At the meeting of the National Association at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1889, the motion was made and carried, that no graduate of the Massachusetts Metaphysical College should receive the students of another graduate, without consent of the first teacher. In case this consent could not be obtained, the only appeal must be to the National Association in Convention. As this law has never been rescinded, it is to-day in force; and, as it is held by many earnest Scientists to be unjust and arbitrary in the extreme, I would like to open the subject for friendly discussion through the pages of the JOURNAL. If there is any form of error which adherence to this regulation is effectually meeting, it would be helpful to workers to know what it is; that they may feel in some measure reconciled to the harm which, in many cases, has seemed to result from its enforcement.
In some instances, young students without experience have been called to reside hundreds of miles from their teacher, but within the field of some other loyal Scientist. Feeling the need of further instruction, they have appealed to their teacher who would neither give it herself, owing to the distance between them, nor give consent that it should be given by the Scientist at hand. As a result of this neglect, the students suffer. In cases where students unfitted to receive the Word spoken, enter a class, the work during the first series of lessons is simply a preparation of the ground. Later, when ready for the seed to be planted, they desire to enter another class. I have known such to drift away from Science altogether; because, just at this critical time, circumstances have made it impossible to study with the former teacher, and consent could not be obtained to enter the class of another loyal student.
Some Scientists, though true and loyal, have not yet demonstrated the gift of impartation others teach from perception, and not understanding. Many times a Scientist teaching to the best of her light, fails to reach some of her students, and they are dissatisfied with their instruction. After a time they meet with another Scientist from whom they feel that they could gain more practical enlightenment, but who feels bound not to teach them, because they are unable to obtain their teacher's approval. How disastrously discouraging this in some cases is to students, cannot be appreciated until experienced.
