Article June 2, 1928 Issue

Make Holy Garments for Thy Brother

JEKAB GREENBLAT

In Exodus we read that God instructed Moses to make "holy garments" for his brother Aaron; also, to place in Aaron's breastplate the Urim and Thummim, so that he might be ready to appear before God. While, literally speaking, this seems to be the mere record of a preparation to worship Deity in the highest form known to the Israelites, and at first sight may appear unimportant for us of these latter days, yet, if spiritually understood and applied to our daily living, a valuable lesson may be learned. Writing to the Romans, Paul admonishes them to serve in "newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." This same apostle explains to the Corinthians the importance of seeking the spiritual meaning of Scripture by saying, "For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." How essential, then, to interpret the Bible spiritually, not materially or merely in a literal way, that it may prove to be our chart of Life!

Ignorance among Christians may have been used as an excuse for their misinterpreting the Bible and for their deviating from the spiritual import of Jesus' teachings and practice. But this excuse was taken away when Mary Baker Eddy gave to the world "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the Christian Science textbook. By the use of this "key," all may open the heretofore locked doors of the spiritual meaning of the Bible; all may now enter through these doors and make the spiritual meaning their own; all may now avail themselves of the healing regenerating power contained therein, and use this power understandingly in their daily living.

The crowning touch on the holy garment for the brother of Moses has been described as Urim and Thummim—two sacred symbols worn upon the breastplate. Taken literally, these might have no meaning beyond the pomp and ceremony of an ancient ritualistic form of worship. But what about their spiritual meaning? What does Mrs. Eddy say about it? On page 596 of Science and Health "Urim" is referred to thus: "Light. The rabbins believed that the stones in the breastplate of the high-priest had supernatural illumination, but Christian Science reveals Spirit, not matter, as the illuminator of all. The illuminations of Science give us a sense of the nothingness of error, and they show the spiritual inspiration of Love and Truth to be the only fit preparation for admission to the presence and power of the Most High." Again, on page 595 of the same book we read, "The Urim and Thummim, which were to be on Aaron's breast when he went before Jehovah, were holiness and purification of thought and deed, which alone can fit us for the office of spiritual teaching."

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