Article January 4, 1930 Issue

New Birth, Creation, and Building

CORNELIUS CROSBY WEBSTER

After quoting from the Biblical account of creation, as contained in the first chapter of Genesis, our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, asks the question on page 504 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "Was not this a revelation instead of a creation?" The affirmation implied in the answer which this question obviously anticipates, must be equally true of Christian Science church building. If we keep in view that part of the definition on page 583 of the textbook, to the effect that the real Church is "the structure of Truth and Love," it is evident that this structure is already and eternally erected, and that it needs only to be unfolded to individual apprehension.

Truth and Love are ever active, not static; and as Mrs. Eddy further says of all of God's creations, they must, because of the infinite nature of their source, be forever appearing and forever continuing to appear (see Science and Health, p. 507). Like as with the human concept of man, as Christ Jesus told Nicodemus, so the human concept of church must be born anew; and perhaps again and again, becoming successively less material and more spiritual, until the human and material elements cease their seeming domination.

From the human standpoint of unfolding understanding, the temple needs to be erected or lifted up; but from the standpoint of absolute Truth it is already erected, complete, and needs only to be perceived. The human concept needs to be resurrected, or raised above seeming dependence upon material modes. Christ Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." May not this be in fulfillment of the injunction from the book of the prophet Isaiah to "lift up a standard for the people"?

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