Article September 30, 1944 Issue

Demonstrating Unity in Our Churches

CORA CATHERINE MASON

In many ways we members of the Christian Science church can feel a deep kinship with those groups of early Christians of whom we read in the Acts and epistles. Once more there is spiritual healing among us, and the growing individual perception of a kingdom not of this world. Are we bringing out the proofs of that spirit of active unity which was preached by Paul and John? This spirit was defined by Christ Jesus when he said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Are we achieving this Christian unity? It is a serious question. If we neglect that fundamental teaching of the early church, "Ye are all one in Christ Jesus," we shall not prove our claim that we also are his disciples.

It is said of the disciples that when the light of inspiration came upon them on the day of Pentecost, "they were all of one accord in one place." It is our desire also that our churches shall be lit by the inspiration of pure Spirit, which is the basis of unity. We cannot gain the power of spiritual oneness by the cumulative weight of human thinking. This cannot be what is meant by being "of one accord." In fact our Church Manual does everything possible to encourage freedom of individual judgment. We have no creed; we are forbidden to use formulas, and our church services make no use of ritualistic repetitions.

In thoughtful silence we listen to the reading of "the scientific statement of being" on page 468 of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Silently each individual turns to God, the Father-Mother of all, in preparation for a spiritually enlightened repetition of the Lord's Prayer. Our very gathering together on Sunday to hear the Lesson-Sermon is the culmination of a week of individual study. Mrs. Eddy acted with conscious wisdom when she gave us this protection from the counterfeit of true unity. She says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 138), "I once thought that in unity was human strength; but have grown to know that human strength is weakness,—that unity is divine might, giving to human power, peace."

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