Article July 8, 1933 Issue

The Power of Silence in Reading Rooms

BURKE C. MORRISSEY

"Visitors are requested to maintain silence in the Reading Room." This request or one similar is often placed conspicuously in Christian Science Reading Rooms. One pondering the deeper import of this admonition realized that it could well mean not only that there should be no talking or whispering, or other disquieting manifestation, but that erroneous thinking should also be silenced there.

It is the inevitable experience of the seeker for Truth to find the quiet atmosphere of the Reading Room promoting the silencing of material thinking and bringing to him in its stead sweet refreshment, inspiration, and healing. Prayerful study of the Bible and of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and other authorized Christian Science literature, which is always found in the Reading Rooms to be used freely, "without money and without price," lifts thought above mortal sense claims to reality; for, as it is forcefully stated in Science and Health (p. 495), the understanding thus gained "will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony."

On page 15 of Science and Health our Leader says: "Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error. In order to pray aright, we must enter into the closet and shut the door. We must close the lips and silence the material senses." This occurs in large measure when one enters a Christian Science Reading Room burdened, perhaps, with some phase of materiality, and leaves some time later uplifted, healed, and happy. Then one finds that as he holds determinedly to this state of consciousness, materialism or erroneous thinking is silenced. This uplifted sense remains with one in all his activities, blessing both himself and those with whom he comes in contact in the home, shop, office, or factory, or even on the street; for it is the consciousness of the ever-presence of divine Love, with consequent freedom from bondage to evil.

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