When an edifice of a Church of Christ, Scientist, is built in a community it offers its members a wonderful opportunity for growth. In the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy we find these arresting words (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." If a Christian Science church is being built, it is because an understanding of God is being manifested in the healing of sickness and sin, and a need for a church has arisen.
One of the qualities necessary in church building is consecration. In the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy says on page 3, "The Divine Being must be reflected by man,— else man is not the image and likeness of the patient, tender, and true, the One 'altogether lovely;' but to understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire."
Jesus expressed his unswerving consecration when at the age of twelve he answered his parents' reproaches for having stayed in the temple by asking (Luke 2:49), "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" He knew that his only work, his only business, was witnessing to God and the Christ. He constantly manifested consecration, unselfed love, steadfastness, humility, and self-sacrifice. He expressed the divine nature and identified himself so fully with Christ that he was known as Christ Jesus. Every time we have healing in Christian Science it is because a fuller measure of the Christ, Truth, has been realized. Jesus said (John 12:32), "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." The way to reflect the Christ clearly is to demonstrate the Christ-consciousness as our consciousness; then our neighbor will be led to come to Christian Science for healing and there will be a need for more churches, and that need will be supplied.
