Gaining control

The testimonies on pages 254 to 263* remind me of the Bible reference to the wise man who saved a city.  See Eccl. 9:13-18:“Wisdom is better than weapons of war” it says.  (Note: I found this reference very quickly by typing in Google “the man who saved a city.”  Wonderful reference point.)

Now I have long been a little fascinated by the Bible character Phinehas.  I can’t place it, but I think that somewhere in Garland’s Subject Guide to Bible Stories (a help-book for First Readers in Christian Science churches) he is mentioned as a negotiator.  I have never used his story in selecting passages for Wednesday readings.  Maybe this time – having recently started a term as First Reader at Gold Coast, Queensland, church – it may happen.  It looks like an interesting story – see Joshua 22.

Joyce Voysey

Ed – I’d never before heard of this chap!  I see that Phinehas is mentioned in various other places in the Bible, notable Psalms 107: 30 which says: “Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.” 

*These pages form part of Section III of our book Healing Spiritually.  The Section bears the title: Gaining control over the unexpected and includes Chapter 11 “Erasing the marks of crime, fear, and terrorism”.