Article January 21, 1911 Issue

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST AND HIS CHURCH

SAMUEL GREENWOOD

A student's love for Christian Science can safely be measured by his love for The Mother Church and its branches, and this love will find natural expression and activity in the particular branch to which he belongs. Loyalty to Christian Science includes loyalty to the movement which represents it. Indeed, a disloyal Christian Scientist is a misnomer, for even a partial understanding of Christian Science precludes disloyalty to its teachings, to its Discoverer, or to the church which she has established to declare and to demonstrate the Science of Christian healing. We are members of the Church of Christ, Scientist, because we are Christian Scientists; and our fidelity to Truth, and our love for one another and for mankind, will decide the prosperity, harmony, and helpfulness of our church.

The design of church-membership is not only for the member's individual benefit, but also to support the organization and increase its capacity for usefulness; hence the best church-member is one who thinks least of himself and most of the cause he professes to serve. Working to promote personal interest, without regard for the general good, is unworthy of one who "has enlisted to lessen evil" (Science and Health, p. 450). St. Paul admonished the Christians at Philippi to "look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." We do not live to ourselves. Man, all being, is expressed by reflection, not absorption; he shares with all men the bounty of infinite good, but he cannot monopolize it. This spirit of unselfed love is the life of the Christian Science church, and it cannot thrive or exist except as it is nourished therewith.

The Christian Science movement has for its purpose the redemption of mankind from all that is unlike God, and for the fulfilment of this purpose each individual Christian Scientist is, in the degree of his capability, responsible. If one fails to support his church in every way essential to its success, he fails in that measure to receive the reward of faithfulness. Whether a student can derive the same benefit from a private Sunday reading of the Lesson-Sermon, as if he were in his place at church, must depend largely upon his motive. One who permits his course to be dictated by selfish desire, is not in obedience to the divine will, and is not, therefore, in a position to be blessed. Love of ease and love of pleasure do not compensate in their indulgence for that love of God and man which ever prompts true Christian self-denial and activity. Love for others necessarily accompanies the true understanding of God, hence to omit church attendance because not in fellowship with any of its members, or from any unworthy motive, indicates a lack of discernment of the Principle of Christian Science. The remedy for such conditions is not to remain aloof from the church, but to love more, to forgive rather than to resent, and to lose sight of human personality in the desire to demonstrate divine Principle. If we love the spiritual idea upon which our church stands, we shall love all who are associated therewith, as well as all whom it is intended to bless.

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THE RIGHT CONCEPT
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