Editorial October 18, 1982 Issue

Special comment: Church secrecy?

THE EDITORS

There are probably two situations when any denomination faces the strongest temptation to dwell on membership figures— when they're climbing, and when they're slipping. But Mary Baker Eddy decided that regardless of the ups and downs of numbers, the Church of Christ, Scientist, ought to look away from them.

Taking her cue from guidance in the Bible, she inserted a provision in the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. VIII, Sect. 28) that prohibits the publication of church membership figures. This was done at a time of rapid growth in members. Christian Scientists, she provided, "shall turn away from personality and numbering the people." Her Church had something immensely more important to dwell on than numbers.

It's no real surprise to anyone who speculates on the size of our membership to find that it is now and always has been an organization of very modest size—as most churches go. And there has never really been any wild vacillation of increases or declines in our membership. But this particular point of obedience to the Bible— looking away from the number of people See II Sam. 24:1, 2, 10. —oddly enough may encourage a public perception that the Church is something of a secret organization.

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