The Congregationalist in its issue of March 11th, 1897, publishes the Church Rule of our Mother Church. We are glad it has at last given its readers the benefit of the full rule, even though the spirit in which it is given is not the most gracious. Not willing to accept it in its plain import, the editor must needs give it, as it were, a parting twist. He gravely remarks that he supposes "it is hardly necessary to inform the editor of that (the Christian Science) Journal, that when a member takes a letter from one church to another his membership with the church he leaves is not dissolved. It is transferred, and the transferrence is not complete till the church to which the letter is addressed receives the member and notifies the church which gave the letter of the fact. . . . Thus the membership is dissolved, so that one who was formerly a member of a Congregational church is free to join a Christian Science or any other organization."
We are not disposed to split hairs with our editorial friend, and do not disagree with him that the method for which he contends answers every practical purpose, nevertheless we beg leave to differ with his rather fanciful distinction between the words dissolved and transferred. The sense in which the word dissolved is used in the rule is that of disconnection, — one of the legitimate uses of it. We suppose all will agree that when a person takes a letter from one church and is received into another and his name is removed from the roll of his former church, he is thereby disconnected from that church. We assure our friend, that while we have great respect for his opinion, we shall not, because of this criticism, advise a further change in the rule. We are quite satisfied with it a. it stands.
We hear most encouraging reports of the work in London, England. There is a rapidly increasing interest and inquiry, as well as attendance at the services and meetings.
