Article May 16, 1953 Issue

CONSECRATION IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE

VIVIEN U. LYNCH

To the student of Christian Science, church attendance is a joyous experience. He looks forward to the Sunday service and the Wednesday testimony meeting as the high points in his week. His purpose in attending church is twofold: he goes both to receive and to give. The beginner in the study of Christian Science starts his church attendance perhaps with the thought of receiving only; but after he learns something of the basic truths of Christian Science he finds that he must give if he is to continue receiving. Every consistent churchgoer does well to reevaluate now and again his motive and attitude toward church attendance.

When one recognizes that the service of a Church of Christ, Scientist, is planned to heal and that the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, are the impersonal preachers, one approaches the service with reverence. He listens with a humble heart, and thus he is blessed, for a humble heart is a receptive heart. To be reverent toward a church service is to have respect for it, to listen humbly to it, and to love it. This reverent attitude could not possibly include criticism of the way the service is conducted or of those who conduct it. Further-more, one with a reverent attitude of thought could not feel bored or uncomfortable, but would be grateful both for the Word of Truth and for the efforts of those who make the service possible. Finally there would be a joyous sense, for where there is love and gratitude and appreciation, without a hint of criticism, there is also great joy.

The Psalmist in a spirit of reverent gratitude sang (Ps. 100:4), "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Again (Ps. 35: 18), "I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people." Here we have reverent humility (Ps. 84: 10): "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

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"SONGS OF DELIVERANCE"
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