IN Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy the definition of "Church" is given on page 583 as:
"The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
"The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."
Everyone needs Church because everyone needs to be roused from sin, sickness, sorrow, poverty, loss, failure, and so on, to the attainment of joy, harmony, peace, true satisfaction, and spirituality.
The invitation given by Christ Jesus (Matt. 11:28), "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," is for all time and for all people. Christian Science churches throughout the world are offering that invitation today, and many who "come" are being healed of their material beliefs even as people were in Jesus' time.
Before I became a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, I had been subject to fainting spells. One Sunday morning while the congregation was standing during the reading of the benediction, I lost consciousness. When I awakened a few minutes later, I felt the loving, prayerful help of those around me. That was more than thirty years ago, and I have never fainted since that time. I did not go to church that morning with the thought of being healed of fainting spells. I was hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and the healing was the outward evidence of the healing power of the Christ Science demonstrated by Jesus and discovered by Mrs. Eddy.
This proof is only one of many of the utility of Church. People the world over are testifying to healing in The Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science, as well as at Wednesday testimony meetings in branch churches. Through "the apprehension of spiritual ideas," they are being healed of disease, sin, lack, and all kinds of discordant conditions. This uplifting of thought—this exchange of material beliefs for spiritual ideas—is not only a benefit to the individual; it elevates the race.
Every member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, is a practitioner when he practices Christian Science, although his name may not be listed in the Journal. Mrs. Eddy writes in Miscellany (p. 189), "The silent prayers of our churches, resounding through the dim corridors of time, go forth in waves of sound, a diapason of heartbeats, vibrating from one pulpit to another and from one heart to another, till truth and love, commingling in one righteous prayer, shall encircle and cement the human race."
A clear distinction must be made between the material edifice called a church and the spiritual idea of Church as given in the definition quoted at the beginning of this article. To think of Church as many material structures—some large, some small, some rich, some poor, some old, some new —is not correct. And to think of Church as individuals who serve as Readers, ushers, Sunday School teachers, or who are active or inactive members is to have a personal sense of Church. Jesus did not establish his church on the person of Peter, but on the truth of Peter's recognition of the Christ as the healing power which Jesus declared.
A material structure has no power of itself. It is the presence of the Christ, Truth, expressed by the members that brings to any church the spiritual animus that is necessary for healing. Thought is lifted from a personal to an impersonal sense of Saviour through the recognition and acknowledgment that the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly which is read on Sundays and the selected passages read at Wednesday meetings is the Word of God. This Word of God is the only power of Church. "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebr. 4:12).
If one goes to church to hear how the Readers are reading instead of what they are reading or if he goes to observe the number of people in the congregation, who they are, what they are wearing, and so on, or if he criticizes the music, the soloist, or the ushers or if his attention is constantly wandering—if these are his thoughts, he has not really been to church at all. It is not the church that needs to be changed or healed but one's thought about it.
The utility of Church is proved by its members. Strong demands of fidelity, devotion to Principle, and, above all, love for God and man are made on the church member. Growth in spirituality is expressed humanly in better health, in sounder morals, in greater love for God, man, church, country. This spiritual growth in the individual inevitably casts out the errors of apathy, doubt, halfhearted church work, and irregular attendance. It brings enthusiasm, joy, and inspiration to Sunday School teaching, ushering, healing, and all church work.
A strong, prosperous church is the result of the members' complete reliance on divine Principle and the understanding that all good, and only good, proceeds from this divine Principle, Love. The earnest Christian Scientist strives constantly to follow his Leader, Mrs. Eddy, as she followed Christ Jesus. She tells us plainly what she expected of us as church members. On page 35 of Science and Health she writes: "Our church is built on the divine Principle, Love. We can unite with this church only as we are new-born of Spirit, as we reach the Life which is Truth and the Truth which is Life by bringing forth the fruits of Love,— casting out error and healing the sick."
