Hearing, an Important Talent
By A. E. Place
WHAT a life that must be where every soul, every being, every created thing, is not only in harmony, but is harmony itself! Think of a life whose breath enfolds no storm, and whose cadences can never be followed by a dirge or requiem,—a life from which has been eliminated even the minor chords, many of which are sweet to us today, because they speak of sorrow. But sorrow or its remembrance will not be there. As I consider this, my heart cries, O God, prepare my soul for that great day! Then comes the question, How can God prepare me, or any one, for that day, except by teaching us our part in the work of today,—the work of eliminating the discords, and encouraging and strengthening the harmonies and all things which tend to produce true harmony. Can we look over life's experiences without exclaiming, “Alas, that language, designed by the Creator to be a source of gladness and joy, should become babel, or the human voice a jargon! Alas, that the innocent, cooing babe should later use his voice in cursing his own mother, or that he should flee in fear from the voice of his own father! Alas, that men or women, created in the image of God, and posing before the world as followers of the divine Son of God, should use their God-given voices in carrying or extending a reproach against a brother, injuring a reputation, or questioning a character before any but the person in question! Alas, alas, that a brother should lend his ears for the reception of these things, or anything which he knows tends to discord and division! Did the poet have a view of these things when he wrote,— “But sin hath darkened all the mind
And veiled the heavenly light”?
It is useless for us to disregard the fact that sad discords are found in nearly all our experiences, or that we are face to face with discordant environment. But it is wise that we ask ourselves the questions, What lessons may I learn from the facts as they exist? What is my duty? What is the duty of every child, every young man or woman, every parent, yea, every individual soul? Is there anything that I can do to better present conditions, in my own heart, my own home, my church, and the world? If we are impressed that we can and ought to do something, let us first heed the counsel of the Great Teacher, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” These words of Christ indicate that hearing may and should be trained. And why not this gift as truly as any other? We have almost unlimited evidence that this is possible. The necessary training is that which teaches the ear to catch and hold melody and harmony, and as far as possible eliminate discords when it is not necessary or duty to hear them. We might illustrate this in different ways. We sit at the table two or three times each day. If we are wise men and women, we educate our eyes and our tastes to accept such portions of food placed before us as we, by experience, have demonstrated to be for our after-meal comfort and health, and to positively discard those portions which the same experience has demonstrated to be injurious to us. If we are wise, we apply the same rule to the quantity even of the good food which we take. Reason should teach every one, whether he will follow it or not, that health and happiness depends upon faithful adherence to this rule. So each day, often more than two or three times, sometimes all the day long, we are at a table loaded with wholesome and unwholesome words and sounds. Reason here as emphatically teaches that if we would be healthy in mind and soul, we must apply the same rule. This process of selecting, and especially of eliminating, is a hard and trying one for the dyspeptic at either table, but let no one say that it is impossible, for in the name and strength of God it can be done. Jesus said, “Take heed.” He can and will do the rest if we will let him. He who will take heed how he hears, will find he has taken a step in the work of eliminating discord from the world, a step in the direction of that kingdom which is free from the heartaches that discord causes.