May 11, 1929 by Albert F. Gilmore

Were one to search the pages of the Old Testament, he would find no more definite and appealing statements of the demands of true worship than appears in the words of the prophet Micah. Prefacing his incomparable utterance with the declaration, "He [God] hath shewed thee, O man, what is good," he follows with this cogent interrogatory: "And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" How concisely did this ancient prophet, after intently searching the heart of Israel, set before them the very essence of worship! Micah was the spokesman for the peasantry, the poor and down-trodden. And his arraignment of Israel for its shortcomings, especially for idolatry, for oppression of the lowly, and for worship of false gods, was terrific. But he foresaw the coming of the Christ, who should establish righteousness and true worship; and the spirit of the Saviour's message he embodied in his compelling query.

So significant are these words of Micah that they may be profitably examined for their great lesson. The question in form is rhetorical, and the answer is implied. To be just, to be merciful, and to walk humbly with God fulfill the divine requirements. "To do justly" implies the dealing with all with justice, without favoritism, without prejudice, but with equity in all things; this alone fulfills divine requirement. How nearly does this sentiment conform to the first sentence of "A Rule for Motives and Acts" (Church Manual, p. 40): "Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church"! Mrs. Eddy thus set forth a criterion for personal conduct on the part of members of The Mother Church, which parallels in one particular at least the views of the prophet as to the requirement of true worship.

"To love mercy," not alone to be merciful, but to love to exercise mercy, was the prophet's implication. Christ Jesus incorporated a like sentiment in a precious beatitude: "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Surely, every mortal, knowing as he must his own failings, desires mercy and forgiveness. While one may be conscious of wrongdoing, yet he desires to be forgiven, and, if honest in his thought, to be reformed. To live in a sinful state is not the dominant desire of mankind. To be merciful, to practice forgiveness, knowing that the real man never knows or does aught but good, promotes mercy; even induces the love of it. How redolent of the spirit of the Christ was this stipulation of the shepherd prophet!

"To walk humbly with thy God"! In this phrase of his interrogative Micah summarized his concept of true worship: it constitutes a perfect criterion for righteous living. To walk with God is to conform one's thoughts and acts to the divine in all ways, to express the divine qualities, and to eliminate all that does not measure up to this standard. We walk humbly with God when we recognize Him as the source of all existence; as infinite Being, from whom emanates all that expresses Life; and recognizing this, we become aware that of our own selves we can do nothing.

What an appealing example of genuine humility did Christ Jesus set before the world! Potent and capable above all others who have lived on earth, he denied all personal capability and accomplishment. "The Father ... he doeth the works;" and, "The Son can do nothing of himself," are the sublime statements of this humblest of men. The conditions of true worship set forth by Micah centuries before found complete fulfillment in the life of the Nazarene. Dealing with all with perfect justice; merciful, and loving mercy as the highest demonstration of Love's ministry; humble to the degree of denying all personal capability—the Nazarene embodied and exemplified the very heart of true worship: he completely and perfectly fulfilled its conditions. Jesus invariably walked with God; and because of his constant recognition of the divine presence, he became the Way-shower and Saviour of mankind.

Micah foreknew the appearance of the Christ-ideal, and in that appearance he foresaw the fulfillment of his exalted ideal of worship. Christian Science likewise sets before the world the standards of living and worship first presented by Micah, so far as the Biblical record discloses, and exemplified by Christ Jesus. Mrs. Eddy's revelation makes incumbent upon all who envisage it the necessity for demonstrating the very qualities of true worship. Walking with God, conforming thought to the divine ideal, living in constant realization of the divine presence, moving in the complexities of life with humility and with justice, seeking divine guidance in all activities—these are the demands which Christian Science makes upon its followers. These demands, however, are accompanied by the greatest of blessings, the privilege of abiding in the inexpressible joy of spiritual harmony. Mrs. Eddy shows how to walk with God in these words (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 192): "We walk in the footsteps of Truth and Love by following the example of our Master in the understanding of divine metaphysics." And she closes the paragraph with these significant words: "Whatever holds human thought in line with unselfed love, receives directly the divine power." The reward of obedience to Micah's exposition of God's requirements could scarcely be more appealingly set forth: to receive "directly the divine power."

Albert F. Gilmore