The Manual of The Mother Church, by Mary Baker Eddy, which is largely a collection of By–Laws, is an essential part of divine revelation. A by-law is a special law. It is not, therefore, unimportant or secondary, but is to be considered as especially important in relation to the subject with which it deals. The Manual By-Laws embody the law of Principle, applicable to church services, Sunday school, lectures, the periodicals, Christian Science practice, teaching, and all the other activities of The Mother Church.
The By-Laws of the Manual always present the right idea or thought about something, the right idea of conduct for church members, Readers, Sunday school teachers, practitioners, teachers, lecturers, and so on. Each church member is to recognize and express these true ideas as related to his own function or office in the Church of Christ, Scientist.
The inspiration that, through Mrs. Eddy, has given us the true idea of God and man in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," has given us, through her also, the true concept of the Church of Christ, Scientist, conveyed in the Manual. The Mother Church expresses the highest form of government, for it exemplifies government by divine law as conveyed through inspired By-Laws. Our Leader says in "Retrospection and Introspection" (pp. 44, 45), "Adding to its ranks and influence, this spiritually organized Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, still goes on." She also says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 316), "The Mother Church must be self-sustained by God."
