Manual of the Mother Church | Page 4

any time, but they shall read all notices and
remarks that may be printed in the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
QUARTERLY. This By-Law applies to Readers in all the branch
churches.
Enforcement of By-Laws. SECTION 7. It shall be the duty of every
member of The Mother Church, who is a First Reader in a Church of
Christ, Scientist, to enforce the discipline and by-laws of the church in
which he is Reader.
A Reader not a Leader. SECTION 8. The Church Reader shall not be a
Leader, but he shall maintain the Tenets, Rules, and discipline of the
Church. A Reader shall not be a President of a church.

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Article IV--QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Believe in Christian Science. SECTION 1. To become a member of
The Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,
Mass., the applicant must be a believer in the doctrines of Christian
Science, according to the platform and teaching contained in the
Christian Science textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY
TO THE SCRIPTURES, by Rev. Mary Baker Eddy. The BIBLE,

together with SCIENCE AND HEALTH and other works by Mrs.
Eddy, shall be his only textbooks for self-instruction in Christian
Science, and for teaching and practising metaphysical healing.
Free from Other Denominations. SECTION 2. This Church will receive
a member of another Church of Christ, Scientist, but not a church
member from a different denomination until that membership is
dissolved.
Children when Twelve Years Old. SECTION 3. Children who have
arrived at the age of twelve years, who are approved, and whose
applications are countersigned by one of Mrs. Eddy's loyal students, by
a Director, or by a student of the Board of Education, may be admitted
to membership with The Mother Church.
Article V--APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Students of the College. SECTION 1. Applications for membership
with The Mother Church from students of the Massachusetts
Metaphysical College who studied with Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, shall
be signed by the Christian Science Board of Directors as evidence of
the loyalty of the applicants.
Other Students. SECTION 2. Applicants for membership who have not
studied Christian Science with Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, can unite with
this Church only by approval from students of Mrs. Eddy, loyal to the
teachings of the textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO
THE SCRIPTURES, or from members of The Mother Church, as
provided in Article VI, Sect. 2, of these By-Laws.
Students' Pupils. SECTION 3. Applications for membership with The
Mother Church, coming from pupils of loyal students who have taken
the Primary or Normal Course at the Massachusetts Metaphysical
College or in the Board of Education, or from pupils of those who have
passed an examination by the Board of Education, shall have the
approval and signature of their teachers, except in such cases as are
provided for in Sect. 4 of this Article.

Exceptional Cases. SECTION 4. Loyal Christian Scientists whose
teachers are deceased, absent, or disloyal, or those whose teachers, for
insufficient cause, refuse to endorse their applications for membership
with The Mother Church,--can apply to the Clerk of this Church, and
present to him a recommendation signed by three members thereof in
good standing, after which, the unanimous vote of the Board of
Directors may admit said applicant to membership.
Addressed to Clerk. SECTION 5. All applications for membership
must be addressed to the Clerk of the Church.
Endorsing Applications. SECTION 6. A member of The Mother
Church shall not endorse nor countersign an application for
membership therewith until after the blank has been properly filled out
by an applicant. A member who violates this By-Law shall be
disciplined.
Notice of Rejection. SECTION 7. If an application for membership
with The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., is rejected,
the Clerk of the Church shall send to the applicant a notice of such
rejection; but neither the Clerk nor the Church shall be obliged to report
the cause for rejection.
Article VI--RECOMMENDATION AND ELECTION
Pupils of Normal Students. SECTION 1. One Normal student cannot
recommend the pupil of another Normal student, so long as both are
loyal to their Leader and to the Christian Science textbook, except as
provided for in Article V, Sect. 4.
Members of The Mother Church. SECTION 2. Only members of The
Mother Church are qualified to approve for membership individuals
who are known to them to be Christians, and faithful, loyal students of
the textbook, SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE
SCRIPTURES. If the approver is not a loyal student of Mrs. Eddy, a
Director of this Church, or a student of the Board of Education who
holds a degree, the application must be countersigned by one of these.

Election. SECTION 3. Applicants for membership in this Church,
whose applications are correctly prepared, may be elected by majority
vote of