Article January 4, 1930 Issue

Patience

ERMINIE WALKER NEEDHAM

Throughout the pages of the Bible, and likewise throughout our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we are counseled to exercise patience, for this is a quality which must be brought to bear in greater or less degree upon the solution of every problem with which we are confronted. How important, then, to search our thought and discern whether we have the true concept of patience!

On page 515 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy draws a word picture in defining patience, and there is an untold depth of meaning in these words of hers: "Patience is symbolized by the tireless worm, creeping over lofty summits, persevering in its intent." How much is told in those few simple words, two of which stand out as clearly definitive of patience—"tireless" and "persevering." How many of us are practicing patience in the sense of being tireless and persevering in our intent to prove the allness of God, and to utilize His law in human affairs in spite of anything evil may claim to do or to say? If to be truly patient means to be tireless and persevering, then it does not mean, as is often mistakenly supposed, just calm and uncomplaining endurance of wrong conditions. It does not mean tolerance of error over a period of time, but steadfast loyalty to Truth through a period of unfoldment. And this unfoldment, or growth, is a purely mental experience, never a material one, although it is unfailingly accompanied by improved conditions of environment and health. Patience means progressive, uninterrupted right mental activity, a state of thought that wanders neither to the right nor to the left into evil's mesmeric bypaths of discouragement, impatience, or fear, but with gaze directed straight ahead toward the goal works earnestly, trustingly, joyfully, to its attainment, against whatever odds, even as the tiny worm creeps over obstacles, perhaps slowly, but always making steady progress.

It is true that patience embraces a condition of thought that is quiet, calm, serene, and poised; but these mental qualities are born of active right thinking, never of stoicism, submission, indiffernce, or lethargy. The writer to the Hebrews uses patience as a term descriptive of sustained action; for he says, "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." And the word "race" means swift and steady progress toward a desired goal. James enjoins us to "let patience have her perfect work," showing again that patience and work, activity, go hand in hand and bring definite results.

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