Some years ago a friend of mine moved from a small town, which had only one Church of Christ, Scientist, to a large metropolitan area that had several. My friend enthusiastically informed me that she was working near Second Church of Christ, Scientist, which she assumed was probably a fairly good church, being ranked second. She wondered, however, about the quality or importance of Eighth Church of Christ, Scientist! I explained that the numbers only designated the order in which the churches had been established in that city, nothing more. First Church was the first church established, Eighth Church, the eighth.
Many people tend to connect numbers with rankings. Being second may mean being less than best to them. I never thought much about First or Second in connection with Readers in Christian Science Churches. It occurred to me, however, that Second might for some take on the significance of "not quite as good as First," although it should not. The fact that the Second Reader reads from the Bible should say something about the significance of the job. The Bible was Mary Baker Eddy's only reference for study during the three years after her discovery of the Science of Christ. See Science and Health, p. 110 . Science and Health grew out of her inspired study of the Bible, her consecrated listening to God, and her practice of what she was learning of divine Love. Science and Health unlocks the spiritual meaning and the wide and varied applications of the stories and instructions in the Scriptures—including the accounts of the life and healing work of Christ Jesus. The Bible reveals God's laws, and it stands with Science and Health as the only preachers in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and its branches throughout the world. What a wonderful responsibility, then, for a member to be elected to serve as the Second Reader at his or her branch church.
But how could the Scriptures and the textbook do the preaching? In considering this question when I was serving as a Reader, one thing was certain to me: I would have to avoid emphasizing preconceived notions or things that I personally wanted to get across to the congregation. This would usurp the role of the preacher. Yet a preacher would be pretty flat if nothing were emphasized. If I adopted a monotone or a method of delivery that didn't emphasize anything, that would be like having no preacher. It is God's message that needs emphasis.
