During the first years of my study of Christian Science I was constantly marveling at the wonder of Mrs. Eddy's having discovered this great truth. As one beautiful spiritual fact after another unfolded, I would think, with deepest gratitude, of the years of preparation, of tribulation and purification, which fitted her to receive this revelation, and then of her loving thought in giving it to the world in her precious writings. Since learning more of the vastness of the Christian Science movement, I have marveled even more at the wonderful work of our beloved Leader as Founder of Christian Science. Our church services, our literature, practitioners, Board of Lectureship, Board of Education, publication committees, and all the other ways and means of disseminating the truth were founded by her, and the rules and by-laws governing every phase of our church activity were worked out in detail by her, and are now in our Church Manual.
No one ever can know what the founding of Christian Science cost our faithful Leader. In a letter to The Christian Science Board of Directors of The Mother Church, February 27, 1903, and published in the Sentinel of August 22, 1914, she said, "Many times a single by-law has cost me long nights of prayer and struggle, but it has won the victory over some sin and saved the walls of Zion from being torn down by disloyal students." We need to remember this, and to ask ourselves whether we all, as soldiers of Zion, realize the great importance of studying our Manual and obeying it—availing ourselves of all its privileges as well as fulfilling its requirements. Its author says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 230), "Of this I am sure, that each Rule and By-law in this Manual will increase the spirituality of him who obeys it, invigorate his capacity to heal the sick, to comfort such as mourn, and to awaken the sinner."
We occasionally hear some one say, "I can read the Lesson-Sermon at home on Sunday and be just as good a Christian Scientist;" or, "I can get all I need from Science and Health; I do not need to take the Christian Science publications or, "I do not need to join the church;" or, "I do not need class instruction." But are these statements true? When God told Moses how to build the tabernacle, He said, "See...that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." Mary Baker Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, and she has founded it according to the pattern showed her "in the mount," and that pattern is to be found in the Manual of The Mother Church. No one can deviate from it and be "just as good a Christian Scientist."
