CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS ARE WELL AWARE that Mary Baker Eddy expected her Church to embrace the world. Her heart of pure love spoke plainly when she wrote, "... in hope and faith, where heart meets heart reciprocally blest, drink with me the living waters of the spirit of my life-purpose,—to impress humanity with the genuine recognition of practical, operative Christian Science" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 207). All who love Christian Science want to reverse downward trends of recent decades.
A few years ago the Board of Directors committed to working with the whole membership to reestablish the normal expansion of Mrs. Eddy's Church. We understand that a revitalized Church will result naturally from more expansive spiritual healing. Mrs. Eddy wrote that "Jesus established his church and maintained his mission on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing" (Science and Health, p. 136). That is our goal.
We also are taking to heart her promise that "the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends" on the Sunday lesson (Church Manual, p. 31). This helped us appreciate that spiritual healing unfolds from deepened spiritual understanding, which in turn grows out of dedicated study, prayer, and alertness. We are working diligently through the periodicals, lectures, Field and Annual Meeting themes, and other messages to stir the natural affection of us all for the Christ, Truth, and its inevitable healing effect.
