Page 57 - 102717-James Allen-Byways to Blessedness-flipbookversion_Neat

BYWAYS TO BLESSEDNESS 53

completion. It is a law everywhere and always that energy distributed is subject unto energy
conserved. The noisy and boasting Charles will ever be thrown by the quiet and modest Orlando.
It is a law universally applicable that quietness is strength. The business man who succeeds
never talks about his plans, methods, and affairs, and should he, turned giddy by success, begin to
do this he will then commence to fail. The man of great moral influence never talks about himself
and his spiritual victories, for, should he do so, in that moment his moral power and influence
would be gone, and, like Samson, he would be shorn of his strength. Success, worldly or spiritual,
is the willing servant of strong, steady, silent, unflinching purpose. The most powerful
disintegrating forces make no noise. The greatly-overcoming mind works silently.
If you would be strong, useful, and self-reliant learn the value and power of silentness. Do not
talk about yourself. The world instinctively knows that the vain talker is weak and empty, and so it

leaves him to his own vanity. Do not talk about what you are going to do but do it, and let your
finished work speak for itself. Do not waste your forces in criticising and disparaging the work of
others but set about to do your own work thoroughly and well. The worst work with earnestness
and sweetness behind it is altogether better than barking at others. While you are disparaging the
work of others you are neglecting your own. If others are doing badly help and instruct them by
doing better yourself. Neither abuse others nor account their abuse of any weight. When attacked
remain silent: in this way you will conquer yourself, and will, without the use of words, teach
others.
But the true silence is not merely a silent tongue; it is a silent mind. To merely hold one’s
tongue, and yet to carry about a disturbed and rankling mind, is no remedy for weakness and no
source of power. Silentness, to be powerful, must envelop the whole mind, must permeate every
chamber of the heart; it must be the silence of peace. To this broad, deep, abiding silentness a man
attains only in the measure that he conquers himself. While passions, temptations, and sorrows
disturb, the holier, profounder depths of silence are yet to be sounded. To smart under the words
and actions of others means that you are yet weak, uncontrolled, unpurified. So rid your heart of
the disturbing influences of vanity and pride and selfishness that no petty spite can reach you, no
slander or abuse disturb your serene repose. As the storm rages ineffectually against a well-built
house, while its occupant sits composed and happy by his fire side within, so no evil without can
disturb or harm him who is well fortified with wisdom; self-governed and silent, he remains at
peace within. To this great silence the self-conquered man attains.
“Envy and calumny, and hate and pain, And that unrest which men miscall delight, Can touch
him not, nor torture him again “
There is no commoner error amongst men than that of supposing that nothing can be
accomplished without much talking and much noise. The busy, shallow talker regards the quiet
thinker or silent doer as a man wasted; he thinks silentness means “doing nothing, and that
hurrying, bustling, and ceaseless talking means “doing much.” He also confounds popularity with
power. But the thinker and doer is the real and effectual worker. His work is at the root and core
and substance of things, and as Nature silently, yet with hidden and wondrous alchemy,
transmutes the rude elements of earth and air into tender leaves, beautiful flowers, delectable
fruits, — yea into a myriad forms of beauty — even so does the silent purposeful worker