When Christ Jesus founded his church on the rock of Christ, he immediately proclaimed its inviolate nature with the words "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."Matt. 16:18. And they have not. There have been many occasions in Christian history when the anti-Christ, showing itself in hatred, bigotry, and persecution, has tried to extinguish the light of Church in the human heart. Yet true worship cannot be quenched.
The spiritual idea, Church, is planted in eternity, not time. Mary Baker Eddy shows this in the opening words of her definition of Church: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."
Then the definition continues, "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." Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 583.
