Article December 8, 1923 Issue

Journeying from Sense to Soul

E. HOWARD HOOPER

The Biblical record of the deliverance of the children of Israel, under the leadership of Moses, from the bondage of the Egyptians, is a very interesting and helpful one to the student of Christian Science. When the children of Israel received the good news that God had chosen Moses as their leader to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, they prayed to God in thanksgiving, and rejoiced in anticipation of entering the promised land. When, later, Moses went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness," Pharaoh replied, "I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Then, as a punishment for making this request, Pharaoh commanded that the burdens of the children of Israel be increased. This caused the children of Israel to doubt Moses' word and God's promise of deliverance; and they complained that Moses had caused their bonds to be increased.

This experience of the children of Israel may be similar to that of the student of Christian Science when the truth first comes to him in, perhaps, the seemingly darkest hour of discouragement, when he is overburdened with the bonds of sickness, sin, or lack. It comes with its joyous, healing message of liberty and peace, and he gratefully bows his head in a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving, believing he is at once to enter fully into the promised land of health, happiness, and tranquillity, without any effort on his part. However, when error says "No," and endeavors to increase his burdens, he perchance is inclined to feel that injustice is being done him, and that he therefore has cause to complain.

The children of Israel were constantly doubting God's ability, power, and willingness to deliver them; and Moses was therefore compelled to give them proof after proof of the omnipotence of God, endeavoring to assure them that "the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save." Notwithstanding the fact that God's ability to deliver them had been proved to them, the children of Israel were so weak in faith that God led them by a way that was free from serious obstacles lest they should not have the courage to go forward. In the thirteenth chapter of Exodus we read: "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea." How often have we as Christian Scientists experienced a similar situation! Many times in our daily experiences Truth has protected us from the shafts of error which seemed beyond our present strength to overcome, and has given us strength according to our need.

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