Through its many channels, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, The Mother Church, comforts us; through the Church Manual’s Rules and guidelines it upholds our sometimes faltering footsteps.
Recently, I felt The Mother Church had a blessing just for me. I had been ill, and as my Christian Science Students Association meeting drew near, I felt there was no hope of attending. The Christian Science practitioner who was praying with me pointed out that association meetings are provided for in the Manual to further the spiritual progress of class-taught students. See Mary Baker Eddy, Manual of The Mother Church, Art. XXVI, Sect. 6 . I appreciated being reminded of this but still did not think I could attend that particular year. However, on the day before the meeting, although I was still ill, I did drive to the city where the meeting would be held.
I attended the association, although I was still not entirely well. During the meeting the speaker mentioned that association meetings, as a Manual activity of The Mother Church, provide for the continuing care of pupils and are never separate from the vital, nourishing love of God for us. Her address included a "balanced meal" of spiritual food appropriate for our individual practice of Christian Science. The love and gratitude I had always felt for the association pervaded my heart, and I felt completely strong by the end of the meeting.
