Editorial February 28, 1914 Issue

Humility

Annie M. Knott

We have it on the authority of Christ Jesus that he who humbleth himself "shall be exalted," and the psalmist prays, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins." In the book of Numbers we read that when the people were bidden to go up to view the promised land, they did so, but they brought back an evil report of it and murmured against the divine Love that had led them and fed them in the wilderness. Then, as if ashamed of their cowardice, they suddenly announced their intention to go up to the top of the mountain, moved, it would seem, by human will. We are told that Moses warned them against this step, and declared that their enterprise would not prosper, for, said he, "the Lord is not among you." In spite of this warning, however, we read that "they presumed to go up unto the hilltop," although Moses remained below with the ark of the covenant, awaiting divine guidance.

This incident has many lessons for us today, and its metaphysical significance will be understood if we ponder our revered Leader's words in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 117): "The disobedient make their moves before God makes His, or make them too late to follow Him." To this she adds, "Be sure that God directs your way; then, hasten to follow under every circumstance." A number of years ago, two little girls whose parents had accepted Christian Science, decided that they could do without food, and they abstained from it for several days without informing any one of their experiment. These children were, however, in deep earnest, and were humbly seeking divine guidance; so they were shown that this step was in advance of their understanding, and they retraced their steps to the foot of the mountain, glad that they had learned a lesson without incurring the penalty which follows disobedience.

A different case was that of some older people, who refused to work for their own support on the ground that their entire time must be spent in looking into and studying about spiritual things. They had not, however, taken a single step toward the spiritual realization which would enable one to subsist upon even less food than formerly. They simply demanded that others should carry the burden of their support, and did not see that this was one of the "presumptuous" sins from which the psalmist prayed to be delivered. In no case have we the right to demand that others shall make our demonstration for us. Christian Science also makes it clear that no one can hinder us from doing our own work in obedience to God's law, or hold one back from ascending "into the hill of the Lord," if he has "clean hands, and a pure heart," his consciousness untainted by selfishness or sensuality.

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