Some years ago when the present form of church service was promulgated by our revered Leader, Mrs. Eddy, those who had not risen in thought to perceive the leading of divine Principle in this radical departure from long established usage, were quite disposed to express the opinion that people would soon cease attending Christian Science services. Sufficient time has elapsed to prove indisputably that the very opposite thing has come to pass. The present form of service, conducted by two readers, one reading selections from the authorized version of the Bible, and the other reading correlative passages from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, has so attracted people of all denominations that most of the Christian Science churches throughout the world have from the start been thronged with eager listeners. Surely they must hear and experience something vital to their well-being or they would not regularly attend the services and the Wednesday evening meeting and contribute generously toward the support of the church, without any urging.
A careful analysis of this demonstration will no doubt prove helpful to many, and to those who have ears to hear it may be the answer to the oft repeated question as to how people are to be interested in churchgoing. We employ the word demonstration advisedly because our Leader had worked and prayed for a solution of this problem of church service, and when the answer to her prayer came it brought with it such conviction that she knew she had received the leading of divine wisdom, and the results have proved this. Beyond all question the hand of God was in this decision to dispense with personal preaching and to inaugurate a sermon based upon the revealed Word of God.
The Lesson-Sermons which are read in all the Christian Science churches, the subjects for which were designated by Mrs. Eddy, are carefully compiled by a committee of consecrated men and women, and these Lessons are read on Sunday to the congregations without a single explanatory remark by the Readers. Each listener is thereby made responsible for his own individual thinking. He communes directly with God, uninfluenced by any human opinions; that is, he is expected to depend upon no one else to do his thinking for him. He leaves the service with uplifted thought, touched with the spirit of the psalmist when he said, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Not infrequently does he experience moral and physical healing while he is in attendance upon the Christian Science services. Herein lies the secret of attraction to these services.
