IN the Manual of The Mother Church, Mrs. Eddy makes this provision (Art. XXVI, Sect. 6): "The associations of the pupils of loyal teachers shall convene annually." This, like every Rule in the Manual, when obeyed, furthers our spiritual progress.
The annual association meeting should be included in the demonstration of class instruction. It is joyously anticipated by the sincere, loyal student of Christian Science. He does much prayerful work in preparation of his thought for this day each year. However, with all his preparation and joyous anticipation, frequently he is besieged with numerous arguments of mortal mind that would prevent his attendance. These suggestions may claim that the place of meeting is too far away; that he really cannot afford the trip either financially or timewise; that he should not be away from his job, his home, his family. To justify any or all of these excuses, frequently comes the most aggressive, mesmeric argument of them all, "Oh, well, after all, it is a repetition of the same truth contained in Mrs. Eddy's writings and the Bible, and if I study enough, I can have the same unfoldment right at home and save the effort and expense of the trip to the meeting."
The alert student of Christian Science will not accept these subtle lies of animal magnetism, because he knows that Mind is constantly unfolding fresh new views of God and man. Furthermore, he knows that speaking the truth is never just repeating it, but rather it is stating it afresh. Truth will state itself anew throughout all eternity.
