All Christian Scientists are familiar with the definition of "Church," on page 583 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Doubtless many have observed that this definition is in two paragraphs, the first being as follows: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." The second reads, "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." It will be noted that the first paragraph of the above-quoted definition describes the ideal or purely spiritual concept of Church, whereas the second paragraph relates to the practical application of the spiritual ideal in human experience.
The spiritual or divine ideal, being the complete "structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle," necessarily includes the divine facts underlying all that is humanly regarded as church—church organization, church government, church activity, and so forth. In this sense it may be said that all that is true or real about our church as an organized body of Christian workers emanates from divine Mind. Thus we see that divine Mind, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love, is the actual source of all that is vitally necessary to the welfare and expansion of that institution which "is found elevating the race."
The basic requirements for church government are set forth in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, and if members of The Mother Church and of its branches are intelligently and willingly obedient to the rules contained in the Manual, they will find themselves able to proceed along right lines in church activity with constantly increasing harmony and success.
