Anyone seeking a more meaningful life, looking for a way out of stalemate or hectic confusion, can be assured that right now there is a spiritual route open. Christ comes to the chaos and void, the doubt and indecision of material thinking, bringing purpose and order. And the beginning of the way out is right where the seeking one is at this moment.

That glorious scriptural theme of Christly action—"And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters"—first appears in a context of chaos, when "the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." ^{Gen. 1:2.} What follows is orderly creation, a structuring of the universe.

The Bible covers centuries in its record of the movement of the Christ. This movement reached its fullest amplification in Jesus' life, which so richly expressed this action that he is the only man ever rightfully called the Christ. Not only did the Master heal, but he inspired his followers with high spiritual purpose, giving order and meaning to their lives. The Church of Christ, Scientist, fulfills this structuring role in our day.

On two different occasions I found that joining a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, shifted my life into focus. The first time, a Christian Scientist friend, noting our struggle to relocate, asked, "Why don't you establish your church home first?" The question incidentally uncovered a subtle desire to get out of church work. I'd been very active but had momentarily lost sight of the great value such work, prayerfully done, has in giving inspired direction and order to our lives. We applied for membership in the branch church in the area where we might settle. Even before we were accepted, new avenues for service had opened; we'd found a house and moved to within a few blocks of the church. The second experience was much like the first. In this instance we weren't actually planning to move, but our becoming active in a branch church precipitated a much-needed change of location.

Of course, this look at these experiences is from hindsight. Our joining church was not simply a human act—certainly not a materially based decision with reasoning such as, I need more meaningful work or I want to relocate, so I'll just join church. "Our church," Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health, "is built on the divine Principle, Love. We can unite with this church only as we are new-born of Spirit, as we reach the Life which is Truth and the Truth which is Life by bringing forth the fruits of Love,—casting out error and healing the sick." ^{Science and Health, p. 35.} Our lives had been moved by the Christ to a higher purpose; we had progressed somewhat in "bringing forth the fruits of Love."

Such Christly action can be released in any life, no matter how meaningless that life may appear to be. As one gains even a little understanding of Christ Jesus' career, of the orderly power for good that underlay his healing ministry, one is beginning to understand Church. An individual recognizing that he or she can be instrumental in bringing relief from suffering, and in helping mankind out of belief in sinful materiality, is ready for church work. And as he does this work, it is no wonder that greater order appears in his own life.

Church, itself, means structure, being defined in Science and Health this way: "Church. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." ^{Ibid., p. 583.} The Church of Christ, Scientist, represents this structure, providing avenues for a scientific, exact knowledge of God and His universe to be gained and demonstrated. The demonstration involves forgiving, forestalling, destroying sin; relieving distress; and healing sickness. Such demonstrations of divine Principle reflect the structure of Truth and Love in orderly, more sinless, healthful living. This structure is never constrictive nor rigid but reflects Christ's nature infinitely unfolding in goodness.

Christly activity—the manifestation of God embracing earth—is, in a sense, the human church. Mrs. Eddy defines it this way: "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."

As Christ rouses the understanding, one is indeed uniting with this church, which would manifest itself in activity. Such genuine spiritual affiliation with church offers a structuring to our experience that nothing else can. Lives brought into harmony with Church—the very structure of reality—gain form. Voids are filled, and Christly light reveals the all-good universe of God's creating, bringing a healing order to whatever needs it.

BEULAH M. ROEGGE