The very name "Church of Christ, Scientist," implies activity, for the Christ, God's infinite idea, manifests or exhibits the activity of divine Mind. The Christ is always acting to accomplish good—waking mankind from the mortal dream, destroying the delusions of sense, healing the sick and sinful, revealing brotherhood, bringing Love's justice and mercy to light, inspiring mankind to recognize real life in Spirit.
Mary Baker Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 366), "To destroy sin and its sequence, is the office of Christ, Truth,— according to His mode of Christian Science; and this is being done daily." To heal, that is, to save mankind from sin and its sequence, is then the office of the Church of Christ, Scientist, and this Church fulfills its mission in the measure that its Christly activity meets the demand for healing all phases of error. Church duties often require personal activity as the officers and committee members carry out their assignments and members attend meetings and services. But the demonstration of the spirit of Christ, which gives those assignments healing meaning, is the chief task of every church member. It is the moral and spiritual activity of the members that gives substance to church work and makes our institution a power for good in the world.
The Christliness of the members links the mission of the Church of Christ, Scientist, in the chain of spiritual unfoldment which for centuries has been gradually freeing mankind from the tyranny of matter. The spirit of Christ gives the church member a feeling of kinship with the ancient prophets and patriarchs who bent their efforts to the same end—to dispel the darkness of mortal thinking and reveal the light of Christ in all its power and authority. Mrs. Eddy says in her Message to The Mother Church for 1901 (p. 9): "The ancient worthies caught glorious glimpses of the Messiah or Christ, and their truer sense of Christ baptized them in Spirit— submerged them in a sense so pure it made seers of men, and Christian healers. This is the 'Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,' spoken of by St. Paul." And a few lines farther on she adds, "This spirit of God is made manifest in the flesh, healing and saving men,— it is the Christ, Comforter, 'which taketh away the sin of the world.'"
