Did you know Mary Baker Eddy revised the Church Manual more than any other of her books besides Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures? She writes about its By-Laws in part as follows: “They were impelled by a power not one’s own …. They sprang from necessity, the logic of events,—from the immediate demand for them as a help that must be supplied to maintain the dignity and defense of our Cause; …” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 148). She took such care in the Manual’s development and articulation, listening to God to direct the wording of each By-Law. She was consistently humble, precise, careful, and obedient in executing the content of the Church Manual. Is each of us being just as precise, and obedient, and appreciative of this book and the inspired sense of governance it provides? Are we humbly turning to it and listening to God unfold what we next need to learn from its inspired pages? After all, “Built on the rock, our church will stand the storms of ages: …” (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 140).
The Manual is an essential part of our Church, and with it as our guide, the Church will indeed “stand the storms of ages,” perpetuating and maintaining Mind’s governance and thus healing and saving humanity. The “dignity and defense of our Cause” will be maintained. What a rallying cry! This is not the stuff of sleepy acquiescence or blind following—it is a bugle call to each of us to take our mental stand for God’s power in defending and furthering this precious Cause of Christian Science. What greater opportunity is there for us, than, through our daily practice of divine Science, to insist on and expect to see healing and salvation throughout the world—deliverance from sin, sickness, and death—be it in the form of illness or poverty, extremism or a sense of fear or hopelessness. By receptively bearing witness to the spiritual substance of the Church Manual, we are prayerfully contributing to good governance worldwide.
Our role in church is to gratefully bear witness to God’s mighty power and sweet ever-presence in every activity—even when the opposite seems true!
Each one of us, as Christian Scientists, has a fundamentally important role in supporting and cherishing the Manual’s applicability and relevance, for, as with all things related to church, it begins with us as individuals. Some years ago, a new member of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, a young woman, was elected to fill the position of clerk. Her predecessor, an older woman set in her ways, treated this new member in what came across as a patronizing and unkind manner. The tension between the two grew, with one woman growing more obstinate and the other woman feeling increasingly self-justified in her hurt. Until one day, after an argument between them, the younger woman turned to God in prayer and saw with great clarity that because both she and the other woman were Christian Scientists, they were both undoubtedly praying about the situation. Both loved God, loved the life and example of Christ Jesus, loved the practice of Christian Science, and loved Mary Baker Eddy for her discovery of its timeless healing rules. Both loved their branch church and wanted it to flourish, and both were doing their best to accomplish that end. Instead of being at odds with one another, in reality they had a tremendous amount in common—and that unity was more important than the smallness of their disagreements. Overcome with compassion and humility, the younger woman picked up the phone to call the other member and express gratitude that they both loved church and wanted to serve it well. The tense relationship was healed during that phone call, “Christian fellowship” (see Manual, p. 51) was gratefully expressed, and the women went on to become good and lasting friends.
Our role in church is to gratefully bear witness to God’s mighty power and sweet ever-presence in every activity—even when the opposite seems true! Christ Jesus told us, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26), and God gave the Manual to Mary Baker Eddy as a means of maintaining “the dignity and defense” of Christian Science. How important, then, that we are turning to it, reading it, obeying it, and trusting it. John C. Lathrop records that Mrs. Eddy said: “Every By-Law in the Manual is inspired,” and, “Teach your students, patients, and everyone to be loyal to the By-Laws, and they will be blessed” (We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Expanded Edition, Volume I, p. 269).
Not only will we be blessed by our loyalty to the By-Laws, but we—and our Church as a whole—will also be more successful in healing and more spiritually enlightened and refreshed. “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). When we are loyal to the By-Laws, we are better fitted to support and heal others, bring healing to our world, and witness God’s kingdom of heaven right here and now.
After all, our Church is “designed”—designed by God!—“is designed to be built on the Rock, Christ; even the understanding and demonstration of divine Truth, Life, and Love, healing and saving the world from sin and death; thus to reflect in some degree the Church Universal and Triumphant” (Manual, p. 19). We are part of that universal design. Through trust in God, we can express, to some degree, the conviction of Moses, the piercing spiritual clarity of Christ Jesus, and the unbridled faith and Christianity of Paul. In so doing, we will be demonstrating the steadiness and strength of this magnificent Christ Science and its transformative effect on all humanity.
