Students of Christian Science recognize that this Science of timeless reality has come to mankind as the result of divine law. They recognize, too, the fulfillment of Christ Jesus' prophecy—the coming of the Comforter—in the writing of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy; they understand that both this book (the textbook of Christian Science) and the Manual of The Mother Church were written by our Leader under divine impulsion. As a result, when one follows the directions in Science and Health or fulfills a duty of the Manual, it is not obedience to human opinion but rather loving response to the Christ that he is demonstrating.
The word duty sometimes has a harsh sound to it, but our duty to our Leader is not perfunctory. It is inseparable from an understanding of Christian Science—a unifying, ongoing spiritual unfoldment, supplying joy and strength, as all spiritual understanding does.
A primary aspect of this duty is a scrupulous commitment to seeing that Mrs. Eddy's name is not separated from Christian Science. To do this requires quoting her correctly and not warping her views to suit one's personal taste. It means acknowledging that her presentation of Christian Science is the scientific and definitive statement to this age. And if one wishes to know what Mrs. Eddy thinks on a given subject, one will research all she has to say on it instead of fastening on some favorite statement.
