Article April 21, 1928 Issue

The Cement of Self-Sacrifice

MILDRED SPRING CASE

Many and varied are the stones requisite for the building of a Christian Science church, the white stones of purity, the strong stones of obedience, the radiant stones of gratitude, and the unyielding stones of scientific demonstration being among the chief of those required. How glorious it is to lay one stone upon another and see the walls of the spiritual structure appear in the chastened hearts of the members of some earnest organization! Any group of Christian Scientists going prayerfully through this experience will look upon it as one of deepest blessing and inspiration, individually and collectively; for true building enters into the minutiæ of daily living, purifying and elevating it. It cannot be done without prayer, for true church building is the unfoldment of the spiritual structure in consciousness. A member may watch the material walls of a church arise, and even aid in the material work, but unless he himself conscientiously lays stone upon stone in building the inner temple, he is not really participating in the building of a Christian Science church. Furthermore, if a Christian Science church does not express the warmth, the assurance, and the progressive unfoldment of Christian Science, it is because the members are not building spiritual stone upon spiritual stone within themselves.

It sometimes happens that an organization has been striving earnestly to see the spiritual church, and to let it unfold in thought. As members they have excavated many an error in order that the foundation might be solidly laid in Spirit. They have been gathering in, one after another, the stones of clearer understanding, of unity, of cooperation, of harmony. They have seen the need of and have striven for gratitude, purity, alertness, service, and love; they have earnestly turned to God alone as the eternal Builder, as the only source of supply, and they realize that it is through God's power alone that this church can appear. One by one have the black crumbling stones of criticism, fear, disunity, inharmony, of belief in fewness of members and lack of wealth been discarded in the consciousness of the members. The old, musty corner stone, on the face of which is transcribed, "Money is the builder," has been examined and pronounced unworthy. (It was not money that built the temple for the children of Israel.) Yet the walls do not seem to be rising progressively. Is there still something necessary for the building of this holy temple? Let us see.

In building a material church what a sad plight it would be if all the stones and beams had been acquired, if all the excavating had been done and the workmen were there ready and willing to do their work, and someone said, "Why! We have no mortar, no cement!" The beautiful stones might be brought together and laid one upon another, but it would not be a structure able to withstand the storms and winds. Now, is not the name of this necessary cement "self-sacrifice"? For if we think of it we see that as a product of Love, self-sacrifice undoubtedly does unite and hold together all the lovely qualities of thought.

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