Article December 29, 1928 Issue

The Church Triumphant

JOHN C. KEENAN, JR.

Those who are engaged in the various activities of Christian Science church work are continually striving to spiritualize their concept of church, in order that they may better express more of true and righteous activity. The spiritual concept of the real Church, which Christian Science gives us, is unfolding in our thought "here a little, and there a little." And the only way to attain this ideal is to let go of all our false concepts symbolized or contained in ritual, creed, and dogma, thus preparing the way for the true spiritual concept. But we need not only to forsake false theological beliefs; we must strive earnestly for a more spiritualized consciousness, wherein dwells nothing "that defileth, ... or maketh a lie."

On page 583 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy defines "Church" thus: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle. The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing 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."

On page 269 of the same textbook our Leader writes, "Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul." Then she goes on to say, "These ideas are perfectly real and tangible to spiritual consciousness." In trying to realize what the true Church is, we do not think about a material structure or about mortals; we go beyond the "objects of sense," as our Leader says, to "the ideas of Soul;" we strive to realize the true ideas which constitute the Church Triumphant. When we realize that the real temple of worship is the "structure of Truth and Love," we know that the house of God is wholly spiritual. This structure is the true Church of Christ.

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