Many questions come to The Mother Church from Christian Scientists seeking guidance on reading in branch churches. "Conversations with Readers in Christian Science churches" comes in response to these questions.
With a By-Law in the Manual of The Mother Church written in 1894, Mary Baker Eddy ordained two books—the Bible and her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures—as pastor of her Church. This pastor, she writes,...will continue to preach for this Church and the world" (Art. XIV Sect. 1). Each week in Christian Science churches around the world, two lay Readers deliver a Lesson-Sermon at Sunday services, and the First Reader reads selections from these two books for the Wednesday evening testimony meetings.
Over the next several months, the Journal will publish excerpts from conversations with current and former Readers. In this first feature, participants were asked how the Manual By-Law entitled "Moral Obligations" (part of "Article III, duties of readers of the mother church and of its branch churches") guided their work as a Reader.
