Article July 5, 1913 Issue

PURIFICATION

Annie M. Knott

There has been a tendency in late years, both among religious and non-religious people, to study the ceremonial law found in Leviticus and Numbers in order to prove therefrom that divine law deals with material things in safeguarding the health and morals of mankind. Those who seek such evidence in the Scriptures fail to see that the ceremonial law was mainly symbolic, "a shadow of good things to come," as the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews explains, whereas a spiritual sense of law lifts thought to the apprehension of reality and reveals the kingdom of God on earth. On page 133 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy speaks of the wonders wrought for the Israelites by divine Mind,—of their deliverance from what seemed deadly perils, and of their national prosperity, until they "departed from the true idea."

It is sometimes asked if Christian Scientists do not consider outward cleanliness essential to health, if they do not even consider it a Christian duty to observe strictly the popular opinions held as to fresh air, pure water, etc. To this it may be answered that Christ Jesus evidently considered all these things as at best secondary to the great and urgent need of absolute purity in thought, word, and deed. We read that the scribes and Pharisees complained to him of his disciples' entire disregard of required observances, and they even accused him with having himself neglected the customary ablutions before meals. In his reply he charged these complainants with their neglect of divine law, though they were so assiduous about "the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables." He said they were "making the word of God of none effect," and that is what is done by all who rely upon outward cleanliness as a substitute for moral and spiritual purity. He insisted that it is not that which goes into the mouth which defiles, but "evil thoughts." His rule was to "cleanse first that which is within" and then the outward would take care of itself; whereas mortal belief would reverse this divine statute, and by beginning wrongly never reach the kind of purification on which health is actually based.

We read in II Kings that Naaman was cleansed of leprosy through the spiritual understanding of Elisha, although he was told to bathe seven times in the river Jordan, but we never hear of any such method being adopted in modern times for the cure of this disease. Elisha's treatment of Naaman was symbolic, whereas that of Christ Jesus was the direct application of the truth, in the case of lepers and all others who sought healing from him. We are told that he even touched one of these, as he came down from the mount, after that wonderful sermon, and with the infinite majestry of Truth said, "Be thou clean." Need we wonder that the healing was immediate, and that a man, not a leper, stood before him, ready to testify to his cure, to which the Mosaic law pointed by type and symbol.

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