Article January 25, 1913 Issue

"PUT OFF THY SHOES"

ELSIE L. WIGHTMAN.

Moses, an exile from his early home, was going about his daily duties—tasks which might seem unworthy of one who had occupied the status which had been his at Pharaoh's court. Nevertheless, in his present position the vision was possible that had been veiled from his sight when more closely surrounded by earthly splendors. He had passed from the bewildering glare of mortal greatness, through the wilderness, through "loneliness; doubt; darkness," until he came to the back of the wilderness, "the vestibule in which a material sense of things disappears, and spiritual sense unfolds the great facts of existence" (Science and Health, p. 597), thence to emerge into the way which led to the promised land of communion with God and the companionship of His spiritual creation. So to his consciousness came the command: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

The vision was not that which was to be worshiped, nor was it to be examined with curiosity or open-mouthed astonishment; it was to inspire the recognition of the omnipresent and all-creative divine Mind—a God confined not within temples nor to the heights where His servant at some future time would speak with Him face to face, but ever-present, to be worshiped in "the place whereon thou standest." Here Moses gained a first glimpse of the truth that "God is All-in-all; and you can never be outside of His oneness" (Unity of Good, p. 24); therefore the attitude demanded must be not a temporary but a permanent one. The outward act was but the human sign of spiritual unfoldment, and because human it was changeable and impermanent. The spiritual fact, however, was unchanging. What was then discarded had been in reality put off forever, and progress was the acknowledged law of his being.

Have we not found, when about to advance from some former condition of thought into a portion of the land of promise, unveiled before our eyes by the teachings of Christian Science, certain mental reservations subtly presenting themselves as safeguards, to protect us from dangers which may assail should we cast human props aside and unreservedly, unconditionally take our stand upon the all-power and ever-presence of good? This suggests another deep meaning in the command given to Moses. What a strange behest! How unusual for a shepherd to go barefoot on the hillside. For what purpose did he wear those shoes save to protect his feet not only from being defiled or bruised, but, more important still, from the stings of scorpions and poisonous bites of serpents which he expected to encounter on his way. Are not the shoes here representative of the belief that man needs mortal inventions because there is another power and creator besides God, good, against which divine Mind is supposed to be unable to protect him without the assistance of material aids? Such protection may appear requisite to one who is encased in the theory of life and intelligence in matter, but cannot be needed or desired by him who treads holy ground, for "there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth;" and "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain."

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