Article September 13, 1941 Issue

Church Membership

MOLLIE ORR WALDRON

The discovery by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, of the exact Science underlying the teachings and practice of Christ Jesus is being proved, in an ever-increasing degree, to be of inestimable value to the growth of true Christianity. Before the Science of Christianity was brought to light, the truth as taught and exemplified by Jesus and practiced by the primitive Christians, had been lost sight of, and its practical usefulness in human affairs obscured by a blind faith in the personality of Jesus. It remained for our inspired Leader to perceive that the Master's marvelous dominion over error was not a special gift to him, but came from his understanding of God. Her profound study of his words and works revealed the fact to her that his unfailing success was based on his understanding of the Science of Mind and his unswerving obedience to the rules of this Science.

Of the great Master Mrs. Eddy states on page 313 of the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe." She also says (ibid., P. 98), "Mystery does not enshroud Christ's teachings, and they are not theoretical and fragmentatry, but practical and complete; and being practical and complete, they are not deprived of their essential vitality." Students of Christian Science can, therefore, turn with confidence to these practical and complete teachings for the rules with which to meet and solve every human problem, be it great or small.

One problem which may sometimes confront the members of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, is the suggestion that the church is not manifesting a sufficient measure of spiritual growth and activity. The error may present itself as a lack of new members, of willing workers, of supply, or as any other form of insufficiency. Should there seem to be but few new members, perhaps mortal mind argues that the community is no longer a fertile field for growth. The falsity of this aggressive mental suggestion will not long deceive the alert student of the Bible and our Leader's writings. He has but to turn to the record of Jesus' life and ministry to learn that whether he was in the home or the temple, at the seaside, or in the wilderness, multitudes sought him to hear his comforting words, and to see and experience his marvelous healing works. Remembering this, it is well to ask ourselves, What was the power manifested by Jesus which attracted the multitudes to him? To those who "murmured" at his words, he said: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: ... Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me."

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