Article November 24, 1917 Issue

Only a Sparrow

W. EDSON SMITH

Christian Science makes a morning land of our splendid world when we see it in the white light of Truth, and the students of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, the beloved Leader of the movement, gather spiritual lessons along whatever paths they go, from hours on to years. One morning I arrived somewhat earlier than usual at the office where I was working. It was the brightest of summer days, and the whole outdoors seemed to smile at me, radiant, glowing with the same gratitude that I felt. Mindful of our Leader's admonition, "Action expresses more gratitude than speech" (Science and Health, p. 3), I said within my heart, "Dear Father, if there is any way I can serve Thee in these moments before taking up my tasks for the day, I will be glad—whatever it is that comes for me to do."

Immediately after, apparently through no volition of my own and with no definite purpose in view, I walked across the hall to a suite of untenanted offices. In one room there were two windows side by side, facing on the same wide stone ledge. The window to the right was open, the one to the left was closed. A sparrow had come into the empty room seeking a transient shelter for the night. Doubtless since the first break of day it had fluttered breathlessly and striven with all the strength of wild wings in a heartbreaking effort to get through the closed window. There was a last pitiful flurry as I entered and came close, and then the struggle was done. It sat on the sill utterly exhausted with its efforts to be free, yet looking up at me with bright eyes; it did not move, even when the shadow of my hand fell across it.

And so I lifted up the little, weary, ruffled thing—slowly that there might be no new paroxysm of fear, carefully and surely that there might be no hurt—and took it away from the barrier, placing it gently on the stone ledge outside the open window, where it could sense its freedom in the blowing breeze. We looked at each other, the sparrow and I, for a little longer, considering. Then, as life without called, the sparrow flew across the roofs to its own place and I went back to mine.

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