Article June 7, 1913 Issue

CHURCH BUILDING

LUCRETIA I. MOULTON.

As last summer's vacation approached, a Christian Scientist who is not a practitioner, determined that wherever her vacation might be spent, the dominant motive for the summer should be to grow in the realization of the truth of being, that she might be better able to help her fellow men as well as herself to rise above false, material concepts, the tares of unreality, toward the consciousness of the one infinite Mind which is "cognizant only of the things of God" (Science and Health, p. 276). Associated with this purpose was a desire to attain a more spiritual sense of the duties of those who were assisting to build a church edifice. She felt that to contribute money for the erection of a material structure, without any effort to help establish the truths of the Science of Christ, would avail as little as does the building of reformatories in freeing men from sinful proclivities, so long as those who are working for the betterment of mankind hold to the reality of evil and of mortal mind laws (so called) of inheritance after the flesh.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," page 583, we find this definition of church: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." On page 92 of the Church Manual we read, "Healing the sick and the sinner with Truth demonstrates what we affirm of Christian Science, and nothing can substitute this demonstration. I recommend that each member of this church shall strive to demonstrate by his or her practise, that Christian Science heals the sick quickly and wholly, thus proving this Science to be all that we claim for it."

It is clear, therefore, that to build a Christian Science church involves the faithful effort to destroy in one's self and others the sense of sickness, sorrow, sin, and death, and to establish the true sense of God, and of man's relation to Him. In helping to free others from the bondage of material sense, rightful remuneration would enable the worker to contribute more largely toward defraying the cost of a church edifice, for church organization and buildings in which to hold services are at present necessary means by which to disseminate the truths of the Science of Christ. The thought was held that because it is right for man to do God's will, it is right for man to know God's will. God is all-knowing, hence man knows what to do, and when and how to do. Striving to hold these truths clearly in view, with no definite plans laid, the Scientist was led to spend her vacation in three different localities, in each of which opportunities for demonstrating the power of Truth over error presented themselves; and the results were most satisfactory.

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