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.
In that moment there was doubtless revealed to Moses something of the nature of true substance, its permanency and indestructibility. In this experience, and again when God revealed Himself to him as the great I AM, Moses was being prepared for his later mighty healing works for the children of Israel. Mrs. Eddy saw the extent to which these early Hebrews perceived Truth, for she writes (Science and Health, p. 333), "Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets caught glorious glimpses of the Messiah, or Christ, which baptized these seers in the divine nature, the essence of Love."
It was on the perception of the Christ that Jesus founded his church; hence the urgency of his question to his disciples (Matt. 16:13), "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Peter was the one who responded, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Satisfied with the answer, the Master then proceeded to speak of the true Church, saying to Peter (verse 18), "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Peter, declaring for the Christ, the true idea, had discerned the foundation of true Church, "the structure of Truth and Love," which nothing could ever overthrow. The Master knew that no material sense had revealed the fact concerning Church to Peter, but that God, Spirit, through spiritual sense had done so.
On the shore of the Galilean sea on that wonderful resurrection morning Jesus again questioned Peter. Calling him by his human appellation, three times he pressed the question, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" (John 21:15-17.) With Peter's triple affirmation of love, Jesus told him what he must do to prove it. He was actively to show forth the meaning of Church, in that he was to feed the lambs (the young seekers) and the sheep (the workers)—the flock of God. To feed them with the Word was to heal them, and this is a function of Church. This healing could be accomplished only through consecration and love for God and the understanding of His Christ. Upon this understanding and acceptance of the nature and activity of Deity, Jesus founded his church.
Perceiving man's real existence in and of his divine Principle, having no other consciousness, origin, substance, or law apart from God, Mind, reveals to us that Church must in its true sense be an eternal idea. Jesus insisted upon man's inseparableness from God. And he proclaimed his understanding of the one Mind, the one Ego, as his Mind and Ego, even his very Life, when he gave the disciples what he called bread from heaven and told them to eat it because it was his body.
The second part of Mrs. Eddy's definition of Church 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." Here the human sense of church as an organization is defined. But no church which is not founded upon the Christ, the true idea of God, can evidence true Church. It is necessary that Christian Scientists perceive the right idea of Church and hold to it. Within this true idea there is no intelligence, action, or life separate from God. There is one universal Church. It belongs to God, for it is a divine idea, proclaimed by the human organization we call the Church of Christ, Scientist.
The highest visible, outward, or human sign of Church, The Mother Church, with its branches, giving endless blessings to mankind, typifies the spiritual Church. The purpose and mission of The Mother Church are described in words from the Church Manual (p.19): "The First Church Of Christ, Scientist, In Boston, Mass., is designed to be built on the Rock, Christ; even the understanding and demonstration of divine Truth, Life, and Love, healing and saving the world from sin and death; thus to reflect in some degree the Church Universal and Triumphant."
Every step taken by our Leader in the formation and establishment of the Christian Science church was ordained and directed by divine Mind. This church sets forth from its pulpit the highest revelation of absolute Truth that has come to the human race. Since the Christian Science church is founded upon the Rock, the Christ and its holy healing power, no evil can befall it ; nor can it ever be impaired, annulled, or destroyed by any belief of evil.
The government of The Mother Church is provided for in the By-Laws of the Manual, and those who obey the By-Laws thereby aid in the government of the movement it defines.
In many instances the consciousness of church members needs quickening. It needs to be cleansed and purified of human policy and ways, of personal domination, apathy, indifference, and even of false theological doctrines. Church members should so lift their thought to God that they will be of one mind and in one place and as filled with the Holy Ghost as were the disciples on the day of Pentecost. When "the dormant understanding" is roused to accept the Christ, Truth, no longer will personal quarrels, animosities, or discords cloud vision. Wideawake members do not allow error to prevent them from demonstrating their divine Principle.
Our work for church should be a privilege and joy, not a task. Consecrated workers, those willing to give up all for God, who has given them bountifully all their blessings, are more and more needed. No sacrifice we shall ever make can compare with the sacrifice Mrs. Eddy made for us that we might have this glorious Science; no effort will ever repay our indebtedness to her. Let us not be like the unwise virgins, who could not see the bridegroom because they had neglected to prepare their lamps. They had left the straight path of Principle and become lethargic, careless in their work; else they would have seen the bridegroom and received their blessing.
Now where is Church found? Within thought, within our God-given consciousness. Indeed, Church is inseparable from true consciousness. To assure ourselves that we are finding the true sense of Church, let us look into our thought to see if we are striving for a higher way of living, for the Horeb height, where God reigns. Let us ask ourselves if matter is becoming less real to us; if we are obeying divine Principle in every detail of daily existence.
Is Christ watering our waste places and enlarging our borders that we may manifest in a larger degree the image and likeness of God? If so, then by casting out all evil from thought we shall heal and save in increasing measure and demonstrate in greater degree the true Church. Are we expressing more gratitude for Christian Science than we ever have expressed, more love for it, more willingness to come out publicly and let the world know that this Science is what we believe in? There are many people who read the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly but do not attend the church services. When we find such, do we express loving interest by encouraging them to attend our church services and lectures? Are we offering the lagging ones church membership when we feel they are ready for the step?
If we are doing all these things and more, then we are awake to our participation in Mrs. Eddy's demonstration of Church, and God will indeed dwell in the congregation of the righteous. We are upholding her work as Discoverer of this great truth and as Founder of her movement and showing our gratitude for blessings received through Christian Science by unselfishly supporting the church organization she established. Thus shall we share in ever-increasing measure the blessing our Leader envisioned in one universal Church which "rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle," even "the structure of Truth and Love" which is reared in our hearts.
