Government

Church By-laws

Mrs. Eddy on February 27, 1903 wrote to the Board of Directors of "The First Church of Christ Scientist" (the Mother Church) the following:

Never abandon the By-laws nor the denominational government of the Mother Church. If I am not personally with you, the Word of God, and my instructions in the By-laws have led you hitherto and will remain to guide you safely on, and the teachings of St. Paul are as useful today as when they were first written.

The present and future prosperity of the Cause of Christian Science is largely due to the By-laws and government of "The First Church of Christ Scientist" in Boston. None but myself can know, as I know, the importance of the combined sentiment of this Church remaining steadfast in supporting its present By-laws.

Each of these many By-laws has met and mastered, or forestalled some contingency, some imminent peril, and will continue to do so. Its By-laws have preserved the sweet unity of this large church, that has perhaps the most members and combined influence of any other church in our country. Many times a single By-law has cost me long nights of prayer and struggle, but it has won the victory over some sin and saved the walls of Zion from being torn down by disloyal students. We have proven that "in unity there is strength' (emphasis added). From "The Forever Leader" By Doris Grekel.

One of the few who knew "of the great care and labor she has bestowed upon this important work" (creating the Manual of the Mother Church comprised of By-laws) was Clara Shannon, for this revision had begun while Miss Shannon was still at Pleasant View. In March 1903 Mrs. Eddy had been working on it most diligently, - especially upon the legal aspects, - and Clara's recollections and notes were probably of this period:

"This church Manual is God's law as much so as the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. It is God's law and will be acknowledged as law by law." From "The Forever Leader" By Doris Grekel.

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