"The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good." Thus writes our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, on page 450 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Christian Scientists, then, are under orders to lessen discord by demonstrating harmony as they advance in their understanding of the allness of God, good.
Enlistment of a soldier in an army would avail nothing to his country unless that enlistment embraced obedience to authority. In our enlistment as church members it is essential for us to yield voluntarily and rejoicingly to the regulations that are embraced in church government. In fact, as students of Christian Science we must at all times yield obediently to the discipline of divine Love if we would succeed in our efforts to "lessen evil, disease, and death;" there is no other way.
Our Leader's great love for us is shown in many ways, and not the least of these is her gift of the Manual of The Mother Church. Article VIII, which she has entitled "Discipline," has the subtitle, "Guidance of Members." The discipline outlined in the Manual for us as members of The Mother Church is for our safe and sure guidance in our every effort to lessen evil, wherever encountered, and to bring to light ever-present harmony.
