Editorial April 27, 1918 Issue

Silence in Heaven

William D. McCrackan

There are moments in the history of men and nations when eloquent silence seems to reign. The blare of the world's trumpets, the thunder of its guns, the clamor for place and power, the cry of the bereaved, have been temporarily stilled. Nothing appears to be worth while or indeed to have being except the beautiful, the good, and the true. The supposition that hate and greed have entity or that anyone should seek revenge or could misunderstand the motives of the righteous,—these beliefs are then seen to be curious aberrations springing from nowhere and leading to no results. At such times there are glimpses of reality which reveal the naturalness of good and the consequent absurdity of evil. The whole of the universe including man seems to be listening to the voice of the creator, which speaks to spiritual perception, though it remains unheard by physical sense.

Christian Scientists rejoice in a special provision made for silent prayer in their church services. When the physical senses are hushed and the door of understanding opens to the knock of the Christ, Truth, there is silence in heaven. Silent prayer is designed to emphasize the unity of good in human consciousness, to bring the assurance of the ever present fatherhood and motherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. The silence of heaven is as gentle as the falling dew, and as refreshing, and it can make the pause in a Christian Science Wednesday evening meeting golden with the peace which passeth mortal conception.

We read in Revelation that after "the servants of our God" had been sealed "in their foreheads;" after the twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes had been sealed; after the multitude "which no man could number" had sung their hymn of rejoicing before the throne and before the Lamb; and after the opening of the seventh seal, "there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." This is the type of the heavenly silence which the Christian Science treatment imposes upon the beliefs of corporeality, this the divine command which says unto the stormy sea of carnal desire, "Peace, be still."

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