Article February 17, 1906 Issue

Giving to The Mother Church

FRANCES MACK MANN.

No greater opportunity has ever been granted to Christian Scientists than the privilege of helping to build The Mother Church. The voluntary act of giving to any worthy object has a beneficial effect on the individual. It helps to break the sense of limitation, and enlarges the capacity to meet humanity's need. The only true gift is that which express love, and if this impulse be lacking a material offering is but a mockery. Under present human conditions we have to build a material structure to express our thought, and as this structure must occupy a place, this place is in Boston. The Mother Church typifies the Church Triumphant; the reign of universal, eternal love; the battle over, the victory won. The real Mother Church is to be mentally discerned and is made known by love manifested in all we say and do.

Our Leader states in Science and Health that she is "working for generations to come, never looking for a present reward," and again, that "a right motive has its reward" (pp. 464, 453). It cannot surely be a right motive which expects in return as much if not more than is given. Our Master received no present reward except the spiritual, and our Leader has expected no other.

The Christian Scientist should support our Cause, morally, financially, and spiritually, because he loves to do what is right. We are not seeking the praise of men, but the glory of our Father-Mother, God; so when we bring our gifts to the altar and upon self-examination find we have one unkind thought about our brother-man, let us not present that gift until we first overcome this false concept of our brother, lest it be said of us, as of Cain, that unto his offering God "had not respect."

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