Our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, sent the following commendatory message to a branch church at the time of its dedication (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 195): "The praiseworthy success of this church, and its united efforts to build an edifice in which to worship the infinite, sprang from the temples erected first in the hearts of its members—the unselfed love that builds without hands, eternal in the heaven of Spirit. God grant that this unity remain, and that you continue to build, rebuild, adorn, and fill these spiritual temples with grace, Truth, Life, and Love."

With these loving, yet arousing words in thought, let us look within our hearts and consider the temple we are erecting therein. On what is it founded? What is the quality of its walls, its adornment? With what is it filled? Many students of Christian Science have found that the work involved in building and dedicating branch church edifices has afforded them an excellent opportunity for this spiritual construction. Others, having become members of dedicated churches, need not let themselves be deprived of this inspiring and fruitful work.

Mrs. Eddy, in her divine revelation of Christian Science, has given us a clear and definite understanding that God is Love; that He is the one supreme, infinite Mind, the creator of all. Therefore, the foundation of our heart's temple must be laid on this great spiritual truth—the all-pervading supremacy of divine Love. The foundation itself is love, a deep reverence for God and Christ Jesus, devout love and appreciation of our Leader, for the great movement she established, and sincere gratitude for her revelation of God's true nature and man's relation to Him.

Figuratively, walls are symbolic of defense and protection, as stones are of strength, purity, and beauty. The prophet Isaiah, in his beautiful promise to the church, used this symbol when he said, "I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." The walls of our structure, therefore, must be of the sterling qualities of pure spirituality that will ensure against all possible attacks of the carnal mind, which Paul tells us is "enmity against God."

We shall readily see that the first stone we need to lay on our foundation of love is humility—that quality of thought which joyously acknowledges the supremacy of divine intelligence and power, and clearly perceives that one's ability and achievement are but expressions of what God does for man. Humility enables us to cast aside timidity and fear and avail ourselves of the divine power always at hand.

This consciousness of man's oneness with God is actively expressed in a willingness to serve our branch church in whatever capacity may be presented, eagerly and expectantly saying. "Here am I, Father-Mother God; I am Thy servant." Serenely praying, "Thy will be done," and then faithfully and courageously carrying out His bidding, we cement the stones of obedience, trustworthiness, loyalty, unity, and unselfed love in the walls of our temple. Such walls prove a sure defense against the carnal mind's suggestions of pride, fear, apathy, personal desires, and human will.

Note the word "rebuild" in our Leader's message. Does not this signify the need to be always alert, on guard to see that the enemy in the form of destructive criticism, jealousy, and so on, does not get in to weaken our structure? These erroneous thoughts may creep like vines over the wall in our garden, finally covering the pure beauty and quality of the precious stones with which we set out to build.

Gratitude for the spiritual fact, as revealed in Christian Science, that divine Love impartially and ceaselessly affords each one of us unlimited opportunity intelligently to express our God-given ability and talent, will be our protection from the errors of jealousy and envy. Actively to engage in doing our own work, whatever it may be, in the highest manner of which we are capable, and charitably to realize that our brother man is doing the same—this will be our defense against the temptation to judge and criticize. This leaves our brother free to erect his heart's temple as God directs him, and brings to us an abundant sense of peace and joy, purifying and sweetening the atmosphere of our temple.

Many have found that the desire to be actuated by meekness and teachableness, a willingness to listen to and profit by constructive criticism, has been of inestimable value in spiritual unfoldment. It is well, however, before attempting to point the way for another, to ask ourselves if we love enough to be helpful. Mrs. Eddy tells us (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 571), "It requires the spirit of our blessed Master to tell a man his faults, and so risk human displeasure for the sake of doing right and benefiting our race."

One day during a telephone conversation a student of Christian Science received a sharp rebuke from another student. She resented the correction, feeling that it had been given in a spirit of revenge, and left the telephone in a state of self-righteous indignation. Her desire, however, was not to entertain this state of thought, because she recognized it as a suggestion of the carnal mind which would rob her of her peace and joy; and she prayed that she might discern the truth to overcome it.

Walking to a window and looking out upon her garden, she noticed a few poorly developed plants from seed sown while the ground was still very cold, and immediately she saw the lesson to be applied to her problem. Criticism given or received in the spirit of self-love and self-righteousness is like seeds sown in the chill of early spring. These seeds are slow to mature, apt to bring forth bitter and undeveloped fruit, and some do not mature at all.

To bring forth its proper fruit, criticism must be constructive; it must be given and received in the warmth of unselfed love, in the spirit of the Christ, as our Leader tells us. The student was healed and knew that her friend also would be blessed by the lesson. If we continue to rebuild with the precious stones of humility, obedience, faithfulness, unity, and unselfed love, there will be nothing for destructive criticism and jealousy to cling to.

Let us, then, keep our temples adorned with the beauty of brotherly love, work together and rejoice in each other's opportunity for service and spiritual unfoldment. In Science and Health (p. 295) we read: "God creates and governs the universe, including man. The universe is filled with spiritual ideas, which He evolves, and they are obedient to the Mind that makes them." From this we know that the temple we are erecting in our heart is not, cannot be, adorned with personalities. It is adorned with the precious jewels spoken of by Isaiah, with spiritual ideas imbued with such God-bestowed graces as meekness, selflessness, charity, temperance, all inspired with one purpose—to glorify God.

Our heart's temple, safe under the shadow of the Most High, gives forth an atmosphere of purity light, and love which attracts and leads to our branch churches those in need of healing. Thus is fulfilled the purpose for which the "Church of Christ, Scientist, was designed (see Manual, p. 17), and the way indicated to accept the invitation of our blessed Master, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."