IN the first issue of The Christian Science Monitor, which made its eventful appearance on the day before Thanksgiving Day, 1908, our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, made the following comment in an editorial: "I have given the name to all the Christian Science periodicals. The first was The Christian Science Journal, designed to put on record the divine Science of Truth; the second I entitled Sentinel, intended to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love; the third, Der Herold der Christian Science, to proclaim the universal activity and availability of Truth; the next I named Monitor, to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent. The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 353) .
When the writer first joined The Mother Church and a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, she dutifully subscribed for the periodicals because she was desirous of being fully obedient. It was many years before she became aware of the word "privilege" in the following instruction concerning the periodicals (Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, Art. VIII, Sect. 14): "It shall be the privilege and duty of every member, who can afford it, to subscribe for the periodicals which are the organs of this Church."
This instruction is found in the portion of the Manual headed "Discipline," which consists of By-Laws and Rules for the guidance of those who long to be effective Christian Scientists. The word "discipline"' comes from the same Latin root as the word "disciple," which was the term applied to those who followed Christ Jesus, to those who adhered strictly to the views of the Master.
