In the book of Joshua we have an account of the progress made by the children of Israel in taking possession of the promised land. The divine promises made to Moses were repeated to Joshua, and at each stage of the journey tokens were given them of the operation of spiritual law, annulling the supposed laws of matter, or mortal mind. When the whole congregation came to the brink of the river Jordan, it was to mortal sense as much of a barrier to their progress as was the Red Sea, but they were assured that as God ruled in heaven above and in earth beneath, failure was impossible, so long as they obeyed implicitly the divine commands. In the third chapter we read that as they paused before venturing to cross the river, Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you;" and it is very significant that on many other occasions the people were bidden to sanctify themselves, for not otherwise would they have been able to overcome their enemies and go steadily forward.

All Christian people have found deep lessons in the experiences of the children of Israel, for these have typified the progress of humanity in its efforts to rise above the flesh with all its burdens and illusions. Students of Christian Science, however, know that no real forward steps are taken except as we sanctify ourselves, attain at any cost that spiritualization of thought which makes known to us unmistakably the divine will and enables us to obey it. Without spiritual illumination all is dark and we fail to see the foe which must be overcome, or to recognize the divine provision for supplying all our need at each stage of the journey from sense to Soul.

On page 232 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy says, "In the sacred sanctuary of Truth are voices of solemn import, but we heed them not." When we give heed to the divine guidance the voice of Truth becomes very distinct and unmistakable to us, and we are spared the necessity of retracing our footsteps and finding, perchance in sorrow, the path from which we had strayed. In this wonderful story we read that as the priests went forward bearing the ark of the covenant, the waters of Jordan receded before them, and stones from the river were placed on the father shore as a memorial to the power of God, infinite Mind, to lead His people at every step of the way.

In the seventh chapter of Joshua we read of a man who did not cleanse himself from the lust of material possession, but who in defiance of the divine command took and hid in his tent some of the spoils of war, and thus brought defeat upon the people. This sin was not uncovered until all had sanctified themselves as bidden, and when the evil was wiped out by the punishment of the guilty, the people went forward and victory rested upon their banners. The command, "Sanctify yourselves," is to be found in many places in the Old Testament. In the twentieth chapter of Leviticus there is a solemn warning against witchcraft and necromancy, and it is followed by these words: "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God."

At this period Christian Scientists need to guard against any relaxing of their spiritual vigilance which may tempt them because the terrors of the battle field no longer reach their ears, but no thinking person would deny that even greater vigilance and spiritualization of thought are called for that the kingdom of God may be firmly established in the affections of men, with all the blessings that it brings. Our Leader's Message to The Mother Church for 1901 is a rousing call to us to sanctify ourselves that we may be prepared for the tasks which God has for each one of us. On page 2 of this Message we read, "The highest spiritual Christianity in individual lives is indispensable to the acquiring of greater power in the perfected Science of healing all manner of diseases." We must constantly guard against the tendency of mortal mind toward reaction, for thus the pleasures of the world make their appeal when people turn away from contemplating the sins and sorrows of the past four years and forget that humanity's deep wounds must be healed at this hour in the Christ way. In the tenth chapter of I Corinthians Paul writes of the experiences of the Hebrew people in the early days and speaks sadly of "Israel after the flesh." Here he says, "With many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." He speaks of their indulgence in worldly pleasure and then of their murmurings when the results of this lapse from the highest devotion overtook them, as it necessarily would; and he adds that all these things "are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

If any other reason were needed why we should sanctify ourselves, we may recall the Master's words in the seventeenth chapter of John. He declares that his followers are not of the world, and this should never be forgotten by us. Then he says, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth," and adds the words which should sink deep into our hearts, "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be santified through the truth." Here we may ponder deeply these closing words of the Message already quoted (p. 35): "Christian Science appeals loudly to those asleep upon the hill-tops of Zion. It is a clarion call to the reign of righteousness, to the kingdom of heaven within us and on earth, and Love is the way alway."

Annie M. Knott.