Increasingly important to the Christian Scientist becomes the subject of church membership and the activities related thereto, when considered in relation to the needs of a strife-torn world seeking a solution of its complex problems. This is true because the Christian Scientist well knows that through the authorized activities of The Mother Church and its branches he is afforded the sacred privilege of sharing with others the healing and saving message of Truth revealed through Christian Science. To spread abroad the glad tidings of the religion which has so bountifully blessed him is ever the aim of the consecrated church member.
An indispensable aid to the church member is an understanding of the definition of "Church" given by Mary Baker Eddy on page 583 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which reads as follows: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle. 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." Careful analysis of this definition is indeed inspiring and illuminating to the earnest seeker for a demonstrable knowledge of the subject. From this definition we readily perceive that our Leader has presented two distinct phases of Church: first, the purely spiritual, the divine idea, "the structure of Truth and Love;" and, secondly, that which represents it in the human institution. To arrive at the true significance of church activities obviously requires an understanding of this definition. True church work is thus found to include only that which magnifies the allness of God and destroys belief in evil. On page 25 of the textbook Mrs. Eddy writes, "The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus."
The invisible divine idea, Church, being spiritual, is God-created, coexistent and coeternal with Spirit. Church being the idea of God, the institution which represents it has a divine mission. Therein lies the true purpose of church activities. The divine nature, essence, and spiritual substance of the invisible Church, understood and demonstrated, constitute all that is essential to the maintaining of the outward or visible institution, including government, organization, activity. Spiritual Church knows no sin. disease, or death. The Church of Christ, Scientist, is the institution through which that fact is being practically proved to humanity in "elevating the race" and "healing the sick." To enthrone in the individual consciousness of each church member this purely spiritual mission of the church dematerializes church work, thereby lifting it out of the false sense from which it seems to derive all its discord and dissension, lack and limitation.
