In The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany Mary Baker Eddy writes: "Individuals, as nations, unite harmoniously on the basis of justice, and this is accomplished when self is lost in Love—or God's own plan of salvation. 'To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly' is the standard of Christian Science. Human law is right only as it patterns the divine. Consolation and peace are based on the enlightened sense of God's government."My., p. 283;
"God's own plan of salvation" for mankind is continually unfolding. "God is working His purpose out,"Christian Science Hymnal, No. 82; as a hymn so aptly describes it. And the divine plan for the salvation of mankind and the orderly unfoldment of human progress is outlined in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy. This progress starts with the individual—with you and me—and thence goes on to embrace our movement, our nation, the world. In obedience to God's directing Mrs. Eddy wrote the Church Manual. She realized that human law, to be right, must pattern the divine. Each one of the Manual's Rules and By-Laws was written for our protection and guidance. They express for all time to come our Leader's love for and untiring devotion to the Cause of Christian Science, a love and devotion that embraced all who would adhere to her teachings.
In order that the God-ordained purpose of the Church Manual may be fully demonstrated in the government of our Church and in the experience of individual Christian Scientists, its importance must be realized by every member of The Mother Church. We can benefit from the Rules and By-Laws of our Manual only as we understand and obey them, and such obedience is impossible without an understanding of its God-directed author, Mrs. Eddy.
