In a rural community where two Protestant churches were located the attendants were instructed to synchronize the bell ringing so that one bell would chime and then pause and wait for the first tone of the other. Then the first would ring again, followed by the second, continuing until the end of the call to church. Since they were associated often with shady trees and the caressing tones of the turtledove floating out upon the Sabbath stillness, these two bells, not particularly musical when rung separately, became the symbols of co-operation when united, building into the youthful thought of the writer a great reverence for church.

Grateful indeed may one be whose early training has taught him love of church, for with it go the building of character and respect for law and order. Such foundation, well laid, provides a basis for the erection of a superstructure of love for one's fellow men without which Christianity loses its meaning. The world often thinks of church as a human organization made up of widely varying personalities, using the same ritual and ceremony, and uniting in an attempt to reach the divine. Spiritual discernment reveals that the real Church is an idea of God. Mary Baker Eddy saw this truth and gave it to the world in her Soul-inspired definition of "Church" found in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which reads in part (p. 583): "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."

Such revelation was not the result of a moment's inspiration, but of years of careful study and consecration. Mrs. Eddy says on page 359 of Science and Health: "From Puritan parents, the discoverer of Christian Science early received her religious education. In childhood, she often listened with joy to these words, falling from the lips of her saintly mother, 'God is able to raise you up from sickness;' and she pondered the meaning of that Scripture she so often quotes: 'And these signs shall follow them that believe; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.'"

Through understanding the truth expressed by such Biblical passages our Leader was able to bring back to Christianity the lost element of healing. In the rest of her definition of "Church" she points out that the healing element is the necessary concomitant of Church. She continues the definition in its human connotation: "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."

Here is no dreamy mysticism which finds emotional satisfaction in reverie, but communion with God which results in practical application and fulfillment. It is through such communion that a successful church is built. Through loving contemplation one finds with gratitude that Love, Truth, Principle, are not mere abstractions, but active power which manifests itself in daily healing and fulfilled needs.

Love, Truth, Principle—these three meaningful synonyms are used in Mrs. Eddy's definition of Church. For those faced with the demand for a new church building, how satisfying to know that the real structure, the structure of Truth, of Love, of Principle, is already built, is coexistent with God, and is complete throughout eternity. As one awakens from the material dream of existence, he begins to discover more and more clearly the meaning of these three words. They express the spiritual revelation of reality—Love building its own patterns, Truth enlarging its own understanding, Principle providing the rhythmic reality through which Love is recognized.

A child early learns the meaning of truth. Usually one of his first lessons is to speak the truth. As he develops, he realizes how truth is needed in all his human affairs and in all his relations with others. But such truth must reach a higher level to approach the meaning Mrs. Eddy uses in her definition of Church. By capitalizing the word "Truth" when speaking of God, she signifies Love, Principle. These three terms are synonymous, but they carry distinctive meanings. To reach an understanding of these words is to glimpse something of the divine revelation which must have come to the amazed Peter when he saw his Lord walking on the water, or to Mary when she stood at the sepulcher of the risen Jesus. Here was Truth pointing out the fallacy of material substance and unveiling the glorious reality of Spirit.

Nothing can erase Truth; nothing can change it. The carnal thought cannot grasp its meaning, for its presence must be revealed to the spiritualized consciousness attained through prayer and the earnest desire to know and do God's will. As one manifests more of the Christ in consciousness, he realizes the effects of Truth referred to in the latter part of the definition of Church. It is in spiritualized consciousness that church building takes place.

A member of a Church of Christ, Scientist, which was forwarding a building program, found herself suddenly confronted with the need to support a relative. This appeared to her to be an attempt of mortal mind to upset her church activity and to cripple her ability to make the contributions which she had planned to make for the building program. Through applying the rules of Christian Science to her problem, her thought was spiritualized, and she saw that the help she was giving a fellow being was church building in its most effective form. Through this understanding she was quickly relieved of the responsibility, and her relative was lifted out of the mesmerism which had bound him. It is the serpentine lie that repudiates the human duty of an individual toward his brother. True Church is found active in "elevating the race." No greater building effort can be found than that of service to our fellow men.

Love, Truth, Principle, which are revealed to the members of a church as they joyfully co-operate on a building program, will remove friction, strain, and mismanagement. Co-operation becomes a reality, even as in the days of Nehemiah when the ancient builders looked upon the walls of Jerusalem and said (Neh. 4:6), "So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work." This "mind to work" lies in the eager expression of brotherly consideration through which stumbling blocks are removed and effective efforts are promoted. Pet schemes are laid aside, human opinions about architecture, landscaping, or financial arrangements are blended into practical steps as church members learn it is not human unity that makes for strength, but Love realized through divine inspiration.

Is the church furnishing proof of its utility? Is it elevating one's brother? Is it rousing understanding that has lain dormant? Is it transferring faith from the mortal basis of belief to a greater trust and understanding of God? If so, we need not fear for the completion of its building.