Article September 22, 1934 Issue

Reading Rooms and the Manual

LESLIE MC AULIFE

Wherever there is a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, there also is found a Reading Room established in accordance with Section 1 of Article XXI of the Manual of The Mother Church. With her usual divinely inspired sagacity Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has protected her demonstration by admonitions which, if heeded, will help visitors in the Reading Room to dwell in "the secret place of the most High," and to "abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Not the least of these admonitions is that found in Section 7 of Article XXV of the Manual, headed "Rule of Conduct," relating to rooms where the Christian Science textbook is sold, and reading in part, "No idle gossip, no slander, no mischief-making, no evil speaking shall be allowed."

To one student privileged to serve as an attendant in a Christian Science Reading Room the foregoing admonition at first caused considerable concern. How could these errors be disallowed? The answer, sought in prayer, came quickly: "Stand porter at the door of thought" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 392). Verily, here was the first step: to watch his own thought. What could be clearer? The instruction was definite and quite possible of attainment, for our Leader has written in "Pulpit and Press" (p. 3), "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love."

The first step having been taken with confidence and gratitude, the way opened more clearly. It was perceived that if one thought no error, listened to none, voiced none, it was not likely to manifest itself, especially if one were striving earnestly to utilize the "sovereign power to think and act rightly," which power belongs to God's child. This enlightenment was followed by the realization that the real government of the Reading Room, as of everything in the universe of good, rests with God, not with men. The attendant's part is to reflect God's government, and to realize that this government, blessing the stranger and inquirer, is being shared by everyone who comes in to ponder the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, read the periodicals, purchase the literature, or otherwise support and be blessed by this right activity. Thus any false sense of personal responsibility was replaced by a sense of mutual responsibility and followed by the joy of mutually sharing with others the responsibility of making the Reading Room a quiet and illuminating resting place.

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