THE history of Abraham, who won the royal title "the Friend of God," is the record of one who trusted God implicitly because he perceived that causation was spiritual. The eyes of his understanding were opened, and belief thus became faith. His unwavering trust in his heavenly Father impelled St. Paul to speak of him as the father of the faithful,— "of all them that believe." Abraham saw the truth, and applied it, and his faith grew into spiritual understanding. Mrs. Eddy's spiritual interpretation of this character, as given in Science and Health (p. 579), is worthy of our earnest study. She tells us that "this patriarch illustrated the purpose of Love to create trust in good, and showed the life-preserving power of spiritual understanding."
After his arrival in an abiding-place in divine consciousness, Abraham built an altar or sanctuary to the worship of Spirit at Shechem. There he received the first promise: "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: . . . and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." These last phrases indicate that the Messiah was clearly in view when the promise was made.
Wherever this patriarch lived he always built an altar to the true God and publicly worshiped, thus supplying the implied condition on his part for the fulfilment of the covenant. Anything laid on the altar of God is purified and enhanced in the beauty of holiness.
