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.

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.

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