Article April 29, 1922 Issue

Church Building in Christian Science

Anna Friendlich

[Reprinted by request from the Christian Science Sentinel, Nov. 21, 1908]

The Christian Science Church rises out of the love, gratitude, and inspiration of hearts chastened and lives rescued. Our building appears when impersonal love opens its eyes in the awakening heart. In Christian Science, building is healing. As the errors and sins, the ignorance and fears, in our own consciousness are healed, 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, fear of poverty, 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.

Apathy toward the Vine cannot build the branch church. 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. Christian Scientists guard carefully against unwilling dollars, 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.

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