Editorial February 8, 1919 ISSUE

"Sanctify yourselves"

Annie M. Knott

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.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Editorial
Restoration
February 8, 1919
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit