It is the privilege of each member of a church to do metaphysical work in preparation for a lecture. Our aim should be to do our work so well that the spirit of the healing Christ, Truth, will pervade every lecture assembly. We all recognize that if we ourselves be lifted up spiritually, we shall be contributing something of a truly vital nature. In our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, says (p. 510), "Love alone can impart the limitless idea of infinite Mind." Then it must follow that whatever enduring good may be derived from a lecture must be the impartation of Love itself. Mind, God, alone can reveal His Son, the healing Christ. The lecturer may speak the word of God and realize the truth, but because revelation is a spiritual phenomenon, it requires a spiritual consciousness to receive the word in its higher meaning. So it follows that if healing is to result from these lectures, the spirit of God needs to be present with the congregation as well as with the lecturer.
In some respects our lectures are not unlike our church services. It has many times been my experience to study the Lesson-Sermon throughout the week, and at a Sunday service to have some section or paragraph suddenly illumined—illumined beyond anything I had experienced during my own quiet study. I like to feel that these illuminations are largely traceable to the unity and oneness of thought made possible by the coming together of many honest seekers after Truth. Ten candles make a brighter light than one; and even though we may, by our individual reflection, contribute only a little, if that little is the pure white Christ shining forth in our natures, then the combined light will quite naturally extend the range of spiritual vision for everyone present.
How can we as members of our respective churches arouse a desire in the members of our community to attend our lectures and services? Shall we resort chiefly to more and larger placards or to more intensive human ways and means? No! Rather let us see if we can answer this question by our individual demonstration of Christian Science. Mortal mind would argue that it does not matter very much about our right thinking at a lecture or at a church service just as long as we meet the human sense of duty by being physically present. To some, error would argue that they have no spiritual contribution to make, or if they have that it is not of sufficient worth to make any great difference, and so they stay away. In other words, self-depreciation and self-interest could, if we would let them, rob us as individuals and rob our church and our community of the rich blessings that have been provided by Love.
