Article February 28, 1948 Issue

THE TRUE IMPORT OF CHURCH

LUCILE ROOD

During recent years many Christian Scientists stationed far away from their familiar church learned something more of the deep meaning of true Church as spiritual. One student in such a circumstance had been an active member of a Christian Science branch church for many years. While she had expressed audible gratitude therefor, she had never fully appreciated the true import of Church until she was deprived of church attendance and activity.

Feeling very much alone without even an English-speaking companion, she turned to the definition of "Church" given on page 583 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, which begins with these words: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." She paused to realize that divine Truth, Love, and Principle are as universal and ever present as is the sunshine or the principle of mathematics. Therefore, true Church must be universal and available wherever she might be, for the true sense of Church is included in the individual consciousness of man.

Since the true idea of Church evidences God's presence, its expression is not limited to a material structure. We are conscious of this Church in the measure that we gain a deeper sense of Love's omnipresence, a clearer understanding of God's allness and perfection and of man's unity with and inseparability from his divine source.

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