THE APOSTLE PAUL, writing from prison, gave counsel to the church in Philippi. He urged them to maintain a spirit of accord, to let the mind of Christ Jesus unify them in unselfish service (see Phil. 2: 4,5). And it was this very counsel that was echoed two millennia later in Mary Baker Eddy's summary of the essential Tenets of her church.
In fact, the last of the Tenets, the sixth tenet, which is included in the Manual of The Mother Church, says: "And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure" (p. 16).
As countless branch church members have found over the decades, at the end of a difficult business meeting it is a powerful thing when those present commit to praying aloud that tenet. It's a way of saying that no matter what our differences of opinion are, we have a foundation for unity in divine Mind. The Mind that was in Christ Jesus is God, who is the one Father-Mother, the one Mind that we all have.
