Editorial March 16, 1929 Issue

The Need of Silence

Violet Ker Seymer

On page 124 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy writes, "It is well that Christian Science has taken expressive silence wherein to muse His praise." How sacred are these silent times, these listening times, and how vitally necessary in the daily life of every Christian Scientist; for our Leader also states that "Spirit, God, is heard when the senses are silent" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 89). Total silencing of material sense testimony can be learned only by degrees. There is, however, an initial step which everyone can take to-day, if he will, and that is to resolve to cease voicing discord. This faithful effort, inspired by the desire to draw nearer to God and to strive to behold behind the mask of personality the true spiritual man, is sure to be rewarded; for the error which is denied a voice will also be denied a mental hearing. Then the quieted, purified human consciousness entertains the angels of His presence, the ideas of divine Love.

While no one seeking healing through Christian Science should be deterred, either by self-consciousness or by any other mistaken motive, from acquainting the one who is helping him with his problem and his state of thought, there are occasions on which the Christian Science practitioner seems compelled to listen to vivid and prolonged descriptions of discord, and it is a question whether these do not hinder rather than hasten the demonstration of healing. One who is seeking release from his troubles through Christian Science treatment is sometimes apt to intensify his sense of discord through word pictures which are not easily blotted out of memory. Whoever persists in voicing error beyond all practical requirements is thereby keeping vividly before his thought the very dream from which he desires to awaken; and since healing in Christian Science is wholly mental, it is achieved only through true thinking, only through learning to have the Mind of Christ.

"Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation." Although a word-parade of physical or other symptoms is always a mistake, the carnal mind, which is "enmity against God," may nevertheless insist that repression of such descriptions would be unwholesome, oppressive, even dangerous, and that the practitioner must needs be acquainted with all the particulars of the case, or else he cannot heal it. The Christian Scientist, while always ready to express loving compassion, feels that his task is to clear the vision of the sufferer with truth, and thereby heal him. Therefore he is faithful and patient in pointing out to him that healing power can be demonstrated only through entering the sanctuary of Truth, the "secret place" from which error is debarred. Which, then, is most valuable to both patient and practitioner—the verbosity of error or the Word of God? In the light of the Psalmist's admonition, "Let the lying lips be put to silence," and the indictment of James, "The tongue ... is an unruly evil," it would seem that every false utterance is blasphemy against God, good. This being so, one should protect himself from the impulses of self-expression which are characteristic of so-called mortal mind. Speech should be enlisted on the side of Truth, and not misused by error. Christ Jesus stated that it is the knowledge of Truth which confers freedom. Moreover, one must continue to know the truth if he would continue to be free. Hence it is the effort of error, through its self-assertive volubility, to prevent this continuity of true knowing true thinking.

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