Our Master, Christ Jesus, founded his church on the spiritual understanding of the healing Christ, Truth. He charged his disciples to go "into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). And he promised, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Mary Baker Eddy discovered and founded Christian Science and organized and established the Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1879. In the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, we read (Historical Sketch, p. 17), "At a meeting of the Christian Scientist Association, April 12, 1879, on motion of Mrs. Eddy, it was voted,—To organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing." Thus, Christian healing was designated as the natural, legitimate, and indispensable mission of the religion of Christian Science.
The preservation and fulfillment of this high mission of our church is the sacred duty and privilege of all Christian Scientists. This purpose should be foremost in the hearts of all members of The Mother Church and of its branch churches all over the world. The consecration of each member to the promotion of the great Cause of Christian Science, with the conscientious endeavor to rise obediently to the demands given in the Manual, will aid in the accomplishment of this mission. Mrs. Eddy says (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 230): "This church is impartial. Its rules apply not to one member only, but to one and all equally. Of this I am sure, that each Rule and By-law in this Manual will increase the spirituality of him who obeys it, invigorate his capacity to heal the sick, to comfort such as mourn, and to awaken the sinner."
The healing work of our church is not by any means confined to the healing of disease; it also applies to the healing of all unrighteous acts, thoughts, and traits of character that would deny to every individual church member the proper realization and expression of the Christ. From this point of view, all church work—all its activities and services—are invaluable.
The purpose of church work is not merely to accomplish some human or material objective. If the successful accomplishment of a particular project were the only purpose, Mrs. Eddy would not have established the form of government for her church which she did; nor would she have stressed the need and importance of rotation in office for church members.
If the perfection of performance of an activity were the only demand, we might say, "Let the experts do it." But this we cannot always do, for we know that much of the value of church work lies in the opportunity for healing which this work furnishes the individuals called upon to fill the offices or to perform the varied activities and services. Through this participation in church activities, members learn many lessons, characters are tested and strengthened, talents are improved, and opportunities are presented for further healing, regeneration, and evangelization of the human sense of self.
In the performance of our duties, it is most helpful to consider each phase and activity of our church in relation to its healing mission. Our thoughts should be permeated with the spirit of the healing Christ, and our services rendered under the conscious guidance of divine Love.
All true church work is basically spiritual activity, and when the worker sees it in that light, church work is a spiritual experience for him. Our prayers and metaphysical work for our church rest upon and proceed from Truth. They also rest on the understanding that everything real is the manifestation of God and every right activity the evidence of Mind's performance of its own work. A Christian Scientist, as a Christian metaphysician, recognizes that every right thought or act hints some divine idea. He knows that the best human expression of good is mankind's highest concept of the actual, the spiritual fact.
Thus it is with every church activity; its real mission and function should be evaluated, appreciated, and understood metaphysically as an activity of Truth. When church members do their mental work well, they gain a higher perspective and are helped; and they are also safeguarded against the pitfalls and stumbling blocks that are found along the path Spiritward.
Some of these deterrents to spiritual progress and to healing work are self-will, self-righteousness, self-ignorance, resentment, envy, a false sense of responsibility for church or for other members, bickering, and censoriousness. If permitted to operate, these and other evils commonly known to humanity are the carnal mind's subtle means of destroying happiness and dethroning the Christ within the consciousness of church members. Such evils would impede and prevent the successful performance of true church work. As Christian metaphysicians we know that we must not make a reality of any error and that all problems have first to be worked out within our own consciousness through Truth before the right and harmonious results can be experienced.
In the Manual, our revered Leader has clearly delegated duties and obligations, placing responsibilities where they belong. She has also made proper and ample provisions for the right way to help, correct, and discipline members, if necessary or advisable.
All church members do well to read and to study the entire Manual thoroughly and frequently. Under the subject "Discipline," Article VIII includes most important and necessary reminders and demands for protecting the Christ-consciousness. These Rules are particularly helpful upon occasions when we are tempted to believe that harmonious human relationships seem difficult to maintain.
Each one should strive to practice and to preserve within his own consciousness the spirit of the Christ that is so evident in all the By-Laws. Pure Christianity must be expressed in all church work. In counseling Christian Scientists, our Leader says (Science and Health, p. 451), "Christianity, with the crown of Love upon her brow, must be their queen of life."
In "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy, referring to the By-Laws in the Manual, states (p. 148), "They sprang from necessity, the logic of events,—from the immediate demand for them as a help that must be supplied to maintain the dignity and defense of our Cause; hence their simple, scientific basis, and detail so requisite to demonstrate genuine Christian Science, and which will do for the race what absolute doctrines destined for future generations might not accomplish."
In the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke we find Jesus' reference to an old proverb (verse 23), "Physician, heal thyself." This is also good advice for all Christian metaphysicians. May each church member keep the spirit of Christ, Truth, ever present and active in his own consciousness, be ever mindful of the healing mission of our church, and be ready to heal any ill whenever a need arises.
May every Christian Scientist conscientiously and lovingly rededicate himself to his sacred privilege and duty to work, pray, and demonstrate Christian healing for himself and for others. Thus our church will continue to fulfill its great mission and bring blessings to all mankind until God's kingdom is fully realized on earth as it is in heaven.
