Christian Scientists consider it important to study Mrs. Eddy's instructions in the Manual of The Mother Church as well as in Science and Health. The Manual, like Science and Health, cannot be altered.
We might say that there are three sets of rules and laws which should be obeyed to gain the benefits of Christian Science. These were given to the world centuries apart, but all pertain to our well-being. First are the Ten Commandments, which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. He told the children of Israel, "Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee."Deut. 6:17; The second is the Sermon on the Mount, which Christ Jesus gave to his disciples. He taught the necessity of obeying the commandments, both in deed and in thought. He said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."Matt. 5:19;
The third set of rules is found in the Manual. Mrs. Eddy writes of these three sets of rules and laws, "Will those beloved students, whose growth is taking in the Ten Commandments and scaling the steep ascent of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, accept profound thanks for their swift messages of rejoicing over the twentieth century Church Manual?"The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 229; And further on she continues, "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."p. 230;
