At a Wednesday testimony meeting a while ago I was thinking just how much Mrs. Eddy counted on individual members to contribute to the success of the Christian Science movement.
Not only is the structure and government of branch churches "distinctly democratic"See Mary Baker Eddy, Manual of The Mother Church, Art. XXIII, Sect. 10. but the churches have no professional or hierarchical leadership. In addition, a large portion of the midweek service is to be filled by members of the congregation testifying— i.e., speaking from the heart about Christian Science healing and spiritual experience. Mrs. Eddy must have had no doubt that Christian Scientists would do that.
But a friend's letter about his travels across the United States and his experience in attending Wednesday evening testimony meetings in many places over the past twelve years, set me thinking. He wrote: "I have had the opportunity to visit probably in excess of one hundred and fifty different branches and societies. I attended one small church and found the testimony portion of the meeting consisted of members reading excerpts from the periodicals.... Another Christian Scientist and I attended a meeting where there were about forty present and we were the only two to speak." In fairness, he also mentioned some inspiring times and healings resulting from what he had heard.
