THE animus of the singing in Churches of Christ, Scientist, is adoration of the one God. It is the lifting up of thought to the Father in praise and thanksgiving. It is gratitude for His nearness. It is acknowledgment of His goodness and power. It is the heart's rejoicing in eternal unity with Him. It is the outpouring of soul.
Mary Baker Eddy beautifully expresses her own gratitude in these words on page 174 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany": "To-day my soul can only sing and soar. An increasing sense of God's love, omnipresence, and omnipotence enfolds me. Each day I know Him nearer, love Him more, and humbly pray to serve Him better." And on the next page she affirms, "The song of my soul must remain so long as I remain."
The carefully selected hymns which comprise the Christian Science Hymnal sound notes of peace, of love, and of joy. To the fearful, they ring out with messages of the might and majesty of God. To the tired and lonely, they sing tenderly of the Father's love and care. To the discouraged, they bring glad tidings of good. Throughout the whole book there is, above all, the note of rejoicing in the healing truth, as taught in Christian Science, that God is real and error is unreal, that God is All and error is nought.
