Newspaper Page Text
June 9. 1909.
Devotional an
THE SILENCES OF OU1
By. Rev. Thomas
"Jesus held H
One of the defects of our
silence. Every one wishes to
listen and learn. Men invent
vise means for talking to the
rpnrn/llicinnr ^ C 4.U
. V|/.v/uuvi?g wiiv YUIVta U1 LI I
round," says Carlyle, "on the 1
words with little meaning, act
loves to reflect on the great I
than the stars?deeper than tl
The gift of silence may be
speech. Even Job's comforte
sat down with him upon the
seven nights,_and none spake ;
saw tnat ins grief was very gr
Dutch Republic had the best p
power of keeping counsel in
William the Silent. "No one,
"is safe to speak, but he wh
peace."
There is something to be
silences as well as from the v
lence," says Ignatius, "is chai
of mankind. The acts which
are worthy of the Father; an
the word of Christ is aole even
A long silent preparation w
piublic ministry. So far as th<
cerned, by far the greater pan
silence. The prophet had said
cry, nor cause His voice to \
Three years of speaking demai
of silence. Only once during
veil lifted, and even then we fi
learning and asking of those
His ministry began it had long
would go up to a mountain 1
night in prayer to God. In tl
"He withdrew to a solitary j
And He impressed the need
disciples. He warned them ag
tation. He bade them give ali:
pray in secret.
The lesson is one for us all.
recognized the need for silence
munities men have placed th<
silence, some not opening thei
or Quakers are sometimes ki
silence," from their practice
Spirit moves them to speak. '
oles: h lit it ic nnt tr> onv nno'c "
f _ ,w ..VI. I.V tttijr v/liV o V.
talk and will never listen. V
reason of our much speaking
AVe would air do well to spend
silence, and in thinking of thi
ness or our pleasure.
Sometimes our Lord could
THE PRESBYTERI/
d Selections
R LORD ON EARTH.
Marjorimanks.
[is peace." *
modern lite is its want of
speak; few are willing to
: universal languages, dpends
of the earth, or for
e very dead. "Looking
loisy inanity of the world,
ions with little worth, one
empire of Silence?higher
ie kingdoms of Death."
as valuable as the gift of
rs began well when "they
or r rill 11 f] cnvon rlmro n -? A
vyviiiu WJV ? VII via^o aiiu
i word unto him : for they
eat. ' The founder of the
>ossible tribute paid to his
the name he still bears?
" says Thomas a Kempis,
10 would rather hold his
learned, then, from the
yords of our Master. "Si acteristic
of God, speech
r*u *-i. t j ?
jurist nas aone in silence
d he that truly possesses
i to hear His silence."
as needed for our Lord's
e world without was cont
of His life was spent in
I, "He shall not strive nor
be heard in the streets."
nded for Him thirty years
these silent years is the
nd Him not teaching, but
who taught. Even after
; intervals of silence. He
to pray, and continue all
ic hour before His agony
>lace, and there prayed."
of a like silence on His
ainst anything like ostenns
in secret, fast in secret^
True religion has always
. In some religious comimselves
under a vow of
r lips for years. Friends
nown as "children of
of sitting dumb till the
These are extreme examredit
that he must always
Ve miss a great deal by
and our vain repetitions.
I some part of our day in
ngs other than our busiteach
better by silence
lN of the south.
than by speech. His silence
brought out force that would
mailt. To the woman of Canaai
beseeching Him to heal her c
swered not a word. But this
the effect of trying her faith, a
till her object was won.
It is in some such way that i
His answer. To our most e
reply is often a silent one, an<
and His lips dumb. Yet this
very helpful. We do not alwa;
tion at once, but often wait to
without such silence on God's p
for faith on ours. In a life that h
and plain, interest and asnira
does God remain silent foreve
swered as surely as Christ ansi
naan, "Great is thy faith: be it
wilt."
Another effective use which
was as a means of rebuke. It
rebuke which must be used sp;
best to answer a question cour
think the question unnecessary,
for which silence is the only sul
nent curiosity is one of these, a
our Lord met it. "When Hen
"he was exceedingly glad: for h<
for a long season, because he h
Him; and he hoped to have set
Him. Then he questioned wit
but He answerer! him nr?thitmr "
&
deal with a man of such coarse
see a miracle, not for any good
one else, but simply to gratii
And for that very reasoh our L
miracle, nor deign him one word
must be treated in the same wj
that deserve no reply; actions
ment must be silence.
Indecent cpnversation, too?c
ultpmnne tall- !c Kost ^
WM*i\ to UVOl IIIV. I IJ
brought to Jesus a woman who
asked His opinion on her cast
and with His finger wrote upoi
He heard them not." As the
was the first to point out, He v
to a foul story. He could not m<
crowd, or the accusers, or the w
therefore, and made as though 1
is the best way to meet all simi
rebuke may do more harm tha
least be silent. We can refuse
nr follAur itn O A
up a UUUL/liUl line U
story by telling another. Indet
should be met, as Christ met it,
Most impressive of all is our 1
fering. "He was oppressed," ss
afflicted; yet He opened not His
as a lamb to the slaughter, an<
shearers is dumb, so He opene<
9
had a testing effect; it
otherwise have lain dorn,
for example, who came
laughter, He at first an?
perplexing silence had
nd making her persevere
vc oiten have to wait for
arnest prayers His first
J we think His ear deaf
silence of His may be
ys answer a child's cjuesdraw
out a better. And
art there were little room
ad everything made clear
tion would cease. Nor
r. Our prayers are angered
the woman of Caunto
thee even as thou
Christ made of silence
is, no doubt, a form of
aringly. As a rule, it is
teously, even though we
Yet there are offenses
fficient rebuke. Impertind
it was by silence that
3(1 saw Jesus," we read,
; was desirous to see him
ad heard many things of
:n some miracle done by
h Him in many words;
It was the only way to
fibre. Herod wanted to '
it would do him or any
fy his vulgar curiosity.
,ord would show him no
I. There are people who
ly ; questions and letters
on which the only comnarco
r>r .it, /-.?
wv vi pi viauv. ui Uitt3
y silence. When men
had sinned, and eagerly
"Jesus stooped down,
i the ground, as though
author of Ecce Homo
^as ashamed of listening
;et the eyes of either the
oman. He turned aside,
-le had not heard. That
lar conversation. Open
in good; but we can at
to smile at a coarse jest,
f talk, or cap one bad
:ency, like impertinence,
with silent contempt.
Lord's silence under suflys
Isaiah, "and He was
mouth : He was brought)
1 as a sheep before her
i not His mouth." We