The Church, more than any other institution, at present is the cement of society, and it should be the bulwark of civil and religious liberty. Miscellaneous Writings, p. 144 —Mary Baker Eddy
As the Founder of the original Christian Church, Christ Jesus clearly knew the moral and spiritual influence the church could have—and should have—in the world. He also saw the immutability and permanence of his church, where even "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt. 16:18
The words quoted at the lead of this editorial are surely a response to Jesus' vision of church built on the rock of Christ, Truth. They were written at the turn of the last century, when much about the society of that era was in danger of breaking apart without a solid spiritual anchor. The Industrial Revolution had brought great advances, but there were equally great challenges. Many traditional institutions were being pushed to their limits. Environmental degradation, political upheavals, international disputes, the breakdown of many long-accepted standards and values, remind us of much that we too are confronting at the close of our own century. "Cement," as Mrs. Eddy said, was, and is, clearly needed.
