Article March 6, 1954 Issue

THE SILENT WORKER

PEARL G. ANDREWS

There is an old proverb often quoted, "Speech is silvern; silence is golden;" and there is indeed a proper place and time for both the use of this golden silence and the expression of a speech which is silvern. Thus the silent worker is not necessarily the one who is lacking in expression or hesitant to speak out at the right time.

There are certain times recorded in the Bible when Jesus answered not a word; yet, on the other hand, he always knew when to speak and what to say. Mary Baker Eddy refers to the wisdom of proper speech. On page 346 of her "Miscellaneous Writings" she quotes from Proverbs (25:11), "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." All of us have probably had times when timidity and fear have seemed to clutch at the heart and to hold back the tongue from a wise utterance, fitting for the occasion; but how often we have yielded to the folly of impulsive speech and wished that we had been silent!

The silent worker will give less occasion for resentment or a boomerang from criticism or condemnation. If there is reason for rebuking another audibly, he will wait until Mind guides him. Often his silent knowing of the truth of the situation at hand, claiming the operation of the one Mind and the perfection of man, will clear the mental atmosphere sufficiently, harm no one, and heal all those within the radius of his thought. This mental correction, rather than an audible one, saves one much trouble. It saves from wordy misconstructions and misunderstandings, and from the retorts and rebuffs of animal magnetism, thus preventing sorrow and repentant remorse on both sides. Such constructive thought is the privilege and duty of us all and never fails to bring its blessings to those concerned. Even the world at large feels the benefit of the silent declaration of Truth and profits thereby.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION