Article September 24, 1938 Issue

Ready to Build

ALICE MARIE TODD

What a joyous privilege it is to be associated with a Christian Science church that is preparing to build, and how necessary to know that the visible structure is but the outcome of the correct concept of Church! There must be a mental preparation before we are ready to build, and this preparation consists of the spiritualized thinking of the members. Mrs. Eddy defines "Church" in part as "the structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 583). The foundation being divine Principle, we can build spiritually only by reflecting the qualities of the one Mind.

A dictionary defines "proceed" as to "go, forward or onward; advance; continue; progress." Our only means, then, of proceeding or going forward as Christian Scientists is to reflect the divine attributes of God. In the second paragraph of her definition of "Church" (ibid., p. 583) Mrs. Eddy says, "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." This institution is giving evidence of its utility and power to heal by uplifting the thoughts of students of this Science and by rousing them from negative and apathetic thinking to the realization and demonstration of the truths of Christian Science. The outward expression of spiritual thinking should be orderly, hospitable, joyous, courteous, and tolerant. We should not attempt to give anything less than our best thinking to our church building.

There can be no unnecessary delay in starting building operations when we know that the material structure expresses outwardly our concept of the real Church, and that as we hold to the spiritual concept, the edifice will appear. The orderly unfoldment of spiritual values will free us from fear of criticism or a desire to compete with other churches. We shall then have a calm, happy sense of progress, in which anxiety has no part. In Isaiah we read, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Freedom to Act Rightly