When I’m driving to my local Church of Christ, Scientist, on a Sunday morning, I’m filled with gratitude. I know that God’s divine grace permeates every part of the church service.
One of the things I like to do during the drive is to think about the “Present Order of Services in The Mother Church and Branch Churches” as described by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, on page 120 of the Manual of The Mother Church. It so clearly sets forth the purpose of each activity to bless the congregation.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about and deeply valuing the healing ideas expressed in the Explanatory Note. This is the text found on page two of the Christian Science Quarterly.
My recent focus on the Explanatory Note has led me to explore its origin, which was at church services in the late 1890s. The congregation of each branch church elects two members to read from the Christian Scientists’ dual pastor, the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy, at each service. These two elected members are called “Readers.” At the time of the Church’s inception, First Readers were describing what was about to take place at the service so that congregants would know what to expect. Sometimes these explanations were lengthy. In November of 1896 Judge Septimus J. Hanna, the then First Reader of The Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts, wrote to Mrs. Eddy suggesting that a consistent introductory statement be provided to the Field of Christian Scientists and placed in their Quarterly. Mrs. Eddy agreed, and accordingly, the first iteration of the notice was placed in the January–March 1897 Christian Science Quarterly. Over the years Mrs. Eddy edited the note, with its final version—the one we have today—first appearing in the January–March 1911 Quarterly (see “What is the origin of the Explanatory Note found in the Christian Science Quarterly?,” marybakereddylibrary.org, March 23, 2020).
What better way to welcome the listener than with this all-inclusive greeting? It says that this church service is meant for everyone, everywhere.
The Explanatory Note is an inspired introduction to the Bible Lesson heard in Churches of Christ, Scientist, worldwide. The Note is so vital to the tenor of the service that the Church Manual instructs that the reading of the citations from Science and Health be introduced with the words, “As announced in the explanatory note, ‘I shall now read correlative passages from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy” (Manual, p. 121).
I’m finding it helpful to take the Explanatory Note line by line in order to highlight the significance of each thought expressed there. Here are some insights that have come to me so far:
“Friends:” The very word embodies the spirit of Christian fellowship. What better way to welcome the listener than with this all-inclusive greeting? It signifies that no one is an outsider. It says that this church service is meant for everyone, everywhere.
“The Bible and the Christian Science textbook are our only preachers.” This statement shares that the truths found in the dual pastor are at work, lifting hearts and thoughts above the fray of personal interpretation. As a former First Reader, I can say that this line helped me many times to eliminate any sense of false responsibility for the service.
The Explanatory Note sets the tone for the reading of the Lesson-Sermon. It blesses eager listeners.
“We shall now read Scriptural texts, and their correlative passages from our denominational textbook; these comprise our sermon.” The sermon read aloud on Sunday is a collection of passages from both the Bible and Science and Health. I admit that sometimes I take for granted having an impersonal dual pastor, when it was actually a revolutionary idea. I need this reminder! This format is the outcome of the extraordinary revelation that came to Mrs. Eddy as the result of her consecrated prayers. Twenty-six subjects, appearing as 26 topics in the Christian Science Quarterly, presented twice annually, were to replace personal homilies so as to maintain a consistent presentation of the Word, directly from these books.
“The canonical writings, together with the word of our textbook, corroborating and explaining the Bible texts in their spiritual import and application to all ages, past, present, and future . . .” This part of the passage shows how remarkably Science and Health is truly and faithfully the Key to the Scriptures. Hundreds of Bible quotes and references can be found within its pages. It also shows how timeless and continuously relevant and present are the truths presented in both books destined for “all ages.”
Next, these writings: “. . . constitute a sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized.” I often love to pray with the thought that, along with the sermon, we too are undivorced, uncontaminated, and unfettered by human hypotheses or assumptions in our quest to know and live the truth of Christ Jesus’ teachings. And it’s heartening to know that we have divine permission to do so; we, too, are “divinely authorized.” We are authorized by God.
From its welcoming salutation of “Friends” right through to its concluding promise that we will know the truth about God and ourselves, the Explanatory Note sets the tone for the reading of the Lesson-Sermon. It blesses eager listeners. It is truly a blessing for all.
