"UNITY is the essential nature of Christian Science." Mrs. Eddy has made this statement on page 264 of her "Miscellaneous Writings." It can be said, further, that unity is the essential nature of all that enters into the Christian Science movement and of all that promotes its success.
The Christian Science church is not only an institution, but it is also institutional. The Mother Church includes a congregation in Boston, a large number of individual members everywhere, and many organized branches in many places, all having their own congregations. It also includes The Christian Science Board of Directors, an administrative and supervisory office of unique scope and value; The Christian Science Publishing Society, exceedingly important for many reasons; and all of the other activities and agencies defined and described in the Church Manual. Further, the Christian Science church in its largest aspect includes the other agencies and auxiliaries for which Mrs. Eddy has provided under the broad terms "Boards of Trustees and Syndicates" in Article I, Section 8, of the Church Manual. Then, too, the branch churches and societies have their distinct means and modes for promoting the Christian Science religion in accordance with her plan. Moreover, the teachers, the practitioners, and the nurses, although they render individual services for particular persons, are engaged primarily in doing their parts of an entire work.
Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth, "There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all" (I Cor. 12:6). This statement can be adapted and applied to the Christian Science movement. It includes "diversities of operations," but it is also characterized by unity; in all its aspects it expresses the one Principle of all that is good or real; and oneness in and with divine Principle is its chief characteristic.
After Christ Jesus ascended beyond further communication with his followers, the Christian movement suffered greatly from the lack of an appropriate institution. Indeed, this lack persisted for nearly twenty centuries as prominent among the reasons which retarded Christian progress. There were other reasons, too, but this one deserves more weight among thoughtful Christians than it has had. Now, the renewal and revival of original Christianity, the development and extension of its Science, and even the preservation of Christian Science as a pure teaching and practice, depend to a highly important degree on the institution which Mrs. Eddy formulated and founded for these purposes.
Among the early Christians, Paul was conspicuous for capacity, discernment, and wisdom. Thus, his epistles show that he discerned most of the dangers and detriments to Christian progress and welfare which have been encountered in the entire history of the Christian movement. For instance, he exposed the error which would divide Christian Scientists into different groups and divide Christian Science into separate teachings. "I beseech you, brethren, . . . that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind." Having entreated the Christians at Corinth in these words, Paul explained that he had heard they were saying, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas." And he asked impressively (I Cor. 1:10-15), "Is Christ divided?"
Paul and Apollos and Peter were teachers; hence, their pupils at Corinth can be said to have exhibited an early form of an error which has presented itself, in different forms, as a danger to the Christian Science movement. It is exhibited by pupils who quote their teachers to other Christian Scientists. More than this, it is exhibited by Christian Scientists who speak, whether boastfully or critically, as if there were different kinds of Christian Science teaching to be identified by the names of teachers. Happily, no form of this error is so prevalent now as its different forms have been, nor is it likely to get a fresh start among Christian Scientists.
Nevertheless, the question recurs, "Is Christ divided?" Is there more than one kind of Christian Science? Is there more than one criterion or standard for Christian Science teaching? In effect, Mrs. Eddy has answered these questions for Christian Scientists by the following provisions of the Church Manual: Article IV, Section 1; Article XII, Section 2; Article XXVI, Section 6. Even more emphatic and pointed is the following part of her communication to the assembled teachers in 1903 (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 251, 252): "You have convened only to convince yourselves of this grand verity: namely, the unity in Christian Science. Cherish steadfastly this fact. Adhere to the teachings of the Bible, Science and Health, and our Manual, and you will obey the law and gospel."
