Article November 21, 1908 Issue

CHURCH BUILDING IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

ANNA FRIENDLICH.

As a loud-sounding herald of civilization momentarily startles the browsing denizens of the wilds, so the first appearing of a Christian Science church building in a community often proves a source of surprise and astonishment to the outside world, since no appeal to the public and no pulpit chiding have heralded its coming. Inside the Christian Science fold the excitement is not less. A burst of gladness and wonder arises in every heart when the great work is finished and this tabernacle of Truth is with men. To the modest band of workers a great miracle has been wrought, like the manna shower in the wilderness.

Milton describes a wonderful hall of Pandemonium rising like an exhalation out of the soil of the pit. The Christian Science church rises—an exhalation out of the love, gratitude, and inspiration of hearts chastened and lives rescued by the Father in heaven. A study of the "structure of Truth and Love," as defined in our denominational text-book, Science and Health (p. 583), leads us to recognize the fact that in Christian Science building is healing. As the errors and sins, the ignorance and fears in our own consciousness are healed, the structure of Truth and Love stands revealed, the walls of salvation appear within the pure heart where the psalmist saith God is seen. Heaps of rubbish must be excavated from the consciousness, —love of money, improvidence, sloth, self-indulgence, extravagance ; old stumps of error must be rooted out, —fear of poverty, orthodoxical saws of finance, business superstitions, rainy-day prudence, unintelligent management, all that makes for lack. Without a transformation in character, improved morals, better health through spiritual power, the Christian Science edifice could not appear; and so the visible structure stands in itself a testimonial of healing. The Christian Scientist knows that if he cannot build, it is because he cannot heal. Our building appears when the purified sense starves for the truth, —when mortals perceive that they must have it ; when impersonal love opens its eyes in the awakening heart.

Apathy toward the Vine cannot build the branch church ; indifference to the Cause is indifference to the world, stagnating inhumanity. Cant about limitation and supply cannot build this church ; self-will and self-seeking will not build it ; insincerity and moral cowardice do not want to build it. All these slink away and desert the Christ at the cross. All these satisfy personal needs, but send the Christ-idea away naked and hungering from the door. Love for God is really the building fund of the Christian Science church. No anathemas lurk in its stones. Christian Scientists guard carefully against unwilling dollars; they guard carefully against all begging and unscientific soliciting, knowing that every one who understands what is really taking place when a Christian Science church is being built, seizes the opportunity to have a hand in it. If men knew what a Christian Science church really is, they would rush to invest in it as they now rush to newly opened territory or newly discovered gold-fields. Our church building is our best investment ; the task of erecting it our pearl of good fortune.

Send a comment to the editors