All that has ever been done to further the cause of Truth and to bring the Comforter to mankind has been done through self-abnegation and self-immolation. One of the greatest opportunities one can have to realize these qualities comes through serving in a democratic church government. One cannot conscientiously serve in a Church of Christ, Scientist, without growing Spiritward.
Part of Mrs. Eddy's definition of "Church" reads, "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." Science and Health, p. 583; Truly to unite with this real Church is a subjective experience. It requires a willingness to relinquish the claims of mortal selfhood and a desire to be reborn of Spirit. Such an attitude of thought grows as we gain a clearer understanding of man's real, sinless, and perfect spiritual identity. It develops further as we replace false material beliefs with spiritual ideas, thereby demonstrating Love's healing power for ourselves and for our church.
Mrs. Eddy writes: "Self-love is more opaque than a solid body. In patient obedience to a patient God, let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant of error,—self-will, self-justification, and self-love,—which wars against spirituality and is the law of sin and death." p. 242;
