In Tune With the Infinite-Ralph Waldo Trine

'•r-

ornia al

M

THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF

>trs.

E, F. I>ucoinnun

By RALPH WALDO TRINE. " The Life Books." I

know of nothing

literature

in the entire

more calculated

range of

to inspire the

young than the " Life Books," and to renew the soul in young and old. From a Reader.

—

WHAT ALL THE WORLD'S A-SEEKING. IN

TUNE WITH THE

INFINITE;

or,

Fulness of

Peace, Power, and Plenty.

The "Life" Booklets.

THE GREATEST THING EVER KNOWN. EVERY LIVING CREATURE. CHARACTER-BUILDING THOUGHT POWER.

THOMAS

Y.

CROWELL i

NEW

YORK.

CO.,

In tune

.ê

WITH THE

.se

^

at

INFINITE

OK

FULLNESS OF PEACE, POWER,

AND PLENTY

RALPH WALDO TRINE HÛktH yourself lift the catt
SiXTY-FlFTH

THOUSAND

NEW YORK THOMAS

Y.

CROWELL & COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1897,

by

Ralph Waldo Trine.

-^.F -T

7-^,1

FULLNESS OF PEACE, POWER,

*

AND PLENTY.

PREFACE. There

a golden thread that runs through every religion

is

There

in the world*

is

a golden thread that runs through

the lives and the teachings of

all

women

and

of truly great

have ever done

lasting

or attained to has been

What one

with law.

and

has done,

and

the prophets, seers, sages,

saviours in the world's history, through the lives of

men

All that they

power.

done in

may

all

all

full

accordance

do.

This same golden thread must enter into the lives of all who today, in this busy work-a-day world of ours, would exchange impotence

for

power, weakness and suffering for

abounding health and strength, pain and unrest for perfect

and plenty.

peace, poverty of whatever nature for fullness

Each

within and

with which

and

like

building his

is

We

like

workings.

attracts like.

This

it

Everything

spiritualizing

is first

is

seen

is

is

in

worked out

in the unseen before

it

shows

The

it is

realized in the

forth in the material.

the realm of cause.

the realm of effect.

it is

The its

The

realm of the

nature of effect

determined and conditioned by the nature of

To

is

and powerful in its accordance with law and

all.

real, in the spiritual before

unseen

the force

Like builds

subtle

manifested in the seen, in the ideal before

of the

is

In the degree that thought

become more

within the power of

realm

both build from

we attract from without. Thought we build, for thoughts are forces.

spiritualized does

is

ow^n world.

always

is

cause.

point out the great facts in connection with,

and the

great laws underlying the workings of

thought

even a child can understand,

that

point

them

them, that life,

them out

forces, to point

tiie interior, spiritual,

so simply is

out so simply and so clearly that

all

so as to

and

so clearly

To

the author^s aim. all

can grasp

can take them and infuse them into every-day

mould

it

in all

its

accordance with

details in

what they would have it, is his purpose. That life can be thus moulded by them is not a matter of mere speculation or theory with him, but a matter of positive knowledge.

There

is

a divine sequence running throughout the uni-

"Within

verse.

and above and below the human will

inces-

santly works the Divine wilL To come into harmony with it and thereby with all the higher laws and forces, to come

then into league and to order that they can us, is to

come

This

the

the

is

possession

into secret

of

work

work

in conjunction

in league

and

with them, in

in conjunction

with

the chain of this wonderful sequence. of

all

unknown

success. riches,

This into

is

to

come

into

the realization

undreamed-of powers,

R. Boston, Massachusetts.

November, 1897.

W. T.

of

CONTENTS I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

Prelude

9

The Supreme Fact of the Universe,

ii

The Supreme Fact of Human

i6

Fullness of Life AND Vigor

— Bodily

Life

.

Health 42

The Secret, Power, and Effects of 88

Love

VL Wisdom and VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

Interior Illumination

.

105

The Realization of Perfect Peace

.

135

Coming into Fullness of Power

.

151

c.^ all Things Prosperity

Plenty

How Men Have Become Seers, Sages,

XI.

— The

.

Law

of 176

Prophets,

and Saviours

.

194

The Basic Principle of all Religions — The Universal Religion

203

Entering Now Into the Realization of the Highest Riches ....

212

.

XII.

.

.

FULLNESS OF

AND PLENTY.

PEACE, POWER,

PRELUDE. The optimist is right. The pessimist is right. The one differs from the other as the light from Yet both are

the dark.

from

his

own

right.

Each

particular point of view,

is

and

right this

point of view is the determining factor in the It determines as to whether it is a life of each. life

of

power or

of

impotence, of peace or of

pain, of success or of failure.

The

optimist has the power of seeing things

in their entirety

and

in

their

right

relations.

The

pessimist looks from a limited and a onesided point of view. The one has his under-

standing illumined by wisdom, the understanding of the other is

darkened by ignorance. Each is from within, and the result of

building his world

the building of each.

and

is

The

insight,

is

determined by the point of view optimist,

making

by

his

degree that he makes his

his superior

wisdom

own heaven, and in the own heaven is he help-

I

o

and Plenty

Fullness of Peace, Power,

ing to

make one

pessimist, his

his

own own

by

hell,

for all the world beside.

virtue of his limitations,

and

hell is

is

The

making

degree that he makes he helping to make one for all in the

mankind.

You and istics of

I have the predominating characteran optimist or the predominating char-

We

then are making, heaven or our own hell;

acteristics of a pessimist.

hour by hour, our own and in the degree that we are making the one or the other for ourselves are for

all

we

make

helping

it

the world beside.

The word heaven means harmony. hell is

from the old English

Jiell,

build a wall around, to separate to to be shut off from. Now if there ;

The word

meaning to be helled was is

such a

thing as harmony there must be that something one can be in right relations with for to be in ;

right relations with anything

with

is

to be in

harmony

Again, if there is such a thing as being helled, shut off, separated from, there must be that something from which one is held, shut off, it.

or separated.


and Plenty

1 1

THE SUPREME FACT OF THE UNIVERSE. is that great central fact of the universe Power that is back Spirit of Infinite Life and of all, that animates all, that manifests itself in

The

and through all that self-existent principle of life from which all has come, and not only from which all has come, but from which all is con;

If there is an individual life, tinually coming. there must of necessity be an infinite source of

from which

life

it

comes.

If

there

is

a quality

must of necessity be whence it comes. If wisdom, there must be the all-wise

or a force of love, there

an

infinite source of love

there

is

source back of

same

is

it

from which

springs.

true in regard to peace, the

gard to power, the call

it

same

in

same

The in re-

regard to what

we

material things.

There is, then, this Spirit of Infinite Life and Power back of all which is the source of all. This Infinite Power is creating, working, ruling through the agency of great immutable laws and forces that run through all the universe, that surround us on every side. Every act of

1


2

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our every-day lives is governed by these same great laws and forces. Every flower that blooms

by the wayside, springs

up, grows, blooms, fades,

according great immutable laws. snowflake that Every plays between earth and heaven, forms, falls, melts, according to certain certain

to

great unchangeable laws. In a sense there is nothing in

universe but law.

If this is true

all the great there must of

necessity be a force behind it all that is the maker of these laws and a force greater than the laws that are made. This Spirit of Infinite Life

and Power that is back of all is what I call God. I care not what term you may use, be it Kindly Light, Providence, the Over Soul, Omnipotence, I or whatever term may be most convenient. care not what the term

agreed

may be as

we

long as

God, then,

is

this Infinite Spirit

which

fills all

the universe with Himself alone, so that

from is

Him

the

live

is

in

He

and move and have our being. our

life of

received,

all

Him, and there is nothing that Indeed and in truth, then, in Him

and

outside.

we

are

in regard to the great central fact itself.

we

from Him.

life,

our very

life itself.

are continually receiving our life are partakers of the life of God

We

and though we individualized

is

We have ;

differ

spirits,

from while

Him in He is

that

we

are

the Infinite

and Plenty


1

3

Spirit including us as well as all else beside, yet in essence the life

of

identically the same,

God and the life of man are and so are one. They differ

not in essence, in quality; they differ in degree. There have been and are highly illumined souls

who

we

believe that

manner

after the

receive our

there have been and are those

our

one with the

life is

God and man

life

of a divine inflow.

are one.

life

who

from God

And

again, believe that

God, and so that

of

Which

is

right

Both

.?

both right when rightly understood. In regard to the first if God is the Infinite then Spirit of Life back of all, whence all comes,

are right

;

:

is conclearly our life as individualized spirits Infinite Source this from by tinually coming

means place,

if

divine

this

of

inflow.

In the second

our lives as individualized

spirits are di-

of rectly from, are parts of this Infinite Spirit Life, then the degree of the Infinite Spirit that is

manifested in the

life of

each must be identi-

cal in quality with that Source, the

same as a

drop of water taken from the ocean is, in nature, in characteristics, identical with that ocean, its source.

And how

could

it

be otherwise

"f

The

in this latter case,

liability to

misunderstanding however, is this in that although the life of God and the life of man in essence are identically the :

same, the

life

of

God

so far transcends the

life

1

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4

of individual

man

that

it

includes

all else

beside.

In other words, so far as the quality of life is concerned, in essence they are the same so far ;

as the degree of

life is

concerned, they are vastly

different.

In this light

is

it

not then evident that both

conceptions are true ? and more, that they are one and the same ? Both conceptions may be typified by one and the same illustration.

There

a reservoir in a valley which receives from an inexhaustible reservoir on the supply mountain side. It is then true that the reseris

its

voir in the valley receives the inflow of the water voir

on the mountain

supply by virtue of

its

from the larger

side.

It

is

reser-

also true that

the water in this smaller reservoir

is

in nature,

in quality, in characteristics identically the

same

as that in the larger reservoir which is its source. difference, however, is this the reservoir on

The

:

the mountain side, in the amotint of

its

water, so

far transcends the reservoir in the valley that it can supply an innumerable number of like reser-

voirs

and

still

be unexhausted.

And so in the life of man.

If,

as

already agreed, however we may

I

think we have

differ in regard

to anything else, there is this Infinite Spirit of Life back of all, the life of all, and so, from

which

all

comes, then the

life

of individual

man,


your

life

and Plenty

and mine, must come by a

inflow from this Infinite Source. true, then the

to

man

this

is

life

if

5

divine this

is

comes by this inflow same in essence as is Life. There is a differ-

that

necessarily the

Infinite Spirit of

ence.

And

1

It is

not a difference in essence.

It is

a

difference in degree.

does

If this is true,

it

not then follow that in

the degree that man opens himself to this divine inflow does he approach to God t If so, it then necessarily follows that in the degree that he makes this approach does he take on the God-

powers. does

limit,

tations himself,

And it

man

if

the God-powers are without

not then follow that the only limihas are the limitations he sets to

by virtue

of not

knowing himself

?

1

6


and Plenty

THE SUPREME FACT OF HUMAN LIFE.

From the great central fact of the universe in regard to which we have agreed, namely, this Spirit of Infinite Life that is back of all and from which

what

the

is

From what answers

all

we

are led to inquire as to great central fact in human life.

comes,

has gone before, the question almost

itself.

The great central fact in human

and

in mine, is the

coming

into

life,

in your life

a conscious, vital

realization of our oneness with this Infinite Life, and the opening of ourselves fully to this divine inflozv. life,

This

is

the great central fact in

for in this all else

is

included,

all

human

else follows

in its train. In just the degree that we come into a conscious reahzation of our oneness with

the Infinite Life, divine

inflow,

do

and open ourselves to

we

actualize

in

this

ourselves

the qualities and powers of the Infinite Life. And what does this mean } It means simply this

that

:

we

we

are recognizing our true identity, are bringing our lives into harmony with

that

the same great laws and forces, and so opening


and Plenty

1

7

same great inspirations, as have the prophets, seers, sages, and saviours in the world's history, all men of truly great and ourselves to the

all

mighty power.

For in the degree that we come and connect ourselves \vith Source, do we make it possible

into this realization this

Infinite

for the higher fest

powers to

play, to work, to mani-

us.

through can keep closed to this divine inflow, to these higher forces and powers, through

We

ignorance, as most of us do, and thus hinder or even prevent their manifesting through us.

Or we can

intentionally close ourselves to their operations and thus deprive ourselves of the powers to which, by the very nature of our being, we are rightful heirs. we can come into so vital

On the other hand, a realization of the

oneness of our real selves with this Infinite Life, and can open ourselves so fully to the incoming of this divine inflow, and so to the operation of these higher forces, inspirations, and powers, that we can indeed and in truth become what we

may well term, God-men. And what is a God-man ? One in whom the powers of God are manifesting, though yet a man. No one can set limitations to a man or a woman of this type for the only limitations ;

he or she can have are those

set

by the

self.

1


8

is

Ignorance

and Plenty

the most potent factor in setting

limitations to the majority of the great majority of people

mankind

;

and so

continue to live

dwarfed, and stunted lives simply by virtue of the fact that they do not realize the their

little,

which they are heirs. They have never as yet come into a knowledge of the real larger

life

to

identity of their true selves. Mankind has not yet realized that self

is

one with the

life

of

God.

the real

Through

has never yet opened itself to the divine inflow, and so has never made itself its

ignorance

it

a channel through which the infinite powers and forces can manifest.

we

When we know

ourselves

accordingly, and have merely the powers of men. When we come into the realization of the fact that we are God-men, then again we live accordingly, and have the

merely as men,

powers

of

God-men.

live

In the degree that we open

ourselves to this divine infloiv are

from mere

we changed

'tnen into God-m,e7i.

A friend has a beautiful

A

lotus pond. nathis farm as he always ural basin on his estate calls it is supplied with water from a reservoir

—

—

A

some distance away. gate flow of the water from the main the regulates that conducts it from the reservoir to the pond. in

the

foothills

4


and Plenty

1

9

a spot of transcendent beauty. There, summer of the the weather, perfect through days It

is

blown upon the surface The June roses and other wild flowers are continually blooming the lotus flowers

lie full

of the clear, transparent water.

upon its banks. The birds come here to drink and to bathe, and from early until late one can hear the melody of their song. continually at

A

work

in this

garden which many kinds

beautiful grove, in

and many

berries

The bees

are

of wild flowers,

varieties of brakes

of wild

and ferns

grow, stretches back of the pond as far as the eye can reach.

Our

friend

is

a man, nay more, a God-man, a and as a consequence no notice

lover of his kind,

bearing

such

trespassing

words as

allowed,"

"Private grounds,

or

"Trespassers

will

no be

But at the prosecuted," stands on his estate. end of a beautiful by-way that leads through the wildwood up to this enchanting spot, stands a notice bearing the words "All are welcome to All love our friend. the Lotus Pond." Why }

They is

his

can't help is

it.

He

so loves them, and what

theirs.

Here one may often find merry groups of Here many times tired and children at play. and women come, and somemen weary looking how, when they go their faces wear a different

20

Fullness of Peace, Poivcr,

and Plenty

— the burden seems

to be lifted

expression,

now and then sometimes

;

and

have heard them when leaving,

I

in a faint

benediction, say,

as if uttering a bless our brother-friend."

murmur,

"God

speak of this spot as the Garden of God. calls it his Soul Garden, and he My Often have I spends many hours in quiet here.

Many

friend

seen him after the others have gone, walking to fro, or sitting quietly in the clear moonlight

and

on an old rustic bench, drinking of the wild flowers. fully simple nature.

things of

come

life

in the

perfume

He is a man of a beautiHe says that here the real to him,

and that here his

greatest and most successful plans, many times as

by a

flash of inspiration, suggest

themselves to

him.

Everything in the immediate vicinity seems to breathe a spirit of kindliness, comfort, goodwill,

and good cheer.

as they

come

of the grove

The very

cattle

and sheep

to the old stone-fence at the edge

and look across to

this beautiful

spot seem, indeed, to get the same enjoyment that the people are getting. They seem almost to smile in the realization of their contentment

or perhaps it seems so to the because he can scarcely help smiling looker-on, manifested evidence of their conas he sees the

and enjoyment

;

tentment and pleasure.

Fitllncss of Peace,

Power, and Plenty

2

1

The

gate of the pond is always open wide enough to admit a supply of water so abundant that it continually overflows a quantity sufficient to feed a stream that runs through the

fields

below, giving the pure mountain water in drink to the cattle and flocks that are grazing there. The stream then flows on through the neighbors' fields.

Not long ago our

was absent

friend

He year. to a man who, as the world goes,

rented his estate during his

for a

absence

was of a very had no time for

"

He turn of mind. " did not that bring him direct practianything " The the resercal returns. gate connecting "practical

pond was shut down, and no the had longer crystal mountain water the opand overflow it. The notice to feed portunity

voir with the lotus

of our friend,

"All are welcome to the Lotus

Pond," was removed, and no longer were the gay companies of children and of men and

A

women

seen at the pond. great change came On account of the lack of the over everything. life-giving water the flowers in the pond wilted,

and

their long

mud in swam in offensive

stems lay stretched upon the

the bottom. its

The

fish

clear water soon died

odor to

all

who came

flowers no longer bloomed on

its

that formerly

and gave an near.

banks.

The The

22

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no longer came to drink and to bathe. No longer was heard the hum of the bees and birds

;

more, the stream that ran through the fields below dried up, so that the cattle and the flocks

no longer got water.

The

their supply of

clear

mountain

between the spot now and the pond when our friend gave it his careful attention was caused, as we readily see, by the difference

lotus

shutting of the gate to the pond, thus preventing the water from the reservoir in the hills

which was the source

And when

this,

of its

life,

the source of

from entering it. life, was shut

its

not only was the appearance of the lotus pond entirely changed, but the surrounding off,

were deprived of the stream to whose

fields

banks the flocks and In this do

cattle

came

for drink.

we

not see a complete parallel so life is concerned ? In the degree

human we recognize our

far as

oneness, our connection with the Infinite Spirit which is the life of all, and in the degree that we open ourselves to this that

divine inflow, do

we come

into

harmony with the

highest, the most powerful, and the most beautiful everywhere. And in the degree that we do this

do we overflow, so that

all

who come

in con-

tact with us receive the effects of this realiza-

tion

on our

part.

This

is

the lotus pond of our

Fullness of Peace, Power, friend,

he who

and best

we

that

in love

is

with

all

And

in the universe. fail

and

23

Plejity

that

is

in the

truest

degree

to recognize our oneness with this

Infinite Source,

and so close, shut ourselves to do we come into that state

this divine inflow,

where there seems to be with us nothing of good, nothing of beauty, nothing of power; and

when

this

is

true, those

who come

in

contact

This is with us receive not good, but harm. the spot of the lotus pond while the farm was

hands of a renter. There is this difference between the lotus pond and your life and mine. It has no power in the

opening the gate to the inflow of the water from the reservoir which is its source. In in itself of

regard to this

it

is

an outside agency.

helpless and dependent upon You and I have the power,

the power within us, to open or to close ourselves to this divine inflow exactly as we choose.

This we have through the power of mind, through the operation of thought. There is the soul life, direct from God. it

is

that relates us to the Infinite.

This

This

There

is,

it is

that relates us

to the material universe about us.

The thought

then, the physical

life

life.

connects the one with the other.

that plays between the two.

It is this


24

Before

we proceed

and Plenty

farther let us consider very

briefly the nature of thought.

Thought

is

not,

many times supposed, a mere indefinite It abstraction, or 'something of a hke nature. as

is

on the contrary, a vital, living force, the most vital, subtle, and irresistible force there is in the is,

universe.

In our very laboratory experiments we are demonstrating the great fact that thoughts are

They have

form, and quality, and substance, and power, and we are beginning to find that there is what we may term a science of forces.

thought.

through

We the

are beginning also to find that

instrumentality

of

our

thought

we have

creative power, not merely in a figurative sense, but creative power in reality. Everything in the material universe about us,

forces

everything the universe has ever known, had From this it took origin first in thought. form. ing, its

Every

castle,

its its

every statue, every paint-

every piece of mechanism, everything had birth, its origin, first in the mind of the one

who formed

it

before

it

received

its

material ex-

The very universe in pression or embodiment. which we live is the result of the thought energies of God, the Infinite Spirit that is back of And if it is true, as we have found, that

all.

we

in

our true selves are in essence the same,


and

and Plenty

25

one with the life of this do we not then see that in the

in this sense are

Infinite Spirit,

degree that

we come

this

into a vital realization of

we, tJiroiigh the operation

stupendous of our interior, spiritual, thougJit forces, have in fact,

like sense creative

power?

Everything exists

in

manifested or realized

the unseen before in

it

is

the seen, and in this

it is true that the unseen things are the while the things that are seen are the unThe unseen things are cause; the seen

sense real, real.

The unseen things are the things are effect. the seen things are the changing, the

eternal

;

transient.

The power of the ^^

word''

is

fact.

Through the operation

forces

we have

a

literal scientific

of our

creative power.

thought

The spoken

nothing more nor less than the outward expression of the workings of these interior

word

is

forces.

The spoken word

is

then, in a sense,

the means whereby the thought forces are focused and directed along any particular line; and this concentration, this giving

them

direction,

is

necessary before any outward or material manipower can become evident.

festation of their

Much the is

is

said in regard to "building castles in

and one who

given to this building not always looked upon with favor. But casair,"

is

26

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ties in the air are always necessary before we can have castles on the ground, before we can have castles in which to live. The trouble with

the one

the air

who

is

gives himself to building castles in not that he builds them in the air, but

that he does not go farther and actualize in life, in character, in material form, the castles he

He

thus builds.

does a part of the work, a very but another equally necessary necessary part remains still undone. part ;

There is in connection with the thought forces what we may term, the drawing power of mind, and the great law operating here is one with that great law of the universe, that like

We

are continually attracting to us from both the seen and the unseen side of

attracts like.

life,

our

forces and conditions most akin to those of

own

thoughts.

continually operating whether we are conscious of it or not. are all living, so

This law

is

We

to speak, in a vast ocean of thought,

very atmosphere around us

is

and the

continually filled

with the thought forces that are being continually sent or that are continually going out in the form of thought waves. are all affected,

We

mors or

less,

by these thought

forces,

either

consciously or unconsciously; and in the degree that we are more or less sensitively organized,


and Plenty

27

we

are negative and so are open to outside influences, rather than positive, thus determining what influences shall enter or in the degree that

into our realm of thought,

and hence into our

lives.

There are those among us who are much As more sensitively organized than others. an organism their bodies are more finely, more sensitively constructed.

These, generally speakare who are always more or less ing, people affected by the mentalities of those with whom

they come they

in

A

are.

contact,

great journals, it

is

or in whose

friend, the is

company

editor of one of our

so sensitively organized that him to attend a gathering,

impossible for

such as a reception, talk and shake hands with a number of people during the course of the evening, without taking on to a greater or less extent their various mental and physical condiThese affect him to such an extent that tions.

he

is

for

scarcely himself and in his best condition until some two or three days afterward.

work

Some think

it

tively organized.

thing, for

unfortunate for one to be sensi-

By no means.

It is

a good

one may thus be more open and recep-

tive to the higher impulses of the soul within,

and to without.

all

higher forces and influences from may, however, be unfortunate and

It

28


and Plenty

extremely inconvenient to be so organized unless one recognize and gain the power of closing himself, of making himself positive to all detrimental or undesirable influences. This

power every one, however he

may

sensitively organized

be, can acquire.

This he can acquire through the mind's action. is no habit of more value

And, moreover, there

be he sensitively or less sensitively organized, than that of occasionally taking and

to anyone,

holding himself

mind to

all

continually in the attitude of close myself, I make myself positive things below, and open and receptive to all

—

I

all things above. By taking this attitude of mind consciously now and then, it soon becomes a habit, and if one is deep-

higher influences, to

ly in earnest in regard to

it,

it

puts into opera-

and powerful influences in In this way all the desired results.

tion silent but subtle

effecting

lower and undesirable influences from both the seen and the unseen side of

life

are closed out,

while all higher influences are invited, and in the degree that they are invited will they enter. And what do we mean by the unseen side of

thought forces, the mental and emotional conditions in the atmosphere about us

life

."*

First, the

that are generated

by those manifesting on the

physical plane through the agency of physical


from are

29

Second, the same forces generated by

bodies.

those

and Plenty

who have dropped

the physical body, or has been struck away, and who manifesting through the agency of bod-

whom

now

it

ies of a different nature.

"The individual existence of man begins on the sense plane of the physical world, but rises through successive gradations of ethereal and celestial

spheres, corresponding

with

his ever

and powers, to a destiny of unfolding unspeakable grandeur and glory. Within and above every physical planet is a corresponding ethereal planet, or soul world, as within and above deific life

every physical organism

is

a corresponding ethewhich the physi-

real organism, or soul body, of

cal is but the external counterpart

From

ized expression. planet, which

is

and material-

this etherealized or soul

the immediate

home

our

of

arisen humanity, there rises or deepens in infinite spheres within and above spheres, to

gradations

celestial heights of spiritualized existence utterly

inconceivable to the sense man.

— the

Embodiment,

physical being accordingly, so to but the temporary husk, speak, in and by ethereal which the real and permanent organism is

two-fold,

somewhat as the full corn in the ear is reached by means of its husk, for which there is no further use. By is

individualized and perfected, '

'

Fullness of Peace, Power, arid Plenty

30

means

of this indestructible ethereal

body and

the corresponding ethereal spheres of environment with the social life and relations in the spheres,

the individuality and personal

life

is

preserved forever."

The

fact of

whatever form means the

life in

life, even though the form be Life is the one eternal principle of

continuance of changed. the universe

and so always continues, even though the form of the agency through which it " In manifests be changed. my Father's house are

many

And

mansions."

individual

has dropped,

surely,

has

because the

gone out

of

the

physical body, there is no evidence at all that the life does not go right on the same as before,

—

—

not commencing, for there is no cessation, but commencing in the other form, exactly where it

has

left

off here

evolution, step

;

for all life

by step

;

is

a continuous

there one neither skips

nor jumps.

There are in the other form, then, mentalities and hence lives of all grades and influences, the same as there are in the physical form. If, then, the great law that like attracts like

ever operating, we are continually attracting to us from this side of life influences and conditions most akin to those of our

grewsome

is

own thoughts and lives. A we should be so influ-

thought that


and Plenty

3

1

enced, says one. By no means, all life is one we are all bound together in the one common and universal life, and especially not when we ;

take into consideration the fact that

we have

it

entirely in our own hands to determine the order of thought we entertain, and consequently the

order of influences

we

attract,

and are not mere

willowy creatures of circumstance, unless indeed we choose to be. In our mental lives

we can

either keep hold of

the rudder and so determine exactly what course

what points we touch, or we can fail to do this, and failing, we drift, and are blown And hither and thither by every passing breeze.

we

take,

on the contrary, welcome should be the thought, for thus we may draw to us the influso,

ence and the aid of the greatest, the noblest, and the best who have lived on the earth, whatever the time, wherever the place. cannot rationally believe other than that

We

who have

those

labored in love and with upliftstill laboring in the same

ing power here are

way, and zeal,

"And thee,

in

all

and with

probability with

more earnest

still

greater power. Elisha prayed, and said, Lord,

open

his eyes, that

he

may

see.

I

pray

And

the

Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and, behold, the mountain zvas full of ;

:

horses

and chariots of fire round about

Elisha."


32

and Plenty

While riding with a friend a few days ago, we were speaking of the great interest people are everywhere taking in the more vital things of life, the eagerness with which they are reaching out for a knowledge of the interior forces, their ever increasing desire to know themselves and to

know

And

their true relations with the Infinite.

speaking of the great spiritual awakis so rapidly coming all over the

in

ening that

world, the beginnings of which we are so clearly seeing during the closing years of this, and whose ever increasing proportions we are to witness

during the early years of the coming century, I said, "How beautiful if Emerson, the illumined

one so far

in

advance of his time, who labored

so faithfully and so fearlessly to bring about these very conditions, how beautiful if he were

with us today to witness "

rejoice " that

"

!

he

How

it

all

!

how he would

do we know," was the

reply,

not witnessing it all ? and more, not having a hand in it all, a

is

—

he is hand even greater, perhaps, than when we saw " him here ? Thank you, my friend, for this that

reminder.

And,

truly,

"are they not

all

minis-

tering spirits sent forth to minister to those " shall be heirs of salvation 1 'T

As

science

— the today,

is

who

so abundantly demonstrating we see are but a very

things that

and Plenty


I

33

small fraction of the things that are. The real, vital forces at work in our own lives and in the

world about us arc not seen by the ordinary Yet they are the causes of which physical eye. all

we

things

Thoughts is

to determine his

Says one things

"

its

the

effects.

and

like

his thinking,

life.

deep insight into the nature of of correspondences between

of

The law

:

spiritual in

merely

like builds like,

;

For one to govern

attracts like.

then,

are

see

are forces

and material things

is

wonderfully exact by the mood of

People ruled

workings.

them gloomy things. People and despondent do not sucdiscouraged always ceed in anything, and live only by burdening gloom

attract to

some one cheerful

The

else.

attract

the

confident,

and

elements of success.

A

hopeful,

man's front or back yard will advertise that man's ruling mood in the way it is kept. A woman at home shows her state of mind in her dress.

A

slattern advertises the ruling

mood

carelessness, and lack of sysand dirt are always in the tatters, Rags,

of hopelessness,

tem.

mind before being on the body. The thought that is most put out brings its corresponding visible

and

element to crystallize about you as surely

literally as

the visible bit of copper in solu-

tion attracts to

it

the invisible copper in that


34

solution.

A

mind always

and Plenty

hopeful,

confident,

courageous, and determined on its set purpose, and keeping itself to that purpose, attracts to itself

out of the elements things and

powers

favorable to that purpose. " of

Every thought yours has a literal value in The strength of you every possible way.

to

your body, the strength of your mind, your success in business, and the pleasure your company brings others, depends on the nature of your thoughts.

... In whatever mood you

mind does your

set

your

receive of unseen sub-

spirit

stance in correspondence with that mood. It is much a chemical law as a spiritual law. Chemistry is not confined to the elements we

as

see.

The elements we do

not

see

with

the

physical eye outnumber ten thousand times those we do see. The Christ injunction, 'Do to those who hate good you,' is based on a scientific fact and a natural law. So, to do good is

to bring to yourself

power and good.

all

the elements in nature

To do

evil is to bring the destructive elements. When our eyes contrary are opened, self-preser\'ation will make us stop

of

Those who live by hate will thought. those who live by the hate that is, by the sword.' sword will die by Every evil thought the drawn on is as a sword person to whom it is all

die

evil

'

:

Fullness of Peace, Power, and Plenty If a

directed.

sword

is

drawn

in return, so

35

much

the worse for both."

And says another who knows full well whereof he speaks " The law of attraction works universally on every plane of action, and we attract If we desire one whatever we desire or expect. :

thing and expect another, we become like houses divided against themselves, which are quickly

brought

to

desolation.

Determine

resolutely

what you desire, then you will attract only what you wish for. Carry any kind of thought you please about with you, and so long as you retain it, no matter how you roam over land or sea, you will unceasingly attract to yourself, knowingly or inadvertently, exactly and only what corresponds to your own dominant to expect only

.

.

.

Thoughts are our private property, and we can regulate them to suit our taste entirely by steadily recognizing our ability quality of thought.

so to do."

We

have just spoken of the drawing power of Faith is nothing more nor less than the mind. operation of the thought forces in the form of an earnest desire, coupled with expectation as to its

And

the degree that faith, the earnest desire thus sent out, is continually held

fulfillment.

in

and watered by firm expectation, in just that degree does it either draw to itself, or does to

Fullness of Peace Power,

36 it

^

and Plenty

change from the unseen into the

visible,

from

the spiritual into the material, that for which is

it

sent.

Let the element of doubt or fear enter in, and what would otherwise be a tremendous force be so neutralized that

will

zation.

Continually

will fail of its reali-

it

held

to

and

continually

becomes a force, irresistible and absolute,

watered by firm expectation,

it

a drawing power, that is and the results will be absolute tion as

We

it is

in direct propor-

absolute.

shall find, as

we

are so rapidly beginning to find today, that the great things said in regard to faith, the great promises made in connection

with are

are not

it,

all

mere vague

great scientific facts,

immutable laws.

sentimentalities, but

and

rest

upon great our very laboratory are beginning to discover the

Even

in

experiments we laws underlying and governing

We

now

are

beginning, some

these forces.

at least,

to use

them understandingly and not blindly, as has so often and so long been the case.

Much is

many

itself.

far as

is said It today in regard to the will. times spoken of as if it were a force in

But it is

will is a force, a

power, only in so a particular form of the manifestation

of the thought forces

the

"will

"

;

for

that thought

is

it is

by what we

call

focused and given a

Fullness of Peace, Power, and Plenty

and in the degree that thus focused and given direction, is effective in the work it is sent out to accom-

particular ft

direction,

is

thought it

37

pHsh.

In a sense there are two kinds of

human and the

may

the

will,

The human

divine.

— the

will

is

what, for convenience' sake, we term the lower self. It is the will that of

will

realm of the mental and the physical, will. It is the will of the one who is not yet awake to the fact that finds its life

there

a

is

merely

in the

— the sense

life

that far transcends

the

life

of

merely the intellect and the physical senses, and which when realized and lived, does not do away with or minify these, but which, on the contrary, brings

them

to their highest perfection

and to

powers of keenest enjoyment. The divine will is the will of the higher self, the will of the their

one who recognizes his oneness with the Divine, and who consequently brings his will to work in harmony, in conjunction with the divine will. "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty."

The human and no

will

has

its

limitations.

farther, says the law.

The

So

far

divine will

has no limitations. It is supreme. All things are open and subject to you, says the law, and so, in the degree that the human will is trans-


38

muted comes

the

and Plenty

the degree that it with and so, acts in conjuncharmony tion with the divine, does it become supreme. Then it is that "Thou shalt decree a thing and it

into

divine, in

into

shall

be established unto thee."

secret of

life

and of power, then,

The

great

to

make

is

and to keep one's conscious connection with

this

Infinite Source.

The power of every life, the very determined by what it relates itself immanent as well

life itself, is

to.

as transcendent.

God

He

is

is

cre-

ating, working, ruling in the universe today, in

your

life

has been.

and

in mine, just as

We

much

are too apt to regard

He ever Him after

as

the manner of an absentee landlord, one who has set into operation the forces of this great uni-

and then taken Himself away. In the degree, however, that we recognize

verse,

Him we

as

immanent as well

as transcendent, are

His life and power. For recognize Him as the Infinite Spirit of Life and Power that is today, at this able to partake of

in the

degree that

we

very moment, working and manifesting in and

through

come

all,

and then,

into the

in

realization

the degree that

we

of our oneness with

we become partakers of, and so life, do do we actualize in ourselves the qualities of His this

life.

In the degree that we open ourselves

to the


and Plenty

39

inflowing tide of this immanent and transcendent life, do we make ourselves channels through which

and Poiver can work.

the Infiyiite Intelligence It is

that

we

through the instrumentality of the mind are enabled to connect the real soul life

with the physical life, and so enable the soul life manifest and work through the physical. The thought life needs coritinually to be illuto

mined from within. in

the

just

This illumination can come

degree that through the agency

mind we recognize our oneness with the Divine, of which each soul is an individual form

of the

of expression.

This gives us the inner guiding which we intuition.

" Intuition

is

call

to the spiritual nature

and understanding practically what sense perception is to the sensuous nature and understanding. It is

an inner

spiritual sense

through which

opened to the direct revelation of God, the secrets of nature is

man

and knowledge and life, and

through which he is brought into conscious unity and fellowship with God, and made to realize his

own

deific

nature and supremacy of

being as the son of God.

and

illumination

thus

Spiritual realized

supremacy

through

the

development and perfection of intuition under divine vision

inspiration,

and

direct

gives

the

insight

into

perfect

the

inner

character,


40

properties,

and Plenty

and purpose of all things to which and interest are directed.

the attention

.

.

.

we

repeat, a spiritual sense opening inas the physical senses open outwardly; wardly, and because it has the capacity to perceive, It

is,

and know the truth

grasp,

pendent

of

external

all

tion,

we

and

spiritual

call

it

intuition.

revelations

at

first

sources

hand, indeof

informa-

All inspired teaching are based upon the

recognition of this spiritual faculty of the soul, its power to receive and appropriate them.

and

Conscious unity of man in spirit and purwith the Father, born out of his supreme pose .

.

.

and

desire

trust,

opens his

inner sense to immediate

soul

through this and en-

inspiration

lightenment from the Divine Omniscience, and the co-operative energy of the Divine Omnipo-

under which he becomes a seer and a

tence,

master.

"On in

the

attitude

this higher plane of realized spiritual life

flesh

the mind holds

the

impersonal

and acts with unfettered freedom and

unbiased vision, grasping truth at first hand, independent of all external sources of information.

Approaching all beings and things from the

divine side, they are seen in the light of

Divine Omniscience.

God's purpose and so the truth concerning them, as

in it

the

them,

rests in

and Plenty


the mind of God, are thus revealed

by

4

1

direct

ilkimination from the Divine Mind, to which the soul

is

sense

we

the

of

some

opened inwardly through call intuition."

soul

call

it

some

;

call

Some it

this

call

it

spiritual

the voice

the voice of

the sixth sense.

It

is

our

God

;

inner

spiritual sense.

we come

In the degree that tion of our

own

of the oneness of our

and

in the

into the recogni-

true selves, into the realization life

degree that

with the Infinite Life,

we open

ourselves to this

divine inflow, does this voice of intuition, this

voice of the soul, this voice of God, speak clearand in the degree that we recognize, listen ly ;

speak ever more clearly, until by-and-by there comes the time when it is

to,

and obey

it,

does

it

unerring, absolutely unerring, in

its

guidance.


42

and Plenty

OF LIFE— BODILY HEALTH AND VIGOR.

FULLNESS

If we are the Spirit of Infinite Life. of this and have the Hfe, power of partakers ourselves to its divine inflow, it opening fully

God

is

means more,

so far as even the physical we may at first think.

life

is

For of this the life Infinite from Spirit, very clearly, its very nature, can admit of no disease; and if this is true, no disease can exist in the body where it freely enters, through which it freely concerned, than

flows.

Let us recognize

at the outset that, so far as

the physical life is concerned, all life is from There is an immutable law which within out.

"As within, so without cause, effect." says In other words, the thought forces, the various :

;

mental states and the emotions, their effects

Some one day

all

have

in

time

upon the physical body. says

:

" I hear a great deal said to-

in regard to the effects of the

the body, but I don't confidence in this."

know as Don't

brings you sudden news.

I

mind upon

much Some one

place very

you.-*

You grow

pale,

you

Fulhicss of Peace, Power,

and

Ple7ity

43

It is, tremble, or perhaps you fall into a faint. however, through the channel of your mind that

the news

is

imparted to you.

something

thing that seems very unkind.

by

it,

we

as

A

friend

says

to you, perhaps at the table, some-

say.

You

are hurt

You have been enjoying your moment your appetite is

dinner, but from this

But what was said entered into and

gone.

affected you through the channel of your mind. Look! yonder goes a young man, dragging his

stumbling over the slightest obstruction in Why is it Simply that he is weak-

feet,

the path.

.-*

minded, an

mind

of the

idiot.

is

body.

footed.

To

In other words, a fallhig state

productive of a falling conditioti of To be sure minded is to be sure be' uncertain in

mind

is

to be uncer-

tain in step.

You Again, a sudden emergency arises. stand trembling and weak with fear. Why are Why do you tremble ? you powerless to move .''

And

mind has but little yet you influence upon the body. You are for a moment dominated by a fit of anger. For a few hours believe that the

afterwards you complain of a violent headache. And still you do not seem to realize that the

thoughts and emotions have an effect upon the body.

A

day or two ago, while conversing with a

Fulhiess of Peace, Poiver,

44

friend,

we were speaking

and Plenty "

of worry.

greatly given to worry," he father is not a healthy man," is

My

I

father

"Your

said.

"

said.

He

not strong, vigorous, robust, and active." I then went on to describe to him more fully his is

father's condition

him.

He

"Why, you do I

and the troubles which

me

looked at "

replied.

not

How

in surprise

know my

father

just

told

me

father's condition its

own

I

said,

No,"

is

afflicted

.''"

In describ-

simply connected

peculiar effects."

Fear and worry have the

\f

"

that your father is When you told me

greatly given to worry. this you indicated to me cause.

ing your with the cause

" }

then can you describe so ac-

curately the disease with which he

"You have

afflicted

and

effect

of

closing

up the channels of the body, so that the life forces flow in a slow and sluggish manner. Hope and tranquillity open the channels of the body, so that the life forces go bounding through it in such a way that disease can rarely get a foothold.

Not long ago a lady was

telling a friend of a

My

friend happened serious physical trouble. know that between this lady and her sister He the most kindly relations did not exist. to

to her delineation of her

listened

attentively

troubles,

and then, looking her squarely

in

the


45

but kindly tone said: "Forgive looked at him in

face, in a firm

your

and Plenty

The woman

sister."

"I can't forgive my sister." "Very well, then," he replied, "keep the stiffness of your joints and your kindred rheumatic surprise and said

:

troubles."

A

he saw her again. With a light step she came toward him and said: "I I saw my sister and forgave took your advice.

few weeks

later

We

have become good friends again, and know how it is, but somehow or other I don't from the very day, as I remember, that we became reconciled, my troubles seemed to grow

her.

and today there is not a trace of the old difficulties left and really, my sister and I have

less,

;

such good friends that now we can scarcely get along without one another." Again we have effect following cause.

become

We

have several well-authenticated cases of mother has been domithe following nature: nated for a few moments by an intense passion

A

of anger,

and the child

at

her breast has died

within an hour's time, so poisoned became the mother's milk by virtue of the poisonous secretions of the system w^hile under the domination In other cases it has caused of this fit of anger.

severe illness and convulsions.

The

following experiment has been tried a


46

number

of

times

and Plenty

by a well-known

scientist:

men have been put into a heated room. Each man has been dominated for a moment by Several

a particular passion of some kind; one by an intense passion of anger, and others by different

The experimenter

other passions.

drop of perspiration

has taken a

from the body of each of

these men, and by means of a careful chemical analysis he has been able to determine the par-

by which each has been domPractically the same results revealed

ticular passion

inated.

themselves in the chemical analysis of the saliva of each of the men.

Says a noted American author, an able graduate of one of our greatest medical schools, and

one who has studied deeply into the forces that build the body and the forces that tear it down:

"The mind

the natural protector of the body. Every thought tends to reproduce itself, and ghastly mental pictures of disease, sensu.

.

is

.

ality,

and vice

of all sorts,

produce scrofula and

leprosy in the soul, which reproduces them in the body. Anger changes the chemical properties of the saliva to a It

is

well

known

poison dangerous to

that sudden

tions have not only

life.

and violent emo-

weakened the heart

in a

few

It hours, but have caused death and insanity. has been discovered by scientists that there is


and Plenty

47

a chemical difference between that sudden cold

exudation of a person under a deep sense of guilt and the ordinary perspiration; and the state

mind can sometimes be determined by

of the

chemical analysis of the perspiration of a criminal, which, when brought into contact with selenic acid, produces a distinctive pink color. It is

well

known

that fear has killed thousands of

victims; while, on the other hand, courage is a

great invigorator. "Anger in the mother

may poison a nursing Rarey, the celebrated horse-tamer, said that an angry word would sometimes raise the child.

If this pulse of a horse ten beats in a minute. true of a beast, what can we say of its power

is

upon human beings, especially upon a child } Strong mental emotion often causes vomiting. Extreme anger or fright may produce jaundice.

A violent

paroxysm

and death.

of rage has caused apoplexy

Indeed, in more than one instance, a agony has wrecked a life.

single night of mental

Grief, long-standing jealousy, constant care

and

corroding anxiety sometimes tend to develop Sick thoughts and discordant moods insanity. are the natural atmosphere of disease, and crime is engendered and thrives in the miasma of the

mind."

From

all

this

we

get the great fact

we

are

^

and Plenty


48

—

that the scientifically demonstrating today, various mental states, emotions, and passions have their various peculiar effects upon the

body, and each induces in turn, to

great extent, its

any

disease,

and these

in

own

if

indulged in

peculiar forms of

time become chronic.

Just a word or two in regard to their mode of If a person is dominated for a mooperation.

ment

by, say a passion of anger, there

is set up what we organism might justly term a bodily thunder-storm, which has the

in the physical

of

effect

souring, or rather of corroding,

the

normal, healthy, and life-giving secretions of the body, so that instead of performing their natural

become poisonous and

functions they

And

tive.

if

this

destruc-

goes on to any great extent,

virtue of their cumulative

influences, they a particular form of disease, which in turn becomes chronic. So the emotion op-

by

give rise to

posite to this, that of kindliness, love, benevolence, good-will, tends to stimulate a healthy, purifying, and life-giving flow of all the bodily secretions.

free

All the channels of the body seem the life forces go bounding

and open;

through them. into a

bounding

And

these

very forces, set time counteract

activity, will in

the poisonous and disease-giving effects of theil opposites.


and Plenty

49

A

He gives physician goes to see a patient. this Yet the very fact of no medicine morning. his

He has going makes the patient better. him the spirit of health he has car-

carried with

;

and disposition; he has into the sick carried hope chamber; he has left it In fact, the very hope and good cheer he there. has carried with him has taken hold of and has ried brightness of tone

had a subtle but powerful influence upon the mind of the patient; and this mental condition imparted by the physician has in turn

its

effects

body, and so through the of this mental suggestion the instrumentality

upon the

patient's

healing goes on. "

Know, then, whatever cheerful and serene Supports the mind, supports the body, too. Hence the most vital movement mortals feel Is hope; the balm and life-blood of the soul."

We

sometimes hear a person

" say to another,

come."

There

I

always

in

weak health when you

feel better

a deep scientific reason under" The lying the statement. tongue of the wise is

is

The power of suggestion so far as human mind is concerned is a most wonder

health."

the ful ful

and interesting field of study. Most wonderand powerful forces can be set into operation

through this agency. One of the world's most noted scientists, recognized everywhere as one of


50

and Plenty

the most eminent anatomists living, tells us that he has proven from laboratory experiments that

human structure can be completely made over, within a period of less than changed, one year, and that some portions can be entirely

the entire

remade within a period

"Do

you mean

of a very

few weeks.

to say," I hear

it

asked, "that

the body can be changed from a diseased to a healthy condition through the operation of the interior forces ?" is

the natural

that has as

its

Most certainly and more, this method of cure. The method work the application of drugs, ;

medicines and external agencies is the artificial method. The only thing that any drug or any

medicine can do the to

life

forces

is

may

do their work.

must

to

remove obstructions, that

have simply a better chance

The real

Jiealing process

performed by the operation of the life within. A surgeon and physician of forces world-wide fame recently made to his medical " For associates the following declaration genbe

:

erations past the most important influence that plays upon nutrition, the life principle itself, has

remained an unconsidered element cal its

in the medi-

profession, and the almost exclusive drift of studies and remedial paraphernalia has been

confined

to

the

action

of

matter over mind.

This has seriously interfered with the evolution-

Fnlhu'ss of Peace, Power, atid Plenty

5

i

and ary tendencies of the doctors themselves, in factor professional consequently the psychic life is still in

a rudimentary or comparatively unBut the light of the nineteenth

state.

developed century has dawned, and so the march of mankind in general is taken in the direction of the

Doctors are now com-

hidden forces of nature.

pelled to join the ranks of students in psychology and follow their patrons into the broader field of

mental therapeutics. There is no time for lindoubt or hesitagering, no time for skepticism or

He who

tion.

lingers is

is enlisted in the I

am aware

lost,

for the

etitire

race

movement^

of the fact that in connection with

the matter we are now considering there has been a great deal of foolishness during the past few years.

Many

foolish things have but this says nothing has absolutely nothing to do with

absurd and

been claimed and done against,

the

and

great

it

underlying

same has been true

;

laws

themselves.

The

of the early days of practi-

every system of ethics or philosophy or But as time religion the world has ever known.

cally

has passed, these foolish, absurd

things

have

and the great eternal principles have more and more clearly defined. out ever stood I know personally of many cases where an entire and permanent cure has been affected, in

fallen away,

5


2

and Plenty

some within a remarkably short period

of time,

Some through the operation of these forces. of them are cases that had been entirely given up by the regular practice, materia medica.

We

have numerous accounts of such cases times and in connection with

why exist

and

in

all

And

all religions.

should not the power of effecting such cures The power does exist, among us today

it

.''

will

be actualized

we

the

in just the

degree that

same great laws that were

recognize recognized in times past.

One person may do a very great deal in connection with the healing of another, but this almost invariably implies co-operation on the part of the

one who

is

thus treated.

In the cures that

performed he most always needed the co-operation of the one who appealed to him. Christ

His question almost invariably was, " Dost thou believe.''"

He

thus stimulated into activity the

life-giving forces within the is

in a

system

very weak is

one cured.

condition, or

exhausted, or

if

his

if

If

one

his nervous

mind through the

not so strong in its be well for him for a time to

influence of the disease

is

workings, it may But it seek the aid and co-operation of another. would be far better for such a one could he

bring himself to a vital realization of the omni-

potence of his

own

interior powers.


One may

and Plenty

5

3

cure another, but to be permanently

must do it himself. In this way another may be most valuable as a teacher by bringing one to a clear realization of the power healed one

of the forces within, but in every case, in order to have a permanent cure, the work of the self is

necessary.

ably,

— Go and

Christ's sin

words were almost

no more,

or,

invari-

thy sins are for-

given thee, thus pointing out the one eternal and

never-changing

fact,

—

that

all

disease and

its

consequent suffering is the direct or the direct result of the violation of law, either con-

in-

or sciously or unconsciously, either intentionally unintentionally.

designed to continue only so long as sin continues, sin not necessarily in the theoSuffering

is

but always in the philosophical sense, though many times in the sense of both. The moment the violation ceases, the moment one logical,

comes

into perfect

harmony with the

law, the

cause of the suffering ceases and though there may be residing within the cumulative effects of ;

past violation, the cause is removed, and consequently there can be no more effects in the form of

additions,

and even the diseased condition

that has been induced from past violation will begin to disappear as soon as the right forces are set into activity.


54

and Plenty

There is nothing that will more quickly and more completely bring one into harmony with laws under which he lives than this vital

the

realization of his oneness with the Infinite Spirit,

which

is

the

of

life

all life.

In this there can

be no disease, and nothing will more readily remove from the organism the obstructions that

have accumulated there, or in other words, the disease that resides there, than this full realization

and the complete opening of one's

divine inflow.

" I shall put

My

self to this

spirit in you,

and

shall live."

ye

The moment

a person realizes

with the Infinite

his

oneness

he recognizes himself as a spiritual being, and no longer as a mere physiHe then no longer makes the cal, material being. "Spirit

mistake of regarding himself as body, subject to ills and diseases, but he realizes the fact that he is spirit, spirit

be,

now

and that he

as

is

of the body, the

much

as he ever will or can

the builder and so the mastei

house

in

which he

lives

;

and

moment he

thus recognizes his power as master he ceases in any way to allow it the masthe

He no longer fears the elements tery over him. or any of the forces that he now in his ignorance allows to take hold of and affect the body. The moment he realizes his own supremacy, instead of fearing

them

as he did

when he was

out of


and Plenty

5 5

harmony with them, he learns to love them. He thus comes into harmony with them; or into rather, he so orders them that they come harmony with him. He who formerly was the slave has

now become

we come harm

the master.

to love a thing

it

The moment

no longer carries

for us.

There are almost countless numbers today, weak and suffering in body, who would become God strong and healthy if they would only give I To such work. an opportunity to do His Do?it shut out the divine inflozv. Open youranything else rather than this.

would

Do

say,

selves to

it.

Invite

it.

In the degree that you

inflowing tide open yourselves to it, course through your bodies a force so vital that the old obstructions that are dominating them " will be driven out before it. My words will

its

today are

life

to

them

that find them, and health to

all

their flesh." is a trough through which a stream of has been flowing for many days. water muddy The dirt has gradually collected on its sides and

There

bottom, and it continues to collect as long as the muddy water flows through it. Change a to the this. swift-flowing stream trough Open in a very little while and of clear, crystal water,

even the verv

dirt that

has collected on

its

sides


$6

and Plenty

be carried away. The trough be entirely cleansed. It will present an aspect of beauty and no longer an aspect of And more, the water that now courses ugliness.

and bottom

will

will

through

it

will

be of value

it

;

will

of refreshment, of health and of those who use it.

be an agent strength to

Yes, in just the degree that you realize your oneness with this Infinite Spirit of Life,

and thus actualize your latent possibilities and powers, you will exchange dis-ease for ease, inharmony for harmony, suffering and pain for

And

abounding health and strength. degree that you realize

this

abounding health and strength

you carry tact

for

;

it

to

all

with

wholeness,

this

in yourself, will

whom you come

we must reynember

in the

in con-

that Jiealth is con-

tagious as well as disease. I

hear

crete

way

it

asked.

What

of these truths, so that

the

can be said

in a con-

in regard to the practical application

enjoyment

of

one can hold himself

perfect

bodily

in

health; and

more, that one may heal himself of any existing In reply, let it be said that the chief disease .-'

thing that can be done

underlying principle,

must make cannot well

own make this his

is

to point out the great

and that each individual one person application ;

for another.

Fullness of Peace, Power, First let

it

be

said, that

and Plenty

57

the very fact of one's

holding the thought of perfect health sets into operation vital forces which will in time be more or less productive of the effect,

Then speaking more

— perfect

health.

directly in regard to the

great principle itself, from its very nature, it is clear that more can be accomplished through the

process of realization than through the process

though for some affirmation may be a help, an aid to realization. In the degree, however, that you come into a vital realization of your oneness with the Infinite Spirit of Life, whence all life in individual form of affirmation,

is continually coming, and in the that through this realization you open degree to its divine inflow, do you set into yourself

has come and

operation forces that will sooner or later bring even the physical body into a state of aboundFor to realize that ing health and strength. this

Infinite

Spirit of Life

can from

its

very nature admit of no disease, and to realize that

this, then, is

the

oneness with

it,

in you, by realizing your can so open yourself to its you more abundant entrance that the diseased bodily

conditions

ences of or

more

self.

—

life

effects

—

its all-perfect

tardily,

will respond to the influpower, this either quickly

depending entirely upon your-

5


8

and Plenty

There have been those who have been able

to

open themselves so fully to this realization that the healing has been instantaneous and perma-

The degree

nent. in

of intensity always eliminates

degree the element of time.

like

however, be a calm, quiet,

It must,

and

expectant intenthat is fearing, rather than an sity, intensity Then there are disturbed, and 7ion-expectant.

who have come

others

to this realization

by

degrees.

and many will be entirely healed by a practice somewhat after the following nature With a mind at peace,

Many

will receive great

help,

:

and with a heart going out the quiet of your thought, Life, the

—

I

am

life

of

spiritual being,

of

no

own

in love to

all,

go into

interior self, holding the

one with the Infinite Spirit of my life. I then as spirit, I a

my own real nature admit now open my body, in which

can in

disease.

I

disease has gotten a foothold,

I

open

it

fully to

the inflowing tide of this Infinite Life, and

now, even now,

is

in

it

and coursing

pouring body, and the healing process is Realize this so fully that you begin going on. to feel a quickening and a warming glow im-

through

my

Believe parted by the life forces to the body. Believe it, the healing process is going on. and hold continually to it. Many people greatly


and Plenty

5

9

desire a certain thing,

but expect something have greater faith in the power of They evil than in the power of good, and hence remain ill. else.

one

himself to this meditation, realization, treatment, or whatever term it mayIf

will give

seem best

to use, at stated times, as often as he

choose, and then coitinnally hold himself same attitude of mind, thus allowing the

may

in the

work

continually, he will be surprised the rapidly body will be exchanging conditions of disease and inharmony for health and

force to

how

There

harmony. for

ever,

this

is

no

surprise,

particular reason, for

in this

how-

way he

is

the Omnipotent Power to do

simply allowing the work, which will have to do

it

ultimately in

case.

any

there

If

open

is

a local difficulty, and one wants to

this particular portion, in addition to the

entire body, to this inflowing

life,

he can hold

this particular portion in thought, for to fix the

thought in this way upon any particular portion of the

body stimulates or increases the flow of forces in that portion. It must always be borne in mind, however, that whatever heal-

the

life

may be

thus accomplished, effects will not permanently cease until causes have been reIn other words, as long as there is the moved.

ing

6o


violatioji

of law, so long disease and suffering

will result.

This realization that we are considering have an influence not only where there is a

will dis-

eased condition of the body, but even where there is not this condition it will give an increased bodily

We

life,

vigor,

and power.

have had many cases,

in all countries, of healing

in all

times and

through the operation

of the interior forces, entirely independent

external

Various

agencies.

have

been

of

the

methods, or rather, various have been the names applied to them, but the great law underlying all

one and the same, and the same today. the Master sent his followers forth, his

is

When

injunction to them was to heal the sick and the afflicted, as well as to teach the people.

The

early church fathers had the power of healit was a part of their work.

ing, in short,

And why

should

we

not have the power today, it then ? Are the laws

the same as they had at all different

}

Identically the same.

Why,

Simply because, with a few rare exceptions here and there, we are unable to

then

get

.''

beyond

the

mere letter of and power.

into its real vital spirit

is

law the

the spirit that giveth life who becomes so indisoul Every

letter that killeth,

and power.

the It

it is

and Plenty


he breaks

that

vidualized

and enters into the

letter

6

1

through the mere real vital spirit, will

have the pozver, as have all who have gone before, and when he does, he will also be the

means

of imparting

one who

it

to others, for he will be

move and who

will

will

speak with

authority. are rapidly finding today, and we shall find even more and more, as time passes, that

We

all

practically

has

disease, with its consequent suffer-

origin in perverted emotional states and conditions.

ing,

its

mental and

The mental

attitude we take tozvard anytJmig determines to If a greater or less extent its effects upon us.

we

fear

are that

it,

it

or will

if

we

trous effects upon us.

with

it

antagonize

it,

the chances

have detrimental or even disasIf

we come

into

harmony by quietly recognizing and inwardly

asserting our superiority over it, in the degree that we are able successfully to do this, in that

carry with it no injury for us. disease can enter into or take hold of our

degree

No

will

it

bodies unless

it

sponding to itself

find therein

something corre-

which makes

it

possible.

And

same way, no evil or undesirable condition of any kind can come into our lives unless there is already in them that which invites it and so makes it possible for it to come. The sooner in the

62

Fullness of Peace Power, ,

we begin

much

for so

Plcjity

to look within ourselves for the cause

whatever comes to

of

and

us,

the better

it

we begin

the sooner will

will be,

to

conditions within ourselves such that only

make good

may enter. We, who from masters of

all

our very natures should be conditions, by virtue of our igno-

rance are mastered by almost numberless conditions of every description. Do I fear a draft There

nothing in the draft little purifying current of God's pure to cause me trouble, to bring on a cold, air .''

—a

is

—

perhaps an illness. The draft can affect me only in the degree that / inyself make it possible,

only in the degree that

me.

mere does

We

occasions. it

Two

I

allow

it

to affect

must distinguish between causes and

The

carry cause with

draft

is

not cause, nor

it.

persons are sitting in the same draft. is injuriously affected by it, the other

The one

experiences not even an inconvenience, but he rather enjoys it. The one is a creature of cir-

cumstances

he fears the draft, cringes before continually thinks of the harm it is doing him. In other words, he opens every avenue for it to enter and take hold of him, and so it ;

it,

harmless and beneficent in

itself

— brings

him exactly what he has empowered

it

—

to

to bring.


The

and Plenty

63

other recognizes himself as the master over

He and not the creature of circumstances himthe draft. He about concerned is not puts harmony with

self into

to

it,

fort,

and instead he enjoys

him a

makes himself

it,

of experiencing

it,

and

in

positive

any discom-

addition to

its

doing

by bringing the pure fresh air from without to him, it does him the additional service

him even more

service of hardening

But

ture conditions of a like nature.

to if

any

fu-

the draft

would bring the same results to The fact that it does not, shows that both. it is not a cause, but a condition, and it brings

was

cause,

it

to each, effects which tions

it

correspond to the condi-

finds within each.

Poor draft

!

How many

thousands, nay milthe scapegoat by those

it is made who are too ignorant or too own weaknesses square in

lions of times

unfair to look their

the face, and

instead of becoming imperial

masters,

who

remain

Think of it, what it means! cringing slaves. man created in the image of the eternal God,

A

sharer

of

dominion,

His

life

fearing,

and power, shaking,

born to have

cringing before a

But scapedraft of pure life-giving air. goats are convenient things, even if the only thing they do for us is to aid us in our constant little

efforts at self-delusion.

Fullness of Peace, Pozvcr,

64

The

best

effects

it

way

and Plenty

to disarm a draft

been accustomed

has

of the

bad

to bring one,

to bring about a pure and healthy set of conditions within, then, to change one's mental is first

attitude toward itself

it

invest

it

Recognize the

Then

it,

and

will

in a draft

sit

fact that of

has only the power you

it

Thus you

with.

harmony with it.

it.

has no power,

will

put yourself into

no longer sit in fear of a few times and get

hardened to

it, as every one, by going at it j udi" But can suppose one is readily do. ciously,

in

delicate

drafts?"

health,

or

especially

Then be simply

a

subject

to

judicious at don't seek the strongest that can be found, especially if you do not as yet in your own mind

first

little

;

if you do not, it signifies that That supreme regulator of all you common sejtse, must be used here, the life, good same as elsewhere. If we are born to have dominion, and that we are is demonstrated by the fact that some have and what one /uis done, soon or attained to it,

feel equal to still

fear

it,

for

it.

— — then

late all caji do,

it is

not necessary that

we

under the domination of any physical agent. In the degree that we recognize our own interior powers, then are we rulers and able to dictate

live

;

degree that we fail to recognize them, we We build whatare slaves, and are dictated to.

in the

and Plenty


we

ever

comes

find within us

to us,

law, for

all

and

all in

natural law

The whole

of

we

;

65

whatever

attract

accordance with spiritual spiritual law.

is

human

life is

cause and effect

;

no such thing in it as chance, nor is Are we in all the wide universe. even there not satisfied with whatever comes into our lives?

there

is

thing to do, then, is not to spend time in railing against the imaginary something we

The

create and call fate, but to look to the within,

and change the causes

at

work

that things of a different nature

there will

may come,

for

exactly what we cause to come.

true not only of the physical body, but of invite phases and conditions of life.

This all

come

there, in order

is

We

whatever comes, and did we not invite consciously or unconsciously,

it

it,

eithei"

could not and

it

may undoubtedly be or even to see, at first. hard for some to believe, But in the degree that one candidly and open-

would not come.

mindedly looks

at

This

it,

and then studies into the

silent, but subtle and, so to speak, omnipotent workings of the thought forces, and as he traces

their

effects

becomes

within

him and about him, it and easy to under-

clearly evident,

stand.

And for its

then whatever does come to one depends effects entirely upon his mental attitude

66


toward

Does

it.

condition cause

this

or

occurrence

that

you annoyance

Very

?

or

well

;

causes you annoyance, and so disturbs your You are peace merely because you allow it to. it

born to have absolute control over your own dominion, but if you voluntarily hand over this power, even to

for a little while, to

if

some thing

else,

then you

some one or become

of course,

the creature, the one controlled. To live undisturbed by passing occurrences

you must first find your own centre. You must then be firm in your own centre, and so rule He who does not himthe world from within. self condition

circumstances allows the process and becomes a conditioned cir-

to be reversed,

cumstance. render

it

Find your centre and live in it. SurIn the to no person, to no thing.

you do this will you find yourself growing stronger and stronger in it. And how can one find his centre By realizing his oneness with the Infinite Power, and by living con-

degree that

.-'

tinually in this realization. But if you do not rule from your

own

this or that with the

centre,

power of you invest bringing you annoyance, or evil, or harm, then take what it brings, but cease your railings against the eternal goodness and beneficence of if

all

things.

Fullness of Peace, Power, "

and Plenty

67

swear the earth shall surely be complete or her who shall be complete The earth remains jagged and broken Only to him who remains jagged and broken."

I

To him

;

the windows of your soul are dirty and streaked, covered with matter foreign to them, If

then the world as you look out of them will be to you dirty and streaked and out of order.

Cease your complainings, however your "poor,

pessimism,

;

keep your

me"

unfortunate

to

winyourself, lest you betray the fact that your But dows are badly in need of something. that your friend, who keeps his windows clean, that the Eternal Sun may illumine all

know

within

and

make

visible

all

without,

— know

that he lives in a different world from yours. Then, go wash your windows, and instead of

longing for some other world, you will discover and if the wonderful beauties of this world ;

you don't find transcendent beauties on every hand here, the chances are that you will never find

them anywhere. "The poem hangs on

the berry-bush

When comes And

the poet's eye, the whole street is a masquerade

When

Shakspeare passes by."

This same Shakspeare, whose mere passing all this commotion, is the one who put

causes

68


into

the

words

" :

mouth

The

one of his creations the

of

fault,

and Plenty

dear Brutus,

not in our

is

stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." And the great work of his own life is right good

evidence that he realized

full well

the truth of

are considering. And again he us a truth in gave great keeping with what we are considering when he said :

the facts

we

"

And make

Our doubts

us lose the good

are traitors,

we

oft

might win

'By fearing to attempt."

There is probably no agent that brings us more undesirable conditions than fear. We should live in fear of nothing, nor will

we come

fully

to

know

French proverb runs "

we when

An

ourselves.

old

:

Some of your griefs you have cured, And the sharpest you still have survived

;

But what torments ofpain you endured

From

evils that

Fear and lack

of

never arrived." faith

go hand

in

hand.

The one is born of the other. Tell me how much one is given to fear, and I will tell you how much he lacks in faith. Fear is a most expensive guest to entertain, the same as worry is so expensive are they that no one can afford :

to entertain them.

We

invite

what we fear,

the


same vite

as,

and

and Plenty

69

by a different attitude of mind, tve inattract the influences and conditions we

The mind dominated by fear opens the door for the entrance of the very things, for the

desire.

actualization of the very conditions

it

fears.

"Where are you going?" asked an Eastern "I am pilgrim on meeting the plague one day. going to Bagdad to

A

kill five

thousand people,"

later the same reply. "You told met the plague returning. pilgrim me you were going to Bagdad to kill five thousand people," said he, "but instead, you killed "No," said the plague. "/ fifty thousand." killed only five thousand, as I told you I would

was the

few days

;

the others died of

''

fig]it.

Fear can paralyze every muscle

Fear

in

the body.

affects the flow of the blood, likewise the

normal and healthy action of all the life forces. Fear can make the body rigid, motionless, and powerless to move.

Not only do we attract to ourselves the things we fear, but we also aid in attracting to others the conditions we in our own minds hold them This we do in proportion to the in fear of. own thought, and in the degree of our strength that they are sensitively organized and so influ-

enced by our thought, and this, although it be imconscious both on their part and on ours.


yo

Children, and are,

especially

and Plenty

when very young,

generally speaking, more

sensitive to their

surrounding influences than grown people

Some

are veritable

little

sensitive plates,

are.

regis-

tering the influences about them, and embodying them as they grow. How careful in their prevailing

mental states then should be those

who have them

in charge, and especially how mother be during the time she carrying the child, and when every thought,

careful should a is

every mental as well as emotional state has its direct influence upon the life of the unborn child.

Let parents be careful how they hold a

child, either

younger or

older, in the

thought of This is many times done, unwittingly on fear. their part, through anxiety, and at times through

what might well be termed over-care, which fully as bad as under-care. I

has of

know

of a

number

of

is

cases where a child

been so continually held in the thought fear lest this or that condition come upon

him, that the very things that were feared have been drawn to him, which probably otherwise

never would have come at

all.

Many

times

there has been no adequate basis for the fear. In case there is a basis, then far wiser is it to take exactly the opposite attitude, so as to neutralize the force at work, and then to hold


and Plenty

y

i

the child in the thought of wisdom and strength it may be able to meet the condition and

that

master

it, instead of being mastered by it. But a day or two ago a friend was telling

me

an experience of his own life in this connection. At a period when he was having a terrific of

struggle with a certain habit, he was so continually held in the thought of fear by his mother

—

and the young lady to whom he was engaged, the engagement to be consummated at the end of a certain period, the time depending on his proving his mastery, organized,

weakening

—

that he, very sensitively

contimially felt the depressing and effects of their negative thoughts.

He could always tell exactly how they felt toward him; he was continually influenced and weakened by

their fear,

their suspicions,

all

by their questionings, by of which had the effect

of lessening the sense of his own power, all of which had an endeavor-paralyzing influence

upon him. And so instead of their begetting courage and strength in him, they brought him to a still greater realization of his own weakness and the almost worthless use of struggle. Here were two who loved him dearly, and who would have done anything and everything to help him gain the mastery, but who, ignorant of the silent, subtle, ever-working and all-

Ftdlness of Peace, Power,

72

the thought

of

power

telling

and Plenty forces,

instead

him courage, instead of adding to his strength, disarmed him of this, and then added an additional weakness from without. In this way the battle for him was made harder in of imparting to

a three-fold degree.

Fear and worry and

all

kindred mental states

are too expensive for any person, man, woman, or child, to entertain or indulge in. Fear paralyzes healthy action,

down

worry corrodes and

the organism, and will finally tear

Nothing

pieces.

is

to

be gained by

it,

pulls it

to

but

everything to be lost. Long-continued grief at loss will do the same. Each brings its own any

An

inordinate love peculiar type of ailment. of gain, a close-fisted, hoarding disposition will

have kindred

effects.

continual fault-finding, peculiar

corroding,

Anger, jealousy, malice, lust, has each its own

weakening,

tearing-down

effects.

We

shall find that not only are

happiness and concomitants of prosperity righteousness, living in harmony with the higher laws, but bodily health as well.

The

great

Hebrew

—

seer enun-

wonderful chemistry of life when he "As righteousness tendeth to life, so he

ciated a said,

that

—

pursueth evil, pursueth it to his own On the other hand, "In the way of

death."

and Plenty

Fullness of Peace, Power, righteousness is life there is no death." it

will

and

man

in

the pathway thereof

The time

be seen that this

most people dare with

;

evefi to

71

come when means far more than will

think as yet.

"It rests

say whether his soul shall be housed in a stately mansion of ever-growing splendor and beauty, or in a hovel of his own building,

to

— a hovel

at last ruined

and abandoned

to decay."

The bodies of almost untold numbers, living their one-sided, unbalanced lives, are every year, through these influences, weakening and falling

by the wayside long before poor houses

!

their time.

Poor,

Intended to be beautiful temples,

brought to desolation by their ignorant, reckless, deluded tenants. Poor houses !

A

close observer,

power

a careful student of the

of the thought forces, will soon be able to

read in the voice, in the movements, in the features,

the effects registered by the prevailing mental states and conditions. Or, if he is told the prevailing

mental

states

and conditions, he can

describe the voice, the movements, the features, as well as describe, in a general way, the peculiar

physical ailments their possessor is heir to. told by good authority that a study of

We are the

human

body,

its

structure,

and the length


74

of time

it

takes

to

it

come

and Plenty

to maturity, in com-

parison with the time it takes the bodies of various animals and their corresponding longevity, reveals the fact that its natural age should

be nearer a hundred and twenty years than what

we commonly

find

it

But think

today.

of the

about us whose bodies are aging, weakening, breaking, so that they have to abandon them long before they reach what ought to multitudes

all

be a long period of strong, vigorous middle life. Then, the natural length of life being thus shortened, it comes to be what we might term a race

shortened period is the as a consequence many, they approach a certain age, seeing that

belief

that

natural period.

when

this

And

as a rule

people at this period of life begin to show signs of age, to break and go down hill as

we

say, they, thinking

and that

it

it

a matter of course

must be the same with them, by

taking this attitude of mind, many times bring upon themselves these very conditions long Subtle and powerful are before it is necessary. the influences of the mind in the building and As we understand them rebuilding of the body. it may become the custom for people to look forward with pleasure to the teens of their

better

second century.

There comes to mind

at this

moment

a friend,


and Plenty

a lady well on to eighty years of age.

75

An

old

lady, some, most people in fact, would call her, especially those who measure age by the num-

ber of the seasons that have come and gone since one's birth. But to call our friend old,

would be than a

am

girl of twenty-five,

glad to say, or

upon the point age. Seeking all

She is no older and indeed younger, I sorry to say, depending

to call black white.

I

am

of view, than for the

good

many

a girl of this

in all people

and

in

things, she has found the good everywhere.

The

brightness of disposition and of voice that is hers today, that attracts all people to her and that makes her so beautifully attractive to all people, has It

has

in

characterized

her

all

through

life.

turn carried brightness and hope and and strength to hundreds and thou-

courage sands of people through all these years, and will continue to do so, apparently, for many years yet to come.

No

no worry ings, no hatreds, no jealno sorrowings, no grievings, no sordid graspings after inordinant gain, have found fears,

ousies,

entrance into her realm of thought. As a consequence her mind, free from these abnormal states

and conditions, has not externalized

in

her body the various physical ailments that the great majority of people are lugging about with

'j6


them, thinking "eternal

they are accordance with the

in their ignorance, that

natural, and that

order

is all in

it

things" that they should has been one of varied

of

Her

have them.

and Plenty

life

experiences, so that

these things would have

all

found ready entrance into the realm of her mind and so into her life were she ignorant enough to allow

them

On

entrance.

the contrary she has

been wise enough to recognize the

kingdom

at least

she

her mind, and that

is

it is

ruler,

fact that in

one

— the kingdom

of

hers to dictate as to what

She knows, moreover, that in determining this she is deterIt is mining all the conditions of her life. shall

and what

shall not enter there.

indeed a pleasure as well as an inspiration to see her as she goes here and there, to see her sunny disposition, her youthful step, to hear her joyous laughter.

Indeed

and

in

truth,

Shakspeare

—

knew whereof he spoke when he said, "It is the mind that makes the body rich." With great pleasure I watched her but recently as she was walking along the street, stopping to have a word and so a part in the lives of a group of children at play by the wayside, hastening her step a little to have a word with a washerwoman toting her bundle of clothes,

stopping for a word with a laboring man return^ ing with dinner pail in hand from his work.

Fullness of Peace, Pozvcr,

and Plenty

yy

returning the recognition from the lady in her and so imparting some of her own rich

carriage, life

whom

to all with

she came in contact.

And

as good fortune would have it, while still watching her, an old lady passed her, really

—

though at least ten or fifteen years so far as the count by the seasons is younger, Nevertheless she was bent in form concerned. old, this one,

and apparently stiff in joint and muscle. Silent in mood, she wore a countenance of long-faced sadness, which was intensified surely several

by a black, sombre headgear with an immense heavy veil still more sombre looking Her entire dress was of this deif possible. fold

scription.

By

this relic-of-barbarism garb,

bined with her

com-

own mood and

expression, she to the world two things, continually proclaimed

—

own

personal sorrows and woes, which by very method she kept continually fresh in her mind, and also her lack of faith in the eter-

her

this

nal goodness of things, her lack of faith in the love and eternal goodness of the Infinite Father.

Wrapped only ailments, and

in the

thoughts of her

own

sorrows, and woes, she received

and she gave nothing of

nothing of hope, nothing of courage, nothing of value to those whom she passed or with whom she came in contact.

joy,

But on the contrary she suggested

to

78

Fullness of Peace, Poiver, and Plenty

and helped to intensify in many, those mental states all too prevalent in our common human

all

life.

And

as she passed our friend one could

notice a slight turn of the head which, coupled with the expression in her face, seemed to indi-

—

Your dress and your cate this as her thought, conduct are not wholly in keeping with a lady Thank God, then, thank God of your years.

And may He in His great goodthey are not. ness and love send us an innumerable company of the same rare type; and may they live a thousand years to bless mankind, to impart the life-giving influences of their

the numerous ones

all

own

royal lives to so

who stand

about us

much in need of them. Would you remain always young, and would you carry

all

the joyousness and buoyancy of

your maturer years ? Then have youth how you live care concerning but one thing, This will determine all. in your thought world. into

—

was the inspired one, Gautama, the Buddha, "The mind is everything; what you said, And the same thing had think you become." "Make yourRuskin in mind when he said, It

who

—

—

None

self nests of pleasant thoughts.

yet know,

for

none

early youth, what beautiful thought,

of us

we may

palaces — proof against fairy

of us as

have been taught

in

build of

all adversity."

Fulliuss of Peace, Power,

And would you

have

the strength,

in

and Plenty

your body

all

yc)

the elas-

the beauty of your younger years? Then live these in your mind, making no room for unclean thought, and you will ticity, all

externalize

them

in

all

In the degree that

your body.

you keep young in thought

will

you remain young

And you will find that your body will body. in turn aid your mind, for body helps mind the

in

same

as

mind builds body.

You

are continually building, and so externalizing in your body conditions most akin to the

thoughts and emotions you entertain.

And

not

only are you so building from within, but you are also continually drawing from without, forces of a kindred

nature.

Your

particular kind of

thought connects you with a similar order of If it is bright, hopeful, thought from without. cheerful,

you connect yourself with a current

of

If it is sad, thought of this nature. fearing, despondent, then this is the order of thought you connect yourself with.

If

the latter

is

the order of your thought, then

perhaps unconsciously and by degrees you have been connecting yourself with it. You need to go back and pick up again a part of your child

and cheerful type of "The minds of the group of children

nature, with

thought.

its

careless

at play are unconsciously concentrated in

drawing

So

Fulhicss of Peace, Power,

to their bodies

a current

Place a child by ions,

and soon

movement.

It

it

will is

playful thought. of its compan-

it

mope and become slow

cut

thought current and

of

deprive

itself,

and Plenty

literally 'out

is

of

from that peculiar

off

of its ele-

ment.'

"You need

to bring again this current of playthought to you which has gradually been

ful

turned

off.

You

are

too

absorbed in the serious

serious

affairs of

life.

or

sad, or

You

can

be playful and cheerful without being puerile or You can carry on business all the better silly. for being in the pla}ûl is

off

your business.

mood when your mind

There

is

nothing but

ill

resulting from the permanent mood of sadness the mood which by many so and seriousness,

—

long maintained makes them to smile at all.

it

actually difficult for

"

At eighteen or twenty you commenced growing out of the more playful tendency of early You took hold of the more serious side youth. You went into some business. You of life. became more or less involved in its cares, perOr, as man or plexities and responsibilities. woman, you entered on sorn^ phase of life involvOr you became absorbed ing care or trouble. in some game of business which, as you followed Then as you associated it, left no time for play.


and Plenty

8

1

with older people you absorbed their old ideas, their mechanical methods of thinking, their

acceptance of errors without question or thought In all this you opened your mind of question. to

a

Into

heavy, this

care-laden

you

glided

current

of

thought.

That

unconsciously.

materialized in your blood and flesh. thought The seen of your body is a deposit or crystallizais

unseen element ever flowing to your body from your mind. Years pass on and you find that your movements are stiff and cumbrous, tion of the

—

you can with difficulty climb a tree, as at Your mind has all this time been fourteen. that

sending to your body these heavy, inelastic elements, making your body what now it is. "Your change for the better must be gradual, .

.

.

and can only be accomplished by bringing the thought current of an all-round symmetrical

— by

demanding of the in the best way, by be led Power to Supreme diverting your mind from the many unhealthy

strength to bear on

it,

thoughts which habitually have been flowing into it without your knowing it, to healthier ones.

.

.

.

"Like the beast, the bodies of those of our race have in the past weakened and decayed. This

will not

knowledge

Increase of spiritual always be. show the cause of such decay,

will

82


and

will

Law

show,

how

also,

and Plenty

to take advantage of a

renew ever the and greater greater strength,

or Force to build us up,

body and give

it

using that Law or Force, as has been done in the past, to weaken our instead of

blindly

bodies and finally destroy them."

Full, rich,

and abounding health

and the natural condition of is

life.

is

the normal

Anything

else

an abnormal condition, and abnormal con-

God

a

as

ditions

never

rule

come

created

through perversions. and suffering,

sickness,

disease they are man's own creations. They come through his violating the laws under which he lives. So used are we to seeing them that we come gradually, if not to think of them as natural, then to look upon them as a matter of ;

course.

The time

will

come when the work

of the

not be to treat and attempt to physician heal the body, but to heal the mind, which in In other words, the true turn will heal the body. will

physician will be a teacher; his work will be to keep people well, instead of attempting to make them well after sickness and disease comes on ;

and

still

beyond

we

live in

own

come a time when

In the degree with the higher laws of harmony

each will be his that

this there will

physician.

Fullness of Peace Power, ^

our being, and

so, in

and Plenty

the degree that

83

we become

better acquainted with the powers of the mind and spirit, will we give less attention to the body,

— no

less care, but less atteiition.

The

bodies of thousands today would be

better cared for

if

their

much

owners gave them

thought and attention.

As

a rule, those

less

who

think least of their bodies enjoy the best health. Many are kept in continual ill health by the

abnormal

thought

and

attention

they

give

them.

Give the body the nourishment, the exercise, air, the sunlight it requires, keep it clean, and then think of it as little as possible.

the fresh

In your thoughts and in your conversation never dwell upon the negative side. Don't talk of sickness and disease. By talking of these you

do yourself harm and you do harm to those who Talk of those things that will listen to you.

make people the better for listening to you. Thus you will infect them with health and strength and not with weakness and disease. To dwell upon the negative side is always This is true of the body the same destructive. as

it is

true of

all

other things.

The

following

from one whose thorough training as a physician has been supplemented by extensive study and observations along the lines of the powers of the


84

interior forces, are of special

and Plenty significance

and

"We can never gain health by contemplating disease, any more than we can reach perfection by dwelling upon imperfection, or harmony through discord. value in this connection

:

We

should keep a high ideal of health and harmony constantly before the mind. .

.

.

"Never

affirm or repeat about your health do not wish to be true. Do not dwell

what you upon your ailments, nor study your symptoms. Never allow yourself to be convinced that you are not complete master of yourself. Stoutly affirm your superiority over bodily ills, and do not acknowledge yourself the slave of any inferior

power.

...

I

would teach children early between themselves

to build a strong barrier

and

by healthy habits of thought, high I would teach thinking, and purity of life. them to expel all thoughts of death, all images disease,

of disease, all discordant emotions, like hatred,

would

and

sensuality, as they banish a temptation to do evil. I would

malice, revenge, envy,

them that bad food, bad drink, or bad air makes bad blood that bad blood makes bad

teach

;

tissue,

them

and bad

flesh

bad morals.

I

would teach

that healthy thoughts are as essential to healthy bodies as pure thoughts to a clean iilc. I would teach them to cultivate a strong will

Fullness of Peace Power, f

power, and

enemies

in

and Plenty

to brace themselves against I

every possible way.

85 life's

would teach

the sick to have hope, confidence, cheer. Our and are the thoughts imaginations only real limits to our possibilities.

No

man's success or

health will ever reach beyond his own confidence as a rule, we erect our own barriers. ;

"

Like produces like the universe through. Hatred, envy, malice, jealousy, and revenge all have children. Every bad thought breeds oth-

and each of these goes on and on, ever reproducing itself, until our world is peopled ers,

their offspring. The true physician and parent of the future will not medicate the body with drugs so much as the mind with principles.

with

The coming mother

will

teach

her child to

assuage the fever of anger, hatred, malice, with Love. The the great panacea of the world, will teach the people to culcoming physician

—

tivate cheerfulness, good-will,

and noble deeds

for a health tonic as well as a heart tonic

that a

merry

heart

;

and

doeth good like a medi-

cine."

The health of your body, the same as the health and strength of your mind, depends upon what you

relate

yourself with.

Spirit of Life, this

Source of

all

This Infinite Life,

can from

86

Fidbiess of Peace, Power,

and Plenty

very nature, we have found, admit of no Come then into the full, weakness, no disease. realization of your oneness with vital conscious, its

this Infinite Life, open yourself to its more abundant entrance, and full and ever-renewing bodily health and strength will be yours. "

'

And good may

ever conquer ill, Health walk where pain has trod

As

a

man

thinketh, so

;

is he,'

Rise, then, and think with God."

The whole matter may then be summed up " God is well and so are in the one sentence, You must awaken to the knowledge of you."

When this awakening comes, your real being. and will have, you will see that you have, you power to determine what conditions are You must recogyour body. must realize nize, you yourself as one with the

externalized in

Infinite

your

God's

Spirit.

will is

God's

will,

then your will with God all things

will is

and

•'

;

When we are able to do away are possible." with all sense of separateness by living continually in the realization of this oneness, not only will all

our bodily

ills

limitations along

all lines.

"delight thyself in the Lord, and He give thee the desires of thine heart."

Then shall

and weaknesses vanish, but

and Plenty


87

Then will you feel like crying all the day long, The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places •*

;

have a goodly heritage." Drop out of yea, mind your belief in good things and good events I

coming the real ize

them

you in the future. Come noiv into life, and coming, appropriate and actual-

to

noiv.

good enough

Remember for

that only the best

yours. "

is

one with a heritage so royal as

We buy ashes for bread We buy diluted wine Give me the

true,

Whose ample

—

;

;

leaves and tendrils curled

Among the silver hills of Draw everlasting dew."

heaven,

88


and Plenty

THE SECRET, POWER, AND EFFECTS OF LOVE. This

the

is

Spirit

of

Infinite

Love.

The

moment we recognize ourselves as one with we become so filled with love that we see And when we realize only the good in all. that we are all one with this Infinite Spirit, then we realize that in a sense we are all one with each other. When we come into a recognition of this fact, we can then do no harm to any one, to any thing. We find that we are all members of the one great body, and that no

it

portion of the body can be harmed without all the other portions suffering thereby. When we fully realize the great fact of the

oneness of

from

this

same

life

all

life,

—

that

all

are

partakers

one Infinite Source, and so that the is the life in each individual, then

prejudices go and hatreds cease.

Love grows and reigns supreme. Then, wherever we go, whenever we come in contact with the fellowman, we are able to recognize the God within. We thus look only for the good, and we find it. It

always pays.

t'tiUness of Feace,

There great

is

Power, and Plenty

89

a deep stientific fact underlying the "He that takes the sword shall

truth,

The moment we come perish by the sword." of the subtle powers of the into a realization thought forces,

moment we

we can

that

quickly see

of

entertain

the

hatred

any thoughts toward another, he gets the effects of these diabolical forces that go out from us, and has the same thoughts of hatred aroused in him, which

Then when we turn return to the sender. understand the effects of the passion, hatred or see anger, even upon the physical body, we can in

The expensive this is. same is true in regard to all kindred thoughts or In scorn. passions, envy, criticism, jealousy, in find that shall we the ultimate entertaining

how

how

detrimental,

feelings

of

nature

this

toward

another,

we

always suffer far more than the one toward whom we entertain them.

And

then when

selfishness

is

we

fully realize the fact that

at the root of

all error,

sin,

and

ignorance is the basis of all what with selfishness, charity we come to look of It is the ignorant man all. acts the upon

crime, and that

who

own ends

the

expense of It is the the greater whole. ignorant man, The truly therefore, who is the selfish man. wise

seeks

man

is

his

never

selfish.

at

He is

oenizes tne tact tnai he. a smele

a seer, and rec-

memoer

ot the


90

one great body, that the entire

and P lenity

benefited in just the degree body is benefited, and so he seeks is

nothing for himself that he would not equally seek for all mankind. If selfishness is at

the bottom of

all error, sin,

and crime, and ignorance is the basis of all selfishness, then when we see a manifestation of either of these qualities,

if

we

are true to the

highest within us, we will look for and will seek to call forth the good in each individual with

whom we come

in contact.

When God

speaks

God responds, and shows forth as But when devil speaks to devil, then devil

to God, then

God.

responds, and the devil is always to pay. I sometimes hear a person say, "I don't see in him." No } Then you are no seer. Look deeper and you will find the very God m But remember it takes a every human soul. God to recognize a God. Christ always spoke

any good

to the highest, the truest,

and the best

in

men.

He knew

and he recognized the God in each He because he had first realized it in himself. ate with publicans and sinners. the Scribes and Pharisees said.

Abominable,

They were so wrapped up in their own conceits, their own self-centredness, hence their own ignorance, that they had never found the God in themselves, and so they never dreamed that it was the life of even publicans and sinners.

real


and Plenty

9

1

In the degree that we hold a person in the thought of evil or of error, do we suggest evil

and error to him.

In the degree that he

is

sen-

sitively organized, or not well individualized, and so, subject to the suggestions of the thought

forces from others, will he be influenced

;

and so

way we may be sharers in the very evilIn in which we hold another in thought. doing the same way when we hold a person in the in this

the good, and the true, righteousness, goodness, and truth are suggested to him, and thus we have a most beneficent

thought of the

influence

go out tact,

on

his life

and conduct.

in love to all

we

inspire love,

warming

with

If

our hearts

whom we come

in con-

and the same ennobling and

influences of love always return to us

from those is

right,

a deep

— precept

in

whom we

scientific

There

inspire them.

principle

underlying

the

you would have all the world love must first love all the world. you, you In the degree that we love will we be loved. If

Thoughts are forces. Each creates of its kind. Each comes back laden with the effect that corresponds to itself and of which it is the cause. "Then let your secret thoughts be fair They have a vital part, and share

—

In shaping words and moulding fate; God's system is so intricate."

Fidhiess of Peace, Power,

92 I

and Plenty

know of no better practice than that of who continually holds himself in an

a friend

attitude of

mind

that he continually sends out form of the thought, "Dear

his love in the

—

And when we realize everybody, I love you." the fact that a thought invariably produces its

effect before

we can

see

blessing not only in contact,

returns, or before

it

how he

is

ceases,

continually breathing out a all

upon

but upon

it

with

whom

he comes These same

the world.

all

thoughts of love, moreover, tokened ways, are continually

coming

to

in various

him from

all

quarters.

Even animals

Some

feel the effects of these forces.

animals are

much more

sensitively organ-

people are, and consequently they get the effects of our thoughts, our mental states, and emotions much more readily than ized than

many

many people do. Therefore whenever we meet an animal we can do it good by sending out to it these thoughts of love. It will feel the effects whether we simply entertain or whether we voice

them.

And

quickly

it

dence of

it

is

often interesting to note

how

responds, and how readily its

it gives eviappreciation of this love and con-

sideration on our part.

What be to

a privilege and

live

and walk

how

in a

enjoyable

it

would

world where we meet


and Plenty

93

In In such a world you can live. only Gods. that I For in the can live. such a world degree we come into this higher realization do we see

only the

God

human

each

in

are thus able to see

Him

soul;

and when we

every one we meet,

in

we then live in such a world. And when we thus recognize the God in every one, we by this recognition help to call it forth What a privilege, this ever more and more.

—

That privilege of yours, this privilege of mine hypocritical judging of another is something !

we can have nothing to do; for the power of looking beyond the evolving, changing, error-making self, and seeing the real, the changeless, the eternal self which by

then with which

we have

and by

will

show

forth in the full beauty of

We

are then large enough also to realize the fact that when we condemn another,

holiness.

by that very

act

we condemn

This realization so continually overflow come in contact feel

power.

These

in

fills it,

its

ourselves.

us with love that

we

with

whom we

warming and

life-giving

and

all

turn send back the same

feel-

ings of love to us, and so we continually attract love from all quarters. Tell me how much onci

you how much he has seen he loves and I will you how much he lives with God. Tell me

loves

and

of God. tell

I will tell

Tell

me how much


94

how much he into the

and

loves

Kingdom

of

and Plenty

I will tell

harmony, he has entered, for "love filling of

And key

to

far

is

the

ful-

of

the law."

in

a sense love

life,

move the love for

how

you Heaven, — the kingdom

all

Live

and

its

world.

It is the everything. influences are those that is

Live only in the thought of will draw love to you from

and you

thought of malice or hatred, and malice and hatred will come back to you.

all.

in the

"For

evil poisons; malice shafts Like boomerangs return, Inflicting wounds that will not heal While rage and anger burn."

Every thought you entertain is a force that goes out, and every thought comes back laden This is an immutable law. with its kind. Every thought you entertain has moreover a Love and its direct effect upon your body. kindred emotions are the normal and the natural, those in accordance with the eternal order of the universe, for

"God

is

love."

These have a

life-

giving, health-engendering influence upon your body, besides beautifying your countenance, en-

riching your voice, and making you ever more And as it is true that attractive in every way. in the degree that you hold thoughts of love for

Fullness of Peace Power, ^

all,

you

and Plenty

95

the same from them in return, and

call

upon your mind, and mind upon your body, it is as so through your as these have a direct effect

much

force added to your own from withare then continually building this into

life

You

out.

both your mental and your physical your life is enriched by its influence.

Hatred and

its

all

life,

and so

kindred emotions are the

unnatural, the abnormal, the perversions, and so, out of harmony with the eternal order of the

For

universe.

then these,

its

the fulfilling of the law, opposites, are direct violations of if

love

is

and there can never be a violation without its attendant pain and suffering

law,

form or another.

And what violation

}

is

one

no escape from this. of this particular form of

There

the result

When

of law in

is

you allow thoughts of anger,

hatred, malice, jealousy, envy, criticism, or scorn

exercise sway, they have a corroding and poisoning effect upon the organism they pull it

to

;

down, and tear

it

allowed to continue will eventually to pieces by externalizing themselves in if

the particular forms of disease they give rise to. And then in addition to the destructive influences

from your own mind you are continually calling the same influences from other minds, and these

come

as

destructive

forces

augmenting your

own, thus aiding in the tearing

down

process.


96

And

love

so

love;

inspires

Love and good

hatred.

hatred

will stimulate

breeds

and build

up the body; hatred and malice corrode and tear it down. Love is a savor of life unto life; hatred

is

a savor of death unto death.

" There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave, There are souls that are pure and true ;

Then

give to the world the best you have, And the best will come back to you.

"Give

love, and love \.o yoicr heart will flow, strength in your utmost need Have faith, and a score of hearts will show

A

;

Their faith xxvyour word and deed."

I

hear

it

me

bears

said,

— How

in

hatred, towards

regard to one

whom

who

have enter-

I

no such thoughts and feelings, and so have not been the cause of his becoming my tained

enemy.-*

This

that

will

you

may be

true, but the

have but few enemies

nothing of an antagonistic nature

mind and

heart.

this nature.

chances are

But

Be if

sure there

if

there

is

your own

in is

nothing of

hatred should

come from

another without apparent cause on your part, then meet it from first to last with thoughts of love and good-will. speak, so neutralize

In this its

way you

effects that

reach you and so cannot harm you.

can, so to it

cannot

Love

is

Fullness of Peace, Power, afid Plenty

and stronger than hatred.

positive,

ahvays be conquered by

On

97

Hatred can

love.

you meet hatred with you simply intensify it. You add fuel to the flame already kindled, upon which it will feed and grow, and so you increase and intenthe other hand,

if

hatred,

sify

the

gained by

conditions.

evil

everything

it,

Nothing

is

to

be

lost.

is

to

By

be

send-

ing love for hatred you will be able so to neutralize it that it will not only have no effect

upon you, but will not be able even to reach But more than this, you will by this you. course sooner or later be able

literally to trans-

Meet hatred Meet with hatred and you degrade yourself. hatred with love and you elevate not only mute the enemy

yourself hatred.

but

into the friend.

also

the

one

who

bears

you

Persian sage has said, "Always meet petulance with gentleness, and perverseness

The

with kindness.

A

an elephant by a

gentle hand can lead even Reply to thine enemy

hair.

with gentleness. Opposition to peace is sin." The Buddhist says, " If a man foolishly does me

wrong

I will

ungrudging

return him the protection of love.

The more

evil

my

comes from

*

98

"

Chinese.

Return good

and Plenty

for

evil,

overcome

hatred never ceases by hatred, anger by but by love," says the Hindu. love

The

;

truly wise

man

or

woman

will recognize

no one as an enemy. Occasionally we hear the " Never mind I'll expression, get even with ;

Will you And how will you do it You can do it in one of two ways. You can, as you have in mind, deal with him as he deals, or him."

.'*

.-*

apparently deals, with you, say, in his

own

coin.

If

— pay

you do

him, as

this

you

we will

get even with him by sinking yourself to his level,

and both of you

will

suffer

by

it.

Or,

you can show yourself the larger, you can send him love for hatred, kindness for ill-treatment,

and so get even with him by raising him to the But remember that you can never higher level. another without help by that very act helping and if forgetful of self, then in most yourself ;

cases the value to you is greater than the If you are ready service you render another. to treat him as he treats you, then you show all

clearly that there is in you that the hatred and ill-treatment to you

which draws

you deserve what you are getting and should not complain, nor would you complain if you were wise. By following the other course you most effectually accomplish your purpose, you gain a ;

—


and Plenty

C)C)

victory for yourself, and at the same time you do a great service for him, for which it is evident he stands greatly in need.

Thus you may become his saviour. He in turn may become the saviour of other errorand

making,

care-encumbered

consequently

men and women. Many times the are greater than we can ever know.

struggles

We

need

more gentleness and sympathy and compassion in

our

common human

ing or condemning the more we will

we

Then we

life.

neither blame nor condemn. will

will

Instead of blam-

sympathize, and

all

" Comfort one another, For the way is often dreary,

And the feet are often weary, And the heart is very sad. There

is

When

it

a heavy burden bearing, seems that none are caring, And we half forget that ever we were glad.

"Comfort one another With the hand-clasp close and tender, With the sweetness love can render,

And

Do

the looks of friendly eyes. not wait with grace unspoken,

While

life's

daily bread

Gentle speech

When we come that all evil

is

is

oft like

broken

—

manna from

the skies."

fully to realize the great fact

and error and

sin with all their conse-

I

oo

Fiilbicss of Peace, Pozuer, ajid Plenty

quent sufferings come through ignorance, then wherever we see a manifestation of these in

whatever form,

our hearts are right,

if

we

will

have compassion, sympathy and compassion for the one in whom we see them. Compassion will

then change

manifest divine

itself into love,

kindly service.

in

itself

And

method.

and love

Such

is

will

the

instead of aiding in

so

trampling and keeping a weaker one down, we will hold him up until he can stand alone and

become the master.

But

all life-groAvth is

from

within out, and one becomes a true master in the

degree that the knowledge of the divinity of his own nature dawns upon his inner consciousness

and so brings him to a knowledge of the higher laws and in no way can we so effectually hasten ;

this

dawning

in

the

inner consciousness

of

another, as by showing forth the divinity within ourselves simply by the way we live.

By example and

not by precept. By living, not by preaching. By doing, not by professing. By living the life, not by dogmatizing as to how it

to

should be the

lived.

There

contagion of

that shall

we

life.

also reap,

is

no contagion equal

Whatever we sow, and each thing sown

Wê can kill not only by another doing bodily injury directly, but we can kill and we do by every antagonistic thougnt produces of its kind.

Fullness of Peace Pozvcr, y

Not only do we thus suicide.

a

Many

kill,

man

and Plenty

i

OI

we kill we made sick by number of people

but while

has been

having the ill thoughts of a centred upon him; some have been actually Put hatred into the world and we make killed. it

a literal

heaven with a

Put love into the world and

hell. all its

beauties and glories becomes

reality.

Not

to love

not to

is

The ing death. is the life that is

life

live,

or

it is

to live a

liv-

that goes out in love to

all

and rich, and continually Such is the and in power. expanding beauty life that becomes ever more inclusive, and hence full,

in

larger in

the

man

The larger scope and influence. and the woman, the more inclusive

its

they are in their love and their friendships. The smaller the man and the woman, the more

dwarfed and dwindling their natures, the more they pride themselves upon their "exclusivecan be ness." Any one a fool or an idiot

—

—

exclusive.

It

comes

easy.

It

takes and

it

sig-

nifies a large nature to be universal, to be inclusive. Only the man or the woman of a small,

personal, self-centred, self-seeking nature is exThe man or the woman of a large, clusive. royal,

unself-centred

small nature for effect.

is

The

nature

never

is.

The

the one that continually strives The larger nature never does.

1

02

and Plenty


one goes here and there

order to gain recoghimself to the world. nition, in order to attach The other stays at home and draws the world

The one

him.

to

loves merely himself.

the world

all

Verily, then, the

;

more one loves the nearer

he approaches to God, for God infinite

of

the

is

And when we come

love.

realization Spirit,

The

but in his larger love the world he finds himself included.

other loves for all

in

our oneness

then divine love so

with fills

this

spirit of

into

the

Infinite

us that, enrich-

ing and enrapturing our own lives, from them flows out to enrich the life of all the world.

it

In coming into the realization of our oneness

with the Infinite Life, we are brought at once into right relations with our fellowmen.

We

are brought into harmony with the great law, that we find our own lives in losing them in the are brought to a knowlservice of others.

We

edge

of the fact that all life

is

and so that

one,

one great whole. We then realize that we can't do for another with-

we

are

all

parts of the

out at the same time doing for ourselves. also realize that

we cannot do harm

We

to another

without by that very act doing harm to ourselves. realize that the man who lives to himself

We

alone lives a

little,

dwarfed, and

because he has no part

stunted

life,

in this larger life of


humanity.

But the one who

and Plenty in

1

03

service loses

own

Hfe in this larger life, has his own life increased and enriched a thousand or a million his

and every joy, every happiness, everything of value coming to each member of this greater whole comes as such to him, for he has a part in the life of each and all. And here let a word be said in regard to true service. Peter and John were one day going up to the temple, and as they were entering the gate they were met by a poor cripple who asked them for alms. Instead of giving him something to supply the day's needs and then leaving him in the same dependent condition for the morrow and the morrow, Peter did him a real service, and a real service for all mankind by saying. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto thee. And then he made him whole. He thus brought him into the condition where he could help himself. In other words, the greatest service we can do for another is to help him to help himself. To help him directly might fold,

be

weakening,

though

not

necessarily.

It

depends entirely upon circumstances. But to help one to help himself is never weakening, but always encouraging and strengthening, because it

him to a larger and stronger life. There is no better way to help one to help

leads

1

Fullness of Peace, Power, a7id Plenty

04

himself than to bring him to a knowledge of There is no better way to bring one himself. to a knowledge of himself than to lead him to a

knowledge within his

of the

own

powers that are lying dormant There is nothing that will

soul.

enable him to come more readHy or more completely into an awakened knowledge of the

powers that are lying dormant within his own soul, than to bring him into the conscious, vital realization of his oneness with the Infinite Life

and Power, so that he may open himself to it in order that it may work and manifest throiigh him.

We

will find that these same great truths lie the at very bottom of the solution of our social

and we will also find that we will full and permanent solution of it are they fully recognized and buUt upon.

situation

;

never have a until


and Plenty

105

WISDOM AND INTERIOR ILLUMINATION. This

is

the Spirit of Infinite

v the degree that

the

we open

wisdom

highest

Wisdom, and

ourselves to

manifest

itself

it

in

does

to

and

We

can in this way go to the very heart of the universe itself and find the mysteries hidden to the hidmajority of mankind, us.

through

—

den

to them,

though not hidden of themselves. In order for the highest wisdom and insight

we must have guiding

one

us,

else.

absolute confidence in the Divine

but not through the channel of some And why should we go to another for

knowledge and wisdom of persons.

second hand

own

}

With God

is

no respect

we seek these things should we thus stultify our Why should we not go

Why Why

innate powers } to the Infinite Source

direct

man

.?

should

lack

wisdom

itself.? "If any him ask of God." "Beanswer, and while they are

let

fore they call I will

yet speaking,

When we Source

itself

I will

hear."

thus go directly to the Infinite

we

are

alities, institutions,

no longer slaves

or books.

We

to personshould always

1

06


and Plenty

keep ourselves open to suggestions

of truth

from

We

these agencies. should always regard them as agencies, however, and never as sources.

We

should never recognize them as masters, but With Browning, we must simply as teachers. the fact that recognize great

—

"Truth

is

within ourselves; it takes no rise things, whate'er you may believe.

From outward There

Where

is

an inmost centre in us

all,

truth abides in fullness."

There is no more important injunction in all the world, nor one with a deeper interior meaning,

than

"To

thine

own

self

other words, be true to your

be true."

own

soul, for

In it is

through your own soul that the voice of God speaks to you. This is the interior guide. This the light that lighteth every man that cometh This is conscience. This is ininto the world. is

tuition.

This

is

the voice of the higher

self,

the

"Thou voice of the soul, the voice of God. This shalt hear a voice behind thee, saying: is the way, walk in it." ye

When Moses was

on the mountain it was after the various physical commotions and manifestations that he heard the "

the voice of his finite

God was

own

soul,

speaking.

still,

small voice,"

through which the If

we

will

In-

but follow

and Plenty

Fullness of Peace, Power, this voice of intuition,

it

clearly and more plainly, be absolute and unerring

107

speak ever more

will

by and by

until

will

it

The

in its

guidance. great trouble with us is that we do not listen to and do not follow this voice within our own

and so we become as a house divided

souls,

that,

We

itself.

against

are pulled

way and

this

and we are never certain of anything.

have a friend who

listens

I

so carefully to this

inner voice, who, in other words, always acts so quickly and so fully in accordance with his intuitions,

and whose

lutely guided

by

as a consequence is so absothem, that he always does the

life

and

right thing at the right time

He

way. to act,

always knows when

and he

is

and how

never in the condition of a

house divided against itself. But some one says, " May for us to act always

pose we

in the right

to act

it

upon our

not be dangerous intuitions

Sup-

'^.

should have an intuition to do harm to

some one

"

We need

this,

how-

ever, for the voice of the soul, this voice of

God

.''

not be afraid of

speaking through the soul, will never direct one to do harm to another, nor to do anything that is

not in accordance with the highest standards

of right, and truth, and justice. any time have a prompting of

that

it is

And

if

you

this kind,

not the voice of intuition

;

it

is

at

know some

io8


and Plenty

characteristic of your lower self that

is

prompt-

ing you.

Reason

not to be set aside, but

is

is

it

to be

continually illumined by this higher spiritual perception, and in the degree that it is thus

become an agent of light and one becomes thoroughly individpower. ualized he enters into the realm of all knowledge illumined will

it

When

and wisdom and to be individualized is to recognize no power outside of the Infinite Power that ;

is

back of all. When one recognizes this great and opens himself to this Spirit of Infinite

fact

Wisdom, he then enters upon the road

to the

true education, and mysteries that before were closed now reveal themselves to him. This must

indeed be the foundation of

all

true education,

from within, this evolving of what has been involved by the Infinite Power. All things that it is valuable for us to know

this evolving

come

we

but open ourselves to It is thus that the voice of this Infinite Spirit. will

to us

we become

if

seers

will

and have the power

of seeing

There are no into the very heart of things. new stars, there are no new laws or forces, but

we can nite

so open ourselves to this Spirit of Infithat we can discover and recognize

Wisdom

those that have not been this

known

way they become new

to us.

before

;

When

and

in

in this

Fullness of Peacet Power,

way we come

into a

and Plenty

knowledge

of truth

1

09

we no

longer need facts that are continually changing. can then enter into the quiet of our own

We

We

can open the window and look out, and thus gather the facts as we choose. " Wisdom is the knowlThis is true wisdom. interior selves.

edge of God."

Wisdom comes by

intuition.

It

Great knowledge, knowledge. of knowledge many things, may be had by virtue far transcends

It comes simply of a very retentive memory. wisdom But far transcends knowltuition. by

edge, in that knowledge

is

a

mere incident

of

deeper wisdom. He who would enter into the realm of wisdom

this

must first divest himself of all intellectual pride. He must become as a little child. Prejudices, preconceived opinions and beliefs always stand in

the

way

are always

of true

wisdom.

suicidal

in

Conceited opinions

their influences.

They

bar the door to the entrance of truth.

about us

we

men

the religious world, in the world of science, in the political,

All

in the

social

world,

see

in

who through

intellectual

pride are so wrapped in their cwn conceits and prejudices that larger and later revelations of

truth

can

find

no

entrance

to

them

;

and

instead of growing and expanding, they are be-

coming dwarfed and stunted, and

still

more

in-

1 1

o


mid Plenty

Instead of actively capable of receiving truth. aiding in the progress of the world, they are as so many dead sticks in the way that would retard the wheels of progress.

This, however, they

Such always

can never do.

time get bruised, broken, and left behind, while God's triumphal car of truth moves steadily onward. in

When

the steam engine was still being experimented with, and before it was perfected sufficiently to come into practical use, a well-

known Englishman circles

tific

— well known then

— wrote

an extended

in scien-

pamphlet

proving that it would be impossible for ever to be used in ocean navigation, that in a

trip involving the crossing

of the

it

is,

ocean,

it would be utterly impossible for any vessel to carry with it sufficient coal for the use And the interesting feature of of its furnace.

because

the whole matter was that the very first steam that made the trip from England to

vessel

America, had first

among

its

cargo a part of the

edition of this carefully prepared pamphlet.

There was only the one edition. Many editions might be sold now. This seems indeed an amusing fact but far more amusing is the man who voluntarily closes ;

himself to truth because, forsooth,

come through

it

does not

conventional, or orthodox, or here-

Fullness of Peace Power, y

and Plenty

or because accepted channels not be in full accord with, or possibly

tofore

;

opposed

may may be it

established usages or beliefs.

to,

the contrary — " Let there be

That

many windows

in

your

1 1 1

On

soul,

the glory of the universe May beautify it. Not the narrow pane Of one poor creed can catch the radiant rays That shine from countless sources. Tear away

The

all

blinds of superstition

:

let the light

windows, broad as truth itself Tune your ear And high as heaven. To all the worldless music of the stars And to the voice of nature, and your heart Shall turn to truth and goodness as the plant Turns to the sun. A thousand unseen hands

Pour through

fair

.

Reach down

And

all

to help

.

.

you

to their

peace-crowned heights,

the forces of the firmament

Shall fortify your strength. Be not afraid thrust aside half-truths and grasp the whole."

To

There

coming or a

is

a great law in connection with the

of truth.

woman

It

is

this

:

Whenever a man

shuts himself or herself to the en-

trance of truth on account of intellectual pride, preconceived opinions, prejudices, or for what-

ever reason, there truth in

its

is

a great law which says that come to that one from

fulhiess will

And on woman opens

when a man

no source.

the other hand,

or a

himself or herself fully to

the entrance of truth from whatever source

may

come, there

is

it

an equally great law which

1 1


2

and Plenty

says that truth will flow in to him or to her

from

all

sources,

comes the

free

the

that

truth

from

all

Such

quarters.

man, the free woman, for

makes

us

The

free.

beis

it

other

remains in bondage, for truth has had no vitation

and

will not enter

where

it

in-

not fully

is

and freely welcomed. And where truth is denied entrance the rich blessings it carries with it cannot take up their abode. On the contrary, when this is the case, it

sends an envoy carrying with

ease, death, physically intellectually.

And

and

the

atrophy, disspiritually as well as it

man who would

rob an-

other of his free and unfettered search for truth,

who would stand as the interpreter of truth for another, with the intent of remaining in this position, rather than endeavoring to lead

him

to

the place where he can be his own interpreter, more to be shunned than a thief and a robber.

is

The

injury he works

is

far greater, for

he

is

do-

and positive injury to the very life of the one he thus holds. Who has ever appointed any man, whoever

ing direct

he

may

be, as the

dispenser indeed are

of

keeper,

God's

moved and

ers of truth

;

the custodian, the

illimitable

truth

.-•

Many

so are called to be teach-

but the true teacher will never

stand as the interpreter of truth for another. The true teacher is the one whose endeavor is

Fiilhiess of Peace, to bring the of himself

1

1

3

one he teaches to a true knowledge

and hence

own interior powers, own interpreter. All

of his

may become

that he

Power, and Plenty

his

others arc, generally speaking, those animated

by purely personal motives, self-aggrandizement, or personal gain. Moreover, he who would truth and the only truth, is a bigot, a fool, or a knave. In the Eastern literature is a fable of a frog.

claim to have

all

The

frog lived in a well, and out of his little well he had never been. One day a frog whose home was in the sea came to his well. Inter-

ested in

you

the well.

" I

the sea."

"Thesea.-'

that

is

" .*

went

things, he

all

Where do you

.-*

am

" It

not far away."

live

which they were in it

"

which

that

.''

is

in

Where

.-*

big as this

"How much

my home

a very large body of water, and " " " How Oh, big is your sea big as this

very big." little stone lying near.

As

is

are

the frog in

is

"As

"

said

so and so, and

What

"Who

in.

" t

" .''

" .-'

pointing to a

"Oh, much

bigger." pointing to the board upon "

sitting.

Oh, much bigger."

bigger, then.?"

"Why,

the sea

bigger than your entire well would make millions of wells such as yours." I live is

Nonsense, nonsense

falsifier.

well.

I

as you."

vGet out of

want nothing

;

you are a deceiver and a my well. Get out of my

;

to

do with any such frogs

114


"Ye

know

shall

and Plenty

the truth and the truth shall

make you free," is the promise. Ye shall close yourselves to truth, ye shall live in your own conceits, and your own conceits shall make fools and

would be a statement

idiots of you,

and

cable to not a few,

to not a

appli-

few who pride

themselves upon their superior intellectual attainments. Idiocy is arrested mental growth. Closing one's

self for

whatever reason to truth and

hence to growth, brings a certain type of idiocy, though it may not be called by this name. And

on the other hand, another type is that arrested growth caused by taking all things for granted, without proving them for one's self, merely because they come from a particular person, a par-

This is book, a particular institution. caused by one's always looking without instead of being true to the light within, and care-

ticular

tending

fully

it

that

it

may

give

an ever-

clearer light.

With brave and

intrepid should all be able to say "

From

this

hour

aginary

Going where

I

—

Walt Whitman, we

ordain myself loos'd of limits and im

lines, I

list,

my own

master

total

and absolute,

Listening to others, considering well what they say, Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating. Gently, but with undeniable will divesting myself of the holds that would hold me."

Fnlbicss of Peace, Pozver, a?ul Plenty

i

i

5

Great should be the joy that God's boundless truth

is

open to

open equally to

all,

make each one

all,

and that

dwelling place in proit and opens himas he desires portion earnestly it

will

self to

its

it.

And

regard to the wisdom that guides us life, there is nothing that it is right and well for us to know that may not be known in

in our daily

recognize the law of its coming, and Let us know that all are able wisely to use it.

when we

ours as soon as

are

things

we know how

to

appropriate them. "

I

hold

as a changeless law, soul can sway or swerve, have that in us which will draw it

From which no

We

Whate'er we need or most deserve."

If

the times

come when we know not what when we know not which way

course to pursue, to turn, the fault lies

in

lies in

ourselves.

ourselves then the

unnatural condition

If

correction

lies also in

the fault of

ourselves.

this It is

never necessary to come into such a state if we are awake and remain awake to the light and the

powers within

us.

The

the only thing that

it

light is ever shining, is

necessary for us

and dili-

this gently to see to is that we permit neither the us and between to come light. thing nor that

1 1

"

6


With Thee

is

the fountain of

life

;

in

Thy

light

we

see light." Let us hear the words

shall

and Plenty

of

one of the most

highly illumined men I have ever known, and one who as a consequence is never in the dark,

when to do

the time comes, as to what to do and it.

"

Whenever you

how

are in doubt as to the

course you should pursue, after you have turned to every outward m.eans of guidance, let the inward eye see, let the inward ear hear, and allow this simple, natural, beautiful process to

unimpeded by all

questionings or doubts.

go on

... In

dark hours and times of unwonted perplexity to follow one simple direction, found, as

we need all

needed directions can be found,

in the

dear

old gospel, which so many read, but alas, so few Enter' into thine inner chamber and interpret. '

shut the door.'

Does

this

mean

that

we must

betake ourselves to a private closet with If it did, then the command a key in the door could never be obeyed in the open ajr, on land

literally

.''

or sea, and the Christ loved the lakes and the forests far better than the

cramping rooms of

city dwelling houses

his counsels are so

;

still

wide-reaching that there is no spot on earth and no conceivable situation in which any of us ma)-

be placed where we cannot follow them. " One of the most intuitive men we ever met


had a desk

in a city

office

and Plenty

1 1

7

where several other

gentlemen were doing business constantly and often talking loudly. Entirely undisturbed by the many various sounds about him, this self-

man would, in any moment of curtains of privacy so comdraw the perplexity, him that he would be as fully about pletely in his own psychic aura, and thereby as enclosed effectually removed from all distractions as centred, faithful

some primeval wood. him into the mystic a direct question, to which answer, he would remain the reply came, and never

though he were alone

Taking

in

his difficulty with

silence in the

form of

he expected a certain utterly passive until

many years' experience did he find Intuitive perhimself disappointed or misled. ceptions of truth are the daily breach to satisfy once through

our daily hunger they come like the manna in the desert day by day; each day brings adequate ;

supply for that day's need only.

They must be

followed instantly, for dalliance with them means their obscuration, and the more we dally the

more we

invite erroneous impressions to cover

intuition with a pall of conflicting moral phan-

tasy born of illusions of the terrence will. " One condition is imposed by universal law,

and

this

save the

we must one

obey.

desire

to

Put

know

all

wishes aside

trutJi ;

couple

1 1


8

with

this

one demand the

determination to follow what

and Plenty consecrated

fully is

distinctly per-

ceived as truth immediately it is revealed. No other affection must be permitted to share the field

own

with this all-absorbing love of tnith for its Obey this one direction and never

sake.

forget that expectation and desire are bride and bridegroom and forever inseparable, and you will

soon find your hitherto darkened way grow luminous with celestial radiance, for with the

heaven within, all heavens without incessantly This may be termed going into the co-operate." This it is to perceive and to be the guided by light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. This it is to listen to "silence."

and be guided by the voice of your own soul, the voice of your higher self. The soul is divine and in allowing it to be-

come translucent all

things

to

to the Infinite Spirit

us.

As man

the Divine Light do

all

it

reveals

away from things become hidden. turns

When the nothing hidden of itself. all sense is then it transcends opened, spiritual the limitations of the physical senses and the in-

There

tellect.

is

And

in the

degree that

get away from the limitations

set

we

by them, and

realize that so far as the real life is is

one with the Infinite

are able to

Life, then

concerned

it

we begin

to


and Plenty

1

19

the place where this voice will always speak, where it will never fail us, if we follow it, and as a consequence where we will always have

reach

the divine illumination and guidance. this

and to

heaven hereafter, but to live and now, today and every day. in

No human

To know

realization is not to live

live in this

in

heaven here

soul need be without

When

it.

we

turn our face in the right direction it comes as simply and as naturally as the flower blooms

and the winds blow. with

money

or with

It

is

price.

not to be bought It is a condition

waiting simply to be realized, by rich and by

by king and by peasant, by master and by

poor,

servant the world over.

And

it.

a

life

so the peasant,

far transcending

power the find

it first,

life

All are equal heirs to if

in

of his king.

lives a life

he find

it first,

beauty and

The

servant,

surpassing the

lives

in real

life

if

he

of his

master.

If

you would

the richest

life

find the highest, the fullest,

and

that not only this world but that

any world can know, then do away with the sense of the separateness of your life from the life of God. Hold to the thought of your oneness. In the degree that you do this you will find yourself realizing it more and more, and as this

I20 life

Fullness of Peace, Power, of realization

is

lived,

and Plenty will

you

find that

no

be withheld, for all things are Then it will be yours, without fears or forebodings, simply to do today what

good thing

will

included in

this.

your hands find to do, and so be ready for tomorrow, when it comes, knowing that tomorrow will bring tomorrow's supplies for the mental, the spiritual, and the physical

Remember,

life.

however, that tomorrow's supplies are not needed until If

tomorrow comes. one

Law, the

is

willing to trust himself fully to the

Law

will

never

fail

him.

It

is

the

that brings uncertain, results. so, unsatisfactory Nothing is firmer

half-hearted trusting to

it

and It will never fail the and surer than Deity. one who throws himself wholly upon it. The secret of

life

realization,

then,

is

to live continually in this

whatever one

may be

doing, wher-

may be; by day and by night, both It can be lived in while and sleeping. waking we are sleeping no less than when we are awake. And here shall we consider a few facts in conever one

nection with sleep, in connection with receiving instruction and illumination while asleep t During the process of sleep it is merely the physical body that soul life with all

Sleep

is

is

its

at rest

and

activities

in quiet;

the

goes right on.

nature's provision for the recuperatic!"

and Plenty


of the body, for the rebuilding

replacing of the waste that

is

1

2

1

and hence the

continually going It is nature's

on during the waking hours.

If sufficient sleep is not allowed great restorer. the body, so that the rebuilding may equalize the wasting process, the body is gradually depleted and weakened, and any ailment or malady,

when it is in this condition, is able to find a more ready entrance. It is for this reason that those who are subject to it will take a cold, as we term it, more readily when the body is tired or exhausted through loss of sleep than at most any other time. The body is in that condition

where outside influences effect

upon

if,

-can

than when

it is

have a more ready in its normal con-

And when

they do have an effect they always go to the weaker portions first.

dition.

Our

bodies are given us to serve far higher Espurposes than we ordinarily use them for. pecially

is

the body that

this true in the

is

master of

we come

its

numerous cases where In the degree

owner.

into the realization of the higher

powers of the mind and

spirit, in

that degree does

the body, through their influence upon it, become less gross and heavy, finer in its texture and form.

kingdom

And of

then,

because the mind

enjoyment in itself, it becomes related

higher things

finds

a

and

in all the

to,

excesses in

1

22


eating and drinking, as well as

and

own accord

and Plenty all

others, natur-

away. There the desire for the heavier, away grosser, less valuable kinds of food and drink, such as ally

of their

fall

also falls

the flesh of animals, alcoholic drinks, and

all

things of the class that stimulate the body and the passions rather than build the body and the brain into a strong, clean, well-nourished, enIn the degree during, and fibrous condition.

body thus becomes less gross and in its texture and form, is there heavy, less waste, and what there is is more easily replaced, so that it keeps in a more regular and even condition. When this is true, less that

the

finer

sleep

is

amount

And even the actually required. that is taken does more for a body of

finer type than other nature.

this

it

can do for one of the

As

the body in this way grows finer, in other words, as the process of its evolution is thus accelerated, it in turn helps the mind and the soul

in

the realization of ever higher percep-

and thus body helps mind the same as It was undoubtedly this mind builds body.

tions,

fact that

Browning had "

Are

in

mind when he

Let us cry 'All good things

ours, nor soul helps flesh, Than flesh helps soul.' "

more now,

said

:

Fullness of Peace, Power, Sleep, then,

for the resting

is

The

of the body.

soul needs

and Plenty

1

23

and the rebuilding no rest, and while

the body is at rest in sleep the soul life is active the same as when the body is in activity. insight into the

There are some, having a deep soul's activities, sleep.

who

say that

we

travel

when we

are able to recall and bring over

Some

waking life the scenes visited, the information gained, and the events that have Most people are not able to do this transpired. into the conscious,

and so much that might otherwise be gained

is

They say, however, that it is in our power, in proportion as we understand the laws, to go

lost.

where we

will,

scious,

waking

gained.

Be

tainly

is

and to bring over into the conlife

this,

all

the

however,

thus

experiences as

it

true that while sleeping

may,

it

we have

cer-

the

power, in a perfectly normal and natural way, to get much of value by way of light, instruction,

and growth that the majority

now

miss.

If

the soul

life,

of

people

that which relates us to Infinite

is at always active, even while the body conditions direct so mind the not why may

Spirit, is rest,

as one falls asleep, that while the body is at rest, it may continually receive illumination from

the soul and bring what it thus receives over This, indeed, into the conscious, waking life .?

Fullness of Peace,

124

Power and Plenty y

can be done, and

is done by some to great ad van and many times the highest inspirations from the soul come in this way, as would seem most natural, since at this time all communica-

tage

;

tions enter.

from the outer, material world no longer I know those who do much work during

sleep, the

same as they get much light along deBy charging the mind on going to

sired lines.

sleep as to a particular time for waking, it is posas many of us know, to wake on the very

sible,

Not infrequently we have examples

minute.

of

problems, problems that defied solution during waking hours, being solved during sleep. friend, a well-known journalist, had an difficult

A

extended

newspaper article worked out for her

clearly

and com-

She way. pletely She frequently calls this agency to her aid. was notified by the managing editor one evening in this

to have the article ready in the morning,

— an

more than ordinary care, and one in which quite a knowledge of facts was It was a matter in connection with required. which she knew scarcely anything, and all her efforts at finding information regarding it seemed to be of no avail. She set to work, but it seemed as if even her own powers defied her. Failure seemed immiAlmost in desperation she decided to nent. article requiring


and Plenty

1

25

retire, and putting the matter into her mind in such a way that she would be able to receive the greatest amount of aid while asleep, she fell

When asleep and slept soundly until morning. she awoke her work of the previous evening was She thing that came into her mind. she and as for a few minutes, lay lay quietly there, the article, completely written, seemed to

the

first

She ran through it, before her mind. and without dressing took her pen and transcribed it on to paper, literally acting simply stand

arose,

as her

own amanuensis.

The mind line

will

acting intently along a particular continue so to act until some other

object of thought carries it along another line. And since in sleep only the body is in quiet while the mind and soul are active, then the

mind on being given a certain direction when one drops off to sleep, will take up the line along which it is directed, and can be made, in time, to bring over into consciousness the results of Some will be able very soon to its activities.

get results of this kind for some it will take Quiet and continued effort will increase longer. ;

the faculty.

Then by power

we

virtue of the law

of mind, since the

mind

of the is

drawing

always active,

are drawing to us even while sleeping, infK.

1

26

Power, and Plenty

Fiilbiess of Peace,

ences from the realms kindred to those in which

we

in

thoughts are Hving before we fall In this way we can put ourselves into

our

asleep.

what ever kinds

relation with

of influence

we

choose and accordingly gain much during the In many ways the interior process of sleep.

more open and receptive while we Hence sleep than while we are awake.

faculties are

are in

the necessity of exercising even greater care as to the nature of the thoughts that occupy the

mind as we enter into sleep, for there can come to us only what we by our own order of thought

We

attract.

And

have

for the

it

entirely in our

same

reason,

—

own

hands.

this greater

gree of receptivity during this period,

de-

— we are

by understanding and using the law, to gain much of value more readily in this way than when the physical senses are fully open able

to the material world about us.

a practice of value :

somewhat

When

you

it

is

will

find

light or information is desired

along any particular feel

Many

after the following nature

line,

light

right and wise in

as, for

or information

for

you

to have,

regard to an uncertain

example, light course of action, then as you retire, first bring your mind into the attitude of peace and good-

will

for

all.

You

in

this

way bring

into an harmonious condition, and

in

yourself turn attract

Fullness of Peace, Poiver, to yourself these

and Plenty

1

27

same peaceful conditions from

without.

Then

resting in this sense of peace, quietly

and calmly send out your earnest desire for the needed light or information; cast out of your

mind

all

fears or forebodings lest

for " in quietness

and

it

come

not,

be your Take the attitude of mind, strength." expectant and that when firmly believing expecting you

awake the desired

in confidence shall

results

will

be with you.

Then on awaking, ities

before any thoughts or activfrom the outside world come in to absorb

the attention, remain for a little while receptive to the intuitions or the impressions that come. When they come, when they manifest themselves clearly, then act upon them without delay. In the degree that you do this, in that degree will the

power

of

doing

it

ever more effectively

grow. if for unselfish purposes you desire to and grow develop any of your faculties, or to increase the health and strength of your body,

Or,

take a corresponding attitude of mind, the form of which will readily suggest itself in accordance

with your particular needs or desires.

way you

will

open yourself

yourself with, and

within

you

yourself, the

will

to,

you

set

will

In this

connect

into operation

particular order of forces

128


that

will

make

for

these

and Plenty

results.

Don't

be

In this way you set into operation vibratory forces which go out

afraid to voice

your desires.

and which make

their impress felt

somewhere,

and which, arousing into

activity or uniting with other forces, set about to actualize your desires.

No

good thing

lives

shall

be withheld from him

with

in

the

who

laws and

higher harmony There are no desires that shall not be satisfied to the one who knows and who wisely uses the powers with which he or she is

forces.

endowed.

Your

more

and peaceful, and refreshing, and so your power increased mentally, physically, and spiritually, simply by sending out as you fall asleep, thoughts of love and good-will, thoughts of peace and harmony In this way you are connecting yourfor all. self

sleep will be

with

for peace

all

quiet,

the forces in the universe that

make

and harmony.

A friend

known the world over through his work along humane lines, has told me that many times in the middle of the night he is

who

is

awakened suddenly and there comes

to his mind,

as a flash of inspiration, a certain plan in conAnd as he lays there nection with his work. quietly and opens himself to it, the methods for its successful carrying out all reveal themselves


and Plenty

1

29

In this way many plans are to him clearly. entered upon and brought to a successful culmination that otherwise would never be thought of,

plans that seem, indeed, marvelous to the world He is a man with a sensative organism,

at large.

his life in thorough harmony with the higher laws, and given wholly and unreservedly to the work to which he has dedicated it. Just how and from what source these inspirations come he

does not fully know. Possibly no one does, But this have his theory. each though may

we need to know now, that to the one who lives in harmony at least, with the higher laws of his being, and who

we do know, and

—

it

is all

opens himself to them, they come. Visions and inspirations of the highest order will

come

the

right

in the

we make for them One who has studied "To in hand has said

degree that

conditions.

deeply into the subject receive education spiritually while the body :

is

resting in sleep is a perfectly normal and orderly experience, and would occur definitely and satisfactorily in the lives of all of us, if we paid more

attention to internal and consequently less to external states with their supposed but unreal necessities.

we

.

.

.

Our thoughts make us what

are here and hereafter, and our thoughts are

often busier by night than by day, for

when we

1

30


und Plenty

are asleep to the exterior we can be wide awakr to the interior world; and the unseen world is a substantial

place, the conditions of

which are

entirely regulated by mental and moral attainments. When we are not deriving information

through outward avenues of sensation, we are receiving instruction through interior channels

and when this fact is understood what it is worth, it will become a universal custom for persons to take to sleep with them the special subject on which they most earnestly of perception,

for

desire particular instruction. The Pharaoh type of person dreams, and so does his butler and

baker; but the Joseph type, which

is

that of the

both dreams and interprets." had not Pharaoh the power of

truly gifted seer,

But why

his

dreams

Why

was

Josephthe type of the "truly gifted seer.-"' Why did he not only dream, but had also the power to interpret both his own dreams and the dreams interpreting

of others.-*

.-*

Simply read the

lives

He who

runs

after

living the life that tells.

all,

may

read.

In

all

of the two.

true

power

And

it

is,

in pro-

portion as one lives the life does he not only attain to the highest power and joy for himself,

but he also becomes of ever greater service to all the world. One need remain in no hell longer than

he himself chooses to; and the


and Plenty

131

moment he chooses

not to remain longer, not all the powers in the universe can prevent his One can rise to any heaven he himleaving it. self

chooses

and when he chooses so to

;

rise, all

the higher powers of the universe combine to help him heavenward.

When

one awakes from sleep and so returns life, he is in a peculiarly receptive

to conscious

and impressionable

state.

All

relations with

the material world have for a time been shut off,

the

mind

a freer

in

is

and more natural

resembling somewhat a

state,

sensitive plate,

where impressions can readily leave their traces. This is why many times the highest and truest impressions come to one in the early morning hours, before the activities of the day and their

attendant distractions have exerted an influence.

This

is

one reason

their best

But

work

this fact

why many

people can do

early hours of the day. also a most valuable one in

in the is

connection with the moulding of every-day life. The mind is at this time as a clean sheet of paper.

We

can most valuably use this quiet,

by wisely directof mind the the activities ing along the highest and most desirable paths, and thus, so to speak, receptive, impressionable period

set the pace for the day.

Each morning

is

a fresh beginning.

We

are,

Fullness of Peace Power,

132 as

^

and Plenty

We

were, just beginning life. And entirely in our own hands. it

morning with

its

have

when

it

the

fresh

beginning comes, all should be yesterdays yesterdays, with which we have nothing to do. Sufficient is it to know that the

way we

mined

lived our yesterday has deter-

for us our today. morning with its fresh

And,

again,

when the

beginning comes, tomorrows should be tomorrows, with which

all

we

have nothing to do. Sufficient to know that the way we live our today determines our tomorrow.

"

Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new; You who are weary of sorrow and sinning, Here is a beautiful hope for you, A hope for me and a hope for you.

"All the past things are past and over, The tasks are done, and the tears are shed. Yesterday's errors let yesterday cover; Yesterday's wounds, which smarted and bled, Are healed with the healing which might has shed

"Let them go, since we cannot relieve them, Cannot undo and cannot atone. God in His mercy receive, forgive them! Only the new days are our own. is ours, and today alone.

Today

Fullness of Peace, Power, attd Plenty

"Here

are the skies

all

1

33

burnished brightly;

Here is the spent earth all reborn Here are the tired limbs springing lightly To face the sun and to share with the morn In the chrism of dew and the cool of dawn. ;

"Every day Listen,

And,

a fresh beginning,

is

my

soul, to the glad refrain,

spite of old

sorrow and older sinning,

And

puzzles forecasted, and possible pain, Take heart with the day and begin again."

its

Simply the first hour of this new day, with all richness and glory, with all its sublime and

eternity-determining possibilities, and each succeeding hour as it comes, but not before it comes. This is the secret of character building. This

simple method will bring any one to the realof the highest life that can be even conceived of, and there is nothing in this conization

nection that can be conceived of that cannot be realized

somehow, somewhen, somewhere.

This brings such a of all, for there if

he

really

for

is 710

desires

a

highest there should be,

life

one, it,

within the possibilities really in earnest and

if

who cannot

single hour.

live to his

But even though

he is only earnest in Ids endeavor, then, through the law that like builds like,

he

will

if

be able to come a

little

nearer to

it

1

34


the next hour, and

still

nearer the next, and the

next, until sooner or later it

becomes the

and Plenty

natural,

comes the time when and any other would

require the effort. In this way one

becomes in love and in league with the highest and best in the universe, and as a consequence, the highest and best in the universe becomes in love and in league with him.

They aid him at every turn they seem literally to move all things his way, because forsooth, he has first moved their way. ;


and Plenty

i

35

THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE. This

moment comes is

the Spirit of Infinite Peace, and the we come into harmony with it there

is

to us an inflowing tide of peace, for peace

A

harmony.

To

meaning underlies spiritually minded is life

interior

deep

the great truth, "

To be

and peace." spirit, and to

live in this

ually minded,

and so to be

recognize the fact that in

is

care, troubled

we

and

ill

are

to be spirit-

harmony and

men and women

Oh, the thousands of

weary with

thought,

all

peace.

about us

at ease, run-

ning hither and thither to find peace, weary in body, soul, and mind going to other countries, ;

traveling the world over,

not finding it

Of

it.

and they never

coming back, and

colirse

will find

still

they have not found in this way, because

it

they are looking for it where it is not. They are looking for it without when they should look within.

Peace

unless one find at

is it

found only within, and there he will never find it

to be

all.

Peace

lies

within one's

not in the external world.

own

soul.

We may

It lies

travel

over


136

many seek

and Plenty

different avenues in pursuit of

it,

we may

through the channels of the bodily appetites and passions, we may seek it through all it

the channels of the external, we may chase for it hither and thither, but it will always be just our we because are grasp, beyond searching for

where

it is not. In the degree, however, that order the bodily appetites and passions in accordance with the promptings of the soul it

we

within will the higher forms of happiness and peace enter our lives but in the degree that we ;

in

doing this content enter in.

fail

will disease, suffering,

and

dis-

To be at one with God is to be at peace. The child simplicity is the greatest agency in bringing this full and complete realization, the child simplicity that recognizes its true relations with

the Father's

life.

There are people

I

know who

have come into such a conscious realization of their oneness with this Infinite Life, this Spirit of Infinite Peace, that their lives are fairly bub-

bling over with joy.

I

have particularly

in

mind

moment

a comparatively young man who was an invalid for several years, his health comat this

pletely broken

with

nervous exhaustion, who life worth living

thought there was nothing in

whom

everything and everybody presented a gloomy aspect, and he in turn presented

for,

to

Fullness of Peace, Power, a

and Plenty

1

37

gloomy aspect to all with whom he came Not long ago he came into such a

in contact.

vital realization of his

oneness with this Infinite

Power, he opened himself so completely to its divine inflow, that today he is in perfect health, and frequently as I meet him now he cannot resist the

impulse to cry out, "Oh,

it

is

a joy

to be alive."

on our police force who has told me that many times when off duty and on his way home in the evening, there comes to him such a vivid and vital realization of his oneness I

know an

ofificer

with this Infinite Power, and this Spirit of Infinite Peace so takes hold of and so fills him, that

seems as

if his feet could scarcely keep to the so and so exhilarated does he pavement, buoyant of this become by reason inflowing tide.

it

He who comes into this higher realization never has any fear, for he has always with him a sense of protection, and the very realization of this it is

makes

true,

—

"

his protection complete.

No weapon

thee shall prosper;"

that

"There

is

Of him

formed against no ill come

shall

"Thou shalt be in league nigh thy dwelling;" with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the

field

shall

be at peace with thee."

These are the men and the women who seem to live charmed lives. The moment we fear

1

38

Fidhiess of Peace Power, ^

anything

we open

and Plenty

the door for the entrance of

the actuahzation of the very thing we fear. An animal will never harm a person who is absolutely fearless

to

in regard

it.

The

instant

he fears he opens himself to danger; and some animals, the dog for example, can instantly detect the

element of

fear,

and

this gives

them the

In the degree that we realization of our oneness with

courage to do harm.

come this quiet,

into a full Infinite

Power do we become calm and

undisturbed by the

little

disappointed

in people, for

occurrences that

We

before so vex and annoy us.

are no longer

we always

read

them

We

have the power of penetrating into aright. their very souls and seeing the underlying motives that are at work there.

A

gentleman approached a friend the other and with great show of cordiality grasped day, I him by the hand and said, Why, Mr. '*

,

am

so glad to see you." Quick as a flash my friend read him, and looking him steadily in the eye, replied, "No, you are mistaken, you are

not glad to

see

disconcerted, so

me; but you are very much much so that you are now

blushing in evidence of

it."

The gentleman

"Well, you know in this day and age of conventionality and form we have to put on replied,

the show and sometimes

make

believe

what we


do not

him

in the face

taken.

advice

My

really feel."

:

and

and Plenty

friend once

said,

me

give you one

You

will

always fare

39

more looked

"Again you

Let

1

are mis-

word of better and will little

think far more of yourself, always to recognize and to tell the truth rather than to give yourself to

any semblance

of

it."

As soon as we are able to read people aright we will then cease to be disappointed in them, we will cease to place them on pedestals, for this

can never be done without some attendant

The fall will necessarily come, disappointment. sooner or later, and moreover, we are thus many times unfair to our friends. into

harmony with

this

When we come

Spirit

of

Peace, evil

reports and apparent bad treatment, either at the hands of friends or of enemies, will no

longer disturb us. When we are conscious of the fact that in our life and our work we are true to that eternal principle of right, of truth, of justice that runs through all the universe, that unites and governs ally prevails,

all,

that always eventu-

then nothing of this kind can come will always be

and come what may we and undisturbed. tranquil nigh

us,

The

things that cause sorrow, and pain, and bereavement will not be able to take the hold of us they

now

take, for true

wisdom

will

enable us

1

40

Fjiliness of Peace,

Power, and Plenty

to see the proper place and know the right relations of all things. The loss of friends the

by

we

call

death

will not

the soul that has

come

into this higher realiza-

transition

he knows that there

tion, for

cause sorrow to

is

no such thing

as death, for each one

is not only a partaker, eternal partaker, of this Infinite Life. knows that the mere falling away of the

but an

He

physical body life.

faith

With a he can

by no means tranquil

spirit

realize for himself,

strong he can say "

affects the real soul

—

born of a higher and to those less

Loving friends be wise and dry Straightway every weeping eye !

;

What you

left

upon the bier

Is not worth a single tear 'Tis a simple sea-shell, one Out of which the pearl has gone. The shell was nothing, leave it there; ;

And

so

The

pearl

far

as

— the soul — was

all, is

here."

the element of

concerned, he realizes that to

separation is spirit there are no

bounds, and that spiritual communion, whether between two persons in the body, or two persons, is

one

in the

body and one out

within the reach of

all.

of the body, In the degree that realized can there be

the higher spiritual

life is

this higher spiritual

communion.


and Plenty

1

4

1

The things that we open ourselves to always come to us. People in the olden times expected and they saw them; but there is no more reason why they should have seen them than that we should see them now; no more reason why they should come and dwell with to see angels

them than

that they should

us, for the great

come and dwell with

laws governing

all things are the same today as they were then. If angels come not to minister unto us it is because we

invite them, it is because we keep the door closed through which they otherwise might

do not enter.

In the degree that we are filled with this Spirit of Peace by thus opening ourselves to its it pour through us, so that we carry with us wherever we go. In the degree that we thus open ourselves do we become magnets

inflow does it

to attract peace from all sources; and degree that we attract and embody it

selves are

We

we

able to give

it

the

in in

our-

forth to others.

way become such

perfect embodiments of peace that wherever we go we are But a day continually shedding benedictions.

can

in this

saw a woman grasp the hand of a showed the indwelling God),

or two ago

I

man

face

(his

saying,

you.

"Oh, I

it

does

have been

me

so

much good

in an.xiety

to see

and almost

in


142

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despair during the past few hours, but the very sight of you has rolled the burden entirely

There are people

away."

all

around us who

are continually giving out blessings and comfort,

persons whose mere presence seems to change sorrow into joy, fear into courage, despair into hope, weakness into power. It is the one who has come into the realiza-

own true self who carries this power who radiates it wherever he goes, one who, as we say, has found his centre.

tion of his

with him and

— the And

in all

the great universe there

— the

Infinite

Power

that

is

but one

working in and through all. The one who then has found his centre is the one who has come into the centre,

realization

of

his

is

oneness with this

Infinite

who recognizes himself as a for God is spirit. spiritual being, Such is the man of power. Centred in the Power, the one

he has thereby, so to speak, connected himself with, he has attached his belts to, the Infinite,

great power-house of the universe. stantly drawing power to himself

He

is

from

conall

For, thus centred, knowing himself, conscious of his own power, the thoughts that sources.

go from

his

mind are thoughts

of strength

;

and

by

virtue of the law that like attracts like, he

by

his thoughts

is

continually attracting to him-

Fullness of Peace, Pozver,

from

self

all

quarters

and Plenty

the aid

of

all

143

whose

thoughts are thoughts of strength, and in this way he is linking himself with this order of in the universe.

thought

And

so to

him that hath,

to

him

shall

be

This is simply the working of a natural given. His strong, positive, and hence construclaw. tive thought is continually working success for

him along all lines, and continually bringing to him help from all directions. The things that he

sees, that

he creates

in

the

ideal,

are through

the agency of this strong constructive thought continually clothing themselves, taking form, Silent, manifesting themselves in the material. unseen forces are at work which will sooner or

later

be made manifest

Fear and

in the visible.

thoughts of failure never suggest themselves to such a man or if they do, they are immediately sent out of his mind, and so he is not influenced by this order of thought from all

;

without.

He does

not attract

it

to him.

He

is

in another current of thought. Consequently the weakening, failure-bringing thoughts of the fearing, the vascillating, the pessimistic about

him, have no influence upon him. The one who is of the negative, fearing kind not only has his energies and his physical agents weakened, or even paralyzed through the influence of this

1

44

and Plenty


kind of thought that is born within him, but he also in this way connects himself with this order

And

of thought in the world about him.

in

the

degree that he does this does he become a victim to the weak, fearing, negative minds all

around him.

Instead of growing in power, he increases in weakness. He is in the same order

of thought with those of

whom

is

it

true,

— and

even that which they have shall he taken away from them. This again is simply the working of a natural law, the lest

Fearing in

away

I

lose

same as

even what

a napkin.

Very

is

I

well.

its

opposite.

have I

I

hide

it

must then

"

pay the price of my fearing lest I lose." Thoughts of strength both build strength from within and attract it from without. Thoughts of weakness actualize weakness from within

age

And

and attract

begets so

failure.

it

strength,

from fear

without.

begets

Cour-

weakness.

courage begets success, fear begets It is the man or the woman of faith,

who is the master of circumstances, and who makes his or her power felt in the world. It is the man or the woman who lacks faith and who as a con-

and hence

sequence

of

is

forebodings, occurrences.

courage,

weakened and crippled by

who

is

the creature of

fears

all

and

passing

and Plenty


1

45

Within each one lies the cause of whatever comes to him. Each has it in his own hands to determine what comes. Everything in the visible, material

world

has

its

in

origin

the

This unseen, the spiritual, the thought world. is the world of cause, the former is the world of

The

effect.

accordance

What one he

nature of the effect

with

the

nature

is

of

lives in his invisible,

always in

the

cause.

thought world,

continually actualizing in his visible, material world. If he would have any conditions is

different in the latter

sary change

in

of this great fact

sands of

now

he must make the neces-

the former.

A

clear realization

would bring success

men and women who

all

to thou-

about us are

It would bring the depths of despair. health, abounding health and strength to thousands now diseased and suffering. It would in

bring peace and joy to thousands

and

ill

And

now unhappy

at ease.

oh, the thousands all about us

who

are

the slavery of fear. The within that should be and spirits strong powerful, are rendered weak and impotent. Their energies continually living in

are crippled, their efforts are paralyzed. "Fear is fear of fear of want, starvation, everywhere,

—

fear of public opinion, fear of private opinion, fear that what we own today may not be ours


146

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tomorrow, fear of sickness, fear of death. has become with miUions a fixed habit.

Fear

The is thrown The thought thought everywhere. upon us from every direction, ... To hve in is

continual dread, continual cringing, continual fear of anything, be it loss of love, loss of money, loss of position or situation, is to take the readiest

means

to lose

what we

fear nothing

By

is

contrary, everything

fear

we

shall."

on the

to be gained, but is

to be lost.

"I

know

true," says one, "but I am given to fear; Can't it's natural to me and I can't help it." In saying this you indicate one help it!

this

is

great reason of your fear by showing that you do not even know yourself as yet. You must know yourself in order to know your powers,

and not until you know them can you use them Don't say you can't help it. wisely and fully.

you think you can't, the chances are that you If you think you can, and act in accordcan't. If

ance with this thought, then not only are the chances that you can, but if you act fully in accordance with it, that you can and that you

an absolute certainty. in describing the crew which will is

win the

race, said of them,

of

mind

in

was Virgil who his mind would

— They can

because

In other words, this very on their part will infuse a

they think they can. attitude

It

Fullness of Peace Power, ,

and Plenty

147

spiritual power into their bodies that will give them the strength and endurance which will enable them to win.

Then

take the thought that you can; take it merely as a seed-thought, if need be, plant it in your consciousness, tend it, cultivate it, and it

reach out and gather strength It will focus and make posiquarters.

will

gradually

from

all

tive

and active the

that

is

draw to

now

scattered and of

to itself force

your

own

spiritual force within

from without.

nature,

minds that are

draw

It will

aid the influence of other

minds

fearless,

you

It will

little avail.

of its

strong,

You will thus draw to yourself courageous. and connect yourself with this order of thought. If earnest and faithful, the time will soon come when

all

fear will loose its hold

;

and instead of

being an embodiment of weakness and a creature of circumstances, you will find yourself a tower of strength

We

and a master of circumstances.

need more

faith in every-day

life,

—

faith in

the power that works for good, faith in the Infinite God, and hence faith in ourselves created in

His image.

may seem

to go,

And however

things at times

however dark

at times appear-

knowledge of the fact that "the Supreme Power has us in its charge as it has the suns and endless systems of worlds in

ances

may

be, the


148

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space," will give us the supreme faith that all is well with us, the same as all is well with the

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." There is nothing firmer, and safer, and surer world.

than Deity. Then, as we recognize the fact that we have it in our own hands to open ourselves ever more fully to this Infinite Power, and call upon it to manifest itself in and through us, we will find in ourselves

For

power.

in this

an ever increasing sense of

way we

junction with it, and conjunction with us. full

it

We

are working in con-

turn

in

is

working

in

are then led into the

realization of the fact that all things

work

together for good to those that love the good. the fears and forebodings that have domi-

Then

in the past will

nated us faith,

and

faith

rightly used

is

when

be transmuted into

rightly

understood and

a force before which nothing can

stand.

Materialism leads naturally to pessimism. And could it do otherwise knowledge of the

how

A

.-*

Spiritual

Power working

in

and through us as

well as in and through all things, a works for righteousness, leads to

power that optimism.

Pessimism leads to weakness. Optimism leads The one who is centred in Deity is to power. the one

who

not only outrides every storm, but


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149

who through the faith, and so, the conscious power that is in him, faces storm with the same calmness and serenity that he faces fair weather; for he knows well beforehand what the outcome will be. He knows that underneath are the

He everlasting arms. truth of the injunction,

it

who

is

"Rest

realizes

in the

the

Lord, wait

patiently for Him and He shall give thee thy All shall be given, simply heart's desire." Can given, to him who is ready to accept it.

anything be clearer than this } In the degree, then, that we work tion with the

Supreme Power do we need the

concern ourselves about

less to

in the full realization of this

attends peace,

it

—

in conjunc-

brings peace, a

a peace that

results.

fact full,

and rich,

To live all

that

abiding

makes the present com-

and that, going on before, brings back the assurance that as our days, so shall our strength The one who is thus centred, even in be.

plete,

the face of us,

all

the unrest and the turmoil about

can realize and say

"I stay I

my

haste,

I

—

make

delays,

For what avails this eager pace? stand amid eternal ways, And what is mine shall know my

face.

I

50


and Plenty

"Asleep, awake, by night or day, The friends I seek are seeking me No wind can drive my bark astray,

Nor change

"

"

;

the tide of destiny.

The waters know their own, and draw The brooks that spring in yonder height So flows the good with equal law Unto the soul of pure delight. The stars come nightly to the sky The tidal wave unto the sea Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high. Can keep my own away from me." ;

;

[

and Plenty


l

5

i

COMING INTO FULLNESS OF POWER. the Spirit of Infinite Power, and in the degree that we open ourselves to it does

This

is

power become manifest

—

are

in

that

us.

With God

all

in

conjunction possible, things The true with God all things are possible. secret of power lies in keeping one's connection with the God who worketh all things and in the is,

;

degree that

we keep

literally to rise

this

connection are

we

above every conceivable

able

limita-

tion.

Why, thither

then, waste time in running hither to

acquire

power.-*

Why

and

waste time

with this practice or that practice.'' Why not go directly to the mountain top itself, instead of

wandering through the by-ways, in the valleys, and on the mountain sides.? That man has as taught in all the scriptrue not of physical man, There are many animals, man. but of spiritual for example, larger and stronger, over which

absolute dominion, tures of the world,

is

from a physical standpoint he would not have dominion, but he can gain supremacy over even

1


52

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these by calling into activity the higher mental, psychic, and spiritual forces with which he is

endowed.

Whatever be done

can't be

portion as a

and in

done

in the physical

And

the spiritual.

in

man

in direct

can pro-

recognizes himself as spirit, he able to transcend

lives accordingly, is

power the man who recognizes himself merely

as material.

All the sacred

literature of the

teeming with examples of what we call miracles. They are not confined to any par-

world

is

times or places. There is no age of miracles in distinction from any other period that may be an age of miracles. Whatever has ticular

been done

the world's history can be done again through the operation of the same laws and forces. These miracles were performed not in

by those who were more than men, but by those who through the recognition of their oneness with God became God-men, so that the higher forces and powers

For what,

worked through them. us ask,

let

is

a miracle

Is

.*

it

in

something supernatural Supernatural only the sense of being above the natural, or rather, .-'

above that which ordinary less

than

state. this.

A

is

natural

to

man

in

his

nothing more nor One who has come into a knowl-

edge of his true

miracle

is

identity, of his

oneness with

Fullness of Peace, Power, the

all

makes

-pervading it

possible

and Plenty

153

Wisdom and for

laws

Power, thus higher than the

ordinary mind knows of to be revealed to him. These laws he makes use of the people see the ;

results, and by virtue of their own limitations, call them miracles and speak of the person who performs these apparently supernatural works

as a supernatural being. But they as supernatural beings could themselves perform these

supernatural works if they would open themselves to the recognition of the same laws, and consequently to the realization of the same possibilities

and powers.

And

let

us also re-

member

that the supernatural of yesterday becomes, as in the process of evolution we advance

from the lower to the higher, from the more material to the more spiritual, the common and the natural of today, and what seems to be the supernatural of today becomes in the same way the natural of tomorrow, and so on through the Yes, it is the God-man who does the ages. things that appear supernatural, the man who by virtue of his realization of the higher powers transcends the majority and so stands out among

them.

human

But any power that soul

is

laws operate in every

women

of

is

possible to one

The same men and be men and women

possible to another. life.

power or we can

We

can be

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154

The moment one

of impotence.

the fact that he can rise he will

vitally grasps

rise,

and he can

have absolutely no limitations other than the limitations he sets to himself. Cream always rises to the top.

the nature of

We

hear

need to

It

cream

much

rises

simply because

it

is

to rise.

said of "environment."

realize that

We

environment should never

be allowed to make the man, but that man should always, and always can, condition the environment. that

many

selves out

cause

When we

times of

we may

it

is

realize this

we

will find

not necessary to take our-

any particular environment, beyet have a work to do there; but

by the very force we carry with us we can

so

and change matters that we will have an entirely new set of conditions in an old environ-

affect

ment.

The same traits

and

is

true in regard to "hereditary" sometimes hear the

We

influences. " Can

question asked, they the one who doesn't Only yet ask a question such as this.

and

be

overcome

" .''

know himself can If we entertain

the belief that they cannot be overcome, then the chances are that they will always remain. The moment, however, that we come live in

into a realization of our true selves,

and so

the tremendous powers and forces within,

of

— the


and Plenty

i

5 5

—

powers and forces of the mind and spirit, hereditary traits and influences that are harmful in nature will begin to lessen, and will disappear with a rapidity directly in

proportion to the

completeness of this realization. "

There

is

no thing we cannot overcome

Say not thy Or that some

;

evil instinct is inherited, trait

inborn makes thy whole

life

forlorn,

And "

calls

down punishment

that

is

not merited.

Back of thy parents and grandparents lies The Great Eternal Will That too is thine !

—

Inheritance, strong, beautiful, divine, Sure lever of success for one who tries.

"There

is

no noble height thou canst not climb may be thine in Time's futurity. ;

All triumphs If,

whatso'er thy

fault,

But lean upon the

thou dost not faint or halt;

staff of

God's

security.

"Earth has no claim the

soul cannot contest; thyself part of the Eternal Source; Naught can stand before thy spirit's force:

Know The

soul's

Divine Inheritance

Again there are many who are

is

best."

living far

below

their possibilities because they are continually

handing over their individualities to others. Do you want to be a power in the world } Then be

I


56

Don't class yourself, don't allow your-

yourself. self to

and Plenty

be classed among the second-Jiand, among

the they-say people. Be true to the highest within your own soul, and then allow yourself to be governed by no customs or conventionalities or arbitrary man-made rules that are not

founded upon prmciple. Those things that are founded upon principle will be observed by the right-minded, the right-hearted in

man

or

woman,

case.

any Don't surrender your individuality, which is your greatest agent of power, to the customs and conventionalities that have gotten their life from the great mass of those who haven't enough force to preserve their individualities,

who

in other

— those

words have given them over as "mush of concession" which

ingredients to the

one of our greatest writers has said characterizes If you do surrender your our modern society. individuality in this way,

creasing the

undesirable

you simply

aid in in-

conditions;

in

pay-

you become a slave, and the chances are that in time you will be unable to hold even the respect of those whom you in

ment

this

for

way

this

try to please.

you preserve your individuality then you become a master, and if wise and discreet, your If

influence and

power

will

be an aid

in

bringing


and Plenty

i

57

about a higher, a better, and a more healthy set All people, moreof conditions in the world. will think more of over, you, will honor you

more highly

for doing this than if you show weakness by contributing yourself to the your " same " mush of concession that so many of

are contributing themselves to. With all classes of people you will then have an in-

them

fluence.

"

A

great style of hero draws equally

extremes of society to him, till we the say very dogs believe in him." To be one's self is the only worthy, and by all

all classes, all

means the only

satisfactory, thing to be.

"

May

not be good policy," says one, "to be gov" erned sometimes by one's surroundings } it

What

is

good policy

?

To be

yourself,

first, last,

and always.

—

"This above all, to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."

"When we life

is

appeal to the Supreme and our governed by a principle, we are not

governed either by fear of public opinion or loss of others approbation, and we may be sure that the Supreme try to

live

will sustain us.

to

suit

others

If in

any way we

we never

shall suit

them, and the more we try the more unreason-

158


able

and

exacting of

do

your Hfe

and Plenty become.

they

The

a matter

that lies government entirely between God and yourself, and when your life is swayed and influenced from any other source you are on the wrong path."

When we

is

kingdom within and become centred in the Infinite, then we become a law unto ourselves. When we become a law unto find the

ourselves, then

knowledge or

many

we

are able to bring others to a than they are governed

of laws higher

times even enslaved by.

When we

have found

this centre,

beautiful simplicity, at once the

power our

of a truly great personality, enters into

lives.

Then

indicator of

power, is

so

then that

charm and the

—

is

striving for effect,

all

—

that sure

weakness and a lack of genuine This striving for effect that absent.

common

is

always an indicator of a lack of

It brings to mind the man who something. Conscious of rides behind a dock-tailed horse.

the fact that there

is

attract attention, in

not enough in Jiimsclf to with a number of

common

other weaklings, he adopts the brutal method of having his horse's tail sawed off, that its unnatural, odd

appearance

may

attract

people the attention that he of himself

is

from unable

to secure.

But the one who

strives for effect

is

always


more than he succeeds

fooled

The man and

the

woman

mid Plenty

1

59

in fooling others.

of true

wisdom and

in-

sight can always see the causes that prompt, the motives that underlie the acts of all with whom " He is he or she comes in contact. great who

what he

is

is

from nature

who never

and

reminds us of others."

The men and to the

real

the

women who

powers

within

are truly awake are the men and

little, yet who much. so in reality are doing They seem to be doing so little because they are working with

women who seem

to be doing so

higher agencies, and yet are doing so much because of this very fact. They do their work on the higher plane. They keep so completely their connection with the Infinite Power that //

does the work for them and they are relieved of the responsibility. They are the care-less people.

They

nite

Power

are care-less because that

is

with this Infinite

is

it

the Infi-

working through them, and

Power they

are

simply co-

operating.

The

simply the uniting of the outer agencies of expressioji with the

secret

Power

of the highest power

that zvorks

Then

from

withiti.

is

Are you

a

the degree that you open painter the to power of the forces within will yourself you become great instead of mediocre. You .-'

in

1

6o


and

Pleiity

can never put into permanent form inspirations higher than those that come through your own In order for the higher inspirations to

soul.

come through it, you must open your soul, you must open it fully to the Supreme Source of all Are you an orator In the degree inspiration. that you come into harmony and work in con.''

junction with the higher powers that will speak through you will you have the real power of

moulding and

If you use moving men. merely your physical agents, you will be simply If you open yourself so that the a demagogue. voice of God can speak through and use your

of

physical agents, you will become a great and true orator, great and true in just the degree that you so open yourself. let

Are you a singer } Then open the God within pour forth in

You

song.

will find

it

yourself and the spirit of

a thousand times easier

your long and studied practice without and other things being equal, there will

than

all

this,

come

you a power of song so enchanting and so enrapturing that its influence upon all who to

hear will be

irresistible.

When my during the of a forest, cot

in the

I

has been pitched the edge or in the midst

cabin or tent

summer on

have sometimes

lain

awake on

my

early morning, just as the day was


and Plenty

1

61

Silence at first. Then an beginning to break. intermittent chirp here and there. And as the

unfolding tints of the dawn became faintly perceptible, these grew more and more frequent,

by and by the whole

until

forest

seemed

to

burst forth in one grand chorus of song. WonIt seemed as if the very derful wonderful !

!

every grass-blade, as if the bushes, the very sky aljovc, and the earth beneath, had Then, as I part in this wonderful symphony. trees, as

if

have listened as

it

went on and

I

on,

What

have

a study in the matter of song thought, but learn from the birds. If we If we could !

could but open ourselves to the same powers and allow them to pour forth in us, what singers, what movers of men we might have Nay, !

what singers and what movers

of

men we wou^d

have !

Do you know

the circumstances under which

Mr. Sankey sang for the first time " The Ninety " and Nine Says one of our able journals .''

"At Ira

:

a great meeting recently in Denver, Mr. Sankey, before singing 'The Ninety

W.

and Nine,' which, perhaps, of all his compositions is the one that has brought him the most fame, gave an account of its birth. Leaving Glasgow for Edinburg with Mr. Moody, he

stopped at a news-stand and bought a penny

62

1


religious paper.

on the

Glancing over it as they rode on a few little verses in

cars, his eye fell the corner of the page.

he

'

said,

I've

Moody was

and Plenty

Turning

found

my

to Mr.

Moody

But Mr.

hymn.'

busily engaged and did not hear a

Mr. Sankey did not find time to make a tune for the verses, so he pasted them in his music scrapbook. word.

"

One day they had an in

meeting

in

Edinburg, spoken with great effect

At the

herd.'

beckoned to

unusually impressive

which Dr. Bonar had on The Good Shep'

close of the address Mr.

Moody

He

his partner to sing.

thought of nothing but the Twenty-third Psalm, but that His second thought was he had sung so often. to sing the verses he

had found

in the

news-

paper, but the third thought was, how could it Then a fourth be done when he had no tune.

thought came, and that was to sing them ajiyHe put the verses before him, touched way. the keys of the organ, opened his mouth and sang, not knowing where he was going to come out.

He

silence. if

finished the first verse

He

he could

He

amid profound wondered

took a long breath and sing the

second the

same way.

and succeeded after that it was easy When he finished the hymn the to sing it. meeting was all broken down and the throngs tried

;


and Plenty

1

63

Mr. Sankey says it was the most Mr. Moody said he intense moment of his life.

were crying.

like it. It was sung at was soon and going over the every meeting,

never heard a song

world."

When we

open ourselves to the highest

rations they never

we

this

inspi-

to do

fail

attaining the highest

in

fail

When we

fail us.

results,

whatever the undertaking.

Are you a

Then remember

writer.''

the one great precept underlying ful

work

literary

heart

and

loyal

to

write.

is,

Be

Look

into

Be

trne.

all

that

success-

thine

fearless.

own Be

promptings of your own sojil. that an author can never write

the

Remember

more than he himself is. If he would write He is simply more, then he must be more. his

own amanuensis.

himself into his book. into If

it

than he himself

he

is

He in a He can

sense

writes

put no more

is.

one of a great personality, strong

in

to the

in

feeling, open always purpose, deep highest inspirations, a certain indefinable something gets into his pages that makes them breathe

forth a vital, living power, a

power so great that

each reader gets the same inspirations as those that

spoke through

the

written between the lines

author. is

many

That

that's

times more

164


than that that's written

the Hnes.

in

It is

the

the author that engenders this power. that gives that extra twenty-five or

spirit of It is

and Plenty

this

thirty per cent that takes a called

medium and

—

lifts

it

book out

into the

of the class class called

that extra per cent that makes it the one of the hundred that is truly successful, superior,

while the ninety-nine never see more than their first edition.

same

It is this

spiritual

power that the author

personality puts into his work, that to go so rapidly from reader to reader

of a great

causes

it

;

way that any book circulates in the from mouth to mouth, any book that

for the only

ultimate

is

reaches a large circulation. It is this that many times causes a single reader, in view of its value to himself, to purchase others.

about

"A

numbers

of copies for

good poem," says Emerson, "goes

world offering itself to reasonable men, who read it with joy and carry it to their Thus it draws to it the reasonable neighbors. the

wise and generous souls, confirming their secret thoughts, and

through their sympathy really

pti blish ing itself.

This

is

' '

the type of author

who writes

not with

the thought of having what he writes become but he writes with the sole thought of reaching the hearts of the people, giving them

literature,

Fullness of Peace, Power, of vital

and Plenty

165

something that will broaden, sweeten, enrich, and beautify their lives; something

that will lead

and with joys. if

it

value,

them to the finding of the higher life the higher powers and the higher

most always happens, however, that

It

he succeeds

thus reaching the people, the somehow takes care of

in

literature part

becoming itself, and

far

better than

if

he aimed for

it

directly.

,The one, on the other hand, depart from beaten paths,

who

who

fears

to

allows himself to

be bound by arbitrary rules, limits his own creative powers in just the degree that he allows himself so to be bound, of the greatest of of the pines

"My

book," says one " shall smell

modern authors,

and resound with the

The swallow

over

my window

hum

of insects.

shall interweave

that thread or straw he carries in his

my web it

also."

Far

bill

into

better, gentle sage, to

have

smell of the pines and resound with the hum than to have it sound of the rules

of insects

that a smaller type of man gets by studying the of a few great, fearless writers like your-

works

and formulating from what he thus gains a handbook of rhetoric. "Of no use are the men self,

who study

to do exactly as

was done before, who is a new day!'

can never understand that today

When

Shakspeare

is

charged with debts to

1

66


Landor

his authors,

replies:

and Plejity

"Yet he was more

He breathed upon original than his originals. dead bodies and brought them into life." This the type of man who doesn't move the world's way, but who moves the world his way. I had rather be an amanuensis of the is

God, as it is my than a slave to

Infinite

to

ally

rules of

be,

of

any

any and

over to

rhetorician,

the

critic.

over!

them

that

the opinions people, the people

or

to

me

common

something every-day

something that

life,

sweetness here, a

something that kind, and gentle

there,

formulated

give the lighten

will

struggles of our will add a little

ful,

Oh, Let

will

liter-

privilege

the

little

hope

make more thought-

this thoughtless,

animal-

natured man, something that will awaken into activity the dormant powers of this timid, shrinking

little

ened

be

will

that will

surprise even

something that edge

woman, powers

irresistible

will lead

of the divinity of

that

when awak-

in their influence

and

me

give

herself.

Let

each one to the knowl-

every

human

soul,

some-

thing that will lead each one to the conscious realization of Ins own divinity, with all its

—

let attendant riches, and glories, and powers, me succeed in doing this, and I can then

well afford

to

be careless as to whether the


and Plenty

i6y

If it is praise or whether they blame. under these circumstances it is as then blame, sticks of a few dead on the the cracking ground below, compared to the matchless music that

critics

the soft

spring gale

great pine

is

breathing through the

forest.

Are you a minister, or a religious teacher of Then in the degree that you free any kind from the man-made theological dogmas yourself .-*

that have held and that are holding and limiting so many, and in the degree that you open your-

the Divine Breath, will you be one who In the degree that speak with authority.

self to

will

you study the prophets less and be in the way becoming a prophet yourself. The way is open for you exactly the same as it

you do

this will

of

has ever been open for anyone. If when born into the world you came into a family of the English-speaking race, then in

To be a probability you are a Christian. Christian is to be a follower of the teacliings of

all

Jesus, the Christ

same laws he to

live his

life.

teaching was

;

harmony with the harmony with in brief,

to live in

lived in

The

:

great central fact of his

this conscious

union of

man

with

was the complete realization of this oneness with the Father on his part that It was through this made Jesus the Christ. the Father.

It

1

68

Fulhiess of Peace, Power,

that he attained to the

power he attained

man

that he spake as never

and Plenty to,

spake.

He never claimed for himself anything that " The he did not claim equally for all mankind. mighty works performed by Jesus were not exceptional, they were the natural and necessary concomitants of his state he declared them to ;

accordance with unvarying order; he spoke of them as no unique performances, but as the

be

in

outcome

of a state to

As

they chose.

which

all

might attain

if

a teacher and demonstrator of

according to his own confession, he did nothing for the purpose of proving his solitary

truth,

The life and triumph of Jesus divinity. formed an epoch in the history of the race. His coming and victory marked a new era in .

human

.

.

affairs

;

he introduced a new because a

more complete ideal to the earth, and when his three most intimate companions saw in some measure what the new life really signified, they fell to the earth, speechless with awe and admiration."

By coming his

oneness

into this

with

complete realization of

the

Father, by mastering, absolutely mastering every circumstance that crossed his path through life, even to the death of the body, and by pointing out to us the great laws which are the same for us as they were for


and Plenty

him, he has given us an ideal of for us to attain to here

and now,

not have without him.

One has

all

life,

that

an

169 ideal

we could

conqicered first ;

completely realizing it first for himself, and then by pointing out to others this great law of the at-one-ment

may conquer

By

afterward.

with the Father, he has become probably the world's greatest saviour.

Don't mistake his mere person for his life his teachings, an error that has been made

and in

connection with most

all

great teachers by

And if you their disciples over and over again. have been among the number who have been preaching a dead Christ, then for humanity's sake, for Christ's sake, for God's sake, and I

speak most reverently, don't steal the people's time any longer, don't waste your own time more, in giving them stones in place of bread, In his dead form for the spirit of living truth.

own

words, "let the dead bury their dead." Come out from among them. Teach as did Jesus, the living Christ. Find the Christ within.

Teach as did

Jesus,

this in all its trans-

—

find it as Jesus cendent beauty and power, found it, then you also will be one who will

speak with authority. to lead large

This

is

numbers

Then you

will

be able

of others to its finding.

the pearl of great price.

1

70 Fullness of Peace, Power, and Plenty It is

the type of preacher whose soul has never

as yet even perceived the vital spirit oi the teachings of Jesus, and who as a consequence instead of giving this to the people,

forms and dogmas and

giving them old

is

who

speculations,

is

emptying our churches. This is the type whose chief efforts seem to be in getting men ready to die. The Germans have a saying, Never go to the will

second thing

teach us

invariably precedes that when we once

We

first.

how

first

men who

need

to live.

Living quite This also is true,

dying.

know how to live, and live in accordance with what we know, then the dying, as we term it, will in a wonderfully manner take care

beautiful fact

the only

care

of.

It

is

in

way

on account of

churches, for tiring of

the

of itself.

which this

it

It

in

be taken

can

Ci-nptying

reason that

is

our

of

the people are

mere husks, that many short-sighted

people are frequently heard to say that religion How can Religion dying out dying out.

is

.-*

anything

die before

it is

really born

?

far as the people are concerned, religion

And is

so

just

being born, or rather they are just awaking to a vital,

We

are just beginning every-day religion. the mere letter into its real, vital beyond

to get spirit.

Religion dying out

.''

Impossible even

Fullness of Peace, Power, to conceive

the

7

1

soul as

And

of God.

1

Religion is as much a part of the human soul is a part

of.

human

and Plenty

God and

as long as

human

the

soul exist, religion will never die. Much of the dogma, the form, the ceremony, the mere letter that has stood as religion, and

—

honestly, say,

—

many

this,

times,

thank God,

never so rapidly as it is

let

it

There

dying.

is

is

us be fair enough to rapidly dying out, and

today, By two methods a large class of peo-

is, first,

ple tired of or even nauseated with

conscientiously prefer to

than

this.

same

They

class in

There

spring

pushing the

And

off the old, the

newly awakened

is stirring,

all its

beauty and redeeming power. is

second, a large

is,

the Divine Breath

are finding the Christ within in

life

who

are simply abandoning it, the its leaves when the

comes.

whom

all,

abandons

as a tree

early winter

it

have nothing rather

matchless this

same as in

life

who

in

the

new the tree

pushes off the old, lifeless leaves that have clung on during the winter, to make place for the new ones.

And

the

being pushed

way

off

this old

dead

on every hand

leaf religion is

is

indeed most

interesting and inspiring to witness. Let the places of those who have been empty-

ing our churches by reason of their attempts to give stones for bread, husks and chaff for the

172


and Plenty

life-giving grain, let their places

for but a

be taken even

who

few times by those

are open and

and then

alive to these higher inspirations,

let

us again question those who feel that religion is "It is the live coal that kindles dying out.

Let their places be taken

others, not the dead."

by those who have caught the inspiration of the Divine Breath, who as a consequence have a message of mighty value and import for the people, who by able to present

virtue it

of

this

same

fact

are

with a beauty and a power it takes captive the soul.

so enrapturing that Then we will find

the

that

churches that

a few today are dotted here and there with dozen people will be filled to overflowing, and there will not be even room enough for all who

would pearl

may

We

appear."

tions as yet. spirit of those

time,

"Let the

enter.

We

when we

shell

perish that the

need no new revela-

need simply to find the

we

already have. are ready for them,

vital

Then in due new ones will

come, but not before.

"What

the

human

soul, all the world over, " is not to be har-

Pulsford,

needs," says John angued, however eloquently, about the old, accepted religion, but to be permeated, charmed,

and taken captive by a warmer' ajid more Breath of

God

than they ever felt before.

potejit

And

and Plenty

Fullness of Peace, Poiuer, I

1

73

should not be true to

if

did

I

Breath

ments

is

my personal experience not bear testimony that this Divine as exquisitely adapted to the require-

of the soul's nature as a

June morning to

Nor does the morning breath leave the planet. to delight themselves and develop freer the trees themselves under of

God

allows

influence than the Breath

its

human

each

according to its genius. tral

wheel of the soul

The whole man

is

mind

Nothing like the

to

stirs

unfold

the cen-

Breath of God.

quickened, his senses are

new emotions

senses, his emotions

;

new

his reason,

his affections, his imagination, are all new-born.

The change

greater than he knows; he marvels at the powers in himself which the Breath is is

opening and calling

He

forth.

to be an unutterable thing

;

he

finds his nature is

sure therefore

that the future

must have inconceivable

prises in store.

And

which

I

commend

to

herein

my

lies

sur-

the evidence,

readers, of the exist-

ence of God, and of the Eternal human Hope. Let God's Breath kindle new spring-time in the soul, start into life its

in heaven's

evidence of universe

deeply buried germs, lead

summer you will then have as clear God from within as you have of the ;

from without.

Indeed, your internal

experience of life, and illimitable Hope in God will be nearer to you, and more prevailing, than

1


74

all

and Plenty

your external and superficial experience of

nature and the world."

There is but one source of power in the universe. Whatever then you are, painter, orator, musician, writer, religious teacher, or whatever may be, know that to catch and take captive

it

the secret of power is so to work in conjunction with the Infinite Power, in order that it may con-

work and manifest through you. doing this, you fail in everything.

tinually

If

fail in

If

you you

doing this, your work, whatever it may be, will be third or fourth rate, possibly at times second rate, but it positively never can be first

fail

in

rate. Absolutely impossible will ever to become a master.

it

be for you

Whatever estimate you put upon yourself will determine the effectiveness of your work along any

line.

As

long as you live merely in the

physical and the

intellectual,

to yourself that will hold live.

you

set limitations

you as long as you so

When, however, you come

into the real-

your oneness with the Infinite Life and Power, and open yourself that it may work through you, you will find that you have entered ization of

upon an

entirely

new phase

of

life,

and that an

ever increasing power will be yours.

Then

it

be true that your strength will be as the strength of ten because your heart is pure. will

Fullness of Peace, Poiuer, "

O God

!

I

am one

and Plenty

forever

With Thee by the glory of birth The celestial powers proclaim it

To "

I

the utmost

bounds of the

;

earth.

think of this birthright immortal,

And my being expands like arose, As an odorous cloud of incense Around and above me flows.

"A

glorious song of rejoicing

In an innermost spirit

And

I

hear,

sounds like heavenly voices. In a chorus divine and clear.

-'

it

And

I feel a power uprising, Like the power of an embryo god With a glorious wall it surrounds me. ;

And

lifts

me up from

^SS^^^-^t-:

the sod."

175

I

^6


and Plenty

PLENTY OF ALL THINGS — THE LAW OF PROSPERITY. This

is

the Spirit

of

Infinite

Power that has brought, that

Plenty,

the

is

continually bringing, all things into expression in material form. He who lives in the realization of his

oneness with this

Power becomes a

Infinite

magnet to attract to himself a continual supply of whatsoever things he desires. one hold himself

in the

thought of poverty, be poor, and the chances are that he will If he hold himself, whatremain in poverty. If

he

will

ever present conditions may be, continually in the thought of prosperity, he sets into operation forces that will sooner or later bring him into The law of attraction prosperous conditions.

works unceasingly throughout the universe, and the one great and never changing fact in connection with it is, as we have found, that like attracts like.

Power,

this

If

we

are one with this Infinite

source of

degree that we

live

in

all

things, then

in

the

the realization of this

oneness, in that degree do we actualize in ourselves a power that will bring to us an abun-


dance of

all

things that

is

it

and Plenty 177

desirable for us to

In this way we come into possession of a have. power whereby we can actualize at all times those conditions that we desire. As all truth exists now, and awaits simply

our perception of it, so all things necessary for the present needs exist now, and await simply power in us to appropriate them. God holds all things

My

in

child,

His constant word

His hands.

acknowledge me

in all

is,

your ways, and

degree that you do this, in the degree that you live this, then what is mine is yours. in the

Jehovah-jireh,

— the

Lord

will

provide.

"He

men

liberally and upbraideth not." He giveth liberally to all men who put themselves in the right attitude to receive from Him.

giveth to all

He

forces no

good things upon any one. somewhat prevalent idea of godliness and poverty has absolutely no basis for its existence, and the sooner we get away from it It had its birth in the same way the better. that the idea of asceticism came into existence, when the idea prevailed that there was necessarily a warfare between the flesh and the spirit. It had its origin therefore in the minds of those

The

old and

who had

a distorted, a one-sided view of

True godliness wisdom.

is

in

life.

a sense the same as true

The one who

is

truly wise,

and who

178


and Plenty

uses the forces and powers with which he is endowed, to him the great universe always opens The supply is always equal her treasure house. to the

demand,

demand comes

is

— equal

to the

rightly, wisely

demand when the

made.

When

one

into the realization of these higher laws,

then the fear of want ceases to tyrannize over him.

Are you out

of a situation

.-*

Let the fear

not get another take hold of and dominate you, and the chances are that it may that

you

will

be a long time before you will get another, or the one that you do get may be a very poor one

Whatever the circumstances, you must you have within you forces and that powers you can set into operation that will triumph over any and all apparent or temporary losses. Set these forces into operation and you will then be placing a magnet that will draw to

indeed. realize

that

you a situation that may be far better than the one you have lost, and the time may soon come when you will be even thankful that you lost the old one.

Recognize, working in and through you, the

same

Infinite

Power that

creates and governs all

things in the universe, the same Infinite Power that governs the endless systems of worlds in space.

Send out your thought,

— thought

is

a

Fullness of Peace, Power, force,

and

portions

— send

it

and Plenty

1

79

has occult power of unknown prorightly used and wisely directed,

when

out your thought that the right situawork will come to you at the

tion or the right

right time, in the right way,

recognize

it

when

it

thought, never allow

and that you

comes. it

Hold

to

will

this

to weaken, hold to

it,

with firm expectation. You in this way put your advertisement into a psychical, a spiritual newspaper, a paper that

and continually water

it

has not a limited circulation, but one that will make its way not only to the utmost bounds of the earth, but of the very universe

itself.

It is

an advertisement, moreover, which if rightly placed on your part, will be far more effective than any advertisement you could possibly put into any printed sheet, no matter what claims are

made

in regard to its

vertising medium."

come

In

into this realization

being "the great adthe degree that you

and

live in

harmony

with the higher laws and forces, in that degree will you be able to do this effectively. "

" want you wish to look through the columns of the newspapers, then do it not in Put the higher forces into the ordinary way. If

operation and thus place it on a higher basis. As you take up the paper, take this attitude of

mind

:

If

there

is

here an advertisement that

i8o it


be well for

will

come

to

it I

lieve

it,

expect

me

moment

to reply to, the

will recognize If

it.

and Plenty

Affirm

it.

you do

I

this, be-

this in full faith

you will somehow feel the intuition the moment you come to the right one, and this intuition will be nothing more nor less than your own soul speaking to you. at once.

you get the

If

to

When

situation

speaks then act

it

and

it

be exactly what you want,

does not prove

if

feel

you

that

you are capable of filling a better one, then the moment you enter upon it take the attitude of

mind

that this situation

that will lead

Hold

this

you

to

is

the stepping-stone

one that

will

thought steadily, affirm

and

be it,

still

better.

believe

it,

the time be faithful, absolutely in which you are at to the situation faitJiful

expect

it,

all

If you are 7iot faithful to it present placed. then the chances are that it will not be the

stepping-stone to something better, but to someIf you are faithful to it, the time thing poorer.

may soon come when you thankful,

when you

will

will

be glad and

rejoice, that

you

lost

your old position. This is the law of prosperity: When apparent adversity comes, be not cast down by it, but make the best of it, and always look forward for better thin^rs. for conditions

more prosperous.

and Plenty

1

hold yourself in this attitude of mind

is


To

set into operation subtle, silent,

forces

that

and

sooner or later will

8

1

to

irresistible

actualize

in

form that which is today merely an But ideas have occult power, and ideas, when rightly planted and rightly tended, are the material

idea.

seeds that actualize material conditions.

Never give a moment to complaint, but utilize the time that would otherwise be spent in this

way

looking forward and actualizing the con-

in

you desire. Suggest prosperity to yourself. See yourself in a prosperous condition. Affirm that you will before long be in a prosAffirm it calmly and quietly, perous condition. but strongly and confidently. Believe it, be-

ditions

lieve

it

absolutely.

Expect

it,

— keep

tinually watered

with expectation.

make

magnet

that

yourself a

you

desire.

to attract

it

You

con-

thus

the things

Don't be afraid to suggest,

these things, for by so doing you put forth an ideal which will begin to clothe itself in material form. In this way you are

to affirm

agents among the most subtle and If you are parpowerful in the universe. utilizing

ticularly desirous for

anything that you feel it and for good right you to have, something that will broaden your life or that will increase is

your

usefulness

to

others,

simply hold

the

1

82


and Plenty

thought that at the right time, way, and

through

there will

come

for

you I

the

right

in

the right

instrumentality,

you or there will open up you the way whereby you can attain what to

desire,

know

of a

young lady who a

short time ago

wanted some money very badly. She wanted it for a good purpose she saw no reason why she shouldn't have it. She is one who has come into an understanding of the power of the in;

She took and held herself in the mind we have just pointed out. In

terior forces.

attitude of

the morning she entered into the silence for a few moments. In this way she brought herself into a

more complete harmony with the higher Before the day closed a gentleman of a family with which she

powers.

member

called, a

was acquainted. He asked her if she would do for the family some work that they wanted done. She was a little surprised that they should ask her to do this particular kind of work, but she I will respond said to herself, " Here is a call. will lead to." She undertook and see what it the work.

completed

amount

of

expected. large for

SJie

did

it

zvell.

When

she had

there was put into her hands an money far beyond what she had

it

She felt that it was an amount too the work she had done. She protested.


They

"No; you have done

replied,

vice that transcends offer to

pay you."

more than

and Plenty

in

1

us a ser-

value the amount

The sum thus

sufficient for the

83

w'fe

received was

work she wished

to

accomplish.

This

is

but one of

many

instances in con-

nection with the wise and effective use of the It also carries

higher powers. fold

a lesson,

— Don't

your hands and expect to see things drop

into your lap, but set into operation the higher forces and then take hold of the first thing that

Do what

offers itself.

and do

it well.

If this

your hands find to do,

work

is

not thoroughly

satisfactory to you, then affirm, believe,

pect that

it

something the best of

and

ex-

the agency that will lead you to " The basis for better. is

attracting

the world can give to you is to first surround, own, and live in these things in All mind, or what is falsely called imagination. all

so-called imaginings are realities

and forces of

unseen element. Live in mind in a palace and gradually palatial surroundings will gravitate to But so living is not pining, or longing, or you. It is when you are complainingly wishing. 'down in the world,' calmly and persistently It is when you are now seeing yourself as up.

compelled to eat from a tin

plate,

regarding

that tin plate as only the certain step to one of

1


84

silver.

people is

just

It is

and Plenty

not envying and growling at other

who have so much

bank account

That growling from the stock taken capital silver plate.

of mental force."

A friend forces,

who knows the power of the interior and whose life is guided in every detail

by them, has given a suggestion in this form: When you are in the arms of the bear, even though he is hugging you, look him in the face and laugh, but all the time keep your eye on the bull. If you allow all of your attention to be to the work of the bear, the bull may get given In other words, entirely out of your sight. to the are that chances adversity you yield will

master you, but

if

you recognize

if it

in yourself

the power mastery over conditions then adversity will yield to you, and will be changed of

If when it comes you calmly into prosperity. and quietly recognize it, and use the time that might otherwise be spent in regrets, and fears, and forebodings, in setting into operation the

powerful forces within you,

it

will

soon take

its leave.

Faith, absolute dogmatic faith, is the only law of true success. When we recognize the fact that a

man

carries his success or his failure

with him, and that outside conditions,

it

we

does not depend upon come into the pos-

will

Fullness of Peace, Power, atid Plenty

1

85

session of powers that will quickly change outside conditions into agencies that make for success.

When we come

realization

and bring our

into

lives

this

higher

into

complete harmony with the higher laws, we will then be able so to focus and direct the awakened interior forces, that they will

go out and return

We

laden with that for which they are sent. will then be great enough to attract success,

and

it

be apparently just can then establish

not always

will

ways ahead. ourselves a centre

little

We so

a in

strong that instead of

we home and draw to us the conditions If we firmly establish and hold to

running hither and thither for this or that, can stay at

we

desire.

this centre, things will

seem continually

to

come

our way.

The

majority of people of the modern world

are looking for things that are practical and that can be utilized in every-day life. The

more

we examine great truths we

carefully

lying the

more we

will

find that

into the laws under-

are considering, the they are not only emi-

in a sense, and in the and truest sense, they are the only deepest

nently practical, but

practical things there are.

There are people who continually pride them" " but upon being exceedingly practical

selves

;

1

86


times

many

those

who

of

and Plenty

themselves think

nothing about this are the most practical people world knows. And, on the other hand,

the

those

own

who

take great pride in speaking of their practicality are many times the least prac-

tical.

Or

again,

some ways they may be

in

practical, but so far as life in its totality

is

con-

cerned, they are absurdly impractical. What profit, for example, can there be for the

man who,

materially speaking, though he has

gained the whole world, has never yet become acquainted with his own soul ? There are multi-

men

tudes of

all

about us

who

are entirely miss-

ing the real life, men who have not learned even the a, b, c of true living. Slaves they are, slaves to their abject temporary material accu-

Men who thinking they possess their wealth are on the contrary completely possessed

mulations.

it. Men whose lives are comparatively barren in service to those about them and to the

by

Men who when they can no large. hold the the agency by means of longer body, which they are related to the material world, will go out poor indeed, pitiably poor. Unable

world at

to

take

—

—

even the smallest particle

of

their

accumulations with them, they will enter upon the other form of life naked and destitute.

The

kindly deeds,

the

developed

traits

of


and Plenty

187

character, the realized powers of the soul, the real riches of the inner life and unfoldment, all

those things that become our real and eternal possessions, have been given no place in their and so of the real things of life they are

lives,

Nay, many times worse than destimust not suppose that habits once formed are any more easily broken off in the destitute.

We

tute.

other form of

life than they are in this. If one voluntarily grows a certain mania here, we must not suppose that the mere dropping of

the body makes all conditions perfect. All is As we sow, so shall law, all is cause and effect. we also reap, not only in this life but in all lives.

He who

is

enslaved with the sole desire for

material possessions here will continue to be enslaved even after he can no longer retain his Then, moreover, he will have not even body.

the

means

of

gratifying

his

desires.

Domi-

nated by this habit, he will be unable to set his time at least, upon other things,

affections, for a

and the

desire,

without the means of gratifying

be doubly torturing to him. Perchance this torture may be increased by his seeing the it

will

accumulations he thought were his scattered and wasted by spendthrifts. his property, as

we

have no word as to

now being

say, to others, but its use.

He

wills

he can

1

88

How

v_.

and Plenty


foolish, then, for us to think that

material possessions are ours. example, for one to fence off a of God's earth is

ours that

come

his.

of acres

Nothing

The

things that not for the purpose

retain.

hands come

any

absurd, for

number

and say they are

we cannot

into our

How

for the being possessed, as we say, much less our into come purpose of being hoarded. They of

hands to be used, to be wisely used. stewards merely, and as stewards we held accountable for the /s

entrusted to us.

are

be

way we use whatever

That great law

sation that runs through

We

shall

of

compen-

life is

wonderfully exact in its workings, although we may not it always fully comprehend it, or even recognize all

when it operates in connection with ourselves. The one who has come into the realization of the higher life no longer has a desire for the accumulation of enormous wealth, any more than he has a desire for any other excess. In the deof the gree that he comes into the recognition fact that he is wealthy within, external wealth

becomes less important in his estimation. When he comes into the realization of the fact that there is a source within from which he can put forth a in his hands power to call to him and actualize his needs, for all sufficient at any time a supply material vast with he no longer burdens himself


and Plenty

1

89

accumulations that require his constant care and attention, and thus take his time and his thought

from the first

real things of

finds the kingdom,

when he has found in full

In other words, he

life.

and he

this, all

realizes that

other things follow

measure.

It is as

kingdom

hard for a rich

man

to enter into the

of heaven, said the Master,

— everything,

— he who

as it is for a having nothing had In camel to pass through the eye of a needle. other words, if a man give all his time to the

accumulation, the hoarding of outward material possessions far beyond what he can possibly ever use, what time has he for the finding else with

kingdom, which when found, it. Which is better, to have

millions of dollars,

and to have the burden of

of that wonderful

brings

all

taking care of it volves the other,

all,

—

— or

for the

to

come

one always

in-

into the knowl-

edge of such laws and forces that every need will be supplied in good time, to know that no good thing shall be withheld, to know that we have it in our power to make the supply always equal to the demand .-•

The one who

enters into the realm of this

higher knowledge, never cares to bring upon himself the species of insanity that has such a firm hold upon so

many

in

the world today.

1


90

He

avoids

it

as he

and Plenty

would avoid any loathsome

When we come

disease of the body.

realization of the higher powers,

we

into the

will

then be

able to give more attention to the real life, instead of giving so much to the piling up of

hamper rather than help medium ground that brings the

vast possessions that It

It.

is

the

true solution here, the of

same

as

it is

in all

phases

life.

Wealth beyond a certain amount cannot be and when it cannot be used it then becomes a hindrance rather than an aid, a curse

used,

rather than a blessing.

All about us are perstunted and dwarfed who

now make them rich and

sons with lives could

beautiful, filled with

a perennial joy, if they would begin wisely to use that which they have spent the greater portion of their lives in accumulating.

The man who accumulates during his entire life, and who leaves even all when he goes out for " benevolent purposes,"

the a

It

life.

is

far short of

but a poor

excuse

of

commendable

not

in especially to give a pair of old, worn-out shoes that

life.

me I

ideal

comes

shall

It

is

never use again to another

need of shoes.

But

doing anything

we ought

of as being

it is

who

is

in

commendable, if indeed to do can be spoken

commendable,

it is

commendable

for


and Plenty

1

91

me to give a good pair of strong shoes to the man who in the midst of a severe winter is practically shoeless, the man who is exerting every an honest living and thereby take

effort to earn

And if in giving the care of his family's needs. shoes I also give myself, he then has a double and

a double blessing. There is no wiser use that those

gift,

I

wisely to put by day will

them

who have

can make of them than

accumulations

great

into

life,

ivhile they live.

into character, day

In this

way

their lives

be continually enriched and increased. The will come when it will be regarded as a

time

disgrace for a

man

to die

and leave vast accu-

mulations behind him. living in a palace today poorer than many a one man has not even a roof to cover him.

who who

own and

him

Many

a person

is

in the real life is

A

a palace, but the palace for

live in

be a poorhouse

may Moth and

still.

may

—

rust are nature's wise provisions for disintegrating and scatterGod's methods

ing,

in this

—

way getting ready

forms, that which

serving no use.

for use in

new

hoarded and consequently There is also a great law conis

whose effects are to dwarf and deaden the powers of true enjoyment, as well as all the higher faculties of the one who hoards.

tinually operating

1

92


and Plenty

Multitudes of people are continually keeping

away from them higher and

better things because they are forever clinging on to the old. If they would use and pass on the old, room

would

made

be

for

new

Hoarding always brings another.

things

loss

in

to

come.

one form or

Using, wisely using, brings an ever

renewing gain. the tree should as ignorantly and as greedhold on to this year's leaves when they have

If ily

served their purpose, where would be the

and beautiful new

life

full

that will be put forth in

Gradual decay and finally death the spring would be the result. If the tree is already dead, .-*

it may perhaps be well enough for it to to the old, for no new leaves will come. on cling But as long as the life in the tree is active, it

then

is

necessary that

it

rid itself of

the old ones, that

room may be made for the new. Opulence is the law of the abundant supply for every need

universe, if

The

nothing

an is

natural and

put in the way of its coming. the normal life for us is this,

— To have such a

and power by

living so continu-

ally in the realization of our Infinite Life and Power that

oneness with the

fullness of life

we

find ourselves

constant possession of an abundant supall things needed. of ply in the

Fiilbicss of

Peace Power, and Plenty y

193

Then not by hoarding but by wisely using and ridding ourselves of things as they come, an ever renewing supply

be ours, a supply far better adapted to present needs than the old could possibly be.

come the

will

In this

way we not only

into possession of the richest treasures of

Infinite

Good

ourselves,

but

we

also be-

come open channels through which they can flow to others.

1

94


and Plenty

HOW MEN HAVE BECOME SEERS, SAGES, I

have

PROPHETS,

AND SAVIOURS.

tried thus far to deal fairly with

you

presenting these vital truths, and have spoken of everything on the basis of our own reason

in

and

insight.

It

has been

my

aim to base noth-

ing on the teachings of others, though they may be the teachings of those inspired. Let us now look for a moment at these same great truths in the light of the thoughts and the

teachings as put forth by some of the world's great thinkers and inspired teachers.

The sum and substance

of the

thought presented in these pages is, you will remember, that the great central fact in human life is the

coming

into a conscious, vital realization of our

oneness with the Infinite Life, and the opening of ourselves fully to this divine inflow.

the Father are one, said

we

see

how he

Father's

life.

I

and

In this

the Master.

recognized his oneness with the

Again he

said,

The words

that I

speak unto you I speak not of myself but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the In this we see how clearly he recogworks. :

Fullness of Peace,

Power and Plenty ,

19^

nized the fact that he of himself could do noth-

he worked

ing, only as

Father.

Again,

In other words,

open myself with

to

My

in

conjunction with the I work.

Father works and

Father sends the power, I and work in conjunction

my it,

it.

Again he said, Seek ye first the kingdom God and His righteousness, and all these And he left things shall be added unto you. of

us not in the dark as to exactly what he meant by this, for again he said. Say not Lo here nor lo

there,

heaven

is

know ye

not

within you

that

the

kingdom

of

to his teach-

According kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven were one and the same. If, then, his .^

ing, the

teaching

is

that the

kingdom

of

heaven

is

within

do we not clearly see

that, putting it in other words, his injunction is nothing more nor less than, Come ye into a conscious realization us,

of

your oneness with the Father's life. As you oneness you find the kingdom, and

realize this

when you find this, all things else shall follow. The story of the prodigal son is another beauthis same great teaching of After the prodigal had spent everything, after he had wandered in all the realms of the physical senses in the pursuit of tiful

illustration of

the

Master.

happiness and pleasure, and found that this did

1


96

not satisfy but only brought him to the level of the animal creation, he then came to his senses

and

said, I will arise

other words, after

and go to

all

Father.

In

these wanderings, his

own

my

soul at length spoke to him and said. You are not a mere animal. You are your Father's child. Arise and go to your Father, who holds in His hands. Again, the Master no man your Father upon the earth for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Here he recognized the fact that the real life is all

things

said. Call

:

from the

direct

Our

God.

life of

and

fathers

our mothers are the agents that give us the bodies, the houses in which we live, but the real life

comes from the

God, who

is

Infinite

One day word was brought that his

mother and

ever shall do the will of heaven, the same and mother.

Many for

are not

my

Whoso-

said he.

}

Father which

my

brother, and

my

is

to

relationship.

remember

that

necessarily those ties of blood.

with us bv

It

in

sister,

people are greatly enslaved by what

ties of

us

is

Master were without, Who is my mother to the

his brethren

wishing to speak with him. and who are my brethren

term

Source of Life,

our Father.

we

is

well,

however,

our

true

relatives

who Our

are

connected

truest

relatives

Fullness of Peaces Power, are those in

who

soul, in

and Plenty

1

97

are nearest akin to us in mind,

spirit.

Our

nearest relatives

may

be those living on the opposite side of the globe, people v^hom we may never have seen

—

as yet, but to whom we will yet be drawn, either in this form of life or in another, through that

ever working and never failing law of attraction. When the Master gave the injunction, Call

no man your father upon the earth for one is your Father, which is in heaven, he here gave :

us the basis for that grand conception of the And if God is equally the

fatherhood of God.

Father of

all,

then we have here the basis for

the brotherhood of man. sense, a conception

still

But there

higher than

this,

in

is,

a

namely,

man and God, and hence the oneness of the whole human race. When we realize this fact, then we clearly see how in the degree that we come into the realization the oneness of

and

of our oneness with the Infinite Life,

every step that lifting all

enable

we make Godward, we

mankind up

them,

in

turn,

to this realization, to

make

so,

aid in

a step

and

God-

ward.

The Master

again pointed out our true rela-

tions with the Infinite Life

when he

ye become as little children ye into the kingdom of heaven.

said,

Except

shall not enter

When

he

said,


198

and Plenty

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, he gave utterance to a truth of far greater import than

we have

Here

grasp.

as yet commenced fully to he taught that even the physical

can not be maintained by material food alone, but that one's connection with this Infinite life

Source determines to a very great extent the condition of even the bodily structure and activities. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see

who

God.

In other words, blessed are they

in all the universe recognize only

by such God shall be seen. Said the great Hindu sage, Manu, in his

own

soul perceives the

God, for

He who

Supreme Soul

in

beings, and acquires equanimity toward them It was Athanasius all, attains the highest bliss. all

who

said.

Even we may become Gods walking The same great truth we flesh.

about in the

are considering

is

the one that runs through the

and the teachings of Gautama, he who became the Buddha. People are in bondage, said

life

he,

of

because they have not yet removed the idea To do away with all sense of separateness,

/.

and to recognize the oneness of the Infinite, is the spirit

his teachings.

self

with the

that breathes through

all

through the lives of

all

Running

the mediaeval mystics was this same great truth,

— union with God.


and Plenty

Then, coming nearer to our own time, we

1

99

find

the highly illumined seer, Emanuel Swedenborg, with pointing out the great laws in connection

what he termed, the divine influx, and how we may open ourselves more fully to its operations. The great central fact in the religion and worship of the Friends

soul of

man

is,

the inner light,

— God

in the

speaking directly in just the degree

that the soul

is

opened to Him.

The

inspired

one, the seer who when with us lived at Concord, recognized the same great truth when he said.

We it

are

And to the great sea of life. opening himself so fully to its inflow

all inlets

was by became one

that he

inspired.

All through the world's history we find that the men and the women who have entered into

the realm of true vvîsdom and power, and hence into the realm of true peace and joy, have lived

Higher Power. David was strong and powerful and his soul burst forth in praise and adoration in just the degree that he listened to the voice of God and lived in accordWhenever he ance with his higher promptings. in

harmony with

failed to in

do

this

this

we

hear his soul

anguish and lamentation.

of every nation or people.

crying

The same

When

is

out true

the Israelites

acknowledged God and followed according to His leadings they were prosperous, contented.

200


and Plenty

and powerful, and nothing could prevail against them. When they depended upon their own strength alone and failed to recognize God as the source of their strength,

we

find

them overcome,

in bondage, or despair.

A

great immutable law underlies the truth, Blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it. Then follows all. are wise in the

We

degree

that

we

live

according to the higher

light.

All the prophets, seers, sages, and saviours in the world's history became what they became,

and consequently had the powers they had, through an entirely natural process. They all recognized and came into the conscious realization of their oneness

God

is

no respecter

with of

the

Infinite

persons.

He

Life.

doesn't

create prophets, seers, sages, and saviours as He creates men. But here and there such.

one recognizes his true identity, recognizes the oneness of his life with the Source whence it came.

He lives in the realization of

this oneness,

turn becomes a prophet, seer, sage, or Neither is God a respecter of races or saviour.

and

in

He has no chosen people; but here of nations. and there a race or nation becomes a respecter of God and hence lives the life of a chosen people.


and

There has been no age or place from any other age or

of miracles in

distinction

we term for them.

What

place.

miracles have abounded in

at all times

201

Pleiity

all

places and

where conditions have been made

They

are being performed today just

much

as they ever have been when the laws governing them are respected. Mighty men, we

as

are told they were, mighty men who walked with God and in the words " who walked with God " lies the secret of the words " ;

mighty

men."

Cause, effect.

The Lord never prospers any man, but man prospers because he acknowledges

the the

Lord, and lives in accordance with the higher laws. Solomon was given the opportunity of choosing whatever he desired; his better judg-

ment

prevailed

and he chose

when he chose wisdom he found all

else beside.

Pharaoh's heart.

We I

wisdom. that

are told that don't believe

it

But

included

God hardened it. God never

Pharaoh hardened his hardens any one's heart. own heart and God was blamed for it. But

when Pharaoh hardened

his heart

and disobeyed

God, the plagues came. Again, Had he, on the contrary, listened, other words, had he opened himself to and

the voice of

cause, effect.

—

in

obeyed the voice of God, the plagues would not have come.

202


We can our

and Plenty

be our own best friends or we can be

own worst

In the degree that

enemies.

we

become friends to the highest and best within us, we become friends to all; and in the degree that we become enemies to the highest and best In the within us, do we become enemies to all. degree that

powers and

we open let

ourselves

to

the higher

them manifest through

us,

then

by the very inspirations we carry with us do we become in a sense the saviours of our fellow-men, and

in this

way we

all

are, or

saviours one of another.

may become,

In this way you

the

may

become, indeed, one of the world's redeemers.


and Plenty 203

THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ALL LIGIONS — THE UNIVERSAL

RE-

RELIGION. The

great truth

we

are considering

damental principle running through

We

find

agree. to

it

It

which

is

the fun-

all religions.

In regard to it all every one. moreover, a great truth in regard people can agree, whether they

in is,

all

belong to the same or to different religions. People always quarrel about the trifles, about their personal views of

minor insignificant points.

They always come together

in the presence of the fundamental threads of which truths, great run through all. The quarrels are in connection

with the lower

the agreements are in con-

self,

nection with the higher

A fight

have

its

may among themselves,

place

come upon the and these

little

land,

self.

factions that quarrel

but

flood,

let

and

a great calamity

famine, pestilence,

personal differences are entirely all work ihouider to shoulder

forgotten and in the one great

cause.

The

changing, the evolving self eives rise to quarrels the permanent, the 5601 seir unites all in the highest efforts ;

of io/e

and

service.


204

Patriotism

me If

my country, but country more than

my own and

love

I

my

a beautiful thing

is

to love

my own

limitations,

why I

is

it

;

well for

should

love

hate others,

all

I

I

love

others

?

then show

and

even for

test not

and Plenty

my patriotism will stand the my own. If I love my own

country and in the same way love all other countries, then I show the largeness of my nature,

and a patriotism

of this kind

is

noble and

always to be relied upon. The view of God in regard to which

we

are

agreed, that He is the Infinite Spirit of Life and Power that is back of all, that is working in and

through

With

that

all,

regard to

which

the

life

men,

all

of

all, is

There are atheists and

nection with

many views

a matter in

religions can agree.

view there can be no

this

atheists.

is

all

infidels

or

infidels in con-

that are held concern-

ing God, and thank God there

Even devout

are.

and earnest people among us attribute things to God that no respectable men or women would This permit to be attributed to themselves. view

is

satisfying to those who cannot see how his children, jealous, vin-

God can be angry with

A

display of these qualities always lessens our respect for men and women, and still we attribute them to God. dictive.

The

earnest,

sincere

heretic

is

one

of

the


and Plenty 205

Heretics greatest friends true religion can have. are among God's greatest servants. They are among the true servants of mankind. Christ

was one

of the greatest heretics the world has

ever known.

He

allowed himself to be bound

by no established or orthodox teachings or beliefs. Christ is preeminently a type of the universal. John the Baptist is a type of the John dressed in a particular way, ate personal. a particular kind of food, belonged to a particular

lived

order,

and

taught

in

a

particular

and he himself recognized the fact that he must decrease while Christ must increase. locality,

Christ, on the other hand,

no

limitations.

by nothing.

gave himself absolutely

He allowed himself to be bound He was absolutely universal and as

a consequence taught not for his day, but for all time.

own

particular

This mighty truth which we have agreed upon as the great central fact of human life is the golden thread that runs through all religions.

When we make lives

we

it

the paramount fact in our

will find that

prejudices, will so fall

cance, that

and

all

minor differences, narrow

these laughable absurdities

away by virtue of their very insignifia Jew can worship equally as well in a

Catholic cathedral, a Catholic in a Jewish synagogue, a Buddhist in a Christian church, a

2o6

and Plenty


Christian in a Buddhist temple. Or all can worship equally well about their own hearth-stones,

on the

or out

or while pursuing the

hillside,

avocations of every-day life. For true worship, God and the human soul are necessary. only It

does not depend upon times, or seasons, or Anywhere and at any time God and

occasions.

man

in the

This

is

universal

This are

is

bush may meet.

the great fundamental principle of the religion

upon which

the great fact that things in

many

is

all

can agree.

permanent.

There

which

cannot

regard to

all

These are the things that are personal, non-essential, and so as time passes they grad-

agree.

ually fall away.

One who

doesn't grasp

this

"But was not Christ inspired " Yes, but he was not the only one inspired. Another who is a Buddhist asks, "Was not Buddha inspired .'"' Yes, but he was not the only one inspired. A Christian asks, " But is not our Christian Bible

great truth, a Christian, for example, asks .''

"

inspired

.''

scriptures.

Yes, but there are other inspired Brahmin or a Buddhist asks,

A

"Are not the Vedas

inspired.''"

Yes, but there

are other inspired sacred books. Your error is not in believing that your particular scriptures

—

are inspired, but your error is and you your absurdly laughable limitations by it

show

— your

Fullness of Peace, Pozver, inability to see that other

and Plenty 207

scriptures are

also

inspired.

The sacred books, the come from the same

inspired writings, source,

— God,

all

God

speaking through the souls of those who open themselves that He may thus speak. Some

may be more

It depends inspired than others. on the relative that this one or degree entirely that one opens himself to the Divine voice.

Says one

of the inspired writers in the

scriptures.

Wisdom

is

Hebrew

the breath of the power of

God, and in all ages entering into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and prophets.

Let us not be among the number so dwarfed, so limited, so bigoted as to think that the Infinite God has revealed Himself to one little

handful of His children, in one little quarter of the globe, and at one particular period of time. This isn't the pattern by which God works.

Of

a truth

I

perceive that

God

of persons, but in every nation

is

no respecter

he that revereth

God and worketh

righteousness is accepted of Him, says the Christian Bible. When we fully realize this truth we will then see that

it

makes but

little

difference

what

par-

form of religion one holds to, but it does make a tremendous difference how true he is to ticular

the vital principles of this one.

In the degree

2o8

Fulbiess of Peace, Power,

we

that

and Plenty

love self less and love truth more, in

that degree will we care less about converting people to our particular way of thinking, but all

we

the more will the

care to aid

them

in

coming

into

truth through the channels best adapted to them. The doctrine of our the master, says Chinese, consisted solely in full realization of

We

will find as we search integrity of heart. that this is the doctrine of every one who is

worthy the name of master. The great fundamental principles of all religions

at all

are the same.

They

minor

differ only in their

details according to the various degrees of unfold-

ment

of

asked,

What one

I

people.

am sometimes

religion do you belong.?"

— theWhy,

religion

religion,

There

same

different

"To what }

bless you, there

is

only

religion of the living God.

are, of course,

the various creeds of the

religion arising

from the various interpre-

tations of different people, but they are

minor importance.

The more unfolded

all

of

the soul

the less important do these minor differences become. There are also, of course, the various so-called religions.

There

is

in reality,

however,

but one religion.

The moment we

lose sight of this great fact

we

depart from the real, vital spirit of true religion and allow ourselves to be limited and bound by


we do

In the degree that

form.

and Plenty 209

we

this

build

fences around ourselves which keep others away from us, and which also prevent our coming

the

into

realization of

universal truth

name

nothing worthy the

is

there

;

of truth that

is

not

universal.

There is only one religion. "Whatever road take joins the highway that leads to Thee," says the inspired writer in the Persian scriptures. I

"

Broad

tiful

is

God has

the carpet

the colors he has given

spread, and beau" The it."

pure

man

respects every form of faith," says the " Buddhist. doctrine makes no difference

My

between high and low, rich and poor like the sky, it has room for all, and like the water, it washes ;

all

"The

alike."

in different

broad minded see the truth

religions

;

the narrow

minded see

The

only the differences," says the Chinese.

Hindu has this

man

said,

"The narrow minded

a stranger, or

to those in

whom

is

ask,

he of our tribe

' .''

'Is

But

love dwells, the whole world

but one family." "Altar flowers are of many " Heaven is but all species, worship is one."

is

many doors, and each may enter in own way." " Are we not all children of one " " God has made Father says the Christian.

a palace with his

.''

of one blood of the earth."

all

nations, to dwell It

was a

on the face

latter-day

seer

who

21o

said,

of

Fulhiess of Peace, Power,

"That which was

man

the

that which

and Plenty

profitable to the soul

Father revealed to the ancients is

profitable

today revealeth

He

to

the soul

of

;

man

this day."

was Tennyson who said, " I dreamed that stone by stone I reared a sacred fane, a temple, It

neither pagoda, mosque, nor church, but

loftier,

every breath always open-doored from heaven, and Truth and Peace and Love and Justice came and dwelt therein." to

simpler,

Religion in its true sense is the most joyous thing the human soul can know, and when the real religion

is

realized,

we

will find that

it

will

be an agent of peace, of joy, and of happiness, and never an agent of gloomy, long-faced sadness.

It will

then be attractive to

pulsive to none.

great truths, let

all

and

re-

Let our churches grasp these their time and atten-

them give

tion to bringing people into a

knowledge

of their

true selves, into a knowledge of their relations, of their oneness, with the Infinite God, and

such joy

will

be the

result,

and such crowds

will

flock to them, that their very walls will seem almost to burst, and such songs of joy will con-

tinually pour forth as will love with the religion that life,

vital.

and hence the

Adequacy

for

make makes

religion life,

that

all

people in

for every-day is

adequacy

true and for every-

Fulhicss of PeacL\ Power,

and Plenty

2

1 1

here and now, must be the test of all If it does not bear this test, then true religion.

day

life

We

need an everyis not religion. All time spent in a this-world religion. day, connection with any other is worse than wasted. it

simply

The

eternal

well lived

if

life

we

fail in

we

are

we take good

period of time as If

that

it

doing

presents this,

we

now

living will

care of each itself

fail in

>\V"

day

be

little

after day.

everything.

212


and Plenty

ENTERING NOW INTO THE REALIZATION OF THE HIGHEST RICHES. I

hear the question,

concrete

way

into this realization

can we actualize it

The

of

coming

facts underlying true,

but

it

how

in ourselves the realization that

such wonderful results

The method ourselves make to be used

?

can be said in a

method

most beautiful and

are, indeed,

carries with

What

regard to the

in

not difficult

is it

difficult.

—

if

The

?

we do

not of

principal

word

the word, Open. Simply to open mind and heart to this divine inflow which your is waiting for the opening of the gate, that only is

it may enter. It is like opening the gate of the trough which conducts the water from the reservoir above into the field below. The water, bv

virtue of

its

very nature, will rush in and irriif the As to gate is but opened.

gate the field the realization of our oneness with this Infinite Life and Power, after seeing, as I think clearly seen by this time, the relations to us

and we to

simply,

it,

— Realize

we have it

bears

the chief thing to be said

your oneness with

it.

is

The

Ftdlness of Peace, Power,

and Plenty

open mind and heart whereby one the receptive

into

Then

necessary.

may be an

It

a few

attitude

aid at first

where you

the

is

will

1

3

brought

first

the earnest, sincere

moments each day

silence,

is

2

thing desire.

to take yourself for

into the quiet, into the

not be agitated by the

disturbances that enter in through the avenues of the physical senses. There in the quiet alone with God, put yourself into the receptive

Calmly, quietly, and expectantly debreak in upon and take

attitude. sire that

this realization

As it breaks in upon possession of your soul. and takes possession of the soul, it will manifest itself

your mind, and from this you

to

will feel

manifestations in every part of your body. Then in the degree that you open yourself to it its

you will feel a quiet, peaceful, illuminating power that will harmonize body, soul, and mind, and that will then harmonize these with all the

You

world.

yo2i

Live

descend, in

it,

are

God

the voice of

now on is

carry

the mountain top, and

speaking to you. this

realization

Then, as

with

yon.

waking, working, thinking, walking,

In this way, although you may not be continually on the mountain top, you will nevertheless be continually living in the realizasleeping.

tion of all the beauty,

you have

felt there.

and

inspiration,

and power


214

and Plenty

Moreover, the time will come when in the busy office or on the noisy street you can enter into the silence

by simply drawing the mantle your own thoughts about you and realizing

of

that there and every\vhere the Spirit of Infinite

Wisdom, Peace, Power, and Plenty

Life, Love, is

guiding, keeping, protecting, leading you. is the spirit of continual This it prayer. to pray without ceasing. This it is to know

This is

and to walk with God. TJiis Christ withiji. This is the new that which

First

birth.

which

is spiritual.

Adam

is

put This it

on.

off is

It is

life

is

it

birth, the second natural, then that

is

eternal "

will

unto

life

is

put

eternal,

belief or faith

to

know God.

maybe; "The

be a song of the past.

new song

will create a

man

thus that the old

to be saved

Sweet By and By

We

find the

to

and the new man Christ

whatever one's form of for

it is

—

"

The

Beautiful

Eternal Now."

This

come

the realization that you and

is

into

this very day,

very minute, if

if

we

desire

now we merely

direction,

we come

it

is

set

this

and

if

I

can

very hour,

this

we

will

it.

And

our faces in the right

then but a matter of time until

into the full splendors of this complete To set one's face in the direction

realization.

of the

mountain and then simply to journey

on,

and Plenty


2

1

5

whether rapidly or more slowly, will bring him to it. But unless one set his face in the right direction and it.

It

make

the start, he will not reach

was Goethe who

"Are you

said

:

Seize this very minute: can do, or dream you can, begin it Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Only engage and then the mind grows heated Begin and then the work will be completed." in earnest?

What you

;

;

Said the young man, Gautama Siddh^rtha, I have awakened to the truth and I am resolved to accomplish

come

my

purpose,

— Verily

I

shall be-

brought him into the life of the Enlightened One, and so into the realization of Nirvana right here in this

a Buddha.

It

That

this

life.

was

same

within the possibilities of his teaching.

It

was

this that

realization

all

and

life is

now was has made him the

here and

this that

Light Bearer to millions of people. Said the young man, Jesus, Know ye not that I must be about my Father's business } Making this the one great purpose of his life he I into the full and complete realization,

—

came

and the Father are one.

He

thus came into

Heaven That all could come into right here in this life. this same realization and life here and now was

the

full realization of

the

Kingdom

of

2 16


his teaching.

It

was

and Plenty

this that has

made him

the Light Bearer to millions of people.

And

so far as practical things are concerned, the wide universe through and we

we may hunt

shall find that there is

no injunction more

practi-

the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you. And in the light of what has cal than,

gone

Seek ye

first

before, I think there

is

no one who

to truth and honest with himself

is

who will

open

fail

to

grasp the underlying reason and see the great laws upon which it is based. Personally I know lives that have so fully entered into the kingdom through the realization of their oneness with the Infinite Life and

through the opening of themselves so fully to its divine guidance, that they are most wonderful concrete

examples of the reality of this great and all-important truth. They are people whose lives are in this

way guided not only in a genbut way, literally in every detail. They live in the realization of their oneness simply

eral

with this Infinite Power, continually in harmony with it, and so continually in the realization of the kingdom of heaven. things

is

theirs.

They

An

abundance

of all

are never at a loss for

The supply seems always equal to anything. the demand. They never seem at a loss in re-

Fullness of Peace, Poiver, and Plenty

gard to what to do or are care-less lives.

how

They

to do

it.

Their

are lives free

2

1

7

lives

from

care because they are continually conscious of the fact that the higher powers are doing the guiding, and they are relieved of the responsiTo enter into detail in connection with bility.

some

of these lives,

or three that

come

and particularly with two

to

my mind

at this

moment,

no doubt to some would But not miraculous. if seem almost incredible one for let us remember that what is possible This is indeed life to realize is possible for all. the natural and the normal life, that which will be

would reveal

facts that

one who comes into and who lives in this higher realization and so This is simin harmony with the higher laws. the every-day

life

of every

of that divine seply getting into the current the universe; and quence running throughout

then ceases to be a plodding and moves along day after day much as the

when once

it,

life

much much as

tides flow,

courses,

in

as the planets move in their the seasons come and go.

All the frictions,

all

the uncertainties,

all

the

the sufferings, the fears, the forebodings, the because we are perplexities of life come to us ills,

out

of

things.

we

so

harmony with the divine order of They will continue to come as long as live. Rowing against the tide is hard

2

1

8

Fulltiess of Peace,

To go

and uncertain.

Power, and Plenty with the tide and fhas

to take advantage of the

working of a great and easy. To come into the conscious, vital realization of our oneness with the Infinite Life and Power is to come into natural force

is

safe

the current of this divine sequence. Coming thus into harmony with the Infinite, brings us in turn into harmony with all about us, into

harmony with the

mony

with

all

brings us into

life

the universe.

And

above

all, it

harmony with ourselves, so that

body, soul, and mind nized,

of the heavens, into har-

and when

this

become is

so,

perfectly harmolife

becomes

full

and complete.

The

sense

enslaves us.

life

The

then no longer masters and physical is subordinated to

and ruled by the mental; this in turn is subordinated to and continually illumined by the Life is then no longer the poor, onespiritual. sided thing it is in so many cases but the threefold, the all-round life with all its beauties and ;

ever increasing joys and powers is entered upon. Thus it is that we are brought to realize that the middle path is the great solution of life neither asceticism on the one hand nor license

;

and perverted use on the other. Everything is for use, but all must be wisely used in order to be

fully enjoyed.

Fullness of Peace, Power, a?id Plenty

As we

2

1

9

these higher realizations the senses are not ignored but are ever more fully As the body becomes less gross and perfected. in

live

heavy, finer in its texture and form, all the senses become finer, so that powers we do not

now

realize as

belonging

Thus we

velop.

come,

to us gradually dea perfectly nat-

in

and normal way, into the super-conscious realms whereby we make it possible for the higher laws and truths to be revealed to us. ural

As we

enter into these realms

among

those

are then not

give their time in speculating this one or that one had the in-

as to whether sight

we

who

and the powers attributed to him, but

know for ourselves. Neither who attempt to lead the the hearsay of some one else, but people upon whereof we speak, and only thus can we know we speak with authority. There are many things that we cannot know until by living the life we bring ourselves into that state where it we

are

is

are

able

to

we among

those

them

possible for

to be revealed to us.

" If

will, he shall know of the was Plotinus who said. The mind that wishes to behold God must itself become

any man

will

doctrine."

do His

It

As we

make

possible for these higher laws and truths to be revealed to us, we

God.

thus

it

turn become enlightened ones, channels through which they may be revealed to others.

will in

220 Fullness of Peace, Power, and Plenty

When

one

fully alive to the possibilities

is

come with

that

this higher awakening, as he here and there, as he mingles with his goes

fellow-men, he imparts to all an inspiration that kindles in them a feeling of power kindred to his own. are all continually giving out

We

influences similar to those that are playing in

own

our

We

lives.

do this

the same

in

way

that each flower emits

its

own

The

its

fragrance upon the it are refreshed and

air

rose breathes out

and

inspired rose.

odor;

who come near

all

this

by

peculiar odor.

emanation from the soul of the

A poisonous weed sends out its obnoxious it is

neither refreshing nor inspiring in

and

one remain near

its

effects, long he may be so unpleasantly affected as to be made even ill

by

if

it

it.

The higher

the

life

the more inspiring and

helpful are the emanations

that

it

is

contin-

The lower the life the more ually sending out. harmful is the influence it continually sends out to is

who come

with it. Each one an atmosphere of one continually radiating

all

in contact

kind or the other.

We

are told

by the mariners who

sail

on the

many times they are able to tell their approach to certain islands long before they can see them by the sweet fragrance of the sandalwood that is wafted far out upon the Indian Seas, that


and Plenty 221

Do you not see how it would serve to have such a soul playing through such a body

deep.

that as

you go here and there

a subtle, silent

force goes out from you that all feel and are influenced by; so that you carry with you an inspiration

and continually shed a benediction so that your friends and all His coming brings peace and say,

wherever you go;

—

people will joy into our homes, welcome his coming; so that as you pass along the street, tired, and weary, and

men and women

even sin-sick

divine touch that will

a

new

in

life

them;

will feel a certain

awaken new that will

desires

and

make the very

horse as you pass him turn his head with a Such are strange, half-human, longing look? the subtle powers of the human soul when it makes itself translucent to the Divine. To

know that such a life is within our living here and now is enough to make one burst forth with And when the life itself is entered songs of joy. upon, the sentiment of at least one song will be:

"Oh I

I stand in the Great Forever, All things to me are divine ; eat of the heavenly manna, I

"In

!

drink of the heavenly wine. the

gleam of the shining rainbow

The Father's Love I behold. As I gaze on its radiant blending Of crimson and blue and eold.

222

Power, and Plenty

Fiilbtess of Peace,

"In

all

In

the bright birds that are singing, the fair flowers that bloom,

all

Whose welcome aromas

are bringing Their blessings of sweet perfume ;

"

In the glorious tint of the morning, In the gorgeous sheen of the night,

Oh my !

soul

My senses As one comes the

full,

is lost in rapture, are lost in sight."

into

and

lives

conscious realization

continually in of

his

oneness

with the Infinite Life and Power, then all else follows. This it is that brings the realization of such splendors, life

that

is

alone can know. realization

This

to

is

it

come

into the

of heaven's richest treasures while

walking the earth.

down

and beauties, and joys as a

thus related with the Infinite Power

This

it is

heaven

to bring

to earth, or rather to bring earth

up to This it is to exchange weakness and heaven. impotence for strength; sorrows and sighings for joy; fears and forebodings for faith longings This it is to come into fullness for realizations. ;

of peace, power,

tune with the

and plenty.

Infinite.

This

it

is

to be in

WALDO

By RALPH "The

What Its

All

purpose

is

Life

TRINE.

Books."

the World's A-Seeking. It is most dif.tinclly practical.

fas.

:md deserves the remarkable sucThe Revievi of Reviezvs. The volume abounds in passajjes of prcat beauty and strength; but the strikintf leature of the book is, after all, the solid, sensible, healthy exposition of the one theme it is written to enforce. New York cinatiiitfly written,

cess

it

has achieved.

—

—

Indef'fndent, This is a book

among a thousand for its inspiring is eminently worthy "fa vast audience. miss much if you miss reading its truthladen pages. Cumberland Presbyterian.

jnessage, and

You

will

—

In

Tune With

the

Infinite.

one of the simplest, clearest works ever written, dealing with the power of the interior forces in San moulding the every-day conditions of life. Francisco Bulletin. It is

—

... It immediately suggests the works of Drummond, but shows a decided advance upon the ground which he made familiar to mankind; it not only re-

veals the author's recognition of si)iritual law. but in certain instances shows his rare .and remarkable understanding of the nature and action of such law; the preface alone shows his high intuition, and the book proves his ability to .achieve iiis purpose in a marvellous degree. Boston Daily Evening- Tran-

—

script.

Mr. Trine can write well upon such topics as this. is alive, vigorous, cheer\', confident. The work has distinctiveness in its style and method. The London. World, Literary

He

—

The above books are beautifully and durably bound in gray-green raised clotH, stamped in deep old-green and gold, -with gilt top. Price, $/.2j per volume.

THOMAS

Y.

CROWELL L

NEW YORK.

CO.,

By

RALPH WALDO TRINE. The " Life"

Booklets.

The

Greatest Thing Ever Known. The moment we fully and vitally realize who and what vje are we then begin to buifd our own world even as God builds His. — From Title-page.

... It unfolds the secret of our underlyingstrength, and shows what it is that gives us power to fulfil the real and living purooses of our being. The New Christianity.

—

Every Living Creature. tender and humane passion in the human heart is too precious a quality to allow it to be hardened or effaced by practices'such as we so often From Title-page. indulge in. An eloquent appeal and an able argument for justice and mercy to our dumb fellow-creatures. good book for those whose characters are being formed, and for all who love justice and right. Religio Ph ilosophic%l you rnal.

The

—

A

—

Character-Building Thought Povêr.

A thought,

good or evil, an act, in time a habit, so runs life's law; what you live in vour thoughtsooner or later, you will find objectified world, that, From Title-page. in your life.

—

In "Character-Building Thought Power" Mr. Trine demonstrates the power of mental habits,

and shows how by daily

effort

we may

train our-

selves into right ways of thinking and acting. His teachings are sound, practical, and of priceless worth. Albany Press.

—

Bound

in

an exceedingly attractive and handy Price, _jj cents per volume.

form.

THOMAS

Y.

CROWELL k CO.

NEW YORK.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles

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is

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on the

last

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University of California

SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed.

JUN

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8

In Tune With the Infinite-Ralph Waldo Trine

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