ONE of the results of growth in the understanding of Christian Science is a clearer recognition of the privileges and responsibilities of church-membership. When one becomes a church-member, he lifts his eyes beyond his own personal problem, perceiving that it is one with the larger problem of mankind, and with joy begins to demonstrate both outwardly and in his own consciousness his unity with that spiritual church which "is the structure of Truth and Love," and "which affords proof of its utility" (Science and Health, p. 583) by destroying the world's discord. He has perceived that the efficiency of the church increases only with the growth of its individual members.
The Christian Scientist seeks to understand the true nature of God, man, and the church, and to abandon the false, material sense for the spiritual idea and its demonstration. A false concept is no concept; it expresses neither intelligence nor activity, and is only an obstacle to growth. It behooves us, therefore, to examine our thoughts to see whether the concepts we are harboring are indeed the living, germinating seeds of Truth, the "good seed" which will spring up and bring forth an abundant harvest.
Membership in the church of God is thus seen to be a purely spiritual activity. We are not left in doubt on this point, for Jesus stated clearly that "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Consideration of the definition of Christ as given in Science and Health, preceding the interpretation of church, to which reference has just been made, reveals clearly the unity of Christ and church, and leads us to ask whether our endeavor to express the Christ idea is not indissolubly associated with the necessity for demonstrating in and for ourselves the true ideal of church-membership.
