There can be no doubt that every student of Christian Science who has caught even a faint glimpse of what this message means to the world at large, instinctively desires to be loyal to the cause which he recognizes is destined to bring about the salvation of all humanity from sin, disease, and death; but it frequently occurs that, when first the joy of this glorious truth dawns upon his consciousness, the beginner is apt to try to push forward the work with what Paul describes in his epistle to the Romans as "a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." Onpage 57 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says: "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it." It is doubtless the spiritual happiness here defined which causes the earnest longing on the part of Christian Scientists to share the "good news" with those around them as quickly as possible; but the steps taken to bring about this desired result, though they may appear harmless and even praiseworthy when viewed from the limited standpoint of a personal or local need, are sometimes found to be a hindrance rather than a help, when examined in the light of what is best in the interests of the cause, and therefore of humanity in general.
Too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of watching that we do nothing which could possibly lead to the adulteration of Christian Science, and it is certain that such a thing cannot happen if every Christian Scientist studies the Manual of The Mother Church thoroughly, imbibes the spirit of its rules, and obeys them; and it should be remembered that it is not necessary to wait until one becomes a member of The Mother Church to do this.
Perhaps one of the most striking instances of the wisdom by which Mrs. Eddy has been guided in establishing Christian Science, is to be found in the simple yet effective means she has employed to preserve in all its purity the message as it was revealed to her, and to protect it from the encroachments of mere human opinions or wilful misrepresentations. Everything necessary for this purpose is included in the rules and by-laws of the Manual, and when referring to them on one occasion, Mrs. Eddy wrote as follows: "They are not arbitrary opinions nor dictatorial demands, such as one person might impose on another. They were impelled by a power not one's own, were written at different dates, and as the occasion required. They sprang from necessity, the logic of events,—from the immediate demand for them as a help that must be supplied to maintain the dignity and defense of our cause; hence their simple, scientific basis, and detail so requisite to demonstrate genuine Christian Science" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 148).
