“This rule cannot be changed, amended, or annulled, except by unanimous vote of all the First Members.”

The same being Mrs. Eddy.  It is naively sly and pretty to see her keep putting forward First Members, and Boards of This and That, and other broideries and ruffles of her raiment, as if they were independent entities, instead of a part of her clothes, and could do things all by themselves when she was outside of them.

Mrs. Eddy did not need to copyright the sentence just quoted, its English would protect it.  None but she would have shovelled that comically superfluous “all” in there.

The former Unpardonable Sin has gone out of service.  We may frame the new Christian Science one thus: 

“Whatsoever Member shall think, and without Our Mother’s permission act upon his think, the same shall be cut off from the Church forever.”

It has been said that I make many mistakes about Christian Science through being ignorant of the spiritual meanings of its terminology.  I believe it is true.  I have been misled all this time by that word Member, because there was no one to tell me that its spiritual meaning was Slave.

AXE AND BLOCK

There is a By-law which forbids Members to practice hypnotism; the penalty is excommunication.

1.  If a member is found to be a mental practitioner—­ 2.  Complaint is to be entered against him—­ 3.  By the Pastor Emeritus, and by none else; 4.  No member is allowed to make complaint to her in the matter; 5.  Upon Mrs. Eddy’s mere “complaint”—­unbacked by evidence or proof, and without giving the accused a chance to be heard—­his name shall be dropped from this Church.”

Mrs. Eddy has only to say a member is guilty—­that is all.  That ends it.  It is not a case of he “may” be cut off from Christian Science salvation, it is a case of he “shall” be.  Her serfs must see to it, and not say a word.

Does the other Pope possess this prodigious and irresponsible power?  Certainly not in our day.

Some may be curious to know how Mrs. Eddy finds out that a member is practicing hypnotism, since no one is allowed to come before her throne and accuse him.  She has explained this in Christian Science History, first and second editions, page 16: 

“I possess a spiritual sense of what the malicious mental practitioner is mentally arguing which cannot be deceived; I can discern in the human mind thoughts, motives, and purposes, and neither mental arguments nor psychic power can affect this spiritual insight.”