Of this I am sure, that each Rule and By-law in this Manual will increase the spirituality of him who obeys it, invigorate his capacity to heal the sick, to comfort such as mourn, and to awaken the sinner. —Mary Baker Eddy, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 230
During the coming year, authors will explore a dozen or so of the By-Laws found under the heading “DISCIPLINE, Article VIII, Guidance of Members” in the Church Manual. We hope this new series will encourage you to take a fresh look at the Manual, be inspired and guided by the divine direction it offers, and will lead you to these and the other By-Laws offer, and share your own insights into how following these Rules is guiding you to a fuller life practice of Christian Science. —The Editors
Prayer in Church. The prayers in Christian Science churches shall be offered for the congregations collectively and exclusively. — Mary Baker Eddy, Manual of The Mother Church, Article VIII, Section 5
My friend invited me to visit his church one Sunday morning. I hadn’t attended a Christian Science church service before, and I was impressed by the quietness of the brief period called “silent prayer.” Not a cough, not a whisper. My head was bowed, but I confess I wasn’t praying. I was sneaking glances at my friend, who had become so still I thought he’d fallen asleep!
Yet for a fleeting moment during that silence I felt an intensity of devotion that surprised me. Instead of taking that time to relax and nod off, the congregation was engaged in a very active silence. During those few moments, my self-consciousness (being in an unfamiliar church) dissolved, and I felt the unencumbered joy of a child.
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