Article March 22, 1924 Issue

The Individual Church Builder

NELL FLASH

A Christian Science church must be built within the consciousness of the individual church member. When the need of a new church home presents itself, it is the duty and privilege of each individual member to make preparations for the erection of the real Church within his own thought, knowing that "except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."

Our beloved Leader paved the way for us in her supervision of the building of The Mother Church. In her writings she has left no point untouched to guide and help us as we in turn establish the branch churches. She has given us a scientific definition of Church, on page 583 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and has told us what it must accomplish in order to be the tabernacle of God. She has taught us also in Science and Health (p. 269) that "metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul;" and as rapidly as each individual member lays aside his material sense of church, examining his own thought and fearlessly casting out every belief that is unworthy of the Christ-mind, he begins to establish the foundation of the Church built on the rock, Christ Jesus.

There is in reality only one spiritual Church, however many different human opinions there may be about it; and it is that Church which rouses "the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick" (Science and Health, p. 583). This structure must be based upon the understanding of divine Principle. It must be the manifestation of Truth. This Church must heal. But only as the individual church member loves and lives the truth can he heal; and only as he heals can he build. The member's first duty is, therefore, to watch his thinking, knowing that man reflects infinite wisdom in deciding what thoughts are to enter or be barred from consciousness, and never forgetting that each and every thought should be constructive.

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