TO trace the development of Church in human consciousness is to recognize the progressive unfoldment of the idea of Church in the thoughts of individuals. Certain early Biblical characters will serve to illustrate these definite states of thought. When spiritual facts dawned and began to glow in the minds of these men, what they perceived of Deity was the beginning of a sense of Church to them in the wilderness of nebulous beliefs. Where they were they had the spiritual sense of Church with them, "the structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle," according to Mary Baker Eddy's definition on page 583 of the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."
Abraham found the true God and made altars to Him and worshiped Him in the wilderness. His transformed life expressed his sense of Church because he lived what he perceived of God. Micah portrayed the glory and permanence of Church. He declared (Mic. 4:1), "The mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, . . . and people shall flow unto it;" and in the remainder of this chapter he described its accomplishments, its victories. The greater and lesser prophets glimpsed Church, as is evidenced in their declarations of man's spirituality, his likeness to God, his oneness with God. his purpose as witness for God, and his indestructibility.
Before his martyrdom, Stephen pointed out that the early fathers had an understanding of Church. He said in effect that Abraham knew the true God and served Him rightly; that God was "the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Stephen further referred to the work of Moses in these words (Acts 7:44): "Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he [God] had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen." This is understandable if we consider that Moses turned away from his material pursuits in the desert of Midian when he saw a burning bush which was not consumed.
