Article April 25, 1908 Issue

"ANNOUNCING AUTHOR'S NAME"

CHARLES H. SULIVAN.

When I first began to attend the service at The Mother Church, I was a member of an orthodox church, and as the Reader announced the author's name at the reading of the Christian Science text-book I thought there was too much emphasis laid on it. Not very long after this, I left the former church and became a regular attendant of the Christian Science service, but the above impression remained.

One day, a scholar of the Sunday School class I used to teach met me on the street, and began to inquire about my relations to "the old and the new." As one question followed another, relative to Christian Science, I thought it best to refer the inquirer to our text-book, but I did not give the author's name, merely saying that it could be found at one of the Christian Science Reading Rooms or at the public library, and that by reading it answers to the questions would be found, and also a solution for all problems. In following my advice, the public library was chosen, and the scholar asked for a book on Christian Science, but was given a "story book." After reading a part of it, the young friend wrote me, asking for information regarding Mrs. Eddy; if she had written a book and what was its title, as the one just read did not turn out as had been expected.

Then, and not until then, did I see the far-sighted wisdom of our Leader in giving us in the Manual the By-law found on page 45, entitled, "Announcing Author's Name." I immediately set to work and corrected the mistake I had made, and I am still "trusting Truth, the strong deliverer, to guide me into the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged" (Science and Health, p. 226). This experience taught me to be more careful and obedient, to see where it is surely "for the benefit of our Cause" (Manual, p. 45), that each member of our Church familiarize himself with the provisions of the Manual, and abide by its rules.

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