Manual of the Mother Church / The First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts

by Mary Baker Eddy

Meetings of Board of Directors. SECTION 2. The annual meeting of the Christian Science Board of Directors, for electing officers and other business, shall be held on Monday preceding the annual meeting of the Church. Regular meetings for electing candidates to membership with The Mother Church, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before these meetings, shall be held on the Friday preceding the first Sunday in June, and on the first Friday in November of each year. Special meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the Clerk.

Called only by the Clerk. SECTION 3. Before calling a meeting of the members of this Church (excepting its regular sessions) it shall be the duty of the Clerk to inform the Board of Directors and the Pastor Emeritus of his intention, and to state definitely the purpose for which the members are to convene. The Clerk must have the consent of this Board and the Pastor Emeritus, before he can call said meeting.

CHURCH SERVICES

Article XIV—THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PASTOR

Ordination. SECTION 1. I, Mary Baker Eddy, ordain the BIBLE, and
SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, Pastor over The
Mother Church,—The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,
Mass.,—and they will continue to preach for this Church and the
world.

The Lesson-Sermon. SECTION 2. The subject of the Lesson-Sermon in the
morning service of The Mother Church, and of the branch Churches of
Christ, Scientist, shall be repeated at the other services on Sunday.
The correlative Biblical texts in the Lesson-Sermon shall extend from
Genesis to Revelation.

Article XV—READING IN PUBLIC

Announcing Author's Name. SECTION 1. To pour into the ears of listeners the sacred revelations of Christian Science indiscriminately, or without characterizing their origin and thus distinguishing them from the writings of authors who think at random on this subject, is to lose some weight in the scale of right thinking. Therefore it is the duty of every member of this Church, when publicly reading or quoting from the books or poems of our Pastor Emeritus, first to announce the name of the author. Members shall also instruct their pupils to adopt the aforenamed method for the benefit of our Cause.

Article XVI—WELCOMING STRANGERS

The Leader's Welcome. SECTION 1. Mrs. Eddy welcomes to her seats in the church, persons of all sects and denominations who come to listen to the Sunday sermon and are not otherwise provided with seats.