Editorial July 8, 1967 Issue

"Study to be quiet"

Alan A. Aylwin

In the Bible, in the book of I Kings, we find the familiar story of how God, infinite Mind, revealed the stillness of His nature to the prophet Elijah. It was shown to him that God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. The divine presence could not be felt in the clamor of material turbulence, in the noise and dissonance of storm-tossed mortal thinking. But in the tranquillity and peace of spiritual knowing Mind's impartation became clearly discernible. The "still small voice"^{I Kings 19:12;} spoke to him, and he listened and obeyed. Through his obedience he was led to Elisha, who was to become his disciple and to carry on God's work after Elijah's translation.

The Apostle Paul was well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures and undoubtedly familiar with the story of Elijah's experience. In his first letter to the Thessalonian church he urges the brethren to "study to be quiet."^{I Thess. 4:11;} He clearly understood the importance of silencing the clamorous inner voices of our thinking if we are to hear Mind's voice, which is ever speaking to us if we will but listen.

The writer has frequently spent his holidays by a certain beautiful lake. It has been his habit to arise early in the morning, proceed down to the sheltering rocks by the water's edge, and devote a period of time to quiet study and prayer. At this hour the lake is often utterly still, and the glassy surface of the water perfectly reflects the beauty that surrounds it. And then a little breeze springs up and ruffles the water. The reflected image at once becomes indistinct. Then the breeze develops into a wind, the water becomes boisterous, and the reflection disappears.

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