The term "church membership" denotes some of the tenderest ties of human experience. The true Church has touched countless lives with a light that is healing and spiritual. This is not strange when one considers Mrs. Eddy's definition of "Church" on page 583 of Science and Health as, in part, "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."
Naturally the aim of the young person who has studied and believes in Christian Science is to join the church. And of course his elders have a like desire. Such a desire is not difficult of fulfillment. Every Christian Science church welcomes, or should welcome, all earnest, sincere believers in Mrs. Eddy's teachings. In a letter to officers of The Mother Church late in 1892 Mrs. Eddy wrote, "Receive those who are not my students and apply for church membership, on the ground that they love Christian Science and read understandingly my books and the Bible" (Historical Files of The Mother Church).
An applicant may apply to The Mother Church at the time he applies to a branch church, perhaps located near his residence, or he may apply to each at separate times, as he thinks best. The procedure of applying to The Mother Church may be learned from the Church Manual, pages 34 to 39, and 109 to 119; and the clerks of churches and librarians of Christian Science Reading Rooms are glad to supply the necessary application blanks and instructions. Membership in The Mother Church is voted at the semiannual elections: the one on the Friday preceding the Annual Meeting of The Mother Church in June, the other in November. A notice from the Clerk of The Mother Church appears every other week in the Christian Science Sentinel, preceding the admissions, and tells when completed applications should be in his hands.
