Church Building

The rapid growth of the Christian Science movement has brought us to an era of church building, and every earnest student is striving to learn something of the true method of carrying forward this great work.

The real Church is a spiritual idea; and this idea must be established in consciousness before church members are ready to build a church edifice. Humanly speaking, each branch church is aggregation of the mentalities of its members; hence, true construction must begin in the individual consciousness and continue to unfold there until, collectively, members are ready to express this activity in church building.

In her textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” (p.583), Mrs. Eddy defines “Church,” in part, as “the structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.” By its spiritual nature Church is perfect and complete; and this true idea of Church will dispel any and every claim of error that would attach itself to our churches—every phase of inharmony produced by the belief of many minds with their limited sense of good. In the infinite range of divine Mind there is no limitation. Limited love, limited supply, limited ability, are alike unknown to God; and that which has no place in divine Mind has no part in spiritual man.

The Christian Science Movement is the activity of Truth in the consciousness of individual Christian Scientists, and it is advanced or retarded according to the truth or error held in the consciousness of its adherents. The fullness of the reappearing of the kingdom of heaven on earth, of the Church that is the body of Christ, Truth thus depends upon the faithfulness of Christian Scientists, upon their loyalty to the truth which has been revealed. True construction is thus an individual problem.

Infinite Mind expresses itself continuously and eternally. The omniaction of God, Spirit, the never ceasing unfoldment of good, men have designated creation. This unfolding comes to the student in proportion to his understanding of the one Mind and its beneficent activity.

As in human experience the shadow follows the movement of the sun, so the serpent seems to follow every activity of Truth. In Science and Health (p.594) “serpent” is defined, in part, as “the first lie of limitation.” The spiritual freedom and beauty of God’s universe are beyond its comprehension; and so its suggestions come to Christian Scientists to-day when they would build an edifice that is to express their understanding of the healing Church of Christ, Scientist, striving to make them fear to trust God and go forward in fulfillment of their holy purpose. This is not a new argument. It was the same in the beginning —darkness, chaos, fear! But omnipresent Spirit, good, reveals itself in the decree, “Let there be light.” Fear has no place in light; it thrives but in darkness. In the light of spiritual understanding Christian Scientists build their churches. The Psalmist said: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. … It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late.” It is not unaided human endeavor but divine understanding, shown forth in constant activity, that builds the house. Spiritual activity is the most practical and the most efficient power known to mankind.

He whom we call Master was the master builder. Christ Jesus built for time and eternity. He revealed to the consciousness of those who were ready for the vision a new heaven and a new earth where good reigns, and where life is ever beautiful and harmonious. He was and is the Way-shower, and if we are to be successful builders we must learn his way and follow in it.

The parable of the prodigal son may be said to epitomize the Master’s instructions. Though his father’s possessions were very great, the prodigal wandered away from his home to a strange land, where he become poor, miserable even hungry. To mortal sense it may seem incredible that by a simple act of obedience he could obtain all that was necessary for his comfort, happiness, and usefulness. Yet this was the way he recovered that which he had lost. He had to recognize and acknowledge that he was in the wrong environment, and that there was a right place for him—his father’s house—where there was enough and to spare. Then he had to arise and go there. He would not have made much progress had he listened to the suggestions that he might not be able to find the way; that he had not much knowledge of direction, or talent for discovery; and that even if he did find the way, as he had become debilitated through lack of proper food and rest, he could not hope to have strength enough to make the journey. The serpent may have offered suggestions such as these, and many others, but the prodigal did not stop to listen; he went forward, whether the way led him along pleasant paths, or through briers and brambles, and over rocky hills. Being willing and obedient, he did not have to wait until he had made the whole journey before receiving a reward, for “when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” And the father brought forth the best robe and clothed him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. All that the young man needed was ready and waiting for him.

Does the same serpent suggest to church members the lie of limited incomes and limited understanding, so that it does not seem wise to undertake to build? To accept this suggestion indicated that we have left our Father’s house—turned from divine Mind with its infinite supply—and have gone into the far country of false belief. Then we must follow the example of the prodigal: we must arise and go to our Father, divine Love, where we shall find abundance awaiting our acceptance.

The real man’s relationship to God necessarily includes his heritage as a son, and acknowledgment of this spiritual fact reveals abundance sufficient to fulfill every right endeavor. It enables the Christian Scientist to enter into possession of all that he needs, to prove that “now is the day of salvation” that now is God’s day of spiritual abundance.

Mrs. Eddy’s inspired statement, as given in “The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany” (p.5), “Wholly apart from this mortal dream, this illusion and delusion of sense, Christian Science comes to reveal man as God’s image, His idea, coexistent with Him—God giving all and man having all that God gives,” makes clear the way to obtain all that is needed to build a church or to carry out any good purpose. Church building, then, should be a joyous experience, and each edifice a testimonial to the presence and activity of divine Love and to the understanding and obedience of Christian Scientists.