The Magna Charta of Christian Science, which appears in Mary Baker Eddy's work entitled "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," was first published in the Journal of June, 1904.
It reads as follows (pp. 254, 255): "The Magna Charta of Christian Science means much, multum in parvo,—all-in-one and one-in-all. It stands for the inalienable, universal rights of men. Essentially democratic, its government is administered by the common consent of the governed, wherein and whereby man governed by his creator is self-governed. The church is the mouthpiece of Christian Science,—its law and gospel are according to Christ Jesus; its rules are health, holiness, and immortality,—equal rights and privileges, equality of the sexes, rotation in office." Upon request our Leader gave her consent to branch Churches of Christ, Scientist, to publish this in their by-laws, and many of these churches do so today. The spirit of branch church government is embodied in this Magna Charta. Among its provisions, it will be noticed, are those of democratic government, equal rights and privileges, rotation in office, and equality of the sexes.
In consonance with the Magna Charta, the by-laws of branch Churches of Christ, Scientist, call upon their members at certain times to elect new church officers. At such times members should turn to God, divine Mind, to show them how to think correctly and what to do. The basis of such thinking is that Christian Science reveals the oneness, or unity, of God and His idea, man. Man reflects all the qualities of God. He can, therefore, claim his God-given ability to be conscious of God's guidance, inspiration, and intelligence. Understanding this, the church member can know that in reality God's will—not human will—prevails. Members should also study carefully the references to church, "the mouthpiece of Christian Science," given in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy.
