Editorial March 10, 1917 Issue

The Church Triumphant

William D. McCrackan

The mission of The Mother Church of Christian Science is divinely compassionate. She opens her fold to shelter the lambs shorn by the winds of adversity, buffeted by the storms of moral and physical persecution and of conflicting opinions. Within this fold is the good shepherd, the Christ, Truth, comforting, protecting, cherishing, and rewarding his own, and teaching the receptive thought the spiritual lesson of two in one, of inspiration and demonstration, of faith and works, science and practice. As long ago as 1895 Mrs. Eddy wrote in the dedicatory sermon to be found on page 3 of "Pulpit and Press," "No longer are we of the church militant, but of the church triumphant; and with Job of old we exclaim, 'Yet in my flesh shall I see God.'"

In our day the spiritual idea of church has come to the flesh and is expressed in a manner which humanity can understand. Founded upon the rock, Christ, Truth, drawing her membership from all quarters of the globe, and feeding them with the bread of heaven, The Mother Church is a true mother, as was her prototype, the church at Jerusalem. She speaks to the spiritual children of Israel, calling them together from captivity and dispersion, assembling the hosts for the battle which is the Lord's, and demonstrating to them the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood and motherhood of God. During these times of world strife, quite undeterred by material difficulties, she has lovingly sent financial relief to Christian Scientists everywhere, and through them to men, women, and children of all nations. She has given of the water of life freely to the thirsty, and placed the healing and saving Science in the very trenches of relentless warfare. Literally tons and tons of literature, containing the good news of Christian Science, have been sent to fortify and console, to cure and redeem the stricken, the wounded, and the mourning, and to comfort the lonely sentinels in the watches of the night. At this very time a great extension in the overseas distribution of Christian Science literature is taking place from certain ports of the United States and from at least one of Great Britain.

In order to carry forward the many and growing activities of The Mother Church a corps of practical Christian Scientists have been drawn to Boston from many parts of the world, but the government remains, as Isaiah foreknew, "upon his [Christ's] shoulder." Self-government can only succeed as it patterns God's government, and in fidelity to the teachings of a beloved Leader the work of directors, trustees, readers, editors, and others is both blessed and blessing. Under this Leader's inspiration the church triumphant found a local habitation in Boston, and it should not be forgotten that Mrs. Eddy declared unequivocally, as we read on page 320 of "Miscellaneous Writings," "The star of Bethlehem is the star of Boston, high in the zenith of Truth's domain, that looketh down on the long night of human beliefs, to pierce the darkness and melt into dawn."

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