Article August 4, 1928 Issue

Upholding the Hands of Church Officers

IRVING C. TOMLINSON

The need of supporting church officers is as insistent to-day as it has been through the history of the Christian church. The one evil, the impersonal error which vainly seeks to destroy good, would attack Christian Science by attacking the stewards of the church. Impersonal evil, referred to in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation as the beast to whom it was given to "make war with the saints," would discourage and disturb church members by causing them to discredit those elected to stand for and carry on the work of their church.

The story of the defeat of the Amalekites, told in the seventeenth chapter of Exodus, is of particular significance to-day: "And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. ... And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword."

In Israel's extremity Moses saw that while he turned to the great I AM, others must do their part. Of what significance was the rod of God in Moses' hand? The rod is the symbol of power. Was not the power of God as the preserver and protector of Israel realized and demonstrated by Moses and his followers? In the figurative language of the Bible the raising of the hands is a sign of prayer, or of a vow, or a blessing pronounced over a multitude. Did not the uplifted hands of Moses signify his earnest prayer for the protection and success of Israel? But Moses alone was unable to meet the onslaughts of evil. When through weariness, discouragement, doubt, or fear his hands fell, the enemy prevailed. Then it was that the members of that early congregation came to the support of their faithful officer. When one stood on either side praying with him, victory was assured.

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The Door of Heaven
August 4, 1928
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