Article June 26, 1948 Issue

THE LISTENING EAR HEARS

ELMER F. BACKER

Every student of Christian Science desires to understand and to apply its teachings. To attain this demonstrable understanding it is of great importance to listen for God's directing with a heartfelt longing to express more divine grace, wisdom, and intelligence. Such listening forwards spiritual progress and aids immeasurably in conforming thought more fully to the divine standard—perfect God and perfect man—and thereby in healing sickness and sin.

The practical result of faithful spiritual listening is well illustrated in the experience of an Army officer well known to the writer. When a cadet, this officer had been made deaf in one ear by the premature firing of a cannon. Some years later he became interested in Christian Science because of the need of another physical healing. After receiving this healing, he continued to study earnestly, regularly attending services in branch churches. Although he could not hear all the testimonies given, he always listened attentively. One Wednesday evening he was startled to find himself suddenly hearing perfectly in the hitherto deaf ear. Deeply stirred, but profoundly grateful, he could hardly sit through the service. Ever after that he heard normally.

The writer once asked him what had helped him most in this demonstration of divine healing power. He replied that he attributed the healing principally to his sincere longing to hear spiritual truths and to his cultivating a habitually joyous listening attitude. In considering this man's experience, the writer found these words by Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 323, 324) most pertinent: "The effects of Christian Science are not so much seen as felt. It is the 'still, small voice' of Truth uttering itself. We are either turning away from this utterance, or we are listening to it and going up higher. Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea."

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