IN a message sent to a Christian Science branch church on the occasion of its dedication, our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, says (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 182, 183), "May this beloved church adhere to its tenets, abound in the righteousness of Love, honor the name of Christian Science, prove the practicality of perfection, and press on to the infinite uses of Christ's creed, namely, —'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.'"
Surely we could sum up the work of the Church of Christ, Scientist, in no better way than in these words. Yet there may have been times when we have felt that our respective branch churches have not measured up to this high standard. In such case we, as members, have work to do individually and collectively. It is apparent to the student of Christian Science that the church is not separate from the members comprising it, and that growth of the church can come only in proportion as the individual members manifest spiritual progress.
If we are not satisfied with the progress of our branch church, perhaps it would be helpful to ask ourselves: "Am I adhering to the Tenets of Christian Science given on page 497 of the Christian Science textbook, 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures' by Mrs. Eddy? Am I abounding in the righteousness of Love? Am I honoring the name of Christian Science by helping to bless and purify the community in which I live? Am I proving 'the practicality of perfection'?"
Some years ago a student of Christian Science daily passed a vacant house which, while once charming, had deteriorated through neglect. As she continued to pass this house, she became increasingly aware of its possibilities and found herself wishing that she might have the joy of reclaiming it and bringing out its hidden beauty. Frequently she would stop to peer in the windows and plan what might be done with the corners that needed brightening, the walls that needed freshening; but because she had no legal right to enter, the project did not go beyond wishful thinking.
Some time later, when this student felt reluctant to join a branch church which was facing many problems, this experience was recalled. She realized that she was standing on the outside, picking out its imperfections but not doing anything about them. She resolved not to be satisfied with mere wishful thinking, as in the case of the abandoned house, or with well-meant criticism. Instead, she put aside her unwillingness and made application for membership, not through self-righteousness, but with an earnest desire to be of service and with a firm conviction that God was guiding her. An improved concept of Church was needed within the church membership, and she saw that joining would enable her to help in this important work as well as to enjoy the blessings of membership. To join a branch church and to become active therein are the first steps toward making it a more fruitful branch of The Mother Church. Membership provides many opportunities to prove one's understanding of Christian Science. Making fullest use of these opportunities, one finds the resultant demonstrations blessing not only others, but himself as well.
One lesson learned through many years of service in the various activities of a branch church has indeed proved a steppingstone to higher demonstration for the writer, namely, the importance of impersonalizing evil. On page 71 of the Christian Science textbook we find these statements: "Evil has no reality. It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense." Evil is never person; nor is it ever church. Evil claims to use persons and things as its means of expression; but evil is not real. It is a supposititious inversion of good, God, whose very omnipresence precludes forever the possibility of evil.
We are never justified in condemning a person, but only in immediately rejecting evil as unreal and holding to the correct sense of perfect man, created in the image of perfect God. Our work is to draw a line of demarcation between the real and the unreal—between man, God's likeness, and that which appears as a mortal; between the spiritual idea, Church, and the human organization in which evil claims to operate. Depriving evil of mouthpiece, location, and expression reduces it to nothingness.
A Christian Science practitioner visited a friend in a field where the small group of Christian Scientists seemed divided into two decided factions. The feeling of animosity between them was so bitter that the mere mention of a member of the opposite clique usually brought forth violent accusations. One day the friend began relating an especially spicy bit of gossip, when she suddenly turned to the practitioner and asked if she thought it was "terrible."
The practitioner replied that if she so believed, she would be accepting the suggestion of evil as personal. She explained that none of the things that had been said were true about man, because God had created man in His own image, and therefore had never created an evil man. She stated also that both factions would eventually awaken to the important scientific truth that evil is never a person, and that the only foe is animal magnetism, which by suggesting personal quarrels would cause disunity in the ranks of Christian Scientists and thus retard their spiritual progress and the healing activity of the Christian Science church. Recalling the many earnest and worthy members of both groups, the practitioner lovingly urged her friend to reject the aggressive suggestion that evil can be person, place, or thing and to align herself on the side of God, good.
A month or so after her return home the practitioner received a letter from the friend telling of the wonderful change that was taking place in that little group. This member had made an earnest effort to unsee envious, hateful, or malicious persons and thus prove evil's nothingness. How much easier it became to see the perfect man of God's creating as the real and only man! Lovely incidents of kindness and good fellowship began to occur. Soon her example was followed by others. Bit by bit the little leaven began to leaven the whole until harmony and unity reigned once more.
Sometimes the healing work of a church is hampered by its members striving for place. The primary purpose of the church is to carry the Christ-message to humanity. Then it is the members' responsibility to place those in office who are spiritually best qualified to perform the duties of that office. It is not a question of recognizing seniority or of rewarding long years of faithful service, but of choosing those best qualified to advance the healing mission of Christian Science. There is no place in the Church of Christ, Scientist, for false concepts of personality, factions, or politicizing. As the members yield their personal desires and ambitions to the directing of divine Mind, the church will indeed "abound in the righteousness of Love, honor the name of Christian Science," and "prove the practicality of perfection."
Perhaps the most important requisite for the church member is the understanding that divine Principle is Love. Without Love, Principle cannot be expressed, nor can there be Love without Principle. No doubt each one can remember occasions, barren of fruitage, when he has believed himself to be guided by divine Principle, yet has failed to manifest Love. Unless Love is being reflected, Principle is not being demonstrated. It does not matter how many branch churches we have, how large they may be, or how impressive; if the membership is not expressing Love, the church is not healing. Love is the Principle of Christian Science, and the Christian Scientist must consistently reflect and express the nature of his divine Principle, God.
Let us magnify the good expressed by our Readers, board members, and individual members rather than rehearse evil concerning them. When our Leader founded the Christian Science church, her students were in various stages of spiritual progress. She did not find perfection in any, but she did not for that reason condemn them or fail to support their demonstrations of Truth. She waited patiently for each to grow in grace. Only as we demonstrate brotherly love, charitableness, and forgiveness among ourselves will our churches flourish and progress.
When we are truly expressing the nature of Love, we are not tempted to take offense. This was illustrated in the life of the Master. According to the ninth chapter of Luke, Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem with some of his disciples when those who had been sent ahead to the next village to prepare for their needs returned with the news that the village had refused to receive them. James and John were loudest in indignation. "Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?" they asked (verse 54). But Jesus, ever conscious of divine Love, did not allow a sense of personal affront to interfere with the important work he had to do. After he had rebuked the proposal for destruction, the Gospel simply states (verse 56), "And they went to another village."
In the Sunday School, the Reading Room, as members of committees or officers of the church, let us remember the example of the Master. If there appear to be misunderstandings, lack of appreciation, resentment, resistance, envy, lack of co-operation, and the like, let us instantly reject these false suggestions, knowing that no error can intrude into the divine purpose of Church, and no inharmonious incident can interfere for one moment with the activity of the Christ which every Christian Science church is here to express. God knows the issues of the heart, and we can faithfully serve to our highest understanding, assured of His guidance and approval.
Thus as each Christian Scientist reflects more of divine Love, the fruitage of our Leader's words in "Miscellaneous Writings" will be realized (p. 154): "The spreading branches of The Church of Christ, Scientist, are fast reaching out their broad shelter to the entire world. Your faith has not been without works,—and God's love for His flock is manifest in His care. He will dig about this little church, prune its encumbering branches, water it with the dews of heaven, enrich its roots, and enlarge its borders with divine Love."
