Manual of the Mother Church Part 2

Article VIII--GUIDANCE OF MEMBERS

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 Lectures.h.i.+p, 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.

Alertness to Duty. SECTION 6. It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to G.o.d, to his Leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged,--and justified or condemned.

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." (Matt. 7:12.)

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 Adulterating Christian Science. SECTION 10. A member of this Church shall not publish profuse quotations from Mary Baker Eddy's copyrighted works without her permission, and shall not plagiarize her writings. This By-Law not only calls more serious attention to the commandment of the Decalogue, but tends to prevent Christian Science from being _adulterated_.

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 publis.h.i.+ng 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. G.o.d 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 Members.h.i.+p. SECTION 17. A member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Ma.s.s., 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 ent.i.tled to hold office or read in branch churches of this denomination except by invitation.

Legal t.i.tles. SECTION 19. Students of Christian Science must drop the t.i.tles of Reverend and Doctor, except those who have received these t.i.tles under the _laws_ of the _State_.

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 pract.i.tioner.

Pract.i.tioners 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 pract.i.tioner to patient. A failure to do this shall subject the offender to Church discipline.

A member of The Mother Church shall not, under pardonable circ.u.mstances, sue his patient for recovery of payment for said member's practice, on penalty of discipline and liability to have his name removed from members.h.i.+p. Also he shall reasonably reduce his price in chronic cases of recovery, and in cases where he has not effected a cure. A Christian Scientist is a humanitarian; he is benevolent, forgiving, long-suffering, and seeks to overcome evil with good.

Duty to Patients. SECTION 23. If a member of this Church has a patient whom he does not heal, and whose case he cannot fully diagnose, he may consult with an M. D. on the anatomy involved. And it shall be the privilege of a Christian Scientist to confer with an M. D. on Ontology, or the Science of being.

Testimonials. SECTION 24. "Glorify G.o.d in your body, and in your spirit, which are G.o.d's" (St. Paul). Testimony in regard to the healing of the sick is highly important. More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and ill.u.s.trates the demonstration of Christ, "who healeth all thy diseases" (Psalm 103:3). This testimony, however, shall not include a description of symptoms or of suffering, though the generic name of the disease may be indicated. This By-Law applies to testimonials which appear in the periodicals and to those which are given at the Wednesday evening meeting.

Charity to All. SECTION 25. While members of this Church do not believe in the doctrines of theosophy, hypnotism, or spiritualism, they cherish no enmity toward those who do believe in such doctrines, and will not harm them. But whenever G.o.d calls a member to bear testimony to Truth and to defend the Cause of Christ, he shall do it with love and without fear.

Uncharitable Publications. SECTION 26. A member of this Church shall not publish, nor cause to be published, an article that is uncharitable or impertinent towards religion, medicine, the courts, or the laws of our land.

The Golden Rule. SECTION 27. A member of The Mother Church shall not haunt Mrs. Eddy's drive when she goes out, continually stroll by her house, or make a summer resort near her for such a purpose.

Numbering the People. SECTION 28. Christian Scientists shall not report for publication the number of the members of The Mother Church, nor that of the branch churches. According to the Scripture they shall turn away from personality and numbering the people.

Our Church Edifices. SECTION 29. The periodicals of our denomination do not publish descriptions of our church edifices, but they may quote from other periodicals or give incidental narratives.

No Monopoly. SECTION 30. A Scientist shall not endeavor to monopolize the healing work in any church or locality, to the exclusion of others, but all who understand the teachings of Christian Science are privileged to enter into this holy work, and "by their fruits ye shall know them."

Christian Science Nurse. SECTION 31. A member of The Mother Church who represents himself or herself as a Christian Science nurse shall be one who has a demonstrable knowledge of Christian Science practice, who thoroughly understands the practical wisdom necessary in a sick room, and who can take proper care of the sick.

The cards of such persons may be inserted in _The Christian Science Journal_ under rules established by the publishers.

Article IX--MARRIAGE AND DECEASE

A Legal Ceremony. SECTION 1. If a Christian Scientist is to be married, the ceremony shall be performed by a clergyman who is legally authorized.

Sudden Decease. SECTION 2. If a member of The Mother Church shall decease suddenly, without previous injury or illness, and the cause thereof be unknown, an autopsy shall be made by qualified experts. When it is possible the body of a female shall be prepared for burial by _one of her own s.e.x_.

Article X--DEBATING IN PUBLIC

No Unauthorized Debating. SECTION 1. A member of this Church shall not debate on Christian Science in public debating a.s.semblies, without the consent of the Board of Directors.

Article XI--COMPLAINTS

Departure from Tenets. SECTION 1. If a member of this Church shall depart from the Tenets and be found having the name without the life of a Christian Scientist, and another member in good standing shall from Christian motives make this evident, a meeting of the Board of Directors shall be called, and the offender's case shall be tried and said member exonerated, put on probation, or excommunicated.

Violation of By-Laws. SECTION 2. A member who is found violating any of the By-Laws or Rules herein set forth, shall be admonished in consonance with the Scriptural demand in Matthew 18:15-17; and if he neglect to accept such admonition, he shall be placed on probation, or if he repeat the offense, his name shall be dropped from the roll of Church members.h.i.+p.

Violation of Christian Fellows.h.i.+p. SECTION 3. Any member who shall unjustly aggrieve or vilify the Pastor Emeritus or another member, or who does not live in Christian fellows.h.i.+p with members who are in good and regular standing with this Church, shall either withdraw from the Church or be excommunicated.

Preliminary Requirement. SECTION 4. No church discipline shall ensue until the requirements according to the Scriptures, in Matthew 18:15-17, have been strictly obeyed, unless a By-Law governing the case provides for immediate action.

Authority. SECTION 5. The Christian Science Board of Directors has power to discipline, place on probation, remove from members.h.i.+p, or to excommunicate members of The Mother Church. Only the members of this Board shall be present at meetings for the examination of complaints against church members; and they alone shall vote on cases involving The Mother Church discipline.

Members in Mother Church Only. SECTION 6. A complaint against a member of The Mother Church, _if said member belongs to no branch church_ and if this complaint is not for _mental malpractice_, shall be laid before this Board, and within ten days thereafter, the Clerk of the Church shall address a letter of inquiry to the member complained of as to the validity of the charge. If a member is found guilty of that whereof he is accused and his previous character has been good, his confession of his error and evidence of his compliance with our Church Rules shall be deemed sufficient by the Board for forgiveness for once, and the Clerk of the Church shall immediately so inform him. But a second offense shall dismiss a member from the Church.