Manual of the Mother Church Part 5

Church Edifice a Testimonial. SECTION 1. Whereas, on March 20, 1895, the Christian Science Board of Directors, in behalf of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Ma.s.s., presented to Rev. Mary Baker Eddy their church edifice as a Testimonial of this Church's love and grat.i.tude, and she, with grateful acknowledgments thereof, declined to receive this munificent gift, she now understands the financial situation between the Christian Science Board of Directors and said Church to be as follows:--

Financial Situation. SECTION 2. The Christian Science Board of Directors owns the church edifices, with the land whereon they stand, legally; and the Church members own the aforesaid premises and buildings, beneficially. After the first church was built, the balance of the building funds, which remained in the hands of the Directors, belonged to the Church, and not solely to the Directors.

The balance of the church building funds, which can be spared after the debts are paid, should remain on safe deposit, to be hereafter used for the benefit of this Church, as the right occasion may call for it. The following indicates the proper management of the Church funds:--

Report of Directors. SECTION 3. It shall be the duty of the Christian Science Board of Directors to have the books of the Church Treasurer audited semi-annually, and to report at the annual Church meeting the amount of funds which the Church has on hand, the amount of its indebtedness and of its expenditures for the last year.

Finance Committee. SECTION 4. There shall be a Committee on Finance, which shall consist of three members of this Church in good standing.

Its members shall be appointed annually by the Christian Science Board of Directors and with the consent of the Pastor Emeritus. They shall hold quarterly meetings and keep themselves thoroughly informed as to the real estate owned by this Church and the amount of funds received by the Treasurer of The Mother Church, who is individually responsible for said funds. They shall have the books of the Christian Science Board of Directors and the books of the Church Treasurer audited annually by an honest, competent accountant.

The books are to be audited on May first.

Prior to paying bills against the Church, the Treasurer of this Church shall submit them all to said committee for examination.

This committee shall decide thereupon by a unanimous vote, and its endors.e.m.e.nt of the bills shall render them payable.

If it be found that the Church funds have not been properly managed, it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors and the Treasurer to be individually responsible for the performance of their several offices satisfactorily, and for the proper distribution of the funds of which they are the custodians.

G.o.d's Requirement. SECTION 5. G.o.d requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist.

Provision for the Future. SECTION 6. In case of any possible future deviation from duty, the Committee on Finance shall visit the Board of Directors, and, in a Christian spirit and manner, demand that each member thereof comply with the By-Laws of the Church. If any Director fails to heed this admonition, he may be dismissed from office and the vacancy supplied by the Board.

Debt and Duty. SECTION 7. The Mother Church shall not be made legally responsible for the debts of individuals except such debts as are specified in its By-Laws. Donations from this Church shall not be made without the written consent of the Pastor Emeritus. Also important movements of the manager of the Committee on Publication shall be sanctioned by the Board of Directors and be subject to the approval of Mary Baker Eddy. (See Article I, Sect. 6.)

Emergencies. SECTION 8. The Treasurer, personally, or through the Clerk of the Church, may pay from the funds of the Church bills of immediate necessity not exceeding $200 for any one transaction, and he may keep on deposit the sum of $500 with the Clerk, as a petty cash fund, to be used by him for the payment of such bills. Such payments shall be reported, on the first of the following month, to the Board of Directors and the Committee on Finance, for their approval.

Committee on Business. SECTION 9. The Christian Science Board of Directors shall elect annually a Committee on Business, which shall consist of not less than three loyal members of The Mother Church, who shall transact promptly and efficiently such business as Mrs.

Eddy, the Directors, or the Committee on Publication shall commit to it. While the members of this Committee are engaged in the transaction of the business a.s.signed to them they shall be paid from the Church funds. Before being eligible for office the names of the persons nominated for said office shall be presented to Mrs. Eddy for her written approval.

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLIs.h.i.+NG SOCIETY

Article XXV

Board of Trustees. SECTION 1. The Board of Trustees, const.i.tuted by a Deed of Trust given by Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, the Pastor Emeritus of this Church, on January twenty-fifth, 1898, shall hold and manage the property therein conveyed, and conduct the business of "The Christian Science Publis.h.i.+ng Society" on a strictly Christian basis, for the promotion of the interests of Christian Science.

Disposal of Funds. SECTION 2. The net profits of the business shall be paid over semi-annually to the Treasurer of The Mother Church. He shall hold this money subject to the order of the Christian Science Board of Directors, which is authorized to order its disposition only in accordance with the By-Laws contained in this Manual.

Vacancies in Trustees.h.i.+p. SECTION 3. The Christian Science Board of Directors shall have the power to declare vacancies in said trustees.h.i.+p, for such reasons as to the Board may seem expedient.

Whenever a vacancy shall occur, the Pastor Emeritus reserves the right to fill the same by appointment; but if she does not elect to exercise this right, the remaining trustees shall fill the vacancy, subject to her approval.

Editors and Manager. SECTION 4. The term of office for the editors and the manager of The Christian Science Publis.h.i.+ng Society is one year each, dating from the time of election to the office. Inc.u.mbents who have served one year or more can be re-elected, or new officers elected, by a unanimous vote of the Christian Science Board of Directors, and the consent of the Pastor Emeritus given in her own handwriting.

Suitable Employees. SECTION 5. A person who is not accepted by the Pastor Emeritus and the Christian Science Board of Directors as suitable, shall in no manner be connected with publis.h.i.+ng her books, nor with editing or publis.h.i.+ng _The Christian Science Journal_, _Christian Science Sentinel_, _Der Herold der Christian Science_, nor with The Christian Science Publis.h.i.+ng Society.

Periodicals. SECTION 6. Periodicals which shall at any time be published by The Christian Science Publis.h.i.+ng Society, shall be copyrighted and conducted according to the provisions in the Deed of Trust relating to _The Christian Science Journal_.

Rule of Conduct. SECTION 7. No objectionable pictures shall be exhibited in the rooms where the Christian Science textbook is published or sold. No idle gossip, no slander, no mischief-making, no evil speaking shall be allowed.

Books to be Published. SECTION 8. Only the Publis.h.i.+ng Society of The Mother Church selects, approves, and publishes the books and literature it sends forth. If Mary Baker Eddy disapproves of certain books or literature, the Society will not publish them. The Committees on Publication are in no manner connected with these functions. A book or an article of which Mrs. Eddy is the author shall not be published nor republished by this Society without her knowledge or written consent.

Removal of Cards. SECTION 9. No cards shall be removed from our periodicals without the request of the advertiser, except by a majority vote of the Christian Science Board of Directors at a meeting held for this purpose or for the examination of complaints.

Members of this Church who practise other professions or pursue other vocations, shall not advertise as healers, excepting those members who are officially engaged in the work of Christian Science, and they must devote ample time for faithful practice.

TEACHING CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Article XXVI--TEACHERS

Motive in Teaching. SECTION 1. Teaching Christian Science shall not be a question of money, but of morals and religion, healing and uplifting the race.

Care of Pupils. SECTION 2. Christian Scientists who are teachers shall carefully select for pupils such only as have good past records and promising proclivities toward Christian Science. A teacher shall not a.s.sume personal control of, or attempt to dominate his pupils, but he shall hold himself morally obligated to promote their progress in the understanding of divine Principle, not only during the cla.s.s term but after it, and to watch well that they prove sound in sentiment and practical in Christian Science. He shall persistently and patiently counsel his pupils in conformity with the unerring laws of G.o.d, and shall enjoin them habitually to study the Scriptures and SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES as a help thereto.

Defense against Malpractice. SECTION 3. Teachers shall instruct their pupils how to defend themselves against mental malpractice, never to return evil for evil, but to know the truth that makes free, and thus to be a law, not unto others, but to themselves.

Number of Pupils. SECTION 4. The teachers of Christian Science shall teach but one cla.s.s yearly, which cla.s.s shall consist of not more than thirty pupils. After 1907, the Board of Education shall have one cla.s.s triennially, a Normal cla.s.s not exceeding thirty pupils.

Pupil's Tuition. SECTION 5. A student's price for teaching Christian Science shall not exceed $100.00 per pupil.

a.s.sociations. SECTION 6. The a.s.sociations of the pupils of loyal teachers shall convene annually. The pupils shall be guided by the BIBLE, and SCIENCE AND HEALTH, not by their teachers' personal views.

Teachers shall not call their pupils together, or a.s.semble a selected number of them, for more frequent meetings.

A Single Field of Labor. SECTION 7. A loyal teacher of Christian Science shall not teach another loyal teacher's pupil, except it be in the Board of Education. Outside of this Board each student occupies only his own field of labor. Pupils may visit each other's churches, and by invitation attend each other's a.s.sociations.

Caring for Pupils of Strayed Members. SECTION 8. A loyal teacher of Christian Science may teach and receive into his a.s.sociation the pupils of another member of this Church who has so strayed as justly to be deemed, under the provisions of Article XII, Sect. 1, not ready to lead his pupils.

Teachers must have Certificates. SECTION 9. A member of this Church shall not teach pupils Christian Science unless he has a certificate to show that he has been taught by Mrs. Eddy or has taken a Normal Course at the Ma.s.sachusetts Metaphysical College or in the Board of Education.

Such members who have not been continuously active and loyal Christian Scientists since receiving instruction as above, shall not teach Christian Science without the approval of The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Article XXVII--PUPILS

Authorized to Teach. SECTION 1. After a student's pupil has been duly authorized to be a teacher of Christian Science, or has been under the personal instruction of Mrs. Eddy, he is no longer under the jurisdiction of his former teacher.

Without Teachers. SECTION 2. Those beloved brethren whose teacher has left them, can elect an experienced Christian Scientist, who is not in charge of an a.s.sociation of students and who is ready for this high calling, to conduct the meetings of their a.s.sociation.

Basis for Teaching. SECTION 3. The teachers of the Normal cla.s.s shall teach from the chapter Recapitulation in SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, and from the Christian Science Platform, beginning on page 330 of the revised editions since 1902, and they shall teach nothing contrary thereto. The teachers of the Primary cla.s.s shall instruct their pupils from the said chapter on "Recapitulation" only.

Church Members.h.i.+p. SECTION 4. Neither the Pastor Emeritus nor a member of this Church shall teach Roman Catholics Christian Science, except it be with the written consent of the authority of their Church. Choice of patients is left to the wisdom of the pract.i.tioner, and Mrs. Eddy is not to be consulted on this subject.

Cla.s.s Teaching. SECTION 5. Members of The Mother Church who are authorized by its By-Laws to teach Christian Science, shall not solicit, or cause or permit others to solicit, pupils for their cla.s.ses. No member of this Church shall advise against cla.s.s instruction.

Teachers of Christian Science must have the necessary moral and spiritual qualifications to elucidate the Principle and rule of Christian Science, through the higher meaning of the Scriptures.