It is essential that Christian Scientists should early gain an appreciation of the Manual of The Mother Church by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. Mrs. Eddy says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 230), "Of this I am sure, that each Rule and By-law in this Manual will increase the spirituality of him who obeys it, invigorate his capacity to heal the sick, to comfort such as mourn, and to awaken the sinner."
To this end The Christian Science Board of Directors recently decided that teachers in the Sunday School of The Mother Church may take the Manual into their classes. This practice may also be followed by Sunday School teachers in branch churches. The teachers may point out to their pupils that the Manual is the authority for our form of church organization, that it provides for our church services, for the Sunday School, and for the method of instruction therein; also for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church.
This decision does not mean that the Manual is to be made the subject of lessons, nor is it to be used as a textbook. The Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy are the only textbooks used for teaching in the Sunday School.
