the

spect, a healthy affection, and even gratitude for his quiet insistence that they live up to their real, competent, and affectionBaate selves.

This experience leads to a fourth observation about enriching the affections: the need to perceive the spiritual selfhood of others. Haven't we all had a few friends da who were a great comfort to us, who seemed to discern our essential goodness, the import of our deepest wishes, our life in mission and individuality? Talking with them, or even just thinking about them, has often brought encouragement when f our own view of ourselves was momentarily clouded.

It could only be spiritual sense, developed to some degree, that enabled these friends to discern our spiritual nature. And we in turn must exercise spiritual sense and see the real, spiritual identity of others, their oneness with God as His ideas. We must do this if we are to carry out our duty to destroy the erroneous claims regarding the affections, such as incompatibility of disposition, condemnation for past deeds, or discord arising from divergent national, regional, or racial backgrounds. How fortunate we are to have Christian Science to help us in this task!

This Science reveals yet another point helpful in healing wrong affectional states: that we can appeal to the spiritual unity that embraces all humanity in one universal affection.

The Scientist, of course, can start enriching the world's affections with the smaller field of his own life and relationships. Each time he settles his children into an active thoughtfulness, lifts his vision of his job to see its potential for blessing others with each such spiritually motivated act he is helping mankind. And he should do this.

But he should also consider starting from the larger field as well. For only when he thinks in terms of the magnitude of the Christ-mission on earth will he begin to see the immensity of the Christ-power always ready to heal mankind. He has the

example of Christ Jesus before him. He must avoid repeating the mistake of the Master's followers who slept while Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. Mrs. Eddy says of this episode, "Could they not watch with him who, waiting and struggling in voiceless agony, held uncomplaining guard over a world?" 4

Imagine the scope of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane-embracing the world!

Just so, the Christian of today must not doze within the affectional boundaries of his own existence. He should note that the "Daily Prayer" calls for enriching the affections of all mankind.

If this field of work seems more of a challenge than he can meet alone, he need not lose heart, for he can see too that it is God's Word-the original, ongoing, only creative impulse of the universe—that does the enriching, happifying, and tempering of men's sense of being. The Scientist obedient in praying to heal mankind's emotional unease-the tension, inadequacy, even hate that gnaw at the consciousness of nations, sects, races, as well as families and individuals is rewarded with an expansion of his understanding of Science, of his oneness with God, and the universal brotherhood of man.

He sees more readily, too, the tremendous context in which The Mother Church is fulfilling its purpose. Its activities will not seem like mere emanations from Boston but evidences of omnipresent, all-ministering Love. Just as the Scientist will find his thought reaching out without hindrance, from wherever he is praying, to fellowmen in need continents away, so will he recognize The Mother Church's healing and teaching in their universal scope. Enriching the world's affections is not a merely humanitarian effort, but a deeply religious

In previous articles in this series, reference has been made to the divisions in the book now appearing as a unit and known as Isaiah. It is to the third of these portions, Chapters 56 to 66, commonly called Third Isaiah or Trito-Isaiah, that we now turn our attention.

Written in poetry, as are many of the prophetic books, Third Isaiah makes no reference to Babylon but seems to indicate that some of the exiles, to whom he refers as "the outcasts of Israel" (Isa. 56:8), had already returned to Palestine. Not only so, but he makes mention of the temple in terms suggesting that it had already been rebuilt by the time that he recorded his message. Thus in Chapter 66:6 we read of "a voice from the temple"; while references to "mine altar" and "the house of my glory" (60:7) are most naturally understood of a temple and an altar already existing in the prophet's own day.

A series of brilliant and memorable statements and predictions concerning the approaching Messianic age have come down to us from this anonymous author or authors who, writing toward the close of the sixth century or in the first half of the fifth, warned the people of the ethical standards they must establish if they were to claim such promises as these. The opening challenge came in the words of the Lord, "Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed" (56:1).

The expansive attitude of Third Isaiah is shown in the following chapter, where the prophet emphasizes a loving message of peace and healing, offered by the Lord to His people, however scattered they might be: "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord;

and I will heal him" (57:19). A call to reform the concept of fasting (see 58:3-7)' is followed by renewed words of cheer and assurance (verse 8): "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward" (or rearguard).

In both Chapters 58 and 59 are promises of restoration, while the prophet goes on to appeal to the higher ideals of the people, urging them to repent and overcome the base influences rampant among them and remember God's covenant with His people, unfailing, generation after generation.

With Chapter 60 begins the call to Zion, a new and glorified Jerusalem, symbol of redemption and promise, to which Gentiles and kings would turn (see verse 3). Even the sons of former oppressors would do reverence to it, calling it "The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel" (verse 14). The writer here addresses the city in predicting, "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise" (verse 18).

There is ample evidence of the New Testament writers' familiarity with this portion of Isaiah and their recognition of Christ Jesus' part in the fulfillment of its prophecies (e.g. Isa. 61:1, 2 and Luke 4:17-21); while for spiritual inspiration and beauty of expression, these chapters are some of the most effective in all the Bible.

Bringing to completion the work and vision of the "Writing Prophets" of the Old Testament, the last book to be listed in the official prophetic canon is named in the King James Version "Malachi,” lit

erally, "My Messenger." There is general agreement that this does not represent a personal title, but is rather a convenient description of an anonymous author, apparently borrowed from Malachi 3:1, where the words, "Behold, I will send my messenger," appear.

In the circumstances, we cannot expect to be given any details of the prophet's family life or of his date, although tradition has it that Malachi lived in Jerusalem about the middle of the fifth century B.C.

It was an age of discontent, worldliness, and skepticism with which Malachi had to deal. It is usual to sum up the teaching of this book under the general heading of "Prophecy within the Law," because, while it confirms the basic law of Deuteronomy, it remains essentially a book of prophecy. Or, to put it another way, it upholds the principles of law, thus supporting law rather than legalism.

The book of Malachi opens with a brief prologue (see 1:2-5), forming the basis of the whole and laying down the fundamental principle of God's love for His people, which the prophet seeks to make a rallying point for the faithless and indifferent folk of his generation.

As we examine Malachi's book, it soon becomes evident that he has his own individual style, not dissimilar to that of the earlier prophet Haggai, who stated first the excuses or objections which he felt his hearers would offer, then proceeded to answer them (see Hag. 1:6, 9; 2:3, 19). Malachi's chosen method is to state a fact or accusation, following it with the anticipated objection or excuse of the people, going on to show the fallacy in the argument.

This literary pattern occurs some eight times even in this short book, and a concise example is found in Malachi 3:8: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."

It is clear that priests and people alike had come to belittle divine worship, no longer reserving for Deity the honor of re

ceiving supreme regard. Inferior sacrifices were being offered, which would be considered entirely unworthy if offered even to a human governor (see 1:6-8). The infidelity and indifference in religion was matched by infidelity and treachery in marriage (see Chap. 2).

Though the people of Israel had long been blessed by the Lord of Hosts, the Gentile world is seen as giving greater acclaim to God than His own chosen people (see 1:11-14). Nevertheless, the judgment of the Lord is seen as not only formidable to the wicked but kindly and generous to the righteous, and repentance and refor mation will be rewarded with blessings in abundance (see 3:10).

Malachi is often considered as forming the transitional link between the two dis pensations-of the Old Testament and the New. Traditionally viewed as providing the final book of the Hebrew Bible, Malachi looks back to the memorable works and perennial statutes of Moses the Lawgiver, crying in the name of the Lord (4:4), "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judg ments." At the same time he points for ward to the New Testament, to the work of John the Baptist, whom the Gospel writers were to regard as typifying the great seer Elijah of long ago: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (verse 5).

How appropriate is the placing of the book of "My Messenger" at the end of the Old Testament in our Bibles, where it im mediately precedes the opening of the New, announcing as it does, the great messenger or forerunner of the Messiah! Surely that greater one who established the long-predicted new covenant or new dispensation for mankind fulfilled Malachi's vision (4:2): "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings."

THOMAS L. LEISHMAN