Article October 17, 1908 Issue

CONSECRATION

L. T. EADY

IT is very interesting to notice, according to Young's Concordance, that in the original text of the Bible the word "consecrate" has a different meaning in the Old Testament and in the New. In the Old, the word means to devote, to separate, to set apart. In the New it occurs only twice, and then means to make new and to make perfect. This is surely significant, and typical of the manner in which mankind have regarded the thought of consecration as detailed in Bible history and in religious life.

In times past certain days were devoted to God, certain people separated for God's service, certain animals, vessels, etc., set apart for God. As in the community, so in the case of the individual,—one's first idea was that it was enough to set apart, consecrate, special days, one day a week, and of that only a few hours in which to think of God and higher things. Again, five minutes more or less were to be devoted to God. Gradually, as one grew spiritually. more time, more money were to be given and we were to separate more from the world. But what a deep and searching meaning is given to the word as we gain its higher meaning. If we are consecrated, we are to be perfect. Every day, every hour, every minute, is to be consecrated to God, good! This does not mean that we are to be physically separated from the world, or that we are to be engaged only in the orthodox conception of "Christian work," but that we are, as Paul tells us, to "walk in the Spirit," see the spiritual reality always and not the seeming discords; that we are to "abide" in Christ, Truth, and hold to the truth of being, whatever the lie of mortal sense may tell us.

Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 428), "We should consecrate existence . . . to the eternal builder, the everlasting Father, to the Life which mortal sense cannot impair nor mortal belief destroy." If we consecrate every thought to God, good, Love,—"bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,"—then the deeds and words, yea, the whole life will become consecrated, as the inevitable result; until spiritual sense has "quenched all earthly yearnings" (Science and Health, p. 314), and we become consciously one with God, even as Christ is one with the Father.

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