In describing the unfoldment of Truth to human consciousness, Mrs. Eddy writes, "Thus the dawn of ideas goes on, forming each successive stage of progress." Science and Health, p. 506; The continuing appearance of ideas always leads to fresh and inspired activity. But it allows for no self-satisfied contentment with the past. It pushes us on to successive progressive steps.
The dawn of ideas can be seen readily today in the advances in technology, which have wrought changes of many kinds in the minutiae of our daily lives. In fact, change has become almost synonymous with human experience. But while mankind welcomes the useful wonders of modern invention, human thought is not as likely to welcome comparable unfoldment in religious practice. Religious revelators have received few welcomes in any age. Stephen pointedly asked the mob about to stone him, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" Acts 7:52;
The two-thousand-year history of the Hebrew people recounted in the Old Testament is the story of inspired prophets who sought to lead a people to more spiritual worship and to clearer conceptions of Deity. Abraham migrated from ancient Ur to Haran and then to Canaan, where he worshiped the one God. Centuries later Moses courageously proclaimed the moral law to grumbling and backsliding followers. Prophets of later centuries brought further insights, fresh unfoldment, in spite of persistent opposition and persecution.
Micah, for example, in the eighth century B.C. pointedly asked the people of Judah regarding their practices of worship: "Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? . . . He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Mic. 6:7, 8;
But the majority of people were not ready to practice Micah's kind of worship. Nor were many people in later centuries ready for the message of Christ Jesus, who did not feel bound by religious customs that others regarded as law. He defied the narrow, legalistic religious traditions of the Hebrews. As did the prophets before him, he defined religiousness in terms of daily deeds rather than hollow acts of so-called piety.
When his disciples were accused of transgressing the religious tradition of ceremonial washing before eating, Jesus replied to the accusers, quoting the prophet Isaiah, "Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Mark 7:6;And he added, "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." Christ Jesus also defied the religious law by healing on the Sabbath; and he dismissed centuries of custom by his willingness to speak to Samaritans.
The essence of Jesus' religion was works rather than ceremony, practice instead of profession, compassionate concern in lieu of prejudice. His matchless example has inspired millions throughout the centuries, but many people have missed the main point he taught and have turned to rites and ceremonies for their principal worship.
Late in the nineteenth century a revelator appeared on the religious scene. To the searching thought of Mary Baker Eddy came the spiritual conviction of the absolute reality of God, Life, Truth, and Love, and the consequent unreality of evil and matter. In setting forth her discovery of Christian Science, she fearlessly rejected creeds and ceremonies, the iron bands of tradition that only a few hundred years after Jesus had substituted form and ritual for the substance of the Christly message.
Mrs. Eddy startled the religious world with such statements as, "It is sad that the phrase divine service has come so generally to mean public worship instead of daily deeds." Science and Health, p. 40; She taught that the only measure of one's spirituality was the degree to which one followed the example of Christ Jesus in demonstrating the allness of God and the nothingness of matter.
In establishing the Christian Science movement, Mrs. Eddy forestalled the historic tendency to make a formalized, ritualized, creedal religion out of christliness—to substitute formalized religion for works. So rapid was her progress out of formalism that the succession of changes caused some workers to drop away, content to remain as they were rather than progress to higher views. But this did not deter the progress of the expanding Cause.
In 1889 Mrs. Eddy dissolved the organization that she had formed in 1879 after years of devoted prayer, dedicated efforts, and costly trials, and then she awaited the next step. The result was The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, organized in 1892 and administered by The Christian Science Board of Directors under the jurisdiction of the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy. As new needs became evident or new problems arose, Mrs. Eddy revised the Manual, occasionally to provide a specific prohibition but more often to give a statement of purpose or direction to protect her discovery and her followers.
The Manual in its present form is designed to govern the Church of Christ, Scientist, for all time. It contains few negative provisions or prohibitions. For the most part, its provisions are general, setting the tone, specifying goals and purposes, defining basic functions, providing for the governmental framework, establishing' lines of authority, fixing responsibility. The Manual does not specify details to any degree; specific means for attaining the clearly stated purposes are left to demonstration to meet the needs of centuries to come.
At one time I was convinced that the Manual was limiting to the Cause of Christian Science. But more careful study revealed just the reverse. Now I see that steps not forbidden by the Manual and in keeping with the spirit and letter of its provisions are required, for Mrs. Eddy writes plainly, "Judge not the future advancement of Christian Science by the steps already taken, lest you yourself be condemned for failing to take the first step." p. 459.
Every member of The Mother Church or of a branch church has the opportunity and responsibility to devote his energies to "the future advancement of Christian Science." As second-century Christian Scientists we must take the future steps. We follow our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, as we follow her vision and see the next step, and the next. In accord with the provisions of the Manual, The Mother Church will continue to expand and grow; and, keeping abreast of each period, it will take forward steps necessary for "the future advancement of Christian Science."
Branch churches likewise are challenged to undertake new steps to advance our beloved Cause. In accordance with the Manual each church and society is democratic and governs its own affairs. Each church must undertake the task of evaluating its activities and considering new and progressive action.
Branch church members might ask themselves: Which activities have become Spirit-less, stereotyped busywork instead of inspired spiritual activity? How many committees are no longer serving a useful purpose? Are any unnecessary meetings being held? How much effort is being directed to organizational ends and how much to spiritual purposes?
No church committee or activity should exist merely to perpetuate itself or only because it has been a long-standing custom in a branch church. An activity deserves to be retained only if it is accomplishing a spiritual purpose today. If such a purpose is not being achieved, the means need changing. Alternative ways should be considered to accomplish the same spiritual ends, and thought should be kept open to the influx of ideas which form "each successive stage of progress."
Mrs. Eddy's revelation of Christian Science is complete and final. But our demonstration of this Science is far from complete and final. This is why we cannot judge future advancement "by the steps already taken." The revelation that God is All leaves nothing to be improved upon as revelation; but the demonstration of this great fact requires continuing inspiration in church activity and individual spiritual development—a continuing dawning of ideas which will ensure "the future advancement of Christian Science."
Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
and your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace;
above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
