Re-reading the Manual

Over the last couple of days, I have read the Manual through.  I came to the conclusion that it is necessary to make a practice of reading the Manual quite often, for, as we progress in our understanding, we find that different situations and life experiences require obedience to different by-laws.  For example, a class-taught student going into a business will need to know that, "A member of The Mother Church shall not place the initials “C.S.” after his name on circulars, cards, or leaflets, which advertise his business or profession, except as a Christian Science practitioner." See p.46, Use of Initials “C.S.”.

The other discovery was that, whereas I had thought that the membership application form did not include a place for the applicant's signature, I found that the place for the person’s name coincides with their signature.  My authority?  Page 111 To Applicants, paragraph 2: "If the applicant is a married woman she must sign her own Christian name, not her husband’s, and prefix her signature with “Mrs;” unmarried women must sign “Miss.”"  I presume that however one places one’s name in writing is a signature.  *

This reminds me of possibly my first business meeting as a branch church member.  The clerk read the minutes and gave a woman’s name as Mrs. Doug _____, giving her husband’s Christian name.  She was quickly on her feet to state that she was Mrs. Barbara _____.  A lesson in individuality for me.

There was another discovery for me.  The name of the Clerk of The Mother Church at the time of the printing of the particular Manual one is reading, appears on the prototype application form.  My copies have Corrine LaBarre and Gordon V. Comer.  So, are the application forms printed afresh with the appointment of each new Clerk?  Not difficult these days of computers.

 

Joyce Voysey

* Ed - SIGNATURE: the name of any person, written with his own hand, employed to signify that the writing which precedes accords with his wishes or intentions; a sign manual; an autograph.
[1913 Webster]

Keeping Silent

A footnote to my last blog –

Just came to this in Mrs. Eddy’s Miscellany: "I admonish Christian Scientists either to speak charitably of all mankind or to keep silent, for love fulfils divine law and without this proof of love mental practice were profitless" (page 106, line 2).

 

Ah!  Keeping silent! I recall that the book of Proverbs has quite a lot to say on this topic of controlling the tongue. For instance, Prov. 12:18, 19 has: "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment."

 

And, "A wholesome tongue, is a tree of life" (Prov. 15:4). My Bible dictionary points to Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and James also taking on the subject. I like this one from James: "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain" (James 1:26).

 

Joyce Voysey

Scripture meets our every need

I love how we find the Scriptures behind everything that Mary Baker Eddy ever wrote. Her work lives and breathes it. She trusts its message. She encourages us to turn to it to meet our every need. We can see that her Church Manual is her demonstration of Principle and Love in action for her church. So I have been reading this precious volume with new eyes – looking for Scriptural passages and their significance.

But before I share that, may I say how wonderful it is to know that “The Rules and By Laws in the Manual…sprang from necessity, the logic of events…” What a help this is to us as parents, business owners, church members, community leaders, homemakers, responsible citizens, faithful workers. For instance, in perhaps reviewing or formulating the rules of our local community group, we might ask ourselves: Is this rule necessary today? Is this By-law logical today?

But to return to our exploration of Scriptural passages in the Church Manual, here’s some of what I’ve found. I especially noticed the influence of The Golden Rule throughout.

·       p. 15 …we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our…guide…

·       p. 17 …church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master… (and many other references to Christ Jesus, e.g. p. 41 “Christ Jesus the Ensample”).

·       p. 18 “the stone which the builders rejected” (see Matt 21:42, Mark 12: 10, Luke 20: 17, where Jesus quotes Ps 118: 22 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”

·       p. 18 “hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (I Sam 7:12)

·       p. 28 “That servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” (Luke 12: 47)

·       p. 32 “The readings from the SCRIPTURES shall precede the readings from SCIENCE AND HEALTH.”

·       p. 34 “The Bible, together with SCIENCE AND HEALTH and others works by Mrs. Eddy, shall be his only textbooks...”

·       p. 41 “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” (Prov 15: 1)

·       p. 41 “Thy kingdom come” Matt 6: 10; Luke 11:2)

·       p. 42 “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” (Matt 7:12)

·       p. 43 “…the commandment of the Decalogue” (Ex 20: 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.) This references publishing and plagiarizing MBE’s works.

·       p. 44 The Golden Rule again (Matt 7: 12) under the title “No Incorrect Literature”

·       p. 45 “peace on earth and good will toward men” (Luke 2: 14)

·       p. 47 “overcome evil with good” (Rom 12: 21)

·       p. 47 “Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor 6:20)

·       p. 47 “Christ, ‘who healeth all thy diseases’ (Psalm 103:3)”

·       p. 48 The Golden Rule again (Matt 7: 12)

• p. 48 “According to the Scripture they shall turn away from personality and numbering the people.” (Could this refer to II Cor 10:12 “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
• p. 49 “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt 7: 20)
• p. 51 “admonished in consonance with the Scriptural demand in Matthew 18: 15-17…”
• There are several references (see pp. 25, 55, 68, 89, 91, 94) to the period of “three years” e.g. Readers are elected for a three year period. Jesus’ ministry was three years; Paul spent three years preparing for his ministry*; and Mary Baker Eddy secluded herself for three years before publishing Science and Health. *Gal 1:18 “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”  
• I like that Article XIV Section 2 “The Lesson Sermon” (page 58) requires that “The correlative Biblical texts in the Lesson-Sermon shall extend from Genesis to Revelation.”
• And I like this on page 60: “A Christian Scientist is not fatigued by prayer, by reading the Scriptures, or the Christian Science textbook.”
• p. 62-63 It’s so good to see that the “first lessons of the children [in Sunday school] should be the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 3-17), the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6: 9-13), and its Spiritual Interpretation by Mary Baker Eddy, Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5: 3-12).
• p. 69 “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matt. 10:37.)

Julie Swannell

(Apologies for the odd formatting here...I'll keep working on it.)

Religion, medicine, the courts, and the laws of our land

"Uncharitable Publications.  A member of this Church shall not publish, nor cause to be published, an article that is uncharitable or impertinent towards religion, medicine, the courts, or the laws of our land" (Church Manual, page 48).

I think in particular of The Christian Science Monitor.  How alert must the editors be to that one!  Some may think of this being a restraining influence for them, but for sure, it is liberating and conducive to inspired reporting of the facts, not least from being obedient to the by-law, and also perhaps the necessity to ask God for direction on how to put the case.

Now, I understand that not everyone who writes for the Monitor is a Christian Scientist.  So they are doubly blessed perhaps.  The editor will put them right if they stray from the spirit of the by-law.

 

Joyce Voysey

Church Periodicals subscriptions - a privilege

Perhaps one of the best known by-laws in the Manual is Church Periodicals.  It is on page 44 and it reads: It shall be the privilege and duty of every member, who can afford it, to subscribe for the periodicals which are the organs of this Church; and it shall be the duty of the Directors to see that these periodicals are ably edited and kept abreast of the times.

I haven’t found it yet, but I remember someone commented that the punctuation of “…every member, who can afford it,” tells us that the fact is: everyone can afford it.

There are some very helpful pieces in the periodicals on this topic.  See, for instance, Afford the Periodicals? Why not? by Virginia A Miller in the Christian Science Sentinel 25^th September, 1978 (http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1978/9/80-39/afford-the-periodicals-why-not), and testimony by Genevieve Gorski in October 8, 1938 Sentinel (http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1938/10/41-6/i-should-like-to-express-my-appreciation-of-christian-science).  Wonderful things happened for these students when they were obedient to the by-law.

“Privilege” grabs my attention.  My sense is of receiving something special, but I will consult Webster.  My College Edition of Webster gives a full definition -

Privilege: A right or immunity enjoyed by a person or persons beyond the common advantages of others; a special right or immunity granted to persons in authority or office; … the principle of enjoying special rights or immunities; ….

Privileged: Relating to a favored person or group; exercising or possessing privileges; limited to a chosen individual or group…

My, doesn’t the word “immunity/ies” stand out? 

Immune: Exempt; free from; not susceptible to; med. protected against a disease, poison, or the like…

How about that?

Note: I added an online comment to the testimony from Genevieve Gorski suggesting that it should be reprinted now.

Joyce Voysey

Officers, Copyright, Numbers

Page 21 of the Manual is interesting.  It lists the Church Officers.  This is one page that actually changes, for it lists the officers at the date of printing; the officers who were appointed at Annual Meeting of The Mother Church in that year.

My first (the tatty one) Manual has the dates June 1960-June1961; and the newer one, June, 1978-June, 1979.  There are slits in this page for replacement sheets which give the officers for subsequent years.  I must check a new Manual to see if this is still done.  I also wonder how often the book is reprinted.  The books do not give date of printing; only dates of copyright – the latest being 1936.
Well, the slits are in the Manuals for sale in our Reading Room, though they are now young editions.  One has a replacement sheet sitting in place – though not in the slits.

Another interesting note: Both of my old copies of the Manual give the honorific (?) “Mrs.” before the Second Reader’s names.  Not so in the newer editions.  I think our present First Reader of The Mother Church is only the second woman to hold that position.

Now I should check about copyright….In the Christian Science Journal  of March, 2012, there is an interview with Kevin Ness, The Mother Church’s General Counsel.  Here are a couple of excerpts:
http://journal.christianscience.com/issues/2012/3/130-03/copyright-ethics

Copyright ethics

with contributions from Kevin Ness

From the March 2012 issue of The Christian Science Journal

Here are a couple of excerpts:

Is it true that Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is no longer under copyright? 

That is true. Generally under United States law, items first published before 1923 are in the “public domain,” which means that Mrs. Eddy’s original published writings in English are no longer under copyright. In the case of Science and Health, the copyright was extended beyond its normal duration by special legislation in 1971, but this legislation was later reversed by a court decision. However, most non-English translations of Science and Health and Mrs. Eddy’s other published writings still remain under copyright.

 

Some branches share their church services online or through a telephone conference. Do they need to concern themselves with copyright?

They definitely do! Although there is a specific exception in the US copyright law that allows live performance of music or other copyrighted works in a religious service without permission, it does not cover broadcasts, recordings, podcasts, Web transmissions, etc. If a branch is using technology to broadcast and share services beyond the live audience in the auditorium or Sunday School, it may need to seek permission from third parties or The Mother Church before using hymns, solos, and other music, the Bible Lesson, and any other copyrighted elements of the services. 

The whole article is very instructive.

A point about numbers: Mrs. Eddy has given the rule in the Manual that we shall not number the people.  However, she allowed the reprinting of articles from regional newspapers which spoke of being impressed with the 40,000 people who gathered for the dedication of the Extension of The Mother Church in June, 1906.  On page 48 of the Manual we have the by-laws which apply to these matters:

Numbering the People. (Art VIII. Sect. 28).  The Christian Scientists shall not report for publication the number of the members of The Mother Church, nor that of the branch churches.  According to the Scripture they shall turn away from personality and numbering the people.

Our Church Edifices.  Sect. 20.  The periodicals of our denomination do not publish descriptions of our church edifices, but they may quote from other periodicals or give incidental narratives.
How unique for a church not to number the people!  It seems to me that the main purpose of some churches is to do just that.  And our church’s turning away from personality.  Excellent practice!

Joyce Voysey 

Testimonials

Testimonials.  Yesterday I was flipping through the Manual looking for the By-law entitled Testimonials. It is on page 47.  I was making sure I had it handy for the Wednesday Evening Meeting last night. At last week’s meeting two gentlemen had given rather odd testimonies which some found somewhat disconcerting, so I decided to read this By-law in the notices, adding the note that the Order of Service gives the direction for inviting testimonies, i.e. that they are to be “Experiences, testimonies, and remarks on Christian Science.” See page 122.

As I flipped, I noticed the word “Testimonial” on a different page.  Page 75 has the By-law Church Edifice a Testimonial.  It is all very interesting.  The article (XXIV) is titled Guardianship of Church Funds, and the first Section refers to the date March 20, 1895.  Now, Robert Peel’s Mary Baker Eddy: The Years of Authority gives as an Appendix, a chronology of Mary Baker Eddy’s important actions from 1892 onwards.  There, I find that the Original Mother Church was dedicated on January 6^th 1895, with the first services being held on December 30, 1894.

(Readers may notice that I love the tracks I am led to in my taking up a topic.)

This “Testimonial” paragraph speaks of the Christian Science Board of Directors, in behalf of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Mass. presenting this church edifice to Mrs. Eddy as a Testimonial of this church’s love and gratitude.  But, it goes on to say that while she gratefully acknowledges this gift, she declined to receive it.  In keeping with the matter of the Manual Article, the writer (Mrs. Eddy, of course), speaks about the financial situation between the Board of Directors and the Church.

The following paragraph, Financial Situation, tells us that the church legally belongs to the Board of Directors, and the members own them beneficially.  How beautiful!

O Boy!  There is a lot in this little book – something new every time one comes to it!

Let’s go back to the Testimonial matter.  It means (rather limply as I see it), an expression of approval or esteem, or it can be a written or oral statement that praises someone’s work, skill, character, etc.  (Miriam-Webster).  Mrs. Eddy let the statement stand that the church is a testimonial.  Does she mean it is a testimonial to Christian Science?

It is so interesting that in my consecutive reading of Mrs. Eddy’s Prose Works I have been re-reading As Chronicled by the Newspapers (beginning p. 63 of The First Church of Christ, Scientist).  This chapter reprints many reports about the building of the Extension of The Mother Church.  The praise and admiration is extraordinary, and it is deserved, for what an accomplishment it was for this -- some might call -- “upstart” church.  What a testimonial it is to Mrs. Eddy’s work in bringing the Comforter to mankind.

Joyce Voysey

Children, hymns and creeds

Hello!  There is often one word that takes my attention when I turn my attention to the month’s book.  To-day it is on page 17 of the Church Manual – CREEDS.

We have talked about the Tenets of The Mother Church, but we didn’t point out, that in Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures they form most of the answer to the question “Have Christian Scientists any religious creed?” in the chapter Recapitulation. The beginning of the answer is: “They have not, if by that term is meant doctrinal beliefs.”

Wow!  The questions keep coming: What are creeds?  What are doctrinal beliefs?

Where to start?  Well, as a twelve year old, I was “confirmed” into the Church of England.  This was the same year I first sat for the Scholarship examination, coming up to Brisbane from Bribie Island to do the sitting.  One boy and I did both exercises.  It is interesting that the Reverend Miles, the Church of England minister who came to Bribie for services once a month (I think), talked us into being thus confirmed, because we also attended the Methodist church Sunday School.  We were probably more at home in the Methodist church, where we could enjoy the Moody and Sankey hymns.

Anyway, the ceremony including agreeing to the Apostles’ Creed.  We had learned it off by heart.  Here it is from Wikipedia –

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from
the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of
God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to
judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholick Church;
The communion of saints;
The forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
Amen

My goodness!  I would have had no idea what that was all about.

Well, that is enough for one day, except that I looked up Moody and Sankey to see if I had the spelling right.  I found this:

Moody and Sankey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody_and_Sankey

Moody and Sankey was the evangelical duo of Ira David Sankey and Dwight Lyman Moody. Starting after their meeting in June 1871, the team wrote Christian songs and traveled throughout the United States and the United Kingdom calling people to God through their use of song, with Moody preaching and Sankey singing. Together they published books of Christian hymns.

Moody had started in Christian ministry as a Sunday School teacher in Chicago. His application to teach Sunday School in his church was rebuffed, but undeterred he rounded up children from the city streets and soon had a Sunday School several hundred strong. Later, Moody was to be challenged by the event of the Great Chicago Fire. The Sunday before he had preached a moving sermon on human sinfulness. He concluded his sermon by announcing that the following Sunday he would explain how sins could be forgiven. Many of his congregation never returned, having perished in the fire.

From that moment Moody vowed never to close a meeting without giving the congregation an opportunity to respond to his gospel message. The format of the meetings with Sankey acting as song leader and singing while accompanying himself on an American Organ became a template for many evangelists in the 20th Century including Dr. Billy Graham. Sankey's rousing hymns and solos softened hearts before Moody preached.

Joyce Voysey

Cherishing Membership

I have another file on my computer about the Church Manual.  It relates to my deliberations about membership of The Mother Church, and the task of approvers if asked to sign a membership application form.  I note that in the prototype form/s in the Manual (see pages 114-119), the applicant does not sign; only the approver and the countersigner sign.  This may be different in the current forms from The Mother Church. [Ed. No, they seem to be exactly the same. See http://christianscience.com/member-resources/for-churches/mother-church-resources/membership-applications#forms.] 

I copy here from my deliberations on this matter -

Application for Membership Form for The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist

An article titled "A Deep Cherishing" in the December, 2012, Christian Science Journal by Liz Butterfield Wallingford [http://journal.christianscience.com/issues/2012/12/130-12/a-deep-cherishing] has alerted me more fully to what it means to apply for membership in The Mother Church.  And, perhaps more importantly, how to approve of the applicant as a worthy future member of that church.

To quote:  "...membership has helped me appreciate the standards set out for Church membership in the Church Manual.  Maintaining these standards, though not always easy, has helped me grow in my understanding and practice of Christian Science.  For instance, Mary Baker Eddy’s instruction that “neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives and acts of the members of The Mother Church” (p. 40) isn’t necessarily an easy task.  But I’ve found that it’s precisely when I get personal sense out of the way that I’m most receptive to the divine guidance and inspiration that lead to spiritual growth."

I’ve often heard it said that the form to be completed for Application for Membership of The Mother Church is very simple, in comparison, for instance, to some Branch Church membership application forms.  Indeed it is, when one counts the number of words, and notes that the entire form only takes up two pages of the tiny Manual.   But…when we are sponsoring someone towards that membership, do we take into consideration that the whole Manual is to be obeyed by members of The Mother Church, so that a prospective member should be very familiar with those By-laws and be willing to agree that he or she is willing to live in accord with them?

For instance, to choose only the most familiar by-laws: on pages 40, 41, and 42, we find A Rule for Motives and Acts, Daily Prayer, and Alertness to Duty, all giving guidance for daily Christian living.

On consulting the Concordance to Mary Baker Eddy’s writings other than Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, I found that under “member of The Mother Church” there are 15 passages; under “member of this Church” there are 26; under “members of The Mother Church” 21; and under “members of this Church” there are 17.  We find that these by-laws will most often include the word “shall” or “shall not” to indicate what members must or must not do.  Interestingly, A Rule for Motives and Acts gives us “should” instead of “shall.”  The actual membership form covers all of this when it asks applicants to agree to “enter into full fellowship with the Tenets and Rules of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.”

The Tenets of The Mother Church set out the religious tenets or formal beliefs of the religion of Christian Science.  These appear on page 497 of  Science and Health and are reiterated as an opening statement to the By-laws (pages 15 and 16 in my copy of the Manual). And, on page 34 of the Manual, we are given a description of what it means to become a member of The Mother Church:

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 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.

 

Ah!  An important point is made in the Instructions to Applicants on page 112: the fact that the article “the” shall not be used in the titles of branch churches.  This instruction also appears on page 71 under Article XXIII Sect. 2 Titles.  The capitalized “The” is to be used for “The Mother Church” and “The First Church of Christ, Scientist.”

Joyce Voysey

A Dear Friend

Ho! Ho! Ho!  I turned up my first Church Manual -- I use it at the desk as First Reader  -- and ideas for things to write about came to mind.

This one cost 13 shillings and 6 pence, though there is no date of purchase. On the page before page 1, I have written “My first Manual – a dear friend.”  Wonder when I wrote that?  This Manual is well worn now, and that reminds me of a story: A gentleman inherited his friend’s Church Manual at his passing.  The gentleman, speaking at a meeting on the Manual, compared his own Manual with his friend’s: his looked like it had never been opened; his friend’s was well worn and falling to pieces.  I don’t remember the outcome for the gentleman, but it was a lesson for me to use the Manual – make it a “dear friend.”

One reason for the tatty look of this Manual is that for 40 years I have consulted it each day to read A Rule for Motives and Acts, Daily Prayer, and Alertness to Duty (see pages 40, 41, 42).  These form part of our Daily Duties (found when we look up the word “duty” in the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings).


Joyce Voysey

Something interesting on every page e.g. Sanhedrim!

So.  The Church Manual is our November book.

I am going to cheat a little.  A couple of years ago our membership agreed to the starting of a study of the Manual as part of our preparation for business meetings.

I was clerk of the church at the time and perhaps the arrangement was of my personal choosing and in fact I think I may have been the only one who contributed. I have notes from that study and will include them here. 

I find every page of a book interesting and sometimes even inspiring, even the ones without printed numbers. Take, for instance, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (S&H) by Mary Baker Eddy page iii: Who would want to miss out on –

                                             Ye shall know the truth,

                                             and the truth shall make you free.

                                                                           - John viii.32

 

                                             There is nothing either good or bad,

                                             but thinking makes it so.

                                                                           - Shakespeare

 

                                             Oh! Thou hast heard my prayer;

                                                            And I am blest!

                                                     This is Thy high behest:-

                                             Thou here, and everywhere.

                                                                     - Mary Baker Eddy

 

However, the first page that caught my attention at that time of study was page 3 (also unnumbered). This quotes an EXTRACT FROM A LETTER IN “MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS”, also by Eddy, which speaks to us of her own evaluation of her Manual.

 

The extract uses a fascinating word – Sanhedrim.  I looked it up on the Internet and here is what I found.  Alas, our editor may tear her hair at the fact that I cannot now find the exact site I copied it from. Here it is anyway –

 

As high priest, Caiaphas (depicted in red) was the official leader of the Sanhedrin at the time of Jesus' arrest and trial, and the person chiefly responsible for orchestrating Christ's death.  Photo: Getty Images

Definition #1: The Sanhedrin was the supreme council, or court, in ancient Israel. The Sanhedrin was comprised of 70 men, plus the high priest, who served as its president. The members came from the chief priests, scribes and elders, but there is no record on how they were chosen.

During the time of the Roman governors, such as Pontius Pilate, the Sanhedrin had jurisdiction only over the province of Judea. The Sanhedrin had its own police force which could arrest people, as they did Jesus Christ. While the Sanhedrin heard both civil and criminal cases and could impose the death penalty, in New Testament times it did not have the authority to execute convicted criminals. That power was reserved to the Romans, which explains why Jesus was crucified—a Roman punishment—rather than stoned, according to Mosaic law. The Sanhedrin was abolished with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.

Pronunciation: SAN hee drin

Example: The Sanhedrin accused Jesus of blasphemy.

Definition #2: Sanhedrin - The highest judicial and ecclesiastical council of the ancient Jewish nation, composed of from 70 to 72 members.

"Jewish council that operated in Roman Palestine from the time of the Maccabees (c. 165 BC) to the end of the patriarchate (AD 425). While the term refers to the supreme Jewish court, the Sanhedrin's exact composition and powers - religious, judicial, and legislative - are reported variously in different sources. It is mentioned in various books of the Bible (Mark, Luke, Acts) as having taken part in or adjudicated the trials of Jesus, St. Peter the Apostle, and St. John the Baptist. According to Talmudic sources, the Great Sanhedrin was a court of 71 sages that met on fixed occasions in the Temple of Jerusalem, acting as a religious legislative body, trial court, and administrator of rituals. Answers.com

Definition #3: The Sanhedrin was located in Jerusalem. Its members included: the High Priest and former High Priests; members of the priestly line; community elders and heads of tribes and families, all being knowledgeable and experienced in the Jewish Law.

The Bible makes reference to the Sanhedrin e.g. Mark 14:55. At one trial of the Apostles it was noted that the members were made up of Pharisees and the Sadducees - Acts 5:21; 23:36.

Local synagogues were also known sometimes as 'local sanhedrins' in that they had legal powers to carry out scourgings and to declare excommunications, e.g. Matthew 10:17; Acts chapter 7 – Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin.  And his stoning; Acts 4 – Peter and John before the Sanhedrin.

Definition #4: Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Sorry! The word sanhedrin doesn't occur in the KJV. Sanhedrim - more correctly Sanhedrin (Gr. synedrion), meaning "a sitting together," or a "council." This word (rendered "council," A.V.) is frequently used in the New Testament (Matt. 5:22; 26:59; Mark 15:1, etc.) to denote the supreme judicial and administrative council of the Jews, which, it is said, was first instituted by Moses, and was composed of seventy men (Num. 11:16, 17). But that seems to have been only a temporary arrangement which Moses made. This council is with greater probability supposed to have originated among the Jews when they were under the domination of the Syrian kings in the time of the Maccabees. The name is first employed by the Jewish historian Josephus. This "council" is referred to simply as the "chief priests and elders of the people" (Matt. 26:3, 47, 57, 59; 27:1, 3, 12, 20, etc.), before whom Christ was tried on the charge of claiming to be the Messiah. Peter and John were also brought before it for promulgating heresy (Acts. 4:1-23; 5:17-41); as was also Stephen on a charge of blasphemy (6:12-15), and Paul for violating a temple by-law (22:30; 23:1-10).
The Sanhedrin is said to have consisted of seventy-one members, the high priest being president. They were of three classes (1) the chief priests, or heads of the twenty-four priestly courses (1 Chr. 24), (2) the scribes, and (3) the elders. As the highest court of judicature, "in all causes and over all persons, ecclesiastical and civil, supreme," its decrees were binding, not only on the Jews in Palestine, but on all Jews wherever scattered abroad. Its jurisdiction was greatly curtailed by Herod, and afterwards by the Romans. Its usual place of meeting was within the precincts of the temple, in the hall "Gazith," but it sometimes met also in the house of the high priest (Matt. 26:3), who was assisted by two vice-presidents.

End quotes

Thought: The Sanhedrin with its 70 men + a High Priest who acted as president, was a body representing many minds which met and tried to make laws, or interpret Jewish law, whereas the Manual of The Mother Church was the work of the one Mind presenting its ideas to an attentive and listening Mary Baker Eddy. Here is a recipe for parliaments and for church business meetings. “In Science man is governed by God, divine Principle, as numbers are controlled and proved by His laws” S&H 318:28 (In) - 29.

MBE didn’t expect Christian Scientists to need rules to govern their actions. She was aware of all the ways in which her students disobeyed Principle in living their human lives and gave us direction on human behavior in the correcting by-laws of the Manual. It seems it almost broke her heart that these laws were necessary for students of the exact Science she had sacrificed and toiled to give them in its pure form. Read Mental Digestion from Miscellany (Eddy) p. 229.

The miracle is that she was able to present this Science in a form that can be taught and demonstrated, when for her to demonstrate it was as natural as breathing.

She was doing it “for the race,” not exclusively for the Christian Scientists. Aha! It was first for the Christian Scientists and they were to live it and demonstrate it – “for the race.”

Joyce Voysey

Book for November: Church Manual

YOU are invited to join us in reading the Church Manual this November. Let's take a fresh look at it in relation to the Scriptures.

Invitation to hone your writing skills

Students of Christian Science love to read and learn and therefore love the periodicals which are the organs of the church, and which are all sold in Christian Science Reading Rooms around the world, including the Christian Science Journal, Sentinel and Monitor. But of course, without writers there would be nothing to read.

It's interesting to remember our "privilege and duty" as members - see selections from the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy below. This Reading Room blog offers a friendly forum for anyone who might wish to hone their writing skills in order that they might prepare for writing for those periodicals. Please feel free to write to us at csredcliffe@hotmail.com.

Isa 30:8 

Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

Miscellaneous Writings p. 155:24-155:29    If my own students cannot spare time to write to God,  — when they address me I shall be apt to forward their letters to Him as our common Parent, and by way of The Christian Science Journal; thus fulfilling their moral obligation to furnish some reading-matter for our denominational organ.

Manual of The Mother Church p. 44:16-44:22 It

It shall be the privilege and duty of every member, who can afford it, to subscribe for the periodicals which are the organs of this Church; and it shall be the duty of the Directors to see that these periodicals are ably edited and kept abreast of the times.

Miscellaneous Writings p. 271:10-271:11    

They should take our magazine, work for it, write for it, and read it.

 

Effects of fear unhandled

I found this version helpful regarding the story of Saul and the woman at Endor. Note verse five. If only Saul had known how to conquer fear. His predicament reminds me of the little saying: If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.  

1 Samuel 28 New International Version (NIV)
³ Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
⁴ The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. ⁶ He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. ⁷ Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,” they said.
⁸ So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”
⁹ But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”...

Julie Swannell