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 25th 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
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