Article June 21, 1930 Issue

The Giving of Silence

HARRIET BRETZ VAN DYNE

When Christian Scientists are confronted with personal offense, what can they always give? Love-filled silence! One who instead of taking offense found a happier solution, said, "There is a form of forgiveness so divine that it would embrace the offender for having called it forth." If we meet with seeming unkindness, how can we, as Christian Scientists, arrive at this holy state of loving, rather than of retaliating?

We first need silence, that we may prepare for divine Love to be reflected. We can all pray for more love, and can be silent until it enters consciousness. This giving of silence prepares the needed dwelling place for thoughts of forgiveness in place of revenge. Even if we do not immediately arrive at forgiveness, we are nevertheless preparing a sanctuary for the healing thought that can say, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

We have Mrs. Eddy's pertinent admonition which reverses the old order of an eye-for-an-eye retaliation. To one young Christian Scientist, no words ever seemed more startling, more difficult, more in need of being demonstrated than these (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 11): "We must love our enemies in all the manifestations wherein and whereby we love our friends; must even try not to expose their faults, but to do them good whenever opportunity occurs."

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