Article November 4, 1911 Issue

THE MESSAGE OF THE MOTHER CHURCH

GERTRUDE TOWNE

It was my privilege to attend services in The Mother Church for the first time one beautiful sunny morning of December, 1910. The air was clear and cold, and as I walked across the square that makes such a beautiful approach to the church, the chimes rang out a loving welcome. Looking eagerly up at the structure of stone, I was not so much impressed by the edifice, attractive as it is, as by its spiritual significance. The symbol was lost in the idea for which it stood. I was seeing not a material monument, but "the structure of Truth and Love" (Science and Health, p. 583), that loomed up large and promising.

Seated within the spacious auditorium, the stillness broken only by sweet strains from the organ, the soft light from the great dome falling upon us, one instinctively closed his thought to material things and waited to receive the spiritual message which comes to every listening heart. Clearly, distinctly, convincingly it came to me. The music, the light, the very atmosphere, all sang together, "To him that overcometh;" and I thought of the many promises given in the book of Revelation "to him that overcometh." I thought of Christ Jesus, who had overcome the temptations of the flesh that he might show us the way of Life; and I thought of our Leader, who, all alone in this age, stood so dauntless and unafraid, overcoming obstacle after obstacle that she might give to suffering humanity a new understanding of the truth that makes free. I also thought of the countless numbers who, in gratitude for blessings received through Christian Science, had contributed to the building of this Mother Church, and I said to myself, It is good to be here! Through the hymns, the solo, the Lesson-Sermon, the benediction, I still heard, like a beautiful motif, the message which seemed specially meant for me, "To him that overcometh."

All of us, at some period of our lives, hear the voice of the tempter, saying, "This do, and I will make you a ruler of men." Well for us if we resolutely face the enemy with the words of the Master, "Get thee behind me, Satan;" for Mrs. Eddy tells us that, "resisting evil, you overcome it and prove its nothingness" (Science and Health, p. 446). But "the heart knoweth his own bitterness," when it has failed to overcome or has stood out against the divine command to take up the cross and leave all for Christ, Truth. Therefore the message came to me as a warning and an assurance,—a warning to be on guard, watchful, alert, that I might detect error, whatever the guise it may assume, and detecting it might handle it and prove its utter powerlessness, as Moses at God's command handled the serpent and proved it a staff upon which to lean; an assurance that as I overcome, prove myself worthy, I shall inherit all things and wear the crown of rejoicing.

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