Editorial February 11, 1922 Issue

Our Manual—A Retrospect

Ella W. Hoag

Those Christian Scientists who remember the publication of the first edition of our Church Manual may recall what varied reception it was accorded by the field at large. There was some fretting, some complaining, some rebellious murmuring, but there was also a sufficient confidence in God and in Mrs. Eddy as His messenger to accept whatever she presented as a direct gift from Him. In those days, when the Christian Science church organization may be said to have been in its infancy, our revered Leader found herself confronted with serious and stupendous problems. Through her prayerful, watchful, consecrated endeavor The Mother Church had become established; and located as it was so near her home, it had the advantage of her loving, constant care.

As her students went out to more distant points, carrying the healing and regenerative message of Christian Science, by their works proving it to be the demonstrable faith for which a dissatisfied world was longing, it naturally followed that branch churches and societies began to spring up in all directions. At first, because they themselves lacked the spiritual growth necessary to guard against the mistakes and blunders of inexperience the students would write to Mrs. Eddy for the counsel which her wisdom alone was equal to giving. With the increasing multiplicity of the churches, this method of giving counsel to the field was found to be impracticable. It became apparent that there must be uniformity in organization, in the order of services, and in other essentials connected with church government, if the movement of Christian Science was to proceed in orderly unfoldment. At the same time there appeared the great need of safeguarding the organization of The Mother Church in its completeness as well as the facts in regard to Christian Science itself.

As the angel said to John: "What thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches"; and again, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,"—so Mrs. Eddy saw the absolute necessity of the Christian Science church being supplied with certain laws of government and direction, in order that the revelation she had received should thereby be protected from the dangers which would inevitably beset the establishment and progress of so mighty a movement,—a movement which was to reinstate the exact Christianity which Jesus taught and practiced. Then there began that marvelous demonstration of our Leader in giving to the world the Manual of The Mother Church. Each Rule and By-law as it was presented to the field was met by the obedient with joy, but by those who had not yet learned to recognize the invariable inspiration of Mrs. Eddy's acts, with resistance and opposition. To the obedient each new By-law was either the revelation of a forward step, or the expression of protection for the cause and for the individual from abuses that would, if allowed full sway, have gone on to the overthrowing of the movement of Christian Science.

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