Are we anxious about our church? A devoted church member may occasionally see conditions in his church he feels are unrepresentative of the spirituality church should express, and this disturbs him. He may find himself striking out at other members in a crusade of correction.
If this attitude is not quickly healed, it could be more disturbing to the harmony of our branch Church of Christ, Scientist, than the erroneous situation we feel should be corrected. Christian Science brings the spirit of Christ, Truth, to mankind, revealing the spiritual perfection of God and man. To be effective, the Christ must be acknowledged in the consciousness of each church member. We must be living, loving, and feeling the perfection of God and man to the very depths of our being. This is at the heart of demonstrating Christian Science, and a necessity for continued spiritual progress. But how can our Cause prosper if our thoughts are overly filled with concern about what other church members are doing, so that the activity of Truth in our own consciousness is obscured?
It requires spiritual maturity to recognize the errors that would hinder progressive church activity, and then to see clearly their unreality. Mrs. Eddy says, "Expose and denounce the claims of evil and disease in all their forms, but realize no reality in them." Science and Health, p. 447; If we accept the belief that evil can be a real part of the divine idea, Church, then we're supporting a misconception.
