Newly elected Readers in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, and in its branches throughout the world, as well as Readers who have had considerable experience, may recall as they prepare their work and go to the platform that they are representing an experienced and duly ordained pastor who will, through their spiritual understanding and correct reading, preach the sermon. Under the heading "The Christian Science Pastor," in Article XIV, Section 1, of the Manual of The Mother Church, we read: "I, Mary Baker Eddy, ordain the Bible, and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Pastor over The Mother Church,—The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.,—and they will continue to preach for this Church and the world."
The divine purpose cannot be thwarted. The preaching of this divinely authorized pastor cannot be interrupted or prevented from accomplishing its healing and saving mission for mankind. Its flow is heavenward. Its universal purpose is fixed. Its destined fulfillment is unalterable. This outpouring of spiritual instruction for the human race is in accord with God's dictum regarding His Word (Isa. 55:11), "It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
This promised fruitage is certain to follow in an ever-increasing degree as the Readers and the church members spiritualize their thoughts and their lives in preparing to fill their places at the Sunday services and Wednesday testimony meetings which they invite the public to attend. Neglectful, indeed, would be the host who did not have all in order and was not on hand to receive his guests! For the Christian Scientist this preparatory effort consists largely in diligent study of the Lesson-Sermons which are provided in the Christian Science Quarterly and which constitute the Sunday sermon. He conscientiously strives to order his thinking and acting in accord with the spiritual import of the Scriptures as revealed in Science and Health, and thereby to heal sin and disease.
