The formation of a branch church or society, according to the Rules provided in the Manual of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts (Art. XXIII, Sect. 7), is a step demanding prayerful and consecrated preparation on the part of every participating individual. Selfabnegation, purity, humility, honesty, consistency, courage are vitally necessary. Self-abnegation comes with the clarity of vision which enables one to deny belief in material selfhood, through being continually aware of the spiritual sonship of all and seeing the perfection of the children of God. Self-abnegation assists one to distinguish between the reality of spiritual being and the unreality of any faults which may appear evident to human sense.
Greatly needed also are the humility and honesty which Christ Jesus manifested when he said: "I can of mine own self do nothing: ... I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." Courage also is required—not that courage which is prepared to resist or to endure with patience any form of error presented by material sense, but the courage which is based upon the understanding and recognition of the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of God. One relying upon Him alone sees nothing to fear.
The branch church once organized, there may still be at times temptation and trial to be met. Some there may experience a sense of reluctance to progress. A false sense of humility may assume the guise of self-depreciation, and although the harvest to be gathered is seen to be plenteous, the laborers may seem to be few and inexperienced. Discouragement, if squarely faced, is soon seen to be powerless: it is a subtle suggestion of a lack of strength and courage. In any undertaking humility is right and helpful, for it in no way destroys confidence, but rather places reliance where it should rightly rest, namely, upon our Father-Mother God.
