adherents to the doctrines and practice in-
culcated and set forth in Science and Health
with Key to the Scriptures.

Number. Sect. 3. If the Executive Mem-
bers become less than fifty in number, they shall
regain this number. Their number shall not ex-
ceed one hundred.

Residence. Sect. 4. The Executive Alem-
bers, who are residents of the United States,
shall reside within five hundred miles of Bos-
ton, ]\Iass.
3



34 CHURCH BY-LAWS



Article VI.

TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS AND ELECTION.

Church Business. Section i. The business
of the Mother Church shall be transacted by its
Christian Science Board of Directors.

The Executive Members of this Church shall
continue to convene annually at the Communion
season, but they shall not be present at the busi-
ness meetings.

Nomination and Election. Sect. 2. Mem-
bers of this Church can become Executive
Members after a letter is received by the Chris-
tian Science Board of Directors from the Pastor
Emeritus, requesting them to make the persons
Executive Members ; and they shall be elected by
the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.



CHURCH MEMBERSHIP $$



CHURCH MEMBERSHIP*



Article VII.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP.

Believe in Christian Science. Section i.
To become a member of the Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Bos-
ton, Alass., the applicant must be a believer in
the doctrines of Christian Science, according to
the platform and teaching contained in the Chris-
tian Science textbook, Science and Health
WITH Key to the Scriptures, by Rev. Mary-
Baker G. Eddy. The Bible, and Science and
Health (with other works by its author), must
be his only textbooks for self-instruction in
Christian Science, and for teaching and prac-
tising metaphysical healing.

Free from Other Denominations. Sect. 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.



36 • CHURCH BY-LAWS



Children v/hen Twelve Years Old. Sect. 3.
Children who have arrived at the age of twelve
years, who are approved by, or whose applica-
tions are countersigried by one of Mrs. Eddy's
loyal students, by an Executive Member, or by
a Director, may be admitted to membership with
the Mother Church.



Article VIII.

APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP.

Students of the College. Section i. Appli-
cations for membership with the Mother Church
from students of tlie Massachusetts Metaphysical
College, who studied with Rev. Mary Baker G.