Manual of the First Church of Christ

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Manual of The Mother Church

The First Church of ChristScientist

In Boston, Massachusetts

BY

MARY BAKER EDDY

EIGHTY-EIGHTH EDITION

BOSTON, U.S.A.Published by Allison V. Stewart

FALMOUTH AND ST. PAUL STREETS1910COPYRIGHT, 1895

By

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORSCOPYRIGHT 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901

By

JAMES A. NEAL

and

THOMAS W. HATTENCOPYRIGHT, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1908

By

MARY BAKER G. EDDY _______________________________________ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER IN "MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS"

By Mary Baker Eddy

THE Rules and By-Laws in the Manual of The First Church of Christ,Scientist, Boston, originated not in solemn conclave as in ancientSanhedrim. They were not arbitrary opinions nor dictatorial demands,such as one person might impose on another. They were impelled by a power not one's own, were written at different dates, andas the occasion required. They sprang from necessity, the logicof events, - from the immediate demand for them as a help thatmust be supplied to maintain the dignity and defense of our Cause;hence their simple, scientific basis, and detail so requisiteto demonstrate genuine Christian Science, and which will do for the race what absolute doctrines destined for future generationsmight not accomplish.

Tenets

of The Mother ChurchThe First Church of Christ, Scientist

1

To be signed by those uniting with The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.

31. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspiredWord of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternalLife.62. We acknowledge and adore one supreme andinfinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ;the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in9God's image and likeness.3. We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin inthe destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding12that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evi-15dence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man'sunity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower;From

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

by Mary Baker Eddy.

Page 16

1and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ,through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the

3Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcomingsin and death.5. We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus6and his resurrection served to uplift faith to under-stand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, andthe nothingness of matter.9 6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and prayfor that Mind to be in us which was also in ChristJesus; to do unto others as we would have them do12unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.MARY BAKER EDDY

Page 17

Historical Sketch

1In the spring of 1879, a little band of earnestseekers after Truth went into deliberations over 3forming a church without creeds, to be called theCHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST. They were members of evangelical churches, and students of Mrs.6Mary Baker Eddy in Christian Science, and wereknown as "Christian Scientists."At a meeting of the Christian Scientist Association,9April 19, 1879, on motion of Mrs. Eddy, it wasvoted, -- To organize a church designed to com-memorate the word and works of our Master, which12should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lostelement of healing.Mrs. Eddy was appointed on the committee to15draft the Tenets of the Mother Church -- the chief corner stone whereof is, that Christian Science, astaught and demonstrated by our Master, casts out18error, heals the sick, and restores the lost Israel:

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1for "the stone which the builders rejected, the sameis become the head of the corner."3The charter for the Church was obtained June,1879,* and the same month the members, twenty-sixin number, extended a call to Mary Baker Eddy6to become their pastor. She accepted the call,and was ordained A. D. 1881. Although walkingthrough deep waters, the little Church went steadily

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