Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896 Part 27

No one could buy, sell, or mortgage my gift as I had it conveyed. Thus the case rested, and I supposed the trustee-deed was legal; but this was G.o.d's business, not mine. Our church was prospered by the right hand of His righteousness, and contributions to the Building Fund [15]

generously poured into the treasury. Unity prevailed,- till mortal man sought to know who owned G.o.d's temple, and adopted and urged only the material side of this question.

The lot of land which I donated I redeemed from under [20]

mortgage. The foundation on which our church was to be built had to be rescued from the grasp of legal power, and now it must be put back into the arms of Love, if we would not be found fighting against G.o.d.

The diviner claim and means for upbuilding the Church [25]

of Christ were prospered. Our t.i.tle to G.o.d's acres will be safe and sound-when we can "read our t.i.tle clear"

to heavenly mansions. Built on the rock, our church will stand the storms of ages: though the material super- structure should crumble into dust, the fittest would sur- [30]

vive,-the spiritual idea would live, a perpetual type of the divine Principle it reflects.

[Page 141.]

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, our prayer in [1]

stone, will be the prophecy fulfilled, the monument up- reared, of Christian Science. It will speak to you of the Mother, and of your hearts' offering to her through whom was revealed to you G.o.d's all-power, all-presence, and [5]

all-science. This building begun, will go up, and no one can suffer from it, for no one can resist the power that is behind it; and against this church temple "the gates of h.e.l.l" cannot prevail.

All loyal Christian Scientists hail with joy this pro- [10]

posed type of universal Love; not so, however, with error, which hates the bonds and methods of Truth, and shudders at the freedom, might, and majesty of Spirit, -even the annihilating law of Love.

I vindicate both the law of G.o.d and the laws of our [15]

land. I believe,-yea, I understand,-that with the spirit of Christ actuating all the parties concerned about the legal quibble, it can easily be corrected to the satis- faction of all. Let this be speedily done. Do not, I im- plore you, stain the early history of Christian Science by [20]

the impulses of human will and pride; but let the divine will and the n.o.bility of human meekness rule this busi- ness transaction, in obedience to the law of Love and the laws of our land.

As the amba.s.sador of Christ's teachings, I admonish [25]

you: Delay not longer to commence building our church in Boston; or else return every dollar that you yourselves declare you have had no legal authority for obtaining, to the several contributors,-and let them, not you, say what shall be done with their money. [30]

Of our first church in Boston, O recording angel!

write: G.o.d is in the midst of her: how beautiful are her

[Page 142.]

feet! how beautiful are her garments! how hath He en- [1]

larged her borders! how hath He made her wildernesses to bud and blossom as the rose!

With love, MARY BAKER EDDY

To Donors Of Boat, From Toronto, Canada.

Written on receipt of a beautiful boat presented by Christian Scientists in Toronto, for the little pond at Pleasant View. The boat displays, among other beautiful decorations, a number of masonic symbols. [10]

_Beloved Students and Friends_:-Accept my thanks for the beautiful boat and presentation poem. Each day since they arrived I have said, Let me write to the donors, -and what?

My first impression was to indite a poem; my second, [15]

a psalm; my third, a letter. Why the letter alone? Be- cause your dear hearts expressed in their lovely gift such varying types of true affection, shaded as autumn leaves with bright hues of the spiritual, that my Muse lost her lightsome lyre, and imagery of thought gave place to [20]

chords of feeling too deep for words.

A boat song seemed more Olympian than the psalm in spiritual strains of the Hebrew bard. So I send my answer in a commonplace letter. Poor return, is it not? [25]

The symbols of freemasonry depicted on the boat wakened memory, touched tender fibres of thought, and I longed to say to the masonic brothers: If as a woman I may not unite with you in freemasonry, nor you with me in Christian Science, yet as friends we can feel the [30]

[Page 143.]

touch of heart to heart and hand to hand, on the broad [1]

basis and sure foundation of true friends.h.i.+p's "level"

and the "square" of moral sentiments.

My dear students may have explained to the kind par- tic.i.p.ants in beautifying this boat our spiritual points, [5]

above the plane of matter. If so, I may hope that a closer link hath bound us. Across lakes, into a kingdom, I reach out my hand to clasp yours, with this silent bene- diction: May the kingdom of heaven come in each of your hearts! [10]

With love, MARY BAKER EDDY

Address,-Laying The Corner-Stone.

_Beloved Students_:-On the 21st day of May, A.D.

1894, with quiet, imposing ceremony, is laid the corner- [15]

stone of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist," in Boston.

It gives me great pleasure to say that you, princ.i.p.ally the Normal cla.s.s graduates of my College, well known physicians, teachers, editors, and pastors of churches, [20]

by contributions of one thousand dollars each, husband and wife reckoned as one, have, within about three months, donated the munificent sum of forty-two thou- sand dollars toward building The Mother Church. A quiet call from me for this extra contribution, in aid of [25]

our Church Building Fund, found you all "with one accord in one place." Each donation came promptly; sometimes at much self-sacrifice, but always accompanied with a touching letter breathing the donor's privileged joy.

[Page 144.]

The granite for this church was taken from the quar- [1]

ries in New Hamps.h.i.+re, my native State. The money for building "Mother's Room," situated in the second story of the tower on the northeast corner of this build- ing, and the name thereof, came from the dear children [5]

of Christian Scientists; a little band called Busy Bees, organized by Miss Maurine R. Campbell.

On this memorable day there are laid away a copy of this address, the subscription list on which appear your several names in your own handwriting, your textbook, [10]

"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and other works written by the same author, your teacher, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;(4) without pomp or pride, laid away as a sacred secret in the heart of a rock, there to typify the prophecy, "And a man [15]

shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; ... as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land:" henceforth to whisper our Master's promise, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of h.e.l.l shall not prevail against it." [20]

To-day, be this hope in each of our hearts,-precious in G.o.d's sight as shall be the a.s.sembling of His people in this temple, sweet as the rest that remaineth for the righteous, and fresh as a summer morn,-that, from earth's pillows of stone, our visible lives are rising to [25]

G.o.d. As in the history of a seed, so may our earthly sowing bear fruit that exudes the inspiration of the wine poured into the cup of Christ.

To-day I pray that divine Love, the life-giving Prin- ciple of Christianity, shall speedily wake the long night [30]

of materialism, and the universal dawn shall break upon the spire of this temple. The Church, more than any

[Page 145.]

other inst.i.tution, at present is the cement of society, and [1]