AFTER making a vigorous plea for intelligent and peaceful methods of procedure in the Christian churches of his day (as recorded in I Cor. xiv.), Paul finished his exhortation by admonishing his followers to "let all things be done decently and in order." The apostle evidently believed that it was an essential duty in the membership of the primitive church to strive to "excel to the edifying" of its organization—the upbuilding of all that related to the welfare of the church. Accuracy, order, and dignity were characteristic features which the original Christian church aimed to maintain, and these qualities have attended every advancing movement of Christianity down through the following centuries.
In our own day orderly procedure in the conduct of business affairs is an important requisite in the maintenance of a Christian Science church. To maintain The Mother Church or any one of its branches makes liberal demand on the judgment and activities of good men and women, who are orderly and practical in their methods. If the church work is well done, in keeping with the requirements of the democratic government so wisely recommended by our Leader, it calls for fidelity to the essentials of parliamentary procedure in the conduct of all its business meetings.
Many who hear or read the word "democracy" think of it as standing for the fundamentals of one of the great political parties of the United States; but literally the word "democracy" means the rule of the people. As it is applied to governmental methods of today, a democracy means a sovereignty exercised by the people directly, or through their chosen representatives, rather than by rulers who are independent of popular control or authority. A proper democracy in the maintenance of the affairs of a Christian Science church therefore means an administration by its members, for its members and for all mankind. This being one of the central facts in the government of the church, it becomes both a pleasure and a duty for every member to equip himself to cooperate intelligently and helpfully in the harmonious government exercised by the collective organization
