Phidias, who was born about 500 b, c., was one of the first great sculptors, and is credited with supervising the building of the Parthenon for Pericles. He planned and carried out the work of beautifying the Acropolis, with this wonderful temple as the central figure, and had, perhaps, more to do with preserving the pure Doric influence in architecture than anyone else. His decoration was always subservient to the lines of the building. No statue adorned it save such as harmonized with the general plan, forming a beautiful, perfect, and complete whole.
So long as succeeding architects adhered to the simplicity established by Phidias, architecture remained at its height; but in the years that followed, other builders arose who wished to let in a more ornate and lavish design. In proportion to this desire for extravagant ornamentation there was a decline in art; and architecture passed from the standard of Phidias downward, until the buildings often served as a mere base or background for projected personalities, adorned as they were with the statues of heroes and saints.
The meek Nazarene came teaching the gospel of healing in childlike faith, and adhering to divine Principle. So long as his followers did not deviate from this simplicity and the example set by their Master, they were successful, even to the raising of the dead. But as time went on there arose those who wished more ostentation, pomp, and display; and Constantine, with his rites and ceremonies and chariots, drove in and seemed temporarily to crush out the simplicity of the teaching of Jesus practiced by his followers. As display of scholarly ritual hid for the time the Christ-idea, the sand of illusion seemed to bury the foundation of early Christianity; and hypocrisy claimed to stand in its place. The Spirit that quickeneth was forsaken for the letter that killeth; the "Light, which lighteth every man" appeared to burn low; and darkness, more or less profound, seemed to settle over the earth, until the Christ-idea was again brought to light by Mary Baker Eddy. The falsity of the belief of materialism was uncovered through her discovery, revealing the rock, Christ, the spiritual foundation upon which Christian Science rests.
Our Leader tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 123) that the revelation of Christian Science is made up of two parts: the first, the "divine Science of Mind-healing;" and the second, its proof. She further states (p. 471) that "since then her highest creed has been divine Science, which, reduced to human apprehension, she has named Christian Science." In the second part we also find the proof of healing, which is the application of her teaching.
In like manner the definition of Church is in two parts (Science and Health, p. 583): the first, "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle;" and this "reduced to human apprehension" is manifest in the second part: "The Church is that, institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick." The spiritual idea of Church must, then, stand to us as a temple of honor, of justice, of purity, and of truth,—a temple reared in the spiritualized consciousness; and this understanding "reduced to human apprehension" will result in the building of a structure wherein to worship the God who is ever present and omnipotent.
Through obedience to Christian Science we are constantly winning the Godlike in character,—"a building ... not made with hands,"— thus demonstrating that we "are the temple of the living God." This results in a spiritual renaissance manifest not only in a return to the pure simplicity which Jesus taught and demonstrated, but also in a return to healing, as performed by Jesus and by his disciples and followers.
When the Israelites were building the tabernacle in the wilderness, "they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord." In a very short time they had more than enough; and we read: "And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing." Likewise, the amount needed for the building of The Mother Church in 1894, and of The Mother Church Extension in 1906, was oversubscribed. The Christian Science Board of Directors in each case had to issue a notice to the field that no further contribution was necessary. When we follow the pattern shown in the mount, our construction is accurate and our funds are abundant; but to run from Principle to personality is to run from omnipresent supply into mortgaged debt, and means the decline of art and of healing today as in the days of Constantine.
If we but knew, we are required to reflect only what exists as already accomplished in the realm of Mind. The man we should see as being perfect is already perfect. Ability and opportunity go hand in hand. Whenever we are given the opportunity to heal a patient, God working through us, we should know we are given the power to accomplish it; and whenever we are given the opportunity to build a Christian Science church, for the same reason we should know we are given the ability to pay for it. Jesus said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."
Knowing that supply is omnipresent because it is of God makes man ceaselessly receptive. Man does not need to make a living; he reflects it. Understanding this, we become more active than ever along all right lines. Divine Mind is the only Maker, and made man's living when it was commanded that there be light, "and there was light." Infinite good, then, includes man's inexhaustible income; and the only tax is that we render "unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." One's faith in gold makes matter his currency, and would leave him at the mercy of economic conditions and financial unrest; while faith in God makes the thoughts of divine Mind one's true medium of exchange, and renders him secure against failure, against depression or inflation. The more one believes money to be power and substance, the more fear prompts him to withdraw his investments and hoard in the closet; and when enough people stop the circulation of money in the body politic, they cause, to belief, a diseased condition known as a financial stringency or panic. Air that does not circulate becomes impure; water that does not flow becomes stagnant; money that does not circulate becomes an unused talent. Circulation is the remedy. Inactivity along any line is the opposite of God. God's stillness demands action,—the action of peace. "My peace I give unto you."
Unused surplus is waste. Manna more than enough spoiled on the hands of the Israelites. When we realize that God is the source of our supply, and that He gives us all we need every day, when we ask only for to-day, we cease believing money to be power and realize Mind to be the only power. Then we cease hoarding, and put our money back into circulation. Faith in God and in our neighbor supplants panic; and all stringency disappears. We do not demonstrate money: we demonstrate divine Principle; and divine Principle supplies our need. In doing this, we realize Mind to be the only substance and source of supply.
If we will invest in spirituality our dividends will be sure,—even the "fruit" that is brought forth "every month." With thoughts reflected from divine Mind for our capital, and with the activity of Spirit for our labor, we harmonize capital and labor. Each of us becomes a capitalist; each of us becomes a laborer in the upbuilding of our church; and our capital will never depreciate or be subjected to mercenary manipulation, nor our labor go on strike.
There is no outside to infinity. Man, therefore, cannot really be out of position, out of supply, or out of health; because he cannot be out of God. Man is always where God is, and God always supplies what man needs; for man lives under the never failing law of supply, and is the eternal reflection of God's eternal giving. Man lives in the affluence—the fullness, the richness—of infinite Spirit, "abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy [God's] house." As we learn thus to make all our investments under the direction of divine Mind we shall find our church edifices built, paid for, dedicated. In the words of Malachi, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
