Milford chronicle., 1946-05-24
Church Membership Requires Spir-
itual Growth and Demonstration

Church Membership Requires Spir-
itual Growth and Demonstration
In the Preface 10 her textbook our
Leader writes %. XII. When God
called the author to proclaim His
Gospel to this age there came also
the charge to plant and water His
vineyard
The press and platform have often
spoken of Mrs. Eddv's remarkable
achievement IN establishing her
cause. Her nerrlng wisdom in or
ganlzing the Christian Science move
n.ent might appear to the world as
mere business Sagacity. But by those
who have proved the truth of Chris
tlan Science III demonstration, her
great accomplishment is seen as the
evidence of spiritual revelation and
divine guidance Passing through a
hed Sea of religious medical SChO-
laStic, and social opposition, steps
which were directed by prayer, Spir-
itual WatChingS for Gods guidance.
purity Of thought, conservation. de
VOtiOn unrivaled since the time of
Christ Jesus, led her to the founding
of the Christian Science church on
the rock of Christ. Truth-an eter-
nally enduring foundation
Christian Science is spiritual and
imperSOnal. But the church organ
i2ation has to be carried ON by per-
sons who are still more or less en-
numbered by material beliefs. Chris
tian Scientists therefore find that
church membership makes great de
mandS upon them for growth IN Spir-
itual understanding. They do not
Immediately solve all their human
problems. but learn to work out these
problems through the demonstration
of Christian Science. In the church
they are working with others on the
same basis of Principle. Thus one
helps the other and the result IS
unity of thought and action.
We need to have great patience
with the other fellow. but We should
not be weakly tolerant with ourselves
concerning what is un-Christlike.
UnSeltishneSS is the natural state
of man, for man is the expression Of
the one infinite Mind which is Love.
| UnSeltiShnesS is not false modeSty.
| The best characters have never even
| known they We're unSelfSh. When
| the divine Mind is expressed in our
| thinking We do not StOOp to con-
gratulate ourselves upon being good.
| UAceltlShneSS or SelfleSSncSS is pure
Science. 1t is our expression of true
Being. A selfish aim or effort i'm
plies limited mentality, localized
narrow views ant, desires. and is
typical of the "Small-scale individ-
u2l," characterized by Sir Alfred
Zlmmcrn as the greatest obstacle to
the building OF eternal world peace.
| UnSCl1lShNeSS. spontaneous and free
opens the thought to the vast pos
sibiNtleS of Mind, in which fear has
no abiding place.
When anything is accomplished by
exact Science the individual enter
tainS no personal Ieeling of fear but
stands with divine Truth and i,
Screnely secure. One need not feal
to deny false SelthOOd. for in dem
OnStrati0n OF Christian Science he
discovers his individuality, his true
selfhO0d, forever at peace in divine
Principle, which is OmnipOtent The
belief of life in matter is a phase OF
SeltiShneSS. The understanding thai
Life is Spirit is the true basis Of un-
SeltiShncSS and reveals true indi-
yiduality.
Through spiritual understanding
and the progressive unfOldment O.
qualities Of character which express
the goodness of God. the intelligenc,
which is divine Mind, the beauty o
consciousness which is Soul, we eX
perience salvation To bring saliva
ton to mankind through spiritua
awakening is a function of church
"WiSt We not that l must be abou
; my Fathers buSineSS?" With gentl
admonition Jesus rebuked the hu
man sense of mother love Whicl
, would have held him under tn
, measurement of years. Again. thi
was not merely the tWelve-y -year-o
, child speaking, but the Christ-eX
pressing consciousness which evi
, denced no limitation of years. bu
P no doubt. saw far beyond the limite
2 concepts of priests and rabbiS. Yeal
! dO not measure wisdom. l once hear
= a Christian Scientist call to the al
f tentlOn Of group OF college student
Mrs. Eddy'S assertion on page 246 {
\ our textbook, The measurement {
I Life by solar years robs youth an
= gives uglineSS to age" How does tn
s time measurement rob youth? 3
d laying down laws which demand thu
G only years can give wisdom, pOiS
= balance, keenneSS of mental pei
- CeptiOn.
Y Christian Science points out thI
s through demonstration we can el
V press thee valuable qualities
l character in our youth as well as
a our more advanced years. A vel
e known periodical recently cited tn
l. Jefferson was thirty-three when
Ie drafted the Declaration of Indepent
,e ence; Dickens twenty-five when
If wrote oliver Twist and McCO
n mick tWenty-three when he invent,
ID the reaper. Teachers in a Christii
II Science Sunday School will adm
m that they are often taught much
their pupils. This is because thrOuI
8 demonstration Christian Scien
Of Sunday School teaching is seen
II the untOldment of the divine Mi
is III the experience of those who a
< called pupils as well as those W
I'd are called teachers.
- Blessing to Humanity of our
~ Reading Rooms
ed To meet the neeuS of the public
L nave our Reading Rooms A Chr
u tian Science Reading Room fulf
an the fundamental purpose OF buSin,