We have had many beautiful and helpful lessons on the obedience and fidelity of Joshua's soldiers who compassed the wall of Jericho and brought it low, but seldom does our thought turn to those within the wall or on its turrets. What did this army mean to them? Possibly they looked upon them as a band of foolish marchers, buoyed up by false hopes, lured on by their leader's command, following the trumpet-call of the priests in advance. From their loopholes of observation they very likely had many derisive comments to make. Let Joshua and his men resort to ways and means more comprehensible to mortal intelligence, if they expect to accomplish anything against so impregnable an enemy!
In like manner this same sense of incredulous derision questions today, What can Christian Science do against the wall of material belief which the centuries have reared between humanity and man's freedom as a son of God? To mortal sense the foundations of this wall are mighty obstacles,—theories that must stand, so human reason decrees; laws of heredity, of materia medica, of birth and of death; a so-called law for every minute of the day and night; laws heaped up since the mortal concept of time began. After the wall has stood against all efforts to overthrow any part of it, along comes Christian Science and calmly expects at this late day to succeed in felling wall, turret, and tower,—and that, simply by absolute consecration and by unquestioning obedience to God's commands!
Many of those within this gloomy prison encase themselves more securely in their antiquated theories, attempt to buttress more firmly the props of the centuries, and from their position openly scorn the advance of the faithful ones. Undaunted, however, the host goes marching forward, obeying every order, following every trumpet-call. With attention steadfastly fixed on their Leader's commands, strong in her declaration that "no power can withstand divine Love" (Science and Health, p. 224), they allow neither the scoffer's derision nor the incredulity and threats of opposing forces to disturb them.
