The Way of Peace

By James Allen

Chapter 1 The Power of Meditation
Chapter 2 The Two Masters, Self and Truth
Chapter 3 The Acquirement of Spiritual Power
Chapter 4 The Realization of Selfless Love
Chapter 5 Entering into the Infinite
Chapter 6 Saints, Sages, and Saviors: The Law of Service
Chapter 7 The Realization of Perfect Peace

Chapter 1 — The Power of Meditation

Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. [br] It is the mystic ladder which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to peace. Every saint has climbed it; every sinner must sooner or later come to it, and every weary pilgrim that turns his back upon self and the world, and sets his face resolutely toward the Father’s Home, must plant his feet upon its golden rounds. Without its aid you cannot grow into the divine state, the divine likeness, the divine peace, and the fade-less glories and nonpolluting joys of Truth will remain hidden from you.

Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme, with the object of thoroughly comprehending it, and whatsoever you constantly meditate upon you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated into your very being, will become, in fact, your very self. If, therefore, you constantly dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and unselfish you will surely become pure and unselfish.

Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial.

There is an unavoidable tendency to become literally the embodiment of that quality upon which one most constantly thinks. Let, therefore, the object of your meditation be above and not below, so that every time you revert to it in thought you will be lifted up; let it be pure and unmixed with any selfish element; so shall your heart become purified and drawn nearer to Truth, and not defiled and dragged more hopelessly into error.

Meditation, in the spiritual sense in which I am now using it, is the secret of all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, and savior became such by the power of meditation. Buddha meditated upon the Truth until he could say, “I am the Truth.” Jesus brooded upon the Divine immanence until at last he could declare, “I and my Father are One.”

Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of prayer. It is the silent reaching of the soul toward the Eternal. Mere petitionary prayer without meditation is a body without a soul, and is powerless to lift the mind and heart above sin and affliction. If you are daily praying for wisdom, for peace, for loftier purity and a fuller realization of Truth, and that for which you pray is still far from you, it means that you are praying for one thing while living out in thought and act another. If you will cease from such waywardness, taking your mind off those things the selfish clinging to which debars you from the possession of the stainless realities for which you pray: if you will no longer ask God to grant you that which you do not deserve, or to bestow upon you that love and compassion which you refuse to bestow upon others, but will commence to think and act in the spirit of Truth, you will day by day be growing into those realities, so that ultimately you will become one with them.

He who would secure any worldly advantage must be willing to work vigorously for it, and he would be foolish indeed who, waiting with folded hands, expected it to come to him for the mere asking. Do not then vainly imagine that you can obtain the heavenly possessions without making an effort. Only when you commence to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth will you be allowed to partake of the Bread of Life, and when you have, by patient and uncomplaining effort, earned the spiritual wages for which you ask, they will not be withheld from you.

If you really seek Truth, and not merely your own gratification; if you love it above all worldly pleasures and gains; more, even, than happiness itself, you will be willing to make the effort necessary for its achievement.

If you would be freed from sin and sorrow; if you would taste of that spotless purity for which you sigh and pray; if you would realize wisdom and knowledge, and would enter into the possession of profound and abiding peace, come now and enter the path of meditation, and let the supreme object of your meditation be Truth.

At the outset, meditation must be distinguished from idle reverie. There is nothing dreamy and unpractical about it. It is a process of searching and uncompromising thought which allows nothing to remain but the simple and naked truth. Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember only that you are seeking the Truth. And so you will remove, one by one, the errors which you have built around yourself in the past, and will patiently wait for the revelation of Truth which will come when your errors have been sufficiently removed. In the silent humility of your heart you will realize that

“There is an inmost centre in us all
Where Truth abides in fullness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it
This perfect, clear perception, which is Truth,
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Blinds it, and makes all error; and to know,
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light Supposed to be without.”

Select some portion of the day in which to meditate, and keep that period sacred to your purpose. The best time is the very early morning when the spirit of repose is upon everything. All natural conditions will then be in your favor; the passions, after the long bodily fast of the night, will be subdued, the excitements and worries of the previous day will have died away, and the mind, strong and yet restful, will be receptive to spiritual instruction. Indeed, one of the first efforts you will be called upon to make will be to shake off lethargy and indulgence, and if you refuse you will be unable to advance, for the demands of the spirit are imperative.

To be spiritually awakened is also to be mentally and physically awakened. The sluggard and the self-indulgent can have no knowledge of Truth. He who, possessed of health and strength, wastes the calm, precious hours of the silent morning in drowsy indulgence is totally unfit to climb the heavenly heights.

He whose awakening consciousness has become alive to its lofty possibilities, who is beginning to shake off the darkness of ignorance in which the world is enveloped, rises before the stars have ceased their vigil, and, grappling with the darkness within his soul, strives, by holy aspiration, to perceive the light of Truth while the unawakened world dreams on.

“The heights by great men reached and kept,
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.”

No saint, no holy man, no teacher of Truth ever lived who did not rise early in the morning. Jesus habitually rose early, and climbed the solitary mountains to engage in holy communion. Buddha always rose an hour before sunrise and engaged in meditation, and all his disciples were enjoined to do the same.

If you have to commence your daily duties at a very early hour, and are thus debarred from giving the early morning to systematic meditation, try to give an hour at night, and should this, by the length and laboriousness of your daily task be denied you, you need not despair, for you may turn your thoughts upward in holy meditation in the intervals of your work, or in those few idle minutes which you now waste in aimlessness; and should your work be of that kind which becomes by practice automatic, you may meditate while engaged upon it. That eminent Christian saint and philosopher, Jacob Boehme, realized his vast knowledge of divine things whilst working long hours as a shoemaker. In every life there is time to think, and the busiest, the most laborious is not shut out from aspiration and meditation.

Spiritual meditation and self-discipline are inseparable; you will, therefore, commence to meditate upon yourself so as to try and understand yourself, for, remember, the great object you will have in view will be the complete removal of all your errors in order that you may realize Truth. You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and acts, comparing them with your ideal, and endeavoring to look upon them with a calm and impartial eye. In this manner you will be continually gaining more of that mental and spiritual equilibrium without which men are but helpless straws upon the ocean of life. If you are given to hatred or anger you will meditate upon gentleness and forgiveness, so as to become acutely alive to a sense of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to dwell in thoughts of love, of gentleness, of abounding forgiveness; and as you overcome the lower by the higher, there will gradually, silently steal into your heart a knowledge of the divine Law of Love with an understanding of its bearing upon all the intricacies of life and conduct. And in applying this knowledge to your every thought, word, and act, you will grow more and more gentle, more and more loving, more and more divine. And thus with every error, every selfish desire, every human weakness; by the power of meditation is it overcome, and as each sin, each error is thrust out, a fuller and clearer measure of the Light of Truth illumines the pilgrim soul.

Thus meditating, you will be ceaselessly fortifying yourself against your only real enemy, your selfish, perishable self, and will be establishing yourself more and more firmly in the divine and imperishable self that is inseparable from Truth. The direct outcome of your meditations will be a calm, spiritual strength which will be your stay and resting-place in the struggle of life. Great is the overcoming power of holy thought, and the strength and knowledge gained in the hour of silent meditation will enrich the soul with saving remembrance in the hour of strife, of sorrow, or of temptation.

As, by the power of meditation, you grow in wisdom, you will relinquish, more and more, your selfish desires which are fickle, impermanent, and productive of sorrow and pa and will take your stand, with increasing steadfastness and trust, upon unchangeable principles, and will realize heavenly rest.

The use of meditation is the acquirement of a knowledge of eternal principles, and the power which results from meditation is the ability to rest upon and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. The end of meditation is, therefore, direct knowledge of Truth, God, and the realization of divine and profound peace.

Let your meditations take their rise from the ethical ground which you now occupy. Remember that you are to grow into Truth by steady perseverance. If you are an orthodox Christian, meditate ceaselessly upon the spotless purity and divine excellence of the character of Jesus, and apply his every precept to your inner life and outward conduct, so as to approximate more and more toward his perfection. Do not be as those religious ones, who, refusing to meditate upon the Law of Truth, and to put into practice the precepts given to them by their Master, are content to formally worship, to cling to their particular creeds, and to continue in the ceaseless round of sin and suffering. Strive to rise, by the power of meditation, above all selfish clinging to partial gods or party creeds; above dead formalities and lifeless ignorance. Thus walking the high way of wisdom, with mind fixed upon the spotless Truth, you shall know no halting-place short of the realization of Truth.

He who earnestly meditates first perceives a truth, as it were, afar off, and then realizes it by daily practice. It is only the doer of the Word of Truth that can know of the doctrine of Truth, for though by pure thought the Truth is perceived, it is only actualized by practice.

Said the divine Gautama, the Buddha, “He who gives himself up to vanity, and does not give himself up to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation,” and he instructed his disciples in the following
“Five Great Meditations”:

“The first meditation is the meditation of love, in which you so adjust your heart that you long for the weal and welfare of all beings, including the happiness of your enemies.

“The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which you think of all beings in distress, vividly representing in your imagination their sorrows and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them in your soul.

“The third meditation is the meditation of joy, in which you think of the prosperity of others, and rejoice with their rejoicings.

“The fourth meditation is the meditation of impurity, in which you consider the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How trivial often the pleasure of the moment, and how fatal its consequences.

“The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which you rise above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and want, and regard your own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity.”

By engaging in these meditations the disciples of the Buddha arrived at a knowledge of the Truth. But whether you engage in these particular meditations or not matters little so long as your object is Truth, so long as you hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is a holy heart and a blameless life. In your meditations, therefore, let your heart grow and expand with ever-broadening love, until, freed from all hatred, and passion, and condemnation, it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful tenderness. As the flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, so open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward upon the wings of aspiration; be fearless, and believe in the loftiest possibilities. Believe that a life of absolute meekness is possible; believe that a life of stainless purity is possible; believe that a life of perfect holiness is possible; believe that the realization of the highest truth is possible. He who so believes, climbs rapidly the heavenly hills, whilst the unbelievers continue to grope darkly and painfully in the fog-bound valleys.

So believing, so aspiring, so meditating, divinely sweet and beautiful will be your spiritual experiences, and glorious the revelations that will enrapture your inward vision. As you realize the divine Love, the divine Justice, the divine Purity, the Perfect Law of Good, or God, great will be your bliss and deep your peace. Old things will pass away, and all things will become new. The veil of the material universe, so dense and impenetrable to the eye of error, so thin and gauzy to the eye of Truth, will be lifted and the spiritual universe will be revealed. Time will cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and mortality will no more cause you anxiety and sorrow, for you will become established in the unchangeable, and will dwell in the very heart of immortality.

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Chapter 2 — The Two Masters, Self and Truth

Upon the battle field of the human soul two masters are ever contending for the crown of supremacy, for the kingship and dominion of the heart; the master of self, called also the “Prince of this world,” and the master of Truth, called also the Father God. The master self is that rebellious one whose weapons are passion, pride, avarice, vanity, self-will, implements of darkness; the master Truth is that meek and lowly one whose weapons are gentleness, patience, purity, sacrifice, humility, love, instruments of Light.

In every soul the battle is waged, and as a soldier cannot engage at once in two opposing armies, so every heart is enlisted either in the ranks of self or of Truth. There is no half-and-half course; “There is self and there is Truth; where self is, Truth is not, where Truth is, self is not.” Thus spake Buddha, the teacher of Truth, and Jesus, the manifested Christ, declared that “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.”

Truth is so simple, so absolutely undeviating and uncompromising that it admits of no complexity, no turning, no qualification. Self is ingenious, crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshipers of self vainly imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time possess the Truth. But the lovers of Truth worship Truth with the sacrifice of self, and ceaselessly guard themselves against worldliness and self-seeking.

Do you seek to know and to realize Truth? Then you must be prepared to sacrifice, to renounce to the uttermost, for Truth in all its glory can only be perceived and known when the last vestige of self has disappeared.

The eternal Christ declared that he who would be His disciple must “deny himself daily.” Are you willing to deny yourself, to give up your lusts, your prejudices, your opinions? If so, you may enter the narrow way of Truth, and find that peace from which the world is shut out. The absolute denial, the utter extinction, of self is the perfect state of Truth, and all religions and philosophies are but so many aids to this supreme attainment.

Self is the denial of Truth. Truth is the denial of self. As you let self die, you will be reborn in Truth. As you cling to self, Truth will be hidden from you.

Whilst you cling to self, your path will be beset with difficulties, and repeated pains, sorrows, and disappointments will be your lot. There are no difficulties in Truth, and coming to Truth, you will be freed from all sorrow and disappointment.

Truth in itself is not hidden and dark. It is always revealed and is perfectly transparent. But the blind and wayward self cannot perceive it. The light of day is not hidden except to the blind, and the Light of Truth is not hidden except to those who are blinded by self.

Truth is the one Reality in the universe, the inward Harmony, the perfect Justice, the eternal Love. Nothing can be added to it, nor taken from it. It does not depend upon any man, but all men depend upon it. You cannot perceive the beauty of Truth while you are looking out through the eyes of self. If you are vain, you will color everything with your own vanities. If lustful, your heart and mind will be so clouded with the smoke and games of passion, that everything will appear distorted through them. If proud and opinionated, you will see nothing in the whole universe except the magnitude and importance of your own opinions.

There is one quality which preeminently distinguishes the man of Truth from the man of self, and that is humility. To be not only free from vanity, stubbornness and egotism, but to regard one’s own opinions as of no value, this indeed is true humility.

He who is immersed in self regards his own opinions as Truth, and the opinions of other men as error. But that humble Truth-lover who has learned to distinguish between opinion and Truth, regards all men with the eye of charity, and does not seek to defend his opinions against theirs, but sacrifices those opinions that he may love the more, that he may manifest the spirit of Truth, for Truth in its very nature is ineffable and can only be lived. He who has most of charity has most of Truth.

Men engage in heated controversies, and foolishly imagine they are defending the Truth, when in reality they are merely defending their own petty interests and perishable opinions. The follower of self takes up arms against others. The follower of Truth takes up arms against himself. Truth, being unchangeable and eternal, is independent of your opinion and of mine. We may enter into it, or we may stay outside; but both our defense and our attack are superfluous, and are hurled back upon ourselves.

Men, enslaved by self, passionate, proud, and condemnatory, believe their particular creed or religion to be the Truth, and all other religions to be

error; and they proselytize with passionate ardor. There is but one religion, the religion of Truth. There is but one error, the error of self. Truth is not a formal belief; it is an unselfish, holy, and aspiring heart, and he who has Truth is at peace with all, and cherishes all with thoughts of love.

You may easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshiper of self, if you will silently examine your mind, heart, and conduct. Do you harbor thoughts of suspicion, enmity, envy, lust, pride, or do you strenuously right against these? If the former, you are chained to self, no matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you passionate, self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, self-indulgent, and self-centered; or are you gentle, mild, unselfish, quit of every form of self-indulgence, and are ever ready to give up your own? If the former, self is your master; if the latter, Truth is the object of your affection. Do you strive for riches? Do you right, with passion, for your party? Do you lust for power and leadership? Are you given to ostentation and self-praise? Or have you given up the love of riches? Have you relinquished all strife? Are you content to take the lowest place, and to be passed by unnoticed? And have you ceased to talk about yourself and to regard yourself with self-complacent pride? If the former, even though you may imagine you worship God, the god of your heart is self. If the latter, even though you may withhold your lips from worship, you are dwelling with the Most High.

The signs by which the Truth-lover is known are unmistakable. Hear the Holy Krishna declare them, in Sir Edwin Arnold’s beautiful rendering of the “Bhagavad Gita”: —

“Fearlessness,singleness of soul, the will
Always to strive for wisdom; opened hand
And governed appetites; and piety,
And love of lonely study; humbleness,
Uprightness, heed to injure nought which lives
Truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind
That lightly letteth go what others prize;
And equanimity, and charity
Which spieth no man’s faults; and tenderness
Towards all that suffer; a contented heart,
Fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild,
Modest and grave, with manhood nobly mixed,
With patience, fortitude and purity;
An unrevengeful spirit, never given
To rate itself too high–such be the signs,
O Indian Prince! of him whose feet are set
On that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!”

When men, lost in the devious ways of error and self, have forgotten the “heavenly birth,” the state of holiness and Truth, they set up artificial standards by which to judge one another, and make acceptance of, and adherence to, their own particular theology, the test of Truth; and so men are divided one against another, and there is ceaseless enmity and strife, and unending sorrow and suffering.

Reader, do you seek to realize the birth into Truth? There is only one way: Let self die. All those lusts, appetites, desires, opinions, limited conceptions and prejudices to which you have hitherto so tenaciously clung, let them fall from you. Let them no longer hold you in bondage, and Truth will be yours. Cease to look upon your own religion as superior to all others, and strive humbly to learn the supreme lesson of charity. No longer cling to the idea, so productive of strife and sorrow, that the Savior whom you worship is the only Savior, and that the Savior whom your brother worships with equal sincerity and ardor, is an impostor; but seek diligently the path of holiness, and then you will realize that every holy man is a savior of mankind.

The giving up of self is not merely the renunciation of outward things. It consists of the renunciation of the inward sin, the inward error. Not by giving up vain clothing; not by relinquishing riches; not by abstaining from certain foods; not by speaking smooth words; not by merely doing these things is the Truth found; but by giving up the spirit of vanity; by relinquishing the desire for riches; by abstaining from the lust of self-indulgence; by giving up all hatred, strife, condemnation, and self-seeking, and becoming gentle and pure at heart; by doing these things is the Truth found. To do the former, and not to do the latter, is pharisaism and hypocrisy, whereas the latter includes the former. You may renounce the outward world, and isolate yourself in a cave or in the depths of a forest, but you will take all your selfishness with you, and unless you renounce that, great indeed will be your wretchedness and deep your delusion. You may remain just where you are, performing all your duties, and yet renounce the world, the inward enemy. To be in the world and yet not of the world is the highest perfection, the most blessed peace, is to achieve the greatest victory. The renunciation of self is the way of Truth, therefore,

“Enter the Path; there is no grief like hate,
No pain like passion, no deceit like sense;
Enter the Path; far hath he gone whose foot
Treads down one fond offense.”

As you succeed in overcoming self you will begin to see things in their right relations. He who is swayed by any passion, prejudice, like or dislike, adjusts everything to that particular bias, and sees only his own delusions. He who is absolutely free from all passion, prejudice, preference, and partiality, sees himself as he is; sees others as they are; sees all things in their proper proportions and right relations. Having nothing to attack, nothing to defend, nothing to conceal, and no interests to guard, he is at peace. He has realized the profound simplicity of Truth, for this unbiased, tranquil, blessed state of mind and heart is the state of Truth. He who attains to it dwells with the angels, and sits at the footstool of the Supreme. Knowing the Great Law; knowing the origin of sorrow; knowing the secret of suffering; knowing the way of emancipation in Truth, how can such a one engage in strife or condemnation; for though he knows that the blind, self seeking world, surrounded with the clouds of its own illusions, and enveloped in the darkness of error and self, cannot perceive the steadfast Light of Truth, and is utterly incapable of comprehending the profound simplicity of the heart that has died, or is dying, to self, yet he also knows that when the suffering ages have piled up mountains of sorrow, the crushed and burdened soul of the world will ?y to its final refuge, and that when the ages are completed, every prodigal will come back to the fold of Truth. And so he dwells in goodwill toward all, and regards all with that tender compassion which a father bestows upon his wayward children.

Men cannot understand Truth because they cling to self, because they believe in and love self, because they believe self to be the only reality, whereas it is the one delusion.

When you cease to believe in and love self you will desert it, and will fly to Truth, and will find the eternal Reality.

When men are intoxicated with the wines of luxury, and pleasure, and vanity, the thirst of life grows and deepens within them, and they delude themselves with dreams of fleshly immortality, but when they come to reap the harvest of their own sowing, and pain and sorrow supervene, then, crushed and humiliated, relinquishing self and all the intoxications of self, they come, with aching hearts to the one immortality, the immortality that destroys all delusions, the spiritual immortality in Truth.

Men pass from evil to good, from self to Truth, through the dark gate of sorrow, for sorrow and self are inseparable. Only in the peace and bliss of Truth is all sorrow vanquished. If you suffer disappointment because your cherished plans have been thwarted, or because someone has not come up to your anticipations, it is because you are clinging to self. If you suffer remorse for your conduct, it is because you have given way to self. If you are overwhelmed with chagrin and regret because of the attitude of someone else toward you, it is because you have been cherishing self. If you are wounded on account of what has been done to you or said of you, it is because you are walking in the painful way of self. All suffering is of self. All suffering ends in Truth. When you have entered into and realized Truth, you will no longer suffer disappointment, remorse, and regret, and sorrow will flee from you.

“Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul;
Truth is the only angel that can bid the gates unroll;
And when he comes to call thee, arise and follow fast;
His way may lie through darkness, but it leads to light at last.”

The woe of the world is of its own making. Sorrow purifies and deepens the soul, and the extremity of sorrow is the prelude to Truth.

Have you suffered much?
Have you sorrowed deeply?
Have you pondered seriously upon the problem of life?
If so, you are prepared to wage war against self, and to become a disciple of Truth.

The intellectual who do not see the necessity for giving up self, frame endless theories about the universe, and call them Truth; but do thou pursue that direct line of conduct which is the practice of righteousness, and thou wilt realize the Truth which has no place in theory, and which never changes. Cultivate your heart. Water it continually with unselfish love and deep-felt pity, and strive to shut out from it all thoughts and feelings which are not in accordance with Love. Return good for evil, love for hatred, gentleness for ill-treatment, and remain silent when attacked. So shall you transmute all your selfish desires into the pure gold of Love, and self will disappear in Truth. So will you walk blamelessly among men, yoked with the easy yoke of lowliness, and clothed with the divine garment of humility.

O come, weary brother! thy struggling and striving
End thou in the heart of the Master of ruth;
Across self’s drear desert why wilt thou be driving,
Athirst for the quickening waters of Truth
When here, by the path of thy searching and sinning,
Flows Life’s gladsome stream, lies Love’s oasis green?
Come, turn thou and rest; know the end and beginning,
The sought and the searcher, the seer and seen.
Thy Master sits not in the unapproached mountains,
Nor dwells in the mirage which coats on the air,
Nor shalt thou discover His magical fountains
In pathways of sand that encircle despair.
In selfhood’s dark desert cease wearily seeking
The odorous tracks of the feet of thy King;
And if thou wouldst hear the sweet sound of His speaking,
Be deaf to all voices that emptily sing.
Flee the vanishing places; renounce all thou hast;
Leave all that thou lovest, and, naked and bare,
Thyself at the shrine of the Innermost cast;
The Highest, the Holiest, the Changeless is there.
Within, in the heart of the Silence He dwelleth;
Leave sorrow and sin, leave thy wanderings sore;
Come bathe in His Joy, whilst He, whispering, telleth
Thy soul what it seeketh, and wander no more.
Then cease, weary brother, thy struggling and striving;
Find peace in the heart of the Master of ruth.
Across self’s dark desert cease wearily driving;
Come; drink at the beautiful waters of Truth.

Chapter 3 — The Acquirement of Spiritual Power

The world is filled with men and women seeking pleasure, excitement, novelty; seeking ever to be moved to laughter or tears; not seeking strength, stability, and power; but courting weakness, and eagerly engaged in dispersing what power they have.

Men and women of real power and influence are few, because few are prepared to make the sacrifice necessary to the acquirement of power, and fewer still are ready to patiently build up character.

To be swayed by your fluctuating thoughts and impulses is to be weak and powerless; to rightly control and direct those forces is to be strong and powerful. Men of strong animal passions have much of the ferocity of the beast, but this is not power. The elements of power are there; but it is only when this ferocity is tamed and subdued by the higher intelligence that real power begins; and men can only grow in power by awakening themselves to higher and ever higher states of intelligence and consciousness.

The difference between a man of weakness and one of power lies not in the strength of the personal will (for the stubborn man is usually weak and foolish), but in that focus of consciousness which represents their states of knowledge.

The pleasure-seekers, the lovers of excitement, the hunters after novelty, and the victims of impulse and hysterical emotion lack that knowledge of principles which gives balance, stability, and influence.

A man commences to develop power when, checking his impulses and selfish inclinations, he falls back upon the higher and calmer consciousness within him, and begins to steady himself upon a principle. The realization of unchanging principles in consciousness is at once the source and secret of the highest power.

When, after much searching, and suffering, and sacrificing, the light of an eternal principle dawns upon the soul, a divine calm ensues and joy unspeakable gladdens the heart.

He who has realized such a principle ceases to wander, and remains poised and self-possessed. He ceases to be “passion’s slave,” and becomes a master-builder in the Temple of Destiny.

The man that is governed by self, and not by a principle, changes his front when his selfish comforts are threatened. Deeply intent upon defending and guarding his own interests, he regards all means as lawful that will subserve that end. He is continually scheming as to how he may protect himself against his enemies, being too self-centered to perceive that he is his own enemy. Such a man’s work crumbles away, for it is divorced from Truth and power. All effort that is grounded upon self, perishes; only that work endures that is built upon an indestructible principle.

The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, self-possessed man under all circumstances. When the hour of trial comes, and he has to decide between his personal comforts and Truth, he gives up his comforts and remains ?rm. Even the prospect of torture and death cannot alter or deter him. The man of self regards the loss of his wealth, his comforts, or his life as the greatest calamities which can befall him. The man of principle looks upon these incidents as comparatively insignificant, and not to be weighed with loss of character, loss of Truth. To desert Truth is, to him, the only happening which can really be called a calamity.

It is the hour of crisis which decides who are the minions of darkness, and who the children of Light. It is the epoch of threatening disaster, ruin, and persecution which divides the sheep from the goats, and reveals to the reverential gaze of succeeding ages the men and women of power.

It is easy for a man, so long as he is left in the enjoyment of his possessions, to persuade himself that he believes in and adheres to the principles of Peace, Brotherhood, and Universal Love; but if, when his enjoyments are threatened, or he imagines they are threatened, he begins to clamor loudly for war, he shows that he believes in and stands upon, not Peace, Brotherhood, and Love, but strife, selfishness, and hatred.

He who does not desert his principles when threatened with the loss of every earthly thing, even to the loss of reputation and life, is the man of power; is the man whose every word and work endures; is the man whom the after-world honors, reveres, and worships. Rather than desert that principle of Divine Love on which he rested, and in which all his trust was placed, Jesus endured the utmost extremity of agony and deprivation; and today the world prostrates itself at his pierced feet in rapt adoration.

There is no way to the acquirement of spiritual power except by that inward illumination and enlightenment which is the realization of spiritual principles; and those principles can only be realized by constant practice and application.

Take the principle of divine Love, and quietly and diligently meditate upon it with the object of arriving at a thorough understanding of it. Bring its searching light to bear upon all your habits, your actions, your speech and intercourse with others, your every secret thought and desire. As you persevere in this course, the divine Love will become more and more perfectly revealed to you, and your own shortcomings will stand out in more and more vivid contrast, spurring you on to renewed endeavor; and having once caught a glimpse of the incomparable majesty of that imperishable principle, you will never again rest in your weakness, your selfishness, your imperfection, but will pursue that Love until you have relinquished every discordant element, and have brought yourself into perfect harmony with it. And that state of inward harmony is spiritual power. Take also other spiritual principles, such as Purity and Compassion, and apply them in the same way, and, so exacting is Truth, you will be able to make no stay, no resting place until the inmost garment of your soul is bereft of every stain, and your heart has become incapable of any hard, condemnatory, and pitiless impulse.

Only in so far as you understand, realize, and rely upon, these principles, will you acquire spiritual power, and that power will be manifested in and through you in the form of increasing dispassion, patience and equanimity.

Dispassion argues superior self-control; sublime patience is the very hall-mark of divine knowledge, and to retain an unbroken calm amid all the duties and distractions of life, marks off the man of power. “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

Some mystics hold that perfection in dispassion is the source of that power by which miracles (so-called) are performed, and truly he who has gained such perfect control of all his interior forces that no shock, however great, can for one moment unbalance him, must be capable of guiding and directing those forces with a master-hand.

To grow in self-control, in patience, in equanimity, is to grow in strength and power; and you can only thus grow by focusing your consciousness upon a principle. As a child, after making many and vigorous attempts to walk unaided, at last succeeds, after numerous falls, in accomplishing this, so you must enter the way of power by first attempting to stand alone. Break away from the tyranny of custom, tradition, conventionality, and the opinions of others, until you succeed in walking lonely and erect among men. Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow the Light that is within you; all outward lights are so

many will-o’-the-wisps. There will be those who will tell you that you are foolish; that your judgment is faulty; that your conscience is all awry, and that the Light within you is darkness; but heed them not. If what they say is true the sooner you, as a searcher for wisdom, find it out the better, and you can only make the discovery by bringing your powers to the test. Therefore, pursue your course bravely. Your conscience is at least your own, and to follow it is to be a man; to follow the conscience of another is to be a slave. You will have many falls, will suffer many wounds, will endure many buffetings for a time, but press on in faith, believing that sure and certain victory lies ahead. Search for a rock, a principle, and having found it cling to it; get it under your feet and stand erect upon it, until at last, immovably fixed upon it, you succeed in defying the fury of the waves and storms of selfishness.

For selfishness in any and every form is dissipation, weakness, death; unselfishness in its spiritual aspect is conservation, power, life. As you grow in spiritual life, and become established upon principles, you will become as beautiful and as unchangeable as those principles, will taste of the sweetness of their immortal essence, and will realize the eternal and indestructible nature of the God within.

No harmful shaft can reach the righteous man,
Standing erect amid the storms of hate,
Defying hurt and injury and ban,
Surrounded by the trembling slaves of Fate.
Majestic in the strength of silent power,
Serene he stands, nor changes not nor turns;
Patient and ?rm in suffering’s darkest hour,
Time bends to him, and death and doom he spurns.
Wrath’s lurid lightnings round about him play,
And hell’s deep thunders roll about his head;
Yet heeds he not, for him they cannot slay
Who stands whence earth and time and space are ?ed.
Sheltered by deathless love, what fear hath he?
Armored in changeless Truth, what can he know
Of loss and gain? Knowing eternity,
He moves not whilst the shadows come and go.
Call him immortal, call him Truth and Light
And splendor of prophetic majesty
Who bideth thus amid the powers of night,
Clothed with the glory of divinity.

Chapter 4 — The Realization of Selfless Love

It is said that Michael Angelo saw in every rough block of stone a thing of beauty awaiting the master-hand to bring it into reality. Even so, within each there reposes the Divine Image awaiting the master-hand of Faith and the chisel of Patience to bring it into manifestation. And that Divine Image is revealed and realized as stainless, selfless Love.

Hidden deep in every human heart, though frequently covered up with a mass of hard and almost impenetrable accretions, is the spirit of Divine Love, whose holy and spotless essence is undying and eternal. It is the Truth in man; it is that which belongs to the Supreme: that which is real and immortal. All else changes and passes away; this alone is permanent and imperishable; and to realize this Love by ceaseless diligence in the practice of the highest righteousness, to live in it and to become fully conscious in it, is to enter into immortality here and now, is to become one with Truth, one with God, one with the central Heart of all things, and to know our own divine and eternal nature.

To reach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with great persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew his patience and keep strong his faith, for there will be much to remove, much to accomplish before the Divine Image is revealed in all its glorious beauty.

He who strives to reach and to accomplish the divine will be tried to the very uttermost; and this is absolutely necessary, for how else could one acquire that sublime patience without which there is no real wisdom, no divinity? Ever and anon, as he proceeds, all his work will seem to be futile, and his efforts appear to be thrown away. Now and then a hasty touch will mar his image, and perhaps when he imagines his work is almost completed he will find what he imagined to be the beautiful form of Divine Love utterly destroyed, and he must begin again with his past bitter experience to guide and help him. But he who has resolutely set himself to realize the Highest recognizes no such thing as defeat. All failures are apparent, not real. Every slip, every fall, every return to selfishness is a lesson learned, an experience gained, from which a golden grain of wisdom is extracted, helping the striver toward the accomplishment of his lofty object. To recognize

“That of our vices we can frame
A ladder if we will but tread
Beneath our feet each deed of shame,”

is to enter the way that leads unmistakably toward the Divine, and the failings of one who thus recognizes are so many dead selves, upon which he rises, as upon stepping-stones, to higher things.

Once come to regard your failings, your sorrows and sufferings as so many voices telling you plainly where you are weak and faulty, where you fall below the true and the divine, you will then begin to ceaselessly watch yourself, and every slip, every pang of pain will show you where you are to set to work, and what you have to remove out of your heart in order to bring it nearer to the likeness of the Divine, nearer to the Perfect Love. And as you proceed, day by day detaching yourself more and more from the inward selfishness the Love that is selfless will gradually become revealed to you. And when you are growing patient and calm, when your petulances, tempers, and irritabilities are passing away from you, and the more powerful lusts and prejudices cease to dominate and enslave you, then you will know that the divine is awakening within you, that you are drawing near to the eternal Heart, that you are not far from that selfless Love, the possession of which is peace and immortality.

Divine Love is distinguished from human loves in this supremely important particular, it is free from partiality. Human loves cling to a particular object to the exclusion of all else, and when that object is removed, great and deep is the resultant suffering to the one who loves. Divine Love embraces the whole universe, and, without clinging to any part, yet contains within itself the whole, and he who comes to it by gradually purifying and broadening his human loves until all the selfish and impure elements are burnt out of them, ceases from suffering. It is because human loves are narrow and confined and mingled with selfishness that they cause suffering. No suffering can result from that Love which is so absolutely pure that it seeks nothing for itself. Nevertheless, human loves are absolutely necessary as steps toward the Divine, and no soul is prepared to partake of Divine Love until it has become capable of the deepest and most intense human love. It is only by passing through human loves and human sufferings that Divine Love is reached and realized.

All human loves are perishable like the forms to which they cling; but there is a love that is imperishable, and that does not cling to appearances.

All human loves are counterbalanced by human hates; but there is a Love that admits of no opposite or reaction; divine and free from all taint of self, that sheds its fragrance on all alike.

Human loves are reflections of the Divine Love, and draw the soul nearer to the reality, the Love that knows neither sorrow nor change.

It is well that the mother, clinging with passionate tenderness to the little helpless form of flesh that lies on her bosom, should be overwhelmed with the dark waters of sorrow when she sees it laid in the cold earth. It is well that her tears should ?ow and her heart ache, for only thus can she be reminded of the evanescent nature of the joys and objects of sense, and be drawn nearer to the eternal and imperishable Reality.

It is well that lover, brother, sister, husband, wife should suffer deep anguish, and be enveloped in gloom when the visible object of their affections is torn from them, so that they may learn to turn their affections toward the invisible Source of all, where alone abiding satisfaction is to be found.

It is well that the proud, the ambitious, the self-seeking, should suffer defeat, humiliation, and misfortune; that they should pass through the scorching ?res of affliction; for only thus can the wayward soul be brought to reflect upon the enigma of life; only thus can the heart be softened and purified, and prepared to receive the Truth.

When the sting of anguish penetrates the heart of human love; when gloom and loneliness and desertion cloud the soul of friendship and trust, then it is that the heart turns toward the sheltering love of the Eternal, and finds rest in its silent peace. And whosoever comes to this Love is not turned away comfortless, is not pierced with anguish nor surrounded with gloom; and is never deserted in the dark hour of trial.

The glory of Divine Love can only be revealed in the heart that is chastened by sorrow, and the image of the heavenly state can only be perceived and realized when the lifeless, formless accretions of ignorance and self are hewn away.

Only that Love that seeks no personal gratification or reward, that does not make distinctions, and that leaves behind no heartaches, can be called divine.

Men, clinging to self and to the comfortless shadows of evil, are in the habit of thinking of divine Love as something belonging to a God who is out of reach; as something outside themselves, and that must for ever remain outside. Truly, the Love of God is ever beyond the reach of self, but when the heart and mind are emptied of self then the selfless Love, the supreme Love, the Love that is of God or Good becomes an inward and abiding reality.

And this inward realization of holy Love is none other than the Love of Christ that is so much talked about and so little comprehended. The Love that not only saves the soul from sin, but lifts it also above the power of temptation.

But how may one attain to this sublime realization? The answer which Truth has always given, and will ever give to this question is,–”Empty thyself, and I will ?ll thee.” Divine Love cannot be known until self is dead, for self is the denial of Love, and how can that which is known be also denied? Not until the stone of self is rolled away from the sepulcher of the soul does the immortal Christ, the pure Spirit of Love, hitherto crucified, dead and buried, cast off the bands of ignorance, and come forth in all the majesty of His resurrection.

You believe that the Christ of Nazareth was put to death and rose again. I do not say you err in that belief; but if you refuse to believe that the gentle spirit of Love is crucified daily upon the dark cross of your selfish desires, then, I say, you err in this unbelief, and have not yet perceived, even afar off, the Love of Christ.

You say that you have tasted of salvation in the Love of Christ. Are you saved from your temper, your irritability, your vanity, your personal dislikes, your judgment and condemnation of others? If not, from what are you saved, and wherein have you realized the transforming Love of Christ?

He who has realized the Love that is divine has become a new man, and has ceased to be swayed and dominated by the old elements of self. He is known for his patience, his purity, his self-control, his deep charity of heart, and his unalterable sweetness.

Divine or selfless Love is not a mere sentiment or emotion; it is a state of knowledge which destroys the dominion of evil and the belief in evil, and lifts the soul into the joyful realization of the supreme Good. To the divinely wise, knowledge and Love are one and inseparable.

It is toward the complete realization of this divine Love that the whole world is moving; it was for this purpose that the universe came into existence, and every grasping at happiness, every reaching out of the soul toward objects, ideas and ideals, is an effort to realize it. But the world does not realize this Love at present because it is grasping at the fleeting shadow and ignoring, in its blindness, the substance. And so suffering and sorrow continue, and must continue until the world, taught by its self-inflicted pains, discovers the Love that is selfless, the wisdom that is calm and full of peace.

And this Love, this Wisdom, this Peace, this tranquil state of mind and heart may be attained to, may be realized by all who are willing and ready to yield up self, and who are prepared to humbly enter into a comprehension of all that the giving up of self involves. There is no arbitrary power in the universe, and the strongest chains of fate by which men are bound are self-forged. Men are chained to that which causes suffering because they desire to be so, because they love their chains, because they think their little dark prison of self is sweet and beautiful, and they are afraid that if they desert that prison they will lose all that is real and worth having.

“Ye suffer from yourselves, none else compels,
None other holds ye that ye live and die.”

And the indwelling power which forged the chains and built around itself the dark and narrow prison, can break away when it desires and wills to do so, and the soul does will to do so when it has discovered the worthlessness of its prison, when long suffering has prepared it for the reception of the boundless Light and Love.

As the shadow follows the form, and as smoke comes after ?re, so effect follows cause, and suffering and bliss follow the thoughts and deeds of men. There is no effect in the world around us but has its hidden or revealed cause, and that cause is in accordance with absolute justice. Men reap a harvest of suffering because in the near or distant past they have sown the seeds of evil; they reap a harvest of bliss also as a result of their own sowing of the seeds of good. Let a man meditate upon this, let him strive to understand it, and he will then begin to sow only seeds of good, and will burn up the tares and weeds which he has formerly grown in the garden of his heart.

The world does not understand the Love that is selfless because it is engrossed in the pursuit of its own pleasures, and cramped within the narrow limits of perishable interests mistaking, in its ignorance, those pleasures and interests for real and abiding things. Caught in the games of fleshly lusts, and burning with anguish, it sees not the pure and peaceful beauty of Truth. Feeding upon the swinish husks of error and self-delusion, it is shut out from the mansion of all-seeing Love.

Not having this Love, not understanding it, men institute innumerable reforms which involve no inward sacrifice, and each imagines that his reform is going to right the world for ever, while he himself continues to propagate evil by engaging it in his own heart. That only can be called reform which tends to reform the human heart, for all evil has its rise there, and not until the world, ceasing from selfishness and party strife, has learned the lesson of divine Love, will it realize the Golden Age of universal blessedness.

Let the rich cease to despise the poor, and the poor to condemn the rich; let the greedy learn how to give, and the lustful how to grow pure; let the partisan cease from strife, and the uncharitable begin to forgive; let the envious endeavor to rejoice with others, and the slanderers grow ashamed of their conduct. Let men and women take this course, and, lo! the Golden Age is at hand. He, therefore, who purifies his own heart is the world’s greatest benefactor.

Yet, though the world is, and will be for many ages to come, shut out from that Age of Gold, which is the realization of selfless Love, you, if you are willing, may enter it now, by rising above your selfish self; if you will pass from prejudice, hatred, and condemnation, to gentle and forgiving love.

Where hatred, dislike, and condemnation are, selfless Love does not abide. It resides only in the heart that has ceased from all condemnation.

You say, “How can I love the drunkard, the hypocrite, the sneak, the murderer? I am compelled to dislike and condemn such men.” It is true you cannot love such men emotionally, but when you say that you must perforce dislike and condemn them you show that you are not acquainted with the Great over-ruling Love; for it is possible to attain to such a state of interior enlightenment as will enable you to perceive the train of causes by which these men have become as they are, to enter into their intense sufferings, and to know the certainty of their ultimate purification. Possessed of such knowledge it will be utterly impossible for you any longer to dislike or condemn them, and you will always think of them with perfect calmness and deep compassion.

If you love people and speak of them with praise until they in some way thwart you, or do something of which you disapprove, and then you dislike them and speak of them with dispraise, you are not governed by the Love which is of God. If, in your heart, you are continually arraigning and condemning others, selfless Love is hidden from you.

He who knows that Love is at the heart of all things, and has realized the all-sufficing power of that Love, has no room in his heart for condemnation.

Men, not knowing this Love, constitute themselves judge and executioner of their fellows, forgetting that there is the Eternal Judge and Executioner, and in so far as men deviate from them in their own views, their particular reforms and methods, they brand them as fanatical, unbalanced, lacking judgment, sincerity, and honesty; in so far as others approximate to their own standard do they look upon them as being everything that is admirable. Such are the men who are centered in self. But he whose heart is centered in the supreme Love does not so brand and classify men; does not seek to convert men to his own views, not to convince them of the superiority of his methods. Knowing the Law of Love, he lives it, and maintains the same calm attitude of mind and sweetness of heart toward all. The debased and the virtuous, the foolish and the wise, the learned and the unlearned, the selfish and the unselfish receive alike the benediction of his tranquil thought.

You can only attain to this supreme knowledge, this divine Love by unremitting endeavor in self-discipline, and by gaining victory after victory over yourself. Only the pure in heart see God, and when your heart is sufficiently purified you will enter into the New Birth, and the Love that does not die, nor change, nor end in pain and sorrow will be awakened within you, and you will be at peace.

He who strives for the attainment of divine Love is ever seeking to overcome the spirit of condemnation, for where there is pure spiritual knowledge, condemnation cannot exist, and only in the heart that has become incapable of condemnation is Love perfected and fully realized.

The Christian condemns the Atheist; the Atheist satirizes the Christian; the Catholic and Protestant are ceaselessly engaged in wordy warfare, and the spirit of strife and hatred rules where peace and love should be.

“He that hateth his brother is a murderer,” a crucifier of the divine Spirit of Love; and until you can regard men of all religions and of no religion with the same impartial spirit, with all freedom from dislike, and with perfect equanimity, you have yet to strive for that Love which bestows upon its possessor freedom and salvation.

The realization of divine knowledge, selfless Love, utterly destroys the spirit of condemnation, disperses all evil, and lifts the consciousness to that height of pure vision where Love, Goodness, Justice are seen to be universal, supreme, all-conquering, indestructible.

Train your mind in strong, impartial, and gentle thought; train your heart in purity and compassion; train your tongue to silence and to true and stainless speech; so shall you enter the way of holiness and peace, and shall ultimately realize the immortal Love. So living, without seeking to convert, you will convince; without arguing, you will teach; not cherishing ambition, the wise will find you out; and without striving to gain men’s opinions, you will subdue their hearts. For Love is all-conquering, all-powerful; and the thoughts, and deeds, and words of Love can never perish.

To know that Love is universal, supreme, all-sufficing; to be freed from the trammels of evil; to be quit of the inward unrest; to know that all men are striving to realize the Truth each in his own way; to be satisfied, sorrowless, serene; this is peace; this is gladness; this is immortality; this is Divinity; this is the realization of selfless Love.
I stood upon the shore, and saw the rocks
Resist the onslaught of the mighty sea,
And when I thought how all the countless shocks
They had withstood through an eternity,
I said, “To wear away this solid main
The ceaseless efforts of the waves are vain.”
But when I thought how they the rocks had rent,
And saw the sand and shingles at my feet
(Poor passive remnants of resistance spent)
Tumbledand tossed where they the waters meet,
Then saw I ancient landmarks ‘neath the waves,
And knew the waters held the stones their slaves.
I saw the mighty work the waters wrought
By patient softness and unceasing flow;
How they the proudest promontory brought
Unto their feet, and massy hills laid low;
How the soft drops the adamantine wall
Conquered at last, and brought it to its fall.
And then I knew that hard, resisting sin
Should yield at last to Love’s soft ceaseless roll
Coming and going, ever flowing in
Upon the proud rocks of the human soul;
That all resistance should be spent and past,
And every heart yield unto it at last.

Chapter 5 — Entering Into The Infinite

From the beginning of time, man, in spite of his bodily appetites and desires, in the midst of all his clinging to earthly and impermanent things, has ever been intuitively conscious of the limited, transient, and illusionary nature of his material existence, and in his sane and silent moments has tried to reach out into a comprehension of the Infinite, and has turned with tearful aspiration toward the restful Reality of the Eternal Heart.

While vainly imagining that the pleasures of earth are real and satisfying, pain and sorrow continually remind him of their unreal and unsatisfying nature. Ever striving to believe that complete satisfaction is to be found in material things, he is conscious of an inward and persistent revolt against this belief, which revolt is at once a refutation of his essential mortality, and an inherent and imperishable proof that only in the immortal, the eternal, the infinite can he find abiding satisfaction and unbroken peace.

And here is the common ground of faith; here the root and spring of all religion; here the soul of Brotherhood and the heart of Love,–that man is essentially and spiritually divine and eternal, and that, immersed in mortality and troubled with unrest, he is ever striving to enter into a consciousness of his real nature.

The spirit of man is inseparable from the Infinite, and can be satisfied with nothing short of the Infinite, and the burden of pain will continue to weigh upon man’s heart, and the shadows of sorrow to darken his pathway until, ceasing from his wanderings in the dream-world of matter, he comes back to his home in the reality of the Eternal.

As the smallest drop of water detached from the ocean contains all the qualities of the ocean, so man, detached in consciousness from the Infinite, contains within him its likeness; and as the drop of water must, by the law of its nature, ultimately find its way back to the ocean and lose itself in its silent depths, so must man, by the unfailing law of his nature, at last return to his source, and lose himself in the great ocean of the Infinite.

To re-become one with the Infinite is the goal of man. To enter into perfect harmony with the Eternal Law is Wisdom, Love and Peace. But this divine state is, and must ever be, incomprehensible to the merely personal. Personality, separateness, selfishness are one and the same, and are the antithesis of wisdom and divinity. By the unqualified surrender of the personality, separateness and selfishness cease, and man enters into the possession of his divine heritage of immortality and infinity.

Such surrender of the personality is regarded by the worldly and selfish mind as the most grievous of all calamities, the most irreparable loss, yet it is the one supreme and incomparable blessing, the only real and lasting gain. The mind unenlightened upon the inner laws of being, and upon the nature and destiny of its own life, clings to transient appearances, things which have in them no enduring substantiality, and so clinging, perishes, for the time being, amid the shattered wreckage of its own illusions.

Men cling to and gratify the flesh as though it were going to last for ever, and though they try to forget the nearness and inevitability of its dissolution, the dread of death and of the loss of all that they cling to clouds their happiest hours, and the chilling shadow of their own selfishness follows them like a remorseless specter.

And with the accumulation of temporal comforts and luxuries, the divinity within men is drugged, and they sink deeper and deeper into materiality, into the perishable life of the senses, and where there is sufficient intellect, theories concerning the immortality of the flesh come to be regarded as infallible truths. When a man’s soul is clouded with selfishness in any or every form, he loses the power of spiritual discrimination, and confuses the temporal with the eternal, the perishable with the permanent, mortality with immortality, and error with Truth. It is thus that the world has come to be filled with theories and speculations having no foundation in human experience. Every body of flesh contains within itself, from the hour of birth, the elements of its own destruction, and by the unalterable law of its own nature must it pass away.

The perishable in the universe can never become permanent; the permanent can never pass away; the mortal can never become immortal; the immortal can never die; the temporal cannot become eternal nor the eternal become temporal; appearance can never become reality, nor reality fade into appearance; error can never become Truth, nor can Truth become error. Man cannot immortalize the flesh, but, by overcoming the flesh, by relinquishing all its inclinations, he can enter the region of immortality. “God alone hath immortality,” and only by realizing the God state of consciousness does man enter into immortality.

All nature in its myriad forms of life is changeable, impermanent, unenduring. Only the informing Principle of nature endures. Nature is many, and is marked by separation. The informing Principle is One, and is marked by unity. By overcoming the senses and the selfishness within, which is the overcoming of nature, man emerges from the chrysalis of the personal and illusory, and wings himself into the glorious light of the impersonal, the region of universal Truth, out of which all perishable forms come.

Let men, therefore, practice self-denial; let them conquer their animal inclinations; let them refuse to be enslaved by luxury and pleasure; let them practice virtue, and grow daily into high and ever higher virtue, until at last they grow into the Divine, and enter into both the practice and the comprehension of humility, meekness, forgiveness, compassion, and love, which practice and comprehension constitute Divinity.

“Good-will gives insight,” and only he who has so conquered his personality that he has but one attitude of mind, that of good-will, toward all creatures, is possessed of divine insight, and is capable of distinguishing the true from the false. The supremely good man is, therefore, the wise man, the divine man, the enlightened seer, the knower of the Eternal. Where you find unbroken gentleness, enduring patience, sublime lowliness, graciousness of speech, self-control, self-forgetfulness, and deep and abounding sympathy, look there for the highest wisdom, seek the company of such a one, for he has realized the Divine, he lives with the Eternal, he has become one with the Infinite. Believe not him that is impatient, given to anger, boastful, who clings to pleasure and refuses to renounce his selfish gratifications, and who practices not good-will and far-reaching compassion, for such a one hath not wisdom, vain is all his knowledge, and his works and words will perish, for they are grounded on that which passes away.

Let a man abandon self, let him overcome the world, let him deny the personal; by this pathway only can he enter into the heart of the Infinite.

The world, the body, the personality are mirages upon the desert of time; transitory dreams in the dark night of spiritual slumber, and those who have crossed the desert, those who are spiritually awakened, have alone comprehended the Universal Reality where all appearances are dispersed and dreaming and delusion are destroyed.

There is one Great Law which exacts unconditional obedience, one unifying principle which is the basis of all diversity, one eternal Truth wherein all the problems of earth pass away like shadows. To realize this Law, this Unity, this Truth, is to enter into the Infinite, is to become one with the Eternal.

To center one’s life in the Great Law of Love is to enter into rest, harmony, peace. To refrain from all participation in evil and discord; to cease from all resistance to evil, and from the omission of that which is good, and to fall back upon unswerving obedience to the holy calm within, is to enter into the inmost heart of things, is to attain to a living, conscious experience of that eternal and infinite principle which must ever remain a hidden mystery to the merely perceptive intellect. Until this principle is realized, the soul is not established in peace, and he who so realizes is truly wise; not wise with the wisdom of the learned, but with the simplicity of a blameless heart and of a divine manhood.

To enter into a realization of the Infinite and Eternal is to rise superior to time, and the world, and the body, which comprise the kingdom of darkness; and is to become established in immortality, Heaven, and the Spirit, which make up the Empire of Light.

Entering into the Infinite is not a mere theory or sentiment. It is a vital experience which is the result of assiduous practice in inward purification. When the body is no longer believed to be, even remotely, the real man; when all appetites and desires are thoroughly subdued and purified; when the emotions are rested and calm, and when the oscillation of the intellect ceases and perfect poise is secured, then, and not till then, does consciousness become one with the Infinite; not until then is childlike wisdom and profound peace secured.

Men grow weary and gray over the dark problems of life, and finally pass away and leave them unsolved because they cannot see their way out of the darkness of the personality, being too much engrossed in its limitations. Seeking to save his personal life, man forfeits the greater impersonal Life in Truth; clinging to the perishable, he is shut out from a knowledge of the Eternal.

By the surrender of self all difficulties are overcome, and there is no error in the universe but the ?re of inward sacrifice will burn it up like chaff; no problem, however great, but will disappear like a shadow under the searching light of self abnegation. Problems exist only in our own self-created illusions, and they vanish away when self is yielded up. Self and error are synonymous. Error is involved in the darkness of unfathomable complexity, but eternal simplicity is the glory of Truth.

Love of self shuts men out from Truth, and seeking their own personal happiness they lose the deeper, purer, and more abiding bliss. Says Carlyle–”There is in man a higher than love of happiness. He can do without happiness, and instead thereof find blessedness.

… Love not pleasure, love God. This is the Everlasting Yea, wherein all contradiction is solved; wherein whoso walks and works, it is well with him.”

He who has yielded up that self, that personality that men most love, and to which they cling with such fierce tenacity, has left behind him all perplexity, and has entered into a simplicity so profoundly simple as to be looked upon by the world, involved as it is in a network of error, as foolishness. Yet such a one has realized the highest wisdom, and is at rest in the Infinite. He “accomplishes without striving,” and all problems melt before him, for he has entered the region of reality, and deals, not with changing effects, but with the unchanging principles of things. He is enlightened with a wisdom which is as superior to ratiocination, as reason is to animality. Having yielded up his lusts, his errors, his opinions and prejudices, he has entered into possession of the knowledge of God, having slain the selfish desire for heaven, and along with it the ignorant fear of hell; having relinquished even the love of life itself, he has gained supreme bliss and Life Eternal, the Life which bridges life and death, and knows its own immortality. Having yielded up all without reservation, he has gained all, and rests in peace on the bosom of the Infinite.

Only he who has become so free from self as to be equally content to be annihilated as to live, or to live as to be annihilated, is ?t to enter into the Infinite. Only he who, ceasing to trust his perishable self, has learned to trust in boundless measure the Great Law, the Supreme Good, is prepared to partake of undying bliss.

For such a one there is no more regret, nor disappointment, nor remorse, for where all selfishness has ceased these sufferings cannot be; and whatever happens to him he knows that it is for his own good, and he is content, being no longer the servant of self, but the servant of the Supreme. He is no longer affected by the changes of earth, and when he hears of wars and rumors of wars his peace is not disturbed, and where men grow angry and cynical and quarrelsome, he bestows compassion and love. Though appearances may contradict it, he knows that the world is progressing, and that

“Through its laughing and its weeping,
Through its living and its keeping,
Through its follies and its labors, weaving in and out of sight,
To the end from the beginning,
Through all virtue and all sinning,
Reeled from God’s great spool of Progress, runs the golden
thread of light.”

When a fierce storm is raging none are angered about it, because they know it will quickly pass away, and when the storms of contention are devastating the world, the wise man, looking with the eye of Truth and pity, knows that it will pass away, and that out of the wreckage of broken hearts which it leaves behind the immortal Temple of Wisdom will be built.

Sublimely patient; infinitely compassionate; deep, silent, and pure, his very presence is a benediction; and when he speaks men ponder his words in their hearts, and by them rise to higher levels of attainment. Such is he who has entered into the Infinite, who by the power of utmost sacrifice has solved the sacred mystery of life.

Questioning Life and Destiny and Truth,
I sought the dark and labyrinthine Sphinx,
Who spake to me this strange and wondrous thing:-
“Concealment only lies in blinded eyes,
And God alone can see the Form of God.”
I sought to solve this hidden mystery
Vainly by paths of blindness and of pain,
But when I found the Way of Love and Peace,
Concealment ceased, and I was blind no more:
Then saw I God e’en with the eyes of God.

Chapter 6 — Saints, Sages, and Saviors: The law of Service

The spirit of Love which is manifested as a perfect and rounded life, is the crown of being and the supreme end of knowledge upon this earth.

The measure of a man’s truth is the measure of his love, and Truth is far removed from him whose life is not governed by Love. The intolerant and condemnatory, even though they profess the highest religion, have the smallest measure of Truth; while those who exercise patience, and who listen calmly and dispassionately to all sides, and both arrive themselves at, and incline others to, thoughtful and unbiased conclusions upon all problems and issues, have Truth in fullest measure. The final test of wisdom is this, how does a man live? What spirit does he manifest? How does he act under trial and temptation? Many men boast of being in possession of Truth who are continually swayed by grief, disappointment, and passion, and who sink under the first little trial that comes along. Truth is nothing if not unchangeable, and in so far as a man takes his stand upon Truth does he become steadfast in virtue, does he rise superior to his passions and emotions and changeable personality.

Men formulate perishable dogmas, and call them Truth. Truth cannot be formulated; it is ineffable, and ever beyond the reach of intellect. It can only be experienced by practice; it can only be manifested as a stainless heart and a perfect life.

Who, then, in the midst of the ceaseless pandemonium of schools and creeds and parties, has the Truth? He who lives it. He who practices it. He who, having risen above that pandemonium by overcoming himself, no longer engages in it, but sits apart, quiet, subdued, calm, and self-possessed, freed from all strife, all bias, all condemnation, and bestows upon all the glad and unselfish love of the divinity within him.

He who is patient, calm, gentle, and forgiving under all circumstances, manifests the Truth. Truth will never be proved by wordy arguments and learned treatises, for if men do not perceive the Truth in infinite patience, undying forgiveness, and all-embracing compassion, no words can ever prove it to them.

It is an easy matter for the passionate to be calm and patient when they are alone, or are in the midst of calmness. It is equally easy for the uncharitable to be gentle and kind when they are dealt kindly with, but he who retains his patience and calmness under all trial, who remains sublimely meek and gentle under the most trying circumstances, he, and he alone, is possessed of the spotless Truth. And this is so because such lofty virtues belong to the Divine, and can only be manifested by one who has attained to the highest wisdom, who has relinquished his passionate and self-seeking nature, who has realized the supreme and unchangeable Law, and has brought himself into harmony with it.

Let men, therefore, cease from vain and passionate arguments about Truth, and let them think and say and do those things which make for harmony, peace, love, and good-will. Let them practice heart-virtue, and search humbly and diligently for the Truth which frees the soul from all error and sin, from all that blights the human heart, and that darkens, as with unending night, the pathway of the wandering souls of earth.

There is one great all-embracing Law which is the foundation and cause of the universe, the Law of Love. It has been called by many names in various countries and at various times, but behind all its names the same unalterable Law may be discovered by the eye of Truth. Names, religions, personalities pass away, but the Law of Love remains. To become possessed of a knowledge of this Law, to enter into conscious harmony with it, is to become immortal, invincible, indestructible.

It is because of the effort of the soul to realize this Law that men come again and again to live, to suffer, and to die; and when realized, suffering ceases, personality is dispersed, and the fleshly life and death are destroyed, for consciousness becomes one with the Eternal.

The Law is absolutely impersonal, and its highest manifested expression is that of Service. When the purified heart has realized Truth it is then called upon to make the last, the greatest and holiest sacrifice, the sacrifice of the well-earned enjoyment of Truth. It is by virtue of this sacrifice that the divinely-emancipated soul comes to dwell among men, clothed with a body of flesh, content to dwell among the lowliest and least, and to be esteemed the servant of all mankind. That sublime humility which is manifested by the world’s saviors is the seal of Godhead, and he who has annihilated the personality, and has become a living, visible manifestation of the impersonal, eternal, boundless Spirit of Love, is alone singled out as worthy to receive the unstinted worship of posterity. He only who succeeds in humbling himself with that divine humility which is not only the extinction of self, but is also the pouring out upon all the spirit of unselfish love, is exalted above measure, and given spiritual dominion in the hearts of mankind.

All the great spiritual teachers have denied themselves personal luxuries, comforts, and rewards, have abjured temporal power, and have lived and taught the limitless and impersonal Truth. Compare their lives and teachings, and you will find the same simplicity, the same self-sacrifice, the same humility, love, and peace both lived and preached by them. They taught the same eternal Principles, the realization of which destroys all evil. Those who have been hailed and worshiped as the saviors of mankind are manifestations of the Great impersonal Law, and being such, were free from passion and prejudice, and having no opinions, and no special letter of doctrine to preach and defend, they never sought to convert and to proselytize. Living in the highest Goodness, the supreme Perfection, their sole object was to uplift mankind by manifesting that Goodness in thought, word, and deed. They stand between man the personal and God the impersonal, and serve as exemplary types for the salvation of self-enslaved mankind.

Men who are immersed in self, and who cannot comprehend the Goodness that is absolutely impersonal, deny divinity to all saviors except their own, and thus introduce personal hatred and doctrinal controversy, and, while defending their own particular views with passion, look upon each other as being heathens or infidels, and so render null and void, as far as their lives are concerned, the unselfish beauty and holy grandeur of the lives and teachings of their own Masters. Truth cannot be limited; it can never be the special prerogative of any man, school, or nation, and when personality steps in, Truth is lost.

The glory alike of the saint, the sage, and the savior is this, that he has realized the most profound lowliness, the most sublime unselfishness; having given up all, even his own personality, all his works are holy and enduring, for they are freed from every taint of self. He gives, yet never thinks of receiving; he works without regretting the past or anticipating the future, and never looks for reward.

When the farmer has tilled and dressed his land and put in the seed, he knows that he has done all that he can possibly do, and that now he must trust to the elements, and wait patiently for the course of time to bring about the harvest, and that no amount of expectancy on his part will affect the result. Even so, he who has realized Truth goes forth as a sower of the seeds of goodness, purity, love and peace, without expectancy, and never looking for results, knowing that there is the Great Over-ruling Law which brings about its own harvest in due time, and which is alike the source of preservation and destruction.

Men, not understanding the divine simplicity of a profoundly unselfish heart, look upon their particular savior as the manifestation of a special miracle, as being something entirely apart and distinct from the nature of things, and as being, in his ethical excellence, eternally unapproachable by the whole of mankind.

This attitude of unbelief (for such it is) in the divine perfectibility of man, paralyzes effort, and binds the souls of men as with strong ropes to sin and suffering. Jesus “grew in wisdom” and was “perfected by suffering.” What Jesus was, he became such; what Buddha was, he became such; and every holy man became such by unremitting perseverance in self-sacrifice. Once recognize this, once realize that by watchful effort and hopeful perseverance you can rise above your lower nature, and great and glorious will be the vistas of attainment that will open out before you. Buddha vowed that he would not relax his efforts until he arrived at the state of perfection, and he accomplished his purpose.

What the saints, sages, and saviors have accomplished, you likewise may accomplish if you will only tread the way which they trod and pointed out, the way of self-sacrifice, of self-denying service.

Truth is very simple. It says, “Give up self,” “Come unto Me” (away from all that defiles) “and I will give you rest.” All the mountains of commentary that have been piled upon it cannot hide it from the heart that is earnestly seeking for Righteousness. It does not require learning; it can be known in spite of learning. Disguised under many forms by erring self-seeking man, the beautiful simplicity and clear transparency of Truth remains unaltered and undimmed, and the unselfish heart enters into and partakes of its shining radiance. Not by weaving complex theories, not by building up speculative philosophies is Truth realized; but by weaving the web of inward purity, by building up the Temple of a stainless life is Truth realized.

He who enters upon this holy way begins by restraining his passions. This is virtue, and is the beginning of saintship, and saintship is the beginning of holiness. The entirely worldly man gratifies all his desires, and practices no more restraint than the law of the land in which he lives demands; the virtuous man restrains his passions; the saint attacks the enemy of Truth in its stronghold within his own heart, and restrains all selfish and impure thoughts; while the holy man is he who is free from passion and all impure thought, and to whom goodness and purity have become as natural as scent and color are to the flower. The holy man is divinely wise; he alone knows Truth in its fullness, and has entered into abiding rest and peace. For him evil has ceased; it has disappeared in the universal light of the All-Good. Holiness is the badge of wisdom. Said Krishna to the Prince Arjuna:

“Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness,
Patience and honor, reverence for the wise,
Purity, constancy, control of self,
Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice,
Perception of the certitude of ill
In birth, death, age, disease, suffering and sin;
An ever tranquil heart in fortunes good
And fortunes evil, …
…Endeavors resolute
To reach perception of the utmost soul,
And grace to understand what gain it were
So to attain–this is true wisdom,
Prince! And what is otherwise is ignorance!”

Whoever rights ceaselessly against his own selfishness, and strives to supplant it with all-embracing love, is a saint, whether he live in a cottage or in the midst of riches and influence; or whether he preaches or remains obscure.

To the worldling, who is beginning to aspire towards higher things, the saint, such as a sweet St. Francis of Assisi, or a conquering St. Anthony, is a glorious and inspiring spectacle; to the saint, an equally enrapturing sight is that of the sage, sitting serene and holy, the conqueror of sin and sorrow, no more tormented by regret and remorse, and whom even temptation can never reach; and yet even the sage is drawn on by a still more glorious vision, that of the savior actively manifesting his knowledge in selfless works, and rendering his divinity more potent for good by sinking himself in the throbbing, sorrowing, aspiring heart of mankind.

And this only is true service–to forget oneself in love towards all, to lose oneself in working for the whole. O thou vain and foolish man, who thinkest that thy many works can save thee; who, chained to all error, talkest loudly of thyself, thy work, and thy many sacrifices, and magnifiest thine own importance; know this, that though thy fame fill the whole earth, all thy work shall come to dust, and thou thyself be reckoned lower than the least in the Kingdom of Truth!

Only the work that is impersonal can live; the works of self are both powerless and perishable. Where duties, howsoever humble, are done without self-interest, and with joyful sacrifice, there is true service and enduring work. Where deeds, however brilliant and apparently successful, are done from love of self, there is ignorance of the Law of Service, and the work perishes.

It is given to the world to learn one great and divine lesson, the lesson of absolute unselfishness. The saints, sages, and saviors of all time are they who have submitted themselves to this task, and have learned and lived it. All the Scriptures of the world are framed to teach this one lesson; all the great teachers reiterate it. It is too simple for the world which, scorning it, stumbles along in the complex ways of selfishness.

A pure heart is the end of all religion and the beginning of divinity. To search for this Righteousness is to walk the Way of Truth and Peace, and he who enters this Way will soon perceive that Immortality which is independent of birth and death, and will realize that in the Divine economy of the universe the humblest effort is not lost.

The divinity of a Krishna, a Gautama, or a Jesus is the crowning glory of self-abnegation, the end of the soul’s pilgrimage in matter and mortality, and the world will not have finished its long journey until every soul has become as these, and has entered into the blissful realization of its own divinity.

Great glory crowns the heights of hope by arduous struggle won;
Bright honor rounds the hoary head that mighty works hath done;
Fair riches come to him who strives in ways of golden gain.
And fame enshrines his name who works with genius-glowing brain
But greater glory waits for him who, in the bloodless strife
‘Gainst self and wrong, adopts, in love, the sacrificial life;
And brighter honor rounds the brow of him who,‘mid the scorns
Of blind idolaters of self, accepts the crown of thorns;
And fairer purer riches come to him who greatly strives
To walk in ways of love and truth to sweeten human lives;
And he who serveth well mankind exchanges fleeting fame
For Light eternal, Joy and Peace, and robes of heavenly fame.

Chapter 7 — The Realization of Perfect Peace

In the external universe there is ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest; at the heart of all things there is undisturbed repose; in this deep silence dwelleth the Eternal.

Man partakes of this duality, and both the surface change and disquietude, and the deep-seated eternal abode of Peace, are contained within him.

As there are silent depths in the ocean which the fiercest storm cannot reach, so there are silent, holy depths in the heart of man which the storms of sin and sorrow can never disturb. To reach this silence and to live consciously in it is peace.

Discord is rife in the outward world, but unbroken harmony holds sway at the heart of the universe. The human soul, torn by discordant passion and grief, reaches blindly toward the harmony of the sinless state, and to reach this state and to live consciously in it is peace.

Hatred severs human lives, fosters persecution, and hurls nations into ruthless war, yet men, though they do not understand why, retain some measure of faith in the overshadowing of a Perfect Love; and to reach this Love and to live consciously in it is peace.

And this inward peace, this silence, this harmony, this Love, is the Kingdom of Heaven, which is so difficult to reach because few are willing to give up themselves and to become as little children.

“Heaven’s gate is very narrow and minute,
It cannot be perceived by foolish men
Blinded by vain illusions of the world;
E’en the clear-sighted who discern the way,
And seek to enter, find the portal barred,
And hard to be unlocked. Its massive bolts
Are pride and passion, avarice and lust.”

Men cry peace! peace! where there is no peace, but on the contrary, discord, disquietude and strife. Apart from that Wisdom which is inseparable from self-renunciation, there can be no real and abiding peace.

The peace which results from social comfort, passing gratification, or worldly victory is transitory in its nature, and is burnt up in the heat of fiery trial. Only the Peace of Heaven endures through all trial, and only the selfless heart can know the Peace of Heaven.

Holiness alone is undying peace. Self-control leads to it, and the ever-increasing Light of Wisdom guides the pilgrim on his way. It is partaken of in a measure as soon as the path of virtue is entered upon, but it is only realized in its fullness when self disappears in the consummation of a stainless life.

“This is peace,
To conquer love of self and lust of life,
To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart
To still the inward strife.”

If, O reader! you would realize the Light that never fades, the Joy that never ends, and the tranquillity that cannot be disturbed; if you would leave behind for ever your sins, your sorrows, your anxieties and perplexities; if, I say, you would partake of this salvation, this supremely glorious Life, then conquer yourself. Bring every thought, every impulse, every desire into perfect obedience to the divine power resident within you. There is no other way to peace but this, and if you refuse to walk it, your much praying and your strict adherence to ritual will be fruitless and unavailing, and neither gods nor angels can help you. Only to him that over cometh is given the white stone of the regenerate life, on which is written the New and Ineffable Name.

Come away, for awhile, from external things, from the pleasures of the senses, from the arguments of the intellect, from the noise and the excitements of the world, and withdraw yourself into the inmost chamber of your heart, and there, free from the sacrilegious intrusion of all selfish desires, you will find a deep silence, a holy calm, a blissful repose, and if you will rest awhile in that holy place, and will meditate there, the faultless eye of Truth will open within you, and you will see things as they really are. This holy place within you is your real and eternal self; it is the divine within you; and only when you identify yourself with it can you be said to be “clothed and in your right mind.” It is the abode of peace, the temple of wisdom, the dwelling-place of immortality.

Apart from this inward resting-place, this Mount of Vision, there can be no true peace, no knowledge of the Divine, and if you can remain there for one minute, one hour, or one day, it is possible for you to remain there always. All your sins and sorrows, your fears and anxieties are your own, and you can cling to them or you can give them up. Of your own accord you cling to your unrest; of your own accord you can come to abiding peace. No one else can give up sin for you; you must give it up yourself. The greatest teacher can do no more than walk the way of Truth for himself, and point it out to you; you yourself must walk it for yourself. You can obtain freedom and peace alone by your own efforts, by yielding up that which binds the soul, and which is destructive of peace.

The angels of divine peace and joy are always at hand, and if you do not see them, and hear them, and dwell with them, it is because you shut yourself out from them, and prefer the company of the spirits of evil within you. You are what you will to be, what you wish to be, what you prefer to be. You can commence to purify yourself, and by so doing can arrive at peace, or you can refuse to purify yourself, and so remain with suffering.

Step aside, then; come out of the fret and the fever of life; away from the scorching heat of self, and enter the inward resting-place where the cooling airs of peace will calm, renew, and restore you.

Come out of the storms of sin and anguish. Why be troubled and tempest-tossed when the haven of Peace of God is yours!

Give up all self-seeking; give up self, and lo! the Peace of God is yours!

Subdue the animal within you; conquer every selfish uprising, every discordant voice; transmute the base metals of your selfish nature into the unalloyed gold of Love, and you shall realize the Life of Perfect Peace. Thus subduing, thus conquering, thus transmuting, you will, O reader! while living in the flesh, cross the dark waters of mortality, and will reach that Shore upon which the storms of sorrow never beat, and where sin and suffering and dark uncertainty cannot come. Standing upon that Shore, holy, compassionate, awakened, and self-possessed and glad with unending gladness, you will realize that

“Never the Spirit was born, the Spirit will cease to be never;
Never was time it was not, end and beginning are dreams;
Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the Spirit for ever;
Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems.”
You will then know the meaning of
Sin, of Sorrow, of Suffering, and that the end thereof is Wisdom;
Will know the cause and the issue of existence.
And with this realization you will enter into rest,
for this is the bliss of immortality, this the unchangeable gladness,
this the untrammeled knowledge, undefiled Wisdom, and undying Love;
this, and this only, is the realization of Perfect Peace.
O thou who wouldst teach men of Truth!
Hast thou passed through the desert of doubt?
Art thou purged by the fires of sorrow? hath ruth
The fiends of opinion cast out
Of thy human heart? Is thy soul so fair
That no false thought can ever harbor there?
O thou who wouldst teach men of Love!
Hast thou passed through the place of despair?
Hast thou wept through the dark night of grief?
does it move
(Now freed from its sorrow and care)
Thy human heart to pitying gentleness,
Looking on wrong, and hate, and ceaseless stress?
O thou who wouldst teach men of Peace!
Hast thou crossed the wide ocean of strife?
Hast thou found on the Shores of the Silence,
Release from all the wild unrest of life?
From thy human heart hath all striving gone,
Leaving but Truth, and Love, and Peace alone?

THE END

What is Anger?

Today this image came down my feed in a private group I belong to on Facebook and wanted to share it here.
It reminded me of that saying that resentment is a poison we drink in the hopes of killing the person we resent, and some people… well they can sometimes require multiple double shots.
While some of us walk around wheeling those I.V. tubes that pump a constant drip of red hot seething angery that’s so mean it’s lost its original focus and will just eat the head off whoever crosses their paths – man, woman or child!
Regardless of what we think about what other people have done and do,
– and this is not to say one shouldn’t allow themselves to have their feelings,
– no, by all means feel what the situation calls for then work to let it go and know there is no concrete clinical way it looks or time it takes — however the sooner the better.. for the rest of us… amen?

So regardless of the other person, truth be told, the energetic nature of what you’re feeling runs a course through the body – and for the most part it runs in and it runs out but there are times when it runs in and sets up shop where it sharpens knives and plots revenge after revenge after revenge. Meanwhile the knives are poking havoc on your guts.

Sure a little imaginative remuneration is fine and probably helps to let off steam.

However this “shop” has the potential to let it’s steam off within your own body wreaking havoc on systems that eventually could lead to a trip to the hospital and at worse the morgue – all the while the target of those resentment fantasies goes on their merry happy way never knowing that you, in the deep bowels of your mortal soul, took out a dyslexic murder contract on them that was carried out faithfully…. on you.

Anger is an emotion that is designed to fulfill itself – not to set up shop in our minds or hearts.

The admonition Romans 12:20: “To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head” – is more than just a platitude one repeats in church and limply tries to practice on Sunday. It is the best way to handle resentments and a prescription for a more effective type of revenge!

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The Rise and Fall of… (fill in the blank)

I was moved by an article I read : “The Rise and Fall of Carl Lentz, the Celebrity Pastor of Hillsong Church”
A New York Times article by Ruth Graham and Published Dec. 5, 2020Updated Aug. 5, 2021.

It’s an interesting title with an interesting picture but not an interesting article in the sense that historically we’ve heard this before. Of course no one wants a title like that, but c’mon, if your going to hit bottom wouldn’t it be nice if it came with a New York Times sensationally dramatic title rather than the slight skid row wanna be celeb-like stench a lot of us crawl in with? Ok.. even thats a little too dramatic.

But most of our bottoms are not the stuff of big news stories. Although bits and pieces or our binge-romps probably would be, especially if you go to enough meetings to hear the variety of escapades addicts of all varieties (sex, drugs, gambling, food, etc) engage in, but for the most part the overall arching themes are just pain-full of broken:
– dreams
– families
– friendships
– lost hopes,
– and fractured bodies, some times ours and some times other peoples.

Just common run-of-the-mill drunks, drug addicts, sex addicts, gambling addicts, food addicts, alanonics, mentalholics, etc. tiny caustic shooting starts burning and fizzling their ways through their lives.

So when I read through this story at first I felt hah! See another mega church star bites the dust! Then I read it with a little more compassion. Then I wondered about the women who got involved with him – didn’t they know he was married? was a pastor if not their pastor? Why aren’t we talking about their fall as well? A lot of times as dysfunction oozes out of us it gets smeared onto other people

So yeah a bunch of things went through my head. Then I thought of AA and how they have made an effort to try and head these kinds of things off at the pass. In 12 Step programs they have a thing they talk about “lest problems of money, property and prestige….”

It comes out of the Sixth tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous:
Tradition Six — “An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.”

But if you venture through their 12 Steps and 12 Traditions as well as their Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous you will find the issues of “money, property” and especially “prestige” discussed at the individual level (a lot) through the steps as much as through the “organization/meeting level through the Traditions. Huge red flag warning signs that could lead to individual as well as the collective destruction.

Most 12 step members are very much aware of the myriad of ways their “disease” tries to rear its ugly destructive head and pull them back into “the life”.
This is not to say that they have achieved perfection. No there are as many stories of destructive behaviors within AA or most of the 12 step programs to fill the Times with fodder for years to come.

But I would venture to say that they have done a unique thing in that they have come to an understanding that 1. AA or whatever program, has saved and is saving their lives and that 2. keeping the Program going is important to their own life (as stated in their 1st Tradition “Our common welfare comes first, personal recovery depends upon (fill in program here) unity.” The members comes to the understanding that not conforming – adhering to spiritual principles, trying to do this alone would eventually lead to death. This they understand through the power of their own stories. This is where I would venture to say that God has taken a selfish thing and made it into a blessing.

So the members – not the “leadership” – because there is no leadership in the traditional sense – which would mean not just Mr. lenz but the people he engaged in “affairs” with are all tasked with measuring their choices against their own pasts as well as the program traditions themselves. – If I do this and it becomes public could it scare away someone who is sick and suffering from getting the help they need that was so freely offered to me? Will this send me back out to a bottle, a needle, a pill powder, potion or bad notion? Is this a step up to heaven or down to hell?

Like I sad earlier we don’t do this perfectly. We slip and fall and stumble like everyone else. But we do do this: More of us than not make those choices – sacrifice that moment of seeming “pleasure”, double check with sponsors whether this is God or my naughty bits talking and say just for today I wont engage in that behavior, I won’t put that person through that, I wont risk my family, my reputation, my friendships or putting this fellowship at risk.
So we offer a prayer for him and those like him. For their friends and families caught in the whirlwind of his stuff as well as their own stuff. For congregation members and those who look up to various authorities struggling with what to do now. And for the people on the fringes in the grips of their diseases who are always looking for an excuse not to recover. That they may come to know that there is hope. There is recovery.
And may they meet someone who can walk them through this mind-field into that light of recovery. Amen

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13

Résumé

Practice Book for High Mysticism

by Emma Curtis Hopkins

Monday First Week:
Tuesday First Week:
Wednesday First Week:
Thursday First Week:
Friday First Week:
Saturday Sunday First Week:
Monday Second Week:
Tuesday Second Week:
Wednesday Second Week:
Thursday Second Week:
Friday Second Week:
Saturday & Sunday Second Week:

Monday First Week

The High and Lofty One inhabiting Eternity has been understood by His lovers to be forever inviting humanity to look unto His Countenance shining as the Sun with healing strength. The Deity looks upon us; let us look to the Deity. This is the way of salvation from sin, sickness, misfortune, and death. Isaiah understood it as a Soundless Mandate: “Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” (Is 45:22) Ezekiel understood it as the law of repentance, or returning: “Repent, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.” (Eze 14:6) Jesus called it the Watch: “What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:37). It has been found that what we vision steadily causes our thinking. We secretly perceive toward an object before thinking it. What we call our “me” is that to which we most often set our visional sense. It can be set either toward God or toward the workings of our own brain.

We will choose the “Great, the Mighty God, great in counsel and mighty in work” (Jer 32:19), for our objective. This is the way of being God-taught. “I will instruct thee and teach thee” (Ps 32:8). It is the way of being divinely guided. “I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Ps 32:8) John the Revelator was God-taught. He saw all truth in symbols, or pictures. He called the great lessons he learned, Angels, or Messages. He divided them into seven. The seventh he repeats over and over, like Joshua sounding one tone with rams’ horns on the seventh day of his circling of Jericho. The tone John sounds is, “I looked,” and, “I beheld.” With obedience to the mandate, “Look unto me,” (Is 45:22) John saw hail and fire mingled with blood, fall upon the earth (Rev. 8). Hail is new fresh truth. How can we help having new truth if we set our eye in a new direction? It is the resistless truth of the eternal Heights. Fire is the emblem of heavenly fervor. The heart flames up with new zeal, new ardor, and new love, if the vision is upward. Blood is the emblem of new life. There are those who can appear who were not born of the will of humankind but of the will of God..The Name They sometimes appear in our own age. Two were seen by a highway robber to be walking along with a missionary at midnight when the missionary supposed himself to be alone. The robber hurried away from the three of them.

This is the new life we cannot help encountering as we seek our highest Good at the highest Source. The disciples felt their hearts burn while they talked with the one who appeared to them as they walked toward Emmaus. Their frequent gaze had been heavenward where, on the right hand of God Omnipotent, they had envisioned their Lord and Master, Jesus the Christ. Because of their upward watch, the empowering Angel of God’s Presence was tangible to them. Such appearances are the blood of obedience.

John the Revelator sees a third of the trees disappear. He sees all the green grass burn up (Rev. 8). Trees are the emblems of flourishing practices. One-third of these practices cease, in the life of the individual, as the flaming zeal for God kindles. Competitive examinations, competitive trades, and competitive platforms, which constitute the ginger and glow of the non-visioning life, cease. For they know that their true provisions and their true positions come straight from above, and nothing and nobody can take them from them.

Everything that is strenuous in any way must cease. The laborers and anarchists, the pole hunters and the gold grabbers must calm down. The Countenance that shines hot with healing tenderness and with rich giving is of more value than all that can possibly come by the clash of endeavor.

Grass is emblem of the seasons of human life, childhood, youth, middle age, and old age, such as the new people know not. The visional sense that seeks the Vast Countenance ever shining toward us, can bring back news of any objective it sets itself toward, from the rocks of the gorges to the midnight stars. Obeying the sublime mandate, “Look unto me,” (Is 45:22) we sense the mystery of redemptive energy. John tells us that the Redeemed are given two songs (Rev. 15). The name, I Am That I Am, was the song of Moses and the name Jesus Christ, was the song of the first Christians. These names are full of the meaning of life and the transports of Eternal Truth.

“The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God who exalteth himself to dwell on high? He raiseth the poor up out of the dust that He may set him with.princes (Ps. 113:4-8) “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” he said (Acts 4:12). Let us take Monday to repent, to turn away our faces from all the things, events and people that call our attention. Let us often look upward toward the Deity ever beholding us. Let us tell that Ain Soph, Great Countenance of the Absolute above thinking and above being, as the Kabbalah avers, that we know His Name of uplifting might. His Name of majesty and grandeur is, I Am That I Am, (Yod He Vav He). Let us tell Him that we know His Name of manifestation in the flesh, His embodying Name, His Name of our own manifested health and undefeatable free Spirit. This Name is Jesus Christ.

Tuesday First Week

It is a principle that what we most often view with the inner eye, will show forth outwardly. This is how we can easily understand why the poor cripple near the temple gate (Acts 3), with vision in the dust, had.

never felt the dissolving of the manacles of impotence, until Peter and John bade him look up. Something then fell down over his upward visioning and undid his chains of mind and body. “Preach remission,” (Lk 24:47) said Jesus. Preach the dissolving Grace.

“When men are cast down thou shalt say, there is lifting up, and God shall save the humble person.”(Job 22:29) There are shouts of free-dom, handed down from antiquity, that represent the experiences of remission, or liberation of the upward watchers throughout the ages.

They declare the disappearance of foolishness and ignorance. They recognize that foolish virgins or objectives, with no oil of healing and no oil of illuminating in their sayings, are shut out.

There is no oil of healing and no oil of illuminating in descriptions of evil. Description of evil is a foolish virgin. The description of evil doubles evil. It does not lessen it. See then how foolish it is to describe evil and thereby double it.

If we see an army of locusts alighting on some green vegetation, we mourn because the people must starve. This is our foolishness. We increase starvation by such mourning. According to Jesus, the risen and triumphant man of God, we are to look up to the shining Face of our Father looking tenderly down upon us, and declare, “Steadfastly facing Thee, there is no evil on my pathway.” For only abundance and gentle kindness, fall from the Vast Countenance ever shining toward us.

God sees no evil. We catch the viewpoint of those with whom we associate. Let us catch the High God’s viewpoint, and go free from sight of evil. “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you. He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.”(Zeph 3:14-15) Matter also has been found to have no health in its operations. No descriptions of matter quicken the pulses with healing blood, or fill the stomach with strengthening energy. No study of matter illuminates the spiritual wisdom that waits like unlit candles just above our heads. Only the kindling fires of God’s hot glance can illuminate our waiting intelligence. We must recognize the glance, acting under obedience to the order, “Behold Me”(Is 65:1) Matter moves aside for indestructible free grace to act, when by upward viewing we shout, “Facing Thee, There is no matter with its laws.” Neither is there any oil of healing in descriptions of lack and deprivation. “They shall want for no good thing.” (Ps. 34:10) We must preach to the heavens that:.Denial of all but God “Facing the Father there is neither lack nor deprivation.” There is no acting free grace visible to one who describes hurts and pains. Peter sank into the raging waters when he took his gaze off the powerful Jesus. (Matt 14) But with his eye uplifted, he walked above the waves, side by side with Omnipotence. There is a shout of liberty any one can give when hurts come grinding and burning upon him: “Facing Thee, There is nothing to fear, for nothing shall by any means hurt me.”(Luke 10:19) All hurting power is darkness. The dayspring from on high gives light to them that sit in darkness, to guide their feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:79) Sinfulness with its sickness and death, is only the description of that which is encountered by those with aberrant vision, or downward gaze.

It is gazing downward to describe a child’s bad temper or a friend’s unkindness. It does not only affect them, but also those who engage into the descriptions.

The shout of the free must be given before we feel freedom. Did not Jesus shout, “It is finished,” (Jn 19:30) before it was finished? See how quickly the anguish left him when he shouted with a loud voice, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Let us take Tuesday to shout liberty – free grace – remission – unburdening, as we look upward. Free grace comes softly stealing over the Tao, or Track, of the upward watch. Take the shouts in order. Look up to the Vast Countenance with its beaming and kindling free grace, its dissolving Alkahest, ever streaming toward us, and with joyous heart let us proclaim: Steadfastly facing Thee, there is no evil on my pathway.

Steadfastly facing Thee, there is no matter with its laws.

Steadfastly facing Thee, there is no loss, no lack, no absence and no deprivation.

Steadfastly facing Thee, there is nothing to fear, for there shall be no power to hurt.

Steadfastly facing Thee, there is neither sin, nor sickness, nor death.

Because Thou art The Unconditioned and The Absolute, I also am Unconditioned and Absolute.

Because Thou art Omnipotent Free Spirit, I also am Omnipotent Free Spirit.

Because Thou art the Self-Existent, I also am Self-Existent.

Wednesday First Week

If nothing hurts Free Spirit and I am Free Spirit, unhurt forever – I have something given for the imagination of hurting which has now slipped away from me. This that takes the place of hurts is Beauty, Joy, Praise, and Wholeness.

Preach forgiveness, or the given-for. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”(Is 61:10-11) As the needle can become a magnet by rubbing against a magnet, so we can do God-works by closely relating ourselves to the Healer of all diseases, the Redeemer from destruction, the Great in Counsel. As the needle must utterly yield herself so must we utterly yield ourselves. We must have our eye single to One Only – to be full of that One Only.

Utter yielding is called “meekness,” in the Scriptures.

There is a Divine Fiat ever going forth. There is a Divine Providence always acting. If we hold the magnetic needle still, it is restless until it is free to point north. So we are restless under the cramps formulated by our own visioning toward evil, or the body of matter, of pain and decay..Affirmation of all as God These slough off with the high watch and the shouts of the free. We sense the Divine Providence — the Heavenly Fiat. The sense of the kind and good and joy-giving Providence up-bearing us forever has been called the Cosmic Consciousness. Its ecstasy of rest in the Lord has been called forgiveness.

Great Proclamations have issued forth from those who have experienced the cosmic consciousness, or forgiveness. These proclamations have been called Affirmations of Eternal Truth. They have been called Hymns to the Eternal. They have been figuratively spoken of as Wise Virgins, with oil of healing and oil of illuminating in their influence.

The needle cannot attract like a magnet if it does not yield itself in toto, to the magnet. So it is that no one can be the embodiment of the five eternal proclamations, unless they have let their mind, their life, their heart, and their body, go free to the winds of the Divine Fiat. They must first look up often to the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings.

“There is none beside Thee.”(I Chr 17:20) “The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”(I Sam 2:10) A young man volitionally offered himself to the Stream of Divine Order, letting go of himself like a reed in the wind, fully expecting annihilation. To his surprise he found his bad habits gone, his despair dissolved, his character and body strengthened and his whole being infused with radiance.

The risen Christ taught volitional meekness, volitional offering: “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”(Luke 14:11) Let us take Wednesday to voluntarily offer ourselves to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They that worship in meekness are the ready harp strings for the divine melodies of the five hymns of praise – the five proclamations of truth. They are the voicing of instruments of health and quickening life.

Here is my mind; I spread it out before Thee.

For-give Thou its foolishness and ignorance with Thy Bright Wisdom.

Here is my life impulsion; I offer it to Thee.

For-give thou all its contrariness to Thee.

Here is my heart; it is Thine only.

For-give Thou its dissatisfactions; for-give its restlessness.

For-give its discouragements; for-give its elations.

For-give its hopes and its fears, its loves and its hates.

Here is my body I cast it down before Thee.

For-give Thou its imperfections with Thy Perfection..For-give me altogether with Thyself.

So only can I be the life and inspiration of the five bold words of Truth – Hymns to the eternal glowing Virgins with oil of healing and oil of illumination in their everlasting lamps.

1. Thou art and there is none beside Thee, in Thine own Omnipresence, Omnipotence, and Omniscience.

2. I am Thine only and in Thee I live, move and have my being.

3. I am Thine own Substance, Power and Light, and I shed abroad wisdom, strength, and holiness from Thee.

4. Thou art now working through me to will and to do that which ought to be done by me.

5. I am for-given and governed by Thee alone, and I cannot sin, I cannot suffer for sin, nor fear sin, sickness, or death.

Thursday First Week

That nature, before which we have worshipped, rises up in us. The meek Jesus was worshipper before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, therefore he must at some moment proclaim, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt 28:18) “I have overcome the world.”(Jn 16:33) “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”(Jn 14:9) There is no nature worth practicing subservience unto, except the Ruler in the heavens and the earth. “Let the Lord be thy confidence, he will not suffer thy foot to be taken”(Prov 3:26). “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God.”(Rom 14:22) God is the Author of faith. Jesus of Nazareth caught this so completely that the whole creation was subject to his strong word of authority. Faith is always associated with authority. Faith is confidence to command. One little spark of it, no larger than a mustard seed, would cause authority enough to move a mountain. (Matt 17:20) We must become meek and lowly to the loss of self-consciousness, while kneeling before God. Self-consciousness is sometimes called self-will, because it is a perversity of the whole constitution. The divine authority that rises out of the demolition of the self-will is a new will.

The exercise of authority is a good exercise. It gets its kindling from practicing upon the most obedient servant first. The Supreme God is the most docile and obedient servant. We must practice commanding the Supreme Presence in the Universe. While listening in lowly humility before Him. “Concerning the works of my hands command ye me.”(Is 45:11) Jesus commanded the Supreme Servant, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”(Jn 17:5) On the cross he cried, “How Thou hast glorified me!” This is one of the translations of the words reported in the Gospel of Mark, as “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is also being interpreted, “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”(Mk 15: 34) It is always by lowly meekness that the confidence to command arises. Jacob commanded the Angel of God’s Presence: “I will not let thee go except thou bless me!”(Gen 82:26) Job said, “I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.” (Job 42) Jesus commanded the God of Lazarus; He commanded the God of the withered arm.

Jesus told his disciples to speak to the Supreme Servant in the terms of the Lord’s prayer as the firm insistence of their own lordship or hidden being of the heart whom all authorites obey. This formula is full.Faith, the evidence that God is all of short commands to the Great Servant who asks, “Is anything too hard for me?”(Jer 82:27) We will take Thursday to practice speaking to the Great Servant with firm command. We will use the words of the hidden Lord’s Formula.

(Matt 6:9-13) We will speak it over and over, fifteen times, as the sick people do at the Waters of Lourdes, when they are urging God to heal them by way of the Waters. Fifteen is the number where the waters of misfortune cease to prevail against us. (Gen 7:20) It is the number by which we rise up to walk above hardships.

1. Hallowed be Thy name.

2. Thy kingdom come.

3. Thy will be done.

4. Give me this day my super-substantial bread.

5. Forgive my debt of confidence to command Thee.

Give for my emptiness Thy substance 6. Let me not into temptation.

Warn me when I turn away from Thee 7. Deliver me from evil.

Grow more and more urgent, insistent and commanding, as you go on repeating the Great Formula to the Greatest Servant among us. Let confidence solidify. Let the God-Spark speak.

“Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty. For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all. In thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”(I Chr 29:11-13)

Friday First Week

Faith without works does not exist. Faith always works. It stirs boldness and confidence, to dare the seemingly impossible. Notice Elisha’s bold faith when he ordered the widow to borrow vessels and pour oil, seemingly from nowhere, into them. (II Kings 4) Command of the Great Servant is a practice that changes the nature from timidity and doubt to commanding boldness. It changes the nature from timid following to daring leadership, and from obedience to authority. So was Jacob’s name changed to Israel, when he fought with the angel at daybreak, and won in the battle. (Gen 32) Authority with God discloses authority with the Self. The divine Self lies quiescent and still, waiting in all humankind to be stirred into action by the outer self. Two kinds of action stir the still Self into action: command and praise.

Once the Spirit is recognized, it acts. Recognition has a subtle law of its own. Body and its speech are woven into relationship with the Soul, or Self, by recognition.

We are to turn and speak to the divine Self back of us. As our speech has so far been shot forward, speaking to our neighbor, so now at the turn of the tongue, we speak backward to raise up our outer self by our hidden Self. This Self back of us, like a Shekinah pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, is the friend of our outer self or outer life. It can make the outer life whole, strong, and sane. For the truly sane know, that health can be awakened outwardly by the recognition of the Soul’s free, flawless and immortal excellence. “The Spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord.”(Ps 20:27) And by recognizing this candle sound health is established in the outer experience. “Awake up, my glory!”(Ps 57:8) “Awake thou that sleepest!”(Eph 5:14) This is addressing with ever-strong command the ever-present, glorious Soul..Works are the rest of mind in the Presence of God 59 Those whose Soul glows and flames through all they do and think, have discovered a bottomless well of living refreshment to draw from.

Everything they do has the touch of spiritual charm about it. For the Soul is the everlasting reservoir of enchantment. “The fifth angel sounded,” said John the Revelator (Rev 9:1) and a star-like character appeared upon the depths of their own Soul, or the bottomless well of power and glory. And John saw that the being of Soul showed humankind how to put their consciousness of flesh limitation and common sensation of pain and pleasure into trance, or sleep, for the sense of God’s Presence to be most real. And thereby humanity should know new laws of life.

For centuries, we have been urged to praise and command the hidden limitless Self of us. Let us begin now, to praise and command the Self: “Oh Wonderful Me! Oh, strong and unspoilable Me! Beautiful Me! Influential Me! Enchanting and Immortal Wisdom!” It answers, “I am all that, and more.” For “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”(I Cor 2:9-10) Let us continue with strong commands to our great Self: “Rise up, my Soul, and heal the sick wherever I walk! Show people how to be strong! Make people love God! Quicken me with heavenly fervor! Show me the finished kingdom through which I walk! Show me the words that make the world glad and sane!” The Soul, or Free Spirit, answers: “I can all that and more.” We must never give over commanding the Soul Self, every night before we sleep. Some day, like Jesus of Nazareth, we shall sense our ever-present abilities. It was by the sense of his masterful Soul that Jesus saw he could take all the sin and all the consequences of the sins of the world into himself. Because he was full of the Godhead bodily, he could utterly annihilate sin, sickness, and death.

There is a strange and very little observed law ever operating among us. It is the law of vicarious or transferred suffering. Jesus saw this law and entered it, and for all who would accept his great offer, there is freedom from unconscious or mechanical guilt. Jesus offered to take our guilt and the consequences of guilt into his own self, and thereby lift the weight of the law. “God sent forth his son to redeem them that were under the law.”(Gal 4:5) He offered to do this for all unwitting sinners upon the earth. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”(I Jn 2:2) Let us acknowledge the great, unprecedented, and uncopiable achievement of Jesus of Nazareth, who, by recognition of his own Soul,.did the humanly impossible. He is the pivotal man. He is the Soul-bloom in the garden of man, the first fruits of them that slept. (I Cor 15:20) We will take Friday to acknowledge before High God the surpassing accomplishment of Jesus of Nazareth. Let us acknowledge before God, that we walk through a redeemed, healed, unpunishable world, because of the vicarious suffering of Jesus of Nazareth. He, being all God-hood, was and is forever Christ Jesus – or God Jesus – the living manifestation of what humanity can do and be by recognition of their own son-ship to Omnipotence. “That God the Father may give you the spirit of Wisdom and revelation for the acknowledgment of him.”(Eph 1:17) Let us accept our liberty. Let us accept our health; let us accept our redemption, by stating what hath been done. So shall we by sighting one completed work enter upon our own ordained opus. “God is not unrighteous that he will forget our work.”(Heb 6:10) There is but one unit one, but as many expressions of the unit one as we please. Each expression occupying an independent and differentiated position, so there is but One Supreme Self in the universe. It manifests as the Self of Jesus, or your-self, or my-self. There is but one work for each of us. As Jesus did his work, so we are to do ours.

Every Friday, let us lift up our voices to acknowledge that, “Jesus Christ, as Emmanuel, God with us, hath borne my griefs and carried my sorrows.

He was wounded for my transgressions. He was bruised for my iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon him, and by his stripes I am healed. He Himself took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses. He is the propitiation for my sins and not for mine only but for the sins of the world.”(Is 53:4 -5) This acknowledgment is promised to send ether balm across the heart and brain.

Saturday & Sunday First Week

When the disciples had associated with the Risen Christ long enough, they sensed that he had been wounded for the transgressions of a world. They realized that by acknowledgment of the same the world might go free, “then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures.”(Lk 24:25) And the Scriptures he gave them was his own name: “The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name shall teach you all things.”(Jn 14:26) This name constitutes the most remarkable book ever mentioned on earth, for the Spirit of Truth it wakens, shall guide into all truth, and show humankind of things to come (Jn 16:13).

Every name conveys the bearer’s qualities, and when called earnestly, imbues the caller with that quality. “I have made thee like unto Him, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”(Rom 4:17) “For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?”(Deut 4:7) Surely, by this law, the man who has shown the most super human power must confer the most super human powers through his name. No man’s name ever named stands for such colossal achievements as Christ Jesus whom the apostles spent so many weeks calling upon.

John the Revelator had been among the callers, and he knew that the little book in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne (Rev. 5) was the name, Jesus Christ.

“The throne had six steps.”(I Kings 10:19) Six is the number of attainment to spiritual insight, or illumination above the brain. It is often rendered understanding.

A person can be so full of epidemic that whosoever but touches the hem of their garment may be cast down into a bed of sickness. Has any one seen a man so full of the contagion of God that whosoever touched his raiment was instantly healed, and now sheds abroad health like a contagion? Saul was told to call upon the name Jesus Christ. (Acts 22) His name was changed to Paul, and his aprons and handkerchiefs were full of the contagion of God. (Acts 19) “As many as touched Jesus were made.Understanding of God whole.”(Matt 4:36). Whosoever stepped into the shadow of Peter, calling on Jesus Christ, was healed. (Acts 5:15).

That contagion still exists, but there is either curiosity mixed with doubt, or pure doubt without curiosity, in the minds of all who are now told to call upon it, to cry sharply upon it.

The name is like an alabaster box that has to be sharply broken open in order that the precious ointment may be obtained. Is it not written “Thy name is as ointment poured forth?”(Cant 1:3) We will choose the name of the one who wrought forth power over earth and heaven, and in whose name is folded the new name with new powers in it. (Rev. 2:17) We will choose the name of Him who has redeemed us out of every nation. (Rev. 5) To sight toward an object with fixed, steady attention and call its name is to be related to it in the end. We must give out strict attention to something supernally worthwhile.

Let us take Saturday and Sunday to call upon the name Jesus Christ.

“Far above all rule and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”(Eph 1:21) We will stretch up our hands and cry to that name. “Does not Wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice?”(Prov 8:1) Let us declare our great need, for he answers, What wilt thou? He has promised, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.”(Jn 14:13).

There is an ineffable name, the key to the mysteries of the universe.

According to the Christian Scriptures, the name Jesus Christ is that revealing name, key to all understanding.

He that seeks Me identifies with Me. He reigns with Me. He lives as My life, he strengthens as My strength, he understands as My understanding. What I Am he is.

He calls upon My victorious Name, and whatsoever he does prospers, reminding humankind of My ever present, ever friendly, ever available Supremacy.

For I send the Healing Ghost, the Enwisdoming Breath, to him that calls My Miracle-Working Name Christ Jesus, bursting through which is the other Name, only known to them that invoke His Anointing Name.

Monday, Second Week

We have called unto One whose kingdom is Soul, Free Spirit. It need not surprise us to find the Free Spirit of our neighbors appearing before our inner eye at any moment, putting out for us all outer consciousness of their disease and pain, and even death.

The Soul-Self is the everlasting reality of every person. The outer body is the shadow system hiding the smiling Soul-Self. If anybody will turn to recognize their own Soul-Self, or Free Omnipotence, they will find their outer form improving in looks, in health, in strength, and in speech.

The Christ Jesus Name is an embodying Name, causing to see embodying of beauty, wealth, strength, and fresh life. If we recognize out spiritual Self, we must go on recognizing it. Years and years of turning to the flesh with its bones and nerves can hardly be undone by a little hit-or-miss attention to the Shekinah glory that stands behind us..Birth, or bringing forth, is seeing God only 89 Our neighbors all have a Free, Wise, Un-killable Free Self. Nothing can injure the immortal principle of the Soul.

If we are suddenly aware of the Free Self, which comes sweeping in with our neighbor, a very little silent description will cause the shadowy system to drop its gloom of illness and decay. We must go on describing the Free Soul by praising it, commanding it, that the shadows of sickness and pain may move aside for the smile of health to glow in the face and form of our neighbor.

It is possible by persistent praise of the Free Self to make an utter change in the appearance of a person. So shall the praise of the Free Divine Self waken the unhindered Soul to stand before us at every turn.

The praise of the Real Self is the law of Soul manifestation. To speak silently the spiritual truth about our neighbors and never to agree with their physical descriptions is to live by the word of the Spirit, or the Soul’s law. It is speaking the Truth.

It is the day of the new tongue when the true description is perpetually in our heart, and in our thought, and in our speech.

To see the Free Self is to speak words that harmonize with it.

“Beautiful, Strong, Joyous, Flawless,” – we say silently. No one can fail to carry health if this secret tongue is all praise, never yielding to condemnation, no matter what the claim or temptation.

All the rest of our life we are to praise the free Self of our neighbors.

None so mistaken, but we are to praise their wise free Spirit only. None so negligent or reprehensible, but we are to praise silently their integrity and righteousness. None so old, but we are to praise their beautiful free Self. None so sick or lame, but we are to praise their flawless divinity.

On Monday, we must choose some sick person as they appear outwardly, and praise their Divine Self. Speak silently to their Omnipotent God-Self. No matter how long it takes, keep on, Monday after Monday.

“The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends.”(Job 42:10) Something falls away from us as we pray in the words of praise and command to the Free Omnipotence, or the Jesus Christ of our neighbors.

There is no set formula for praising the transcending Self, but here is a silent description with great awakening in it. Make it the key speech of your opinion of your neighbors every time you see them outwardly as sick or poor or unhappy. Let no such images keep before your eye.

Remember the Real Self. Describe it. And on Monday remember the particular case you are to bring forth out of the darkness..Treatment “I see you, beloved being of light, transcending your past. I see you un-weighted, free. I see you as complete Spirit. Nothing can be added to you. Nothing can be taken from you. I see you as Health. You are one with Universal Health. Nothing can spoil Universal Health. It is God putting away disease. I see you as Omnipotence. It puts aside weakness and shows me God working before me for you, and through you, and by you, forever and ever. I see you as Wisdom looking toward me to speak by you of your heavenly wholeness and peace. I see you as Peace. I see you facing me as Peace that the world cannot take away. I see you as Peace putting aside discord. God is showing Peace now with its touch on your outer life at every point.

You are free God becoming visible for my sake, that truth may prevail.

By the grace of God Almighty – by the grace of the Holy Spirit– by the grace of Jesus Christ now falling upon you, and working in you, I command you to show yourself to all the world as untainted Health, and free Omnipotence, from this day forth. And so it is.

Tuesday, Second Week

“The eighth lot came forth to Abijah.”(I Chron 24) Abijah is the son of the speaker, Aaron. A son is an idea. The order is very direct. An idea always comes to us at some point in our descriptions of the Real Self of our neighbor. This idea tells us what to add to our previous phrases and commands. Each neighbor needs some special message. When an idea comes, we can speak it audibly to the neighbor, if we like. Its effect is almost always instantaneous. If it is the message his whole being craves his disease will soon drop off and his smile break forth.

In the Talmud, it is written that the Messiah will come when the people hearken to the voice of God. In the Hebrew Testament, we are told that the escaped of the free Spirit, will cause us to hear, or to have the right idea. (Ezra 24:26) After eight days, Jesus the Risen, came visibly present to the waiting disciples and said, “Peace be unto you.”(Jn 20:21) Only the upward watcher hears the promise of peace and health and forgiveness. That which is told from above is always of universal application and universal worth and is therefore worth writing. “Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.”(Jer 30:2) We may spend a while in a listening attitude before one whose Free Omnipotence we have praised. The air has been spiritualized by describing silently the Free Spirit. We are ready to hear the words, which strike into view the answer to our prayer. “He shall come unto thee to cause thee to hear.”(Ezek 24:26) We must repeat the idea firmly, as if it were the final word..Sight – The Spiritual Mind is never deceived The ‘eighth’ is circumcision (Phil 3:5) Circumcised on the eighth day, means that we are cut off from the stories of pain, disease, poverty, and death. We are hearkening intently to the heavenly speech. The Holy Ghost is the teacher. The harvest of sayings from the Holy Ghost above causes the end of the world.

The sign of the cross is the sign of the undoing of the past by the sight and hearing of the New. It is the sign of the blotting out of ordinances against us, as Paul discovered (Col 2:14) It is the symbol of erasure. Making the sign of the cross signifies that what is presenting itself is nothing at all: the unseen Christ is all.

How can the ears hear the truth regarding the blind while the blindness seems so real and sad? No wonder that we need to have some sign that the flesh profiteth nothing, as Jesus said (Jn 6:63) Only the words of the Healing Spirit are life and healing strength.

Take Tuesday to blot out all the words of sickness, pain, and death.

Take Tuesday to erase the pain, poverty, and disease from over the free Spirit of some one person. Take Tuesday to hearken to the particular message that belongs to Monday’s case. Hearken all day Tuesday to the voice of the Lord whispering behind thee. It comes as an idea. It is undeniably true. Remember that the Truth makes free. (Jn 8:32) All sick, or lame or unhappy people would spring suddenly into freedom if someone would speak to them the truth belonging to them.

“A right word, how good it is; who can measure the force of a right word?”(Prov 15:23) “He sent forth his word and healed them.”(Ps 107:20) “He wakeneth thine ear to hear as the learned.”(Is 50:4) “The tongue of the wise is health.”(Prov 12:18) “A good word maketh the heart glad.”(Prov 12:25) “The Lord hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”(Is 50:5) They that can hear the word of healing have touched the beryl stone of character. They are of value on land and sea as the beryl stone is the color of both land and sea. Their written words convey health to all who read them.

Wednesday, Second Week

The law of listening is the law of joy. Upward watchers get their inner ear opened to know how matters and things are progressing.

The mystics have always failed in proportion with their insistence on the wickedness and failings of their neighbors. But even on the cross Jesus saw the forgiven world. It is strong, fixed, sight that governs the ideas that show in conduct and in flesh.

If you forget a name look steadily toward the person who bears it, and the name will come to you. If you do not get it promptly, it is evident that your vision does not stay fixed. The photographic plate has to be exposed to the object long enough to catch its impression distinctly or the configuration is indistinct. Try again and look longer.

Looking toward God on high, we can catch the law just suited to the person who seems to be unhappy. If we do not catch the law at first we must look again..Holiness – The only nature of things 113 The words caught from above have always uplifting and healing potency in them. “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart”(Jer 15:16).

The description of the strong and beautiful Self localizes the Universal Truth. This localizing is called healing. “I will give you pastors that shall feed you with knowledge,” said the Lord to Jeremiah, (Jer 3:15) and all the people shall be new and glad. How can pastors feed with the joy of right if they have not themselves been fed? There is a root of strength and vitality about everybody and everything. The right speech with the right tonic in it can animate it into astonishing virility. Even an apparently dead tree is reachable by those with the tone of this vitalizing mystery, in their secret speech. It is an unkillable quality resident at the roots of life, just as the actinic ray, that sweetens the grape, is an unquenchable constituent of the sunshine.

Joy must be quickened from somewhere. The Scriptures declare that it is quickened from hearing vitalizing truth. “Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart”(Jer 15:16). This joy, that comes of being in direct communication with the I AM, is an increasable product.

When we speak to the Soul, the Jesus Christ of our neighbor, we are comrading with the Supernal Neighbor. We are keeping High Company.

“God hath set us on high because we have first known his name,”(Ps.

91:14), and at every turn we behold Divinity manifesting as beauty, health and joy – the outward signs of the Universal Highest.

Joy is the large and formidable power resident in humanity. Whoever can awaken God-joy in his neighbor brings forth the most powerful principle he covers.

It is a secret charm, which people covet, and follow after and get comfort from. Haggai says that it is the real desire of all nations.”(Hag. 2:7)

Its symbol is the topaz stone. It signifies that the triumph of steadfast vision has come in the words which set nobility where wickedness had hereto been visible.

Often glancing to the Heights brings back transforming words that stir the joy chords. For it is a joy to tell the words that transform pain into peace, and disease into health. It awakens youth to feel the joy currents leap within us. It makes the hand magnetic to the angel, so that it pulls the angel of our neighbor’s presence forward when we stretch forth the hand. Jesus touched the free Spirit of the leper (Matt 8) and the angel of the child of Nain (Luke 7). He said we ought to lay hands on the sick to make them recover (Mk 16:18). He means that we have to come to the ninth stone of character, where the angel is tangible to us..Let us practice touching the invisible, yet tangible present angel of some sick person. Let us take Wednesday to stretch forth invisible hands and urge the angel to make himself manifest. This urge is our will. It is our neighbor’s will. It is God’s will. This is the song of the topaz, or of the Universal Will to be well.

There is a pulling power in the hand as we say to the Angel of the Presence: “Come forth! It is God’s will, it is your will, it is my will that you be well and strong and glad. Come forth!” Tell him your most joyous text. Repeat it over and over as a song is repeated. “I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.”
(Hos 11:3-4)

Thursday, Second Week

The tenth stone of character is the chrysoprasus. (Rev 21) This signifies that no situation daunts us. The people came up out of the raging waters of Jordan on the tenth day (Josh 4:19), but they had not noticed the raging waters their vision was so glued to liberty. To them the water had parted. (Josh 3) When we mean to heal our neighbors, we sometimes find that their whole secret mind opposes the healing truth we so ardently tell them.

Their mind and body get excited with pain or sickness. All their old diseases show forth. They are irritable, confused, and weepy.

To be phased by such a showing forth is to prove that we have not come to the tenth stone of character. “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small,” said Solomon. (Prov 24:10) To stand on our stone of confidence, assurance, and certainty, with respect to someone who is very sick, is to reach the everlasting health, which shines like a sun back of their sickness. That sun with its healing beams can brush aside their sickness as the sun in the skies brushes aside the clouds. The clouds may hurry, and scurry, and glower darkly, but they have nothing to do with altering the sun. The sun is the same it was before the clouds gathered.

When the Sun of health back of sickness is once seen, the sickness is not recognized. It is a great day when nothing moves us, either pain, or disease, or crying, because we are sighting the reality of peace. It brings forth happy neighbors. They feel the apple green chrysoprasus of a new base. They suddenly shine forth saying, “I see that my life is God, to whom I am looking for life.” To yield to doubt and fear because conditions are gloomy is not to hold out to the end of the clouds. Some people let go of God and the Great Truth with which they had started. So they never see their victory in this life. It is pretty certain they will have a chance to try again somewhere, but how much better to settle the question of the high watch and the truth of the Soul right here, now! Our neighbors are Free Spirit. Neither pain nor disease can be added to the Free Spirit, or taken from it. Our neighbors are not flesh and blood, quaking, and crying. We touch them as the Angel of God’s Presence. We speak to them as Omnipotent Soul. This is Truth, whether they show it outwardly today or not. If they do not show it outwardly, but instead complain and have more trouble than ever, the truth is true all the same.

At our interior God-point, “Mine integrity within me,”(Ps 7:8) we see as God sees and know as God knows. In the midst of affliction, we must speak forth this secret knowing and seeing. It is the heavenly fact told us in secret to be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Matt 10).The Divine Self – One in All Whenever any one to whom we have whispered the praises of Soul, begins to act quite wretched in his body, let us look to our temple place, our sanctuary within, where we know as God and see as God. Let us “look to the rock whence we are hewn.”(Is 51:1) Let us read from the law as it is in our inward parts (Jer 31:33) “In mine integrity within me, where I see as God and know as God, I know you, Beloved, as Free Spirit. I know you as alive with life that death cannot touch. I know you as strong with Omnipotence, whole and complete as a Child of God, wise to know yourself as unhurt by matter or mind. Show yourself to all the world as I know you at my integrity point. Acknowledge with boldness and confidence that you are free, strong, glad Spirit, without pain or disease.” We will take Thursday to regard our neighbors as within, at our hidden meeting place with God. Also on Thursday, we will speak to the one that we love best, at our meeting place with God. This is a good treatment to give concerning one who had an accident or who has been taken ill suddenly. It takes them past the chemical change, or Jordan River they are passing through.

There is an angel always standing near someone in trouble. Let us agree with the angel and see health and strength made visible by our firm secret insistence.

“He hath put wisdom in the inward parts.”(Job 38:36) There is no healing that we can trust, like the healing that comes from recognizing from our own unshakable center, just how it is forever with our neighbors.

“Go stand and speak to the people in the temple,” said the angel to the apostles. (Acts 5:20) “Ye are the temple.”(I Cor 3 16,17) “I in you.”(Jn 14:20) “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”(Ex 4:12)

Friday, Second Week

House signifies character. A person’s judgment constitutes the sum total of their character. A good judge is more sought unto than a king is, for he establishes right relations.

Those with right judgment according to the Jesus Christ of themselves know instantly what to do to heal the sick person, or raise the dead, or help the disheartened.

All the voluntary practices of the Presence of God, which we are making, have been the inspirations of such as have beheld their Heavenly Father’s countenance until they knew that whatever they themselves did was right. They could see that whatever was happening outwardly had back of it and over it some wonderful blessing. They did not have to scramble and pull things and events into order. By sighting the Trend, or the Providence, or the Fiat, and seeing the finished fact, they accomplished mighty things.

The whole creation is finished, complete, now, in the eyes of God.

To see for three seconds a thing in its completeness, as it truly is, is to find the thing acting of its own weight to exhibit itself to everybody as complete.

The new healing is a process of seeing a strong arm where a withered one claimed to exist, as Jesus cried with a loud voice to the living Lazarus.

Whatever we see with the inner eye comes by and by to the outer eye. Everywhere we look a finished objective faces us.

It is the angle of repose between God and humankind to see as God sees. “Is he not too pure to behold iniquity?”(Hab 1:13) Everyone’s lot or portion in life is seeking them or looking toward them. He called upon us to be at rest from seeking our good. It is in straight line with us. We can pray as if we had received, for here it is, no matter what it is we have asked for. “Pray as if ye had received – believe that ye receive,” said Jesus (Mark 11:24) “Ask what ye will,” he said. (Jn 15:14) Judgment is communicable. We catch God-Judgment from the Face of God. “Many seek the ruler’s face, but every man’s judgment cometh from the Lord.”(Prov 29:26) We will take Friday to stop throwing any estimates out over people.

We will let the finished good of them declare itself to us.

By this stopping of thoughts engendered by associating with downward watching people, the Son of God faces us in all. His judgment and our judgment is one judgment..“The eleven stars did obeisance to Joseph.”(Gen 37:9) This means that every estimate falls down into nothingness before the God-estimate.

Joseph means he will add. That is, he will add to life as it now stands a life by a miracle of God. He will add to gold as it now stands riches by the miracle of God.

To let the ark move forward is to let the great Trend alone – to rest, because it is finished. “In earing time and harvest thou shalt rest,”(Ex 34:21) for, “God shall bring forth thy judgment as the noonday.”(Ps 37:6) “The eleventh was the jacinth”(Rev 21:20) – the rubellite. Pushing red to its acme of perfection it is the priceless ruby, emblem of priceless judgment.

Beauty is another word for judgment. Beauty is poise, balance, as judgment is balance. “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.”(Ps 50:2) According to Thy judgment it is well with me, therefore it is well. (Is 3:10) According to Thy judgment it is well with all of humankind, therefore it is well.

Saturday and Sunday, Second Week

“The twelfth lot came forth to Jakim,” – whom God sets up. (I Chr 24:12) “He is set on high because he hath known my name.”(Ps 91:14) Jakim, the true High Priest, is not man-taught. He is taught from above.

“And the twelfth lot came forth to Hashabiah,” head of the twelfth course of Levitical singers. (I Chr 25:19) The Levitical singers cause people to forget trouble and anger – as Paul and Silas forgot they were in prison while singing of the Free Spirit (Acts 16) When curses can be turned into blessings, we have touched the divine alchemy. The oyster that turns the anguish-giving sand grain into a pearl with the luster of the skies in its whiteness, is emblem of humanity glorying in the midst of affliction. “We glory in tribulations,” said Paul. (Rom 5:3) Paul was the collect of all the apostolic virtues in the earth. It took twelve Apostles to strike his curses into blessings. He was the convert from animosity to identification. “Canst thou bring forth the twelve signs?” asks God of Job (Job 38:32) The practice of looking toward the Judge of all earth who doeth right, (Gen 18:25) causes us to recognize the right judgment native to every man, woman and child on earth.

As what we recognize comes to the surface in its own good time, our neighbor’s outward actions and speech must soon be according to our recognition.

People catch our prejudices as they catch our measles. They catch our right judgment as they catch our smallpox. Notice how soon they look up if we look up.

“By me kings reign,” says the Lord of Hosts (Prov 8:15). This means that we have kingship by associating with the King. We have wisdom by associating with the Author of Wisdom. “I will instruct thee and teach.154 thee.”(Ps 32:8). But we have to give strict attention to Him.

At the point of identification with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the world seeks the men and women so identified, to snatch health and vigor from their bright flying sparks of secret God-quality.

They rest from their efforts but their works are effectual. As it is written, “They rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”(Rev 14:13) God gives us this rest, and our works go forth. “I will give you rest.”(Matt 11:28) It is the highest state of ministry possible when without thinking anything or trying in any way to help our neighbors we are yet their health and their joy. “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest,” said Paul (Heb 4:11).

The twelfth symbolic stone of character is the amethyst. It is the emblem of rest; of arrival. The harness is put off. We, passing through the valley of Baca, weeping, make it a well of refreshment. (Ps 84:6) As the ruby is most precious of all the precious stones, so the amethyst is least precious. It is the emblem of taking the weak things of this world to confound the mighty and the prudent. (I Cor 1:27).

They who touch the twelfth characteristics have no hope. What shall one hope for who hath attained all? The amethyst symbolizes one without expectation. This is a state held in low esteem on earth, but in heaven, it is the state of the angels. They who touch the twelfth characteristic are indifferent to sickness and crying. Does the sun regard whether it is ripening the apple or rotting the pear? The greatest healers are so identified with Health that even their outer ears cannot hear complaints of sickness. “Who is deaf as my messenger that I sent?” says the Lord (Is 42:19) The Lord’s messenger sees only the Lord’s finished work. He hears only the talk of wholeness.

To him there is neither male nor female (Gal 3:28). To him it is easy to eat what is set before him, and ask no questions.

The two that are in the field are, Soul unmolested, and flesh in mental turmoil. “Two shall be in the field,” said Jesus the Master of Unspoken Name, “the one shall be taken, the other left.”(Matt 24:40) John the Revelator told us to write to the Soul. There are seven types to whose angel we must write (Rev 2). First, there is the Ephesus type.

They are the emotional, the excitement lovers. Then, the Smyrnans, they are the lovers of adornment. Then, there are the Pergamites, lovers of art, literature, science, and statecraft. Out of the Pergamos type is to come the writer of the little book which is to alter the life of the world and usher in a new dispensation. Then, there is the Sardis type they are body devotees. They are afraid of draughts. They are afraid of accidents. They.Praise are afraid of what they eat. They are always seeking the comfortable, the soft, the pleasant things of bodily life. Then there are the Thyatyrans.

These are the easily offended. And the Philadelphians, are the philanthropists of human existence. They seem so worth while, yet their vision is glued to human woe. We must write to their angel, otherwise their mind will never agree with the doctrine of unmolested Sonship of Jehovah. We must write to the angel of the Laodiceans also. They always changing their religion.

We need not show these people the letters we have written to them.

We can burn the letters. All addresses to the Angel have subtle flavors that can penetrate through the strong walls of unlikeness to the meanings, without the necessity for acknowledged communion.

“Now ye are come to an innumerable company of angels, written in heaven,”(Heb 12:22) said Paul to the Hebrews.

We must take Saturday and Sunday of each week to write to the angel of some otherwise unreachable neighbor. We must keep high company. We are on a great ministry. It is no less than showing people their Sonship to God and their inheritance of the Jesus Christ character, free from the law of matter.

For Thine, O Lord, is the Kingdom And the Power and the Glory Forever and ever Amen.

Drops of Gold

by Emma Curtis Hopkins

Months

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

January

January 1

How strong your thoughts are! Each one attracts circumstances to you just like itself. Send this thought abroad over the universe and draw unto yourself great possessions, such as it is sure to bring: “I trust in the Principle of Righteousness.” January 2

Your inner nature is fine and brave. The government is on your shoulders; therefore, you should much repeat these words of Jesus Christ: “All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth.” January 3

You have large ambitions. You can carry out your hidden ideals by spending many night watches affirming: “I am one with Divine Wisdom” January 4

You are the patron Saint by nature of literature, art, and education. All that you favor prospers if you have learned to spend all vacant moments silently whispering: “I am good.” January 5

You can master the business of the world if you investigate its ways and do not cease from believing: “All things are mine, for God is my Friend.” January 6

Your speech does charm the ears of congregations of men, if you have been faithful to the motto born with you, to be silently spoken day and night: “I am Spirit.” January 7

You have wondrous sympathies, and philanthropy. Carry out your greatness by determining: “I am meek and lowly of heart.” January 8

You will draw revenues and judgment to yourself by saying: “My help cometh from Jehovah.” January 9

Great are your aspirations. Realize them by affirming silently: “God is my Strength and my Life.” January 10

To think and reason wisely is your inheritance. Say these words daily that the world may be benefited by you: “My Mind is God.” January 11

You can work nobly for a cause. Say often: “God works through me to will and to do that which ought to be done by me.” January 12

You will learn your mission in life by saying continually: ‘‘God is my Judge.” January 13

You are great of heart and mind by birthright. Demonstrate this by keeping for your life-text: “God is the strength of my Life. Of whom then shall I be afraid!”

January 14

You can prophesy of things to come. Get down on your knees to Jehovah, saying: “Thou knowest all things.”

January 15

Positiveness, executiveness, and determination, you have by nature. Say continually: “I know no fear. God is my Friend.”

January 16

Nothing can keep you from being at the head of a large and successful enterprise if you have held daily the idea: “God prospers me.”

January 17

You expect largely, and great fulfillment belongs to you. Prove these words true by getting the potentiality of this formula: “God is Love. I am Love. God is Power. I am Power.”

January 18

You are a natural promoter of harmony and social joy. You have demonstrated this already if you have said often: “God is my Peace.”

January 19

You swing your world from right to left according to your dictum. Be sure to enter into sleep nightly with this thought: “Divine Wisdom is demonstrated by the perfect judgment with which I administer upon affairs.”

January 20

You are the national financier if for your motto you take: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

January 21

You are a great judge of character. Your perfect judgment, which leads you to call forth the best in man, must be trained in demonstration by your constant repetition of this axiom: “Only the good is true and only the true is good.”

January 22

You belong among the city’s throngs. You teach the nations government. Hold this word: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” January 23

What a reasoner for materialism you would make if early in your pathway had not come this text to you: “God is Spirit.”

January 24

Seek not the world’s applause. To yield to public opinion when you know the true principle of action would cause you to cry: “Would God I had never been born.” Keep this for your text: “He leadeth me.”

January 25

When you look on a body of people your eyes burn with the controlling fires. Have you learned to train those fires by affirming every morning: “I will guide thee with mine eyes.”

January 26

You know how to deal with humanity along mercantile lines. You will keep yourself healthy by declaring that: “No evil can come nigh me. God is my health.”

January 27

Home is glad where you love home. “Home without thee cannot be.” Keep this word of Jesus: “My yoke is easy.”

January 28

You will please the public in whatsoever department of service to it you engage. Keep this text: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth.”

January 29

“She is more precious than jewels.” “He is known in the gates.” Their motto is: “All is well.”

January 30

You know your own worth. Others know it too. It is easy for you to master what other men have learned. You should say: “I am strong in Principle.”

January 31

You are faithful to duty in whatsoever calling you may be placed – by nature. You will be proficient and efficient by saying always: “I am guided by the Principle of Righteousness.”

February

February 1

The world needs your genius. Be faithful in service. Often acknowledge: “I came not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.”

February 2

You can quickly judge right from wrong. Assure yourself and the world of this by mentally holding the word: “My judgments are right.”

February 3

Your restless activity signifies the efficiency of your thoughts when you send them forth to accomplish good works. Think much: “Surely as I have thought, so is it come to pass.”

February 4

Faithful and true you are. Keep this for your motto: “He is faithful that hath promised.”

February 5

Your intuitions are accurate. Walk by them; act upon them. Have your watchword always at hand: “I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”

February 6

Keep among the haunts of men. Live where many people may feel the radius of your kindly thoughts. Shine out your soul fire by saying: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.”

February 7

Books are readily mastered by you. National resources you can handle wisely. These words held always will put you into the gates of honor: “In Him is Light.”

February 8

Beauty is an expression of Divine Goodness. It will increase in you with the years if that Truth be firmly held by you: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”

February 9

Loving-hearted are you. Home is your joy. Prove this by the living text: “God is Love.”

February 10

Buying and selling merchandise; honorably dealing always, yet always accruing to thine own revenues: “Peace be with thee.”

February 11

You are a very useful member of society. Hold on to thy text: “The law of the Lord is perfect; converting the soul.”

February 12

It is easy for you to compel people to do your will. Keep hard hold of this truth: “There is only One Will.”

February 13

Keep your mind steady to some one purpose or object in life. Thus will your body repose in health: “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on Thee.”

February 14

Whatsoever sphere of service you occupy therein you are earnest and proficient: “I am meek and lowly of heart.”

February 15

You could invent things, but instead you patronize inventions. So you are a patron saint. Keep this idea running through all your life: “In Thee I live and move and have my being.”

February 16

You are intuitive. You are a good judge of character. You accomplish much good in the world. Let this text abide in you: “I reflect Wisdom, Strength, Holiness from God the Father.”

February 17

You are greatly beloved by all who know you while you hold to your axiom: “God is Love.”

February 18

Earnest, faithful, kind, you express the kindness of the Divine Parent. Your word is: “The Lord God is my sun and shield.”

February 19

Be not anxious about money matters. You will always have abundance if you say daily: “In the Lord’s house is much treasure.”

February 20

You must have confidence in yourself. Your Self is God. Say this: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

February 21

You are modest, conscientious, and chaste, by nature. You can be trusted with other people’s affairs. Hold this inheritance unspotted by quickening your mind with this confidence: “I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might.”

February 22

Be not tenacious of your own will. Be not exacting. Let Go. All is well around you: “Rest in the Lord and He shall bring it to pass.

February 23

Take to a mercantile calling. Get an unusually good education. Hold this word: “I am equal to all occasions.”

February 24

You can do a great deal more than you give yourself credit for being able to do. Keep this motto: “I can do all things through Christ.” “I am the child of Dominion.”

February 25

People and fate are not against you. Cultivate self-respect. You do not need a stronger one to lean on. Say: “God is my strength.”

February 26 You need never be dependent upon others for anything of any kind if you will hold this text faithfully: “Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord will provide.”

February 27

Let your natural sympathy for the poor and the needy open your purse, for these words held faithfully will keep you always bountifully provided for: ‘The Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.”

February 28

Logic is good only when the intuitional judgment accords with it. There is a higher faculty than intellect and sensation. This opens up to you by your repeating much: “God is Spirit. Spirit is Omnipresent.”

February 29

Keep your heart and courage up. Divine Goodness folds you round and bears you on. Say often – go to sleep murmuring: “I am charged with Divine Love.”

March

March 1

The Spirit of Truth of which Jesus Christ spake continually presseth to whisper into your mind these words: “Be not over careful. Be not anxious. Be not restless. Love Me Best.”

March 2.

Kindness, affability, and good sense, these make you worthy. Say daily: “All my help from Thee I bring.”

March 3

Because you mean to be right and do right, it seems to you that others must do and be as you say. But regard them as right when they are doing their own business, and keep for your motto: “Mercy, Truth, Love.”

March 4

You have a hidden spiritual nature. Keep the intellect still and hush the testimony of the senses, for the enfolding Spirit tells you of immortal things. Let your daily prayer be: “Spirit, teach me.”

March 5 Lift up your thoughts to the Presence of God folding you in Goodness. Sing a praise song to Jehovah every day: “I praise Thee. I praise Thee.” March 6 If you do not spend a certain portion of every day speaking unto the Spirit of Goodness you will get materialistic in your tendencies and will lose the charm of living. Speak to the Spirit of God this way: “Thou are here present with me. Blessed be Thy Name.” March 7 Only by having zeal for a righteous cause may you hope to be lifted into high public position and favor. The moment your favor goes to an unrighteous cause you grow from despondency to despondency. Pray this prayer: “My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.” March 8 Take special pains to be well educated. Then you will not be inclined to look up to educated people. Take for your motto: “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” March 9 You have conscientiousness. Let it be known to you that in Righteousness there is no cruelty or domineering; there is large toleration. Here is your prayer: “He giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.” March 10 Listen for that silent nature within you ever whispering of things divine and eternal. Within your own self is your salvation. Keep this truth uppermost: “More than thou canst give to Truth will she on thee confer.” March 11 Love not money. Love God. Honesty is your birthright, pervert not this beautiful principle by believing in the necessity for gain. Keep for your text: “I shall not want.” March 12 Do not be silly about accepting presents from people who love you. Be grateful for assistance offered. Your kindly cheerfulness is ample return. Love is better than money: “I love them that love me.” March 13 Stand alone. Lean on nobody. You know enough to succeed in your own line. Believe in yourself. Say all the time: “I am wise and strong.” March 14 By nature you are upright, honorable, just, sensible affable, kind. These are the principles of Goodness being expressed. Keep your mind clear by holding this thought: “I express God.” March 15 It is easy for you to be a walking encyclopedia. But if you heed the Voice of the Spirit of Truth you will always care more for the Wisdom of Spirit than for the ages of stars. This is your text: “I came forth from God.” March 16 You will always give a just equivalent for all that is rendered unto you. “Let not your heart be troubled.” Keep this saying of Jesus Christ: “I came not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.” March 17 What is for you to do, that you can do. And what you can do, that you must do. Say often: “My help cometh from the Lord.” March 18 Logic is good, but dry. So season yours with knowledge of spiritual laws. This is your text: “My Words are Spirit and Life.” March 19 What made your feet and head pain you was intellectual reasoning. Only a knowledge of Spiritual Truth will heal you. Learn to believe this affirmation of Jesus Christ: “Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” March 20 Have unbounded confidence in your own judgment and ability. Be natural. Learn of heavenly things. Say: “The Lord is my keeper.” March 21 You do not need to try to do your work in any other person’s way. Do your own way. It is a wise one when your judgment approves. Keep clear of being prejudiced by saying: “My judgment is right.” March 22 Harmony, order, elegance, beauty — these are yours by right. Your word is electrical. You can excel in any department. Do not believe your physician when he tells you that your life forces can be depleted. Declare constantly: “God is my unfailing supply.” March 23 Naturally you are an independent reasoner. Your firmness is not stubbornness. Understand well what you are to do and fear nothing. This should be your controlling thought: “In the way of righteousness is life and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” March 24 Music starts the life forces. Sing some true words while you hear any melody. Sing in the silence of the stringed instrument and the wind instrument. This is your song of songs: “He doeth all things well.” March 25 You do not need to serve in any subordinate capacity. You are capable of managing affairs well your own way. Make this your watchword: “I am Understanding. I am Strength.” March 26 You are educated easily. You reason well. Science and philosophy you are master of. Do not forget that this is your life text: “Mercy and Truth; righteousness and peace, I love.” March 27 Harmony is the dominant key of your quality. Therefore, you may learn music to keep you sound and well. Sing this song silently: “God shall bring every work into judgment.” March 28 People to appeal to you must appeal to your reason. But you must know that some are in the right who cannot give you a reason. Be wide in your mercies. This is your text: “Love endureth all things.” March 29 Your thought is quick. You know speedily. Be patient with those who seem slow-witted. Near you is Jesus Christ. “There’s a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Keep this for your text: “I will guide thee with mine eye.” March 30 You excel in your department. You can keep your head peaceful and free from pain by saying every night as you drop into slumber: “He leadeth me beside still waters.” March 31 Life is ceaseless delight. The Divine Will guides you. Those events that seem disastrous are the pushing aside of some things for others better for your progress in Light. Your prayer should be: “Lead kindly Light.”

April

April 1 Pursue faithfully any science and you will become an authority on that branch. But the science of God is the only science that promises complete understanding. Keep this text: “Not the wisdom of this world, nor the prince of this world.” April 2 When your physician threatens you with paralysis, declare vehemently, “God is my unchanging life.” But the principal text of your life should be: “The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” April 3 Wherever you move you radiate harmony if for your daily text you repeat: “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.” April 4 You are noble teacher of science, philosophy, and logic. This is your inheritance. Let nothing wrest your genius from you. Learn this word young: “The works of His hands are verity and judgment; all His commandments are sure.” April 5 The life forces that stir you are the God of you. The activities you demonstrate are Divinely appointed. Let your heart, and will and reason join with this message: “The Lord shall be thine everlasting Light.” April 6 Keep harmonious. By bearing about with you a few texts there will never be any turmoil near you. Keep this one continually: “The Lord shall guide me. In the Lord I delight myself.” April 7 You do not need to serve under another for your own judgment is best. Base all your dealings upon these words: “God is my Wisdom.” April 8 You can reason wisely. If you are full of love, you will master multitudes. Love you must learn to mix with your thoughts. Keep this text: “Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, and I will heal him.” April 9 Harmony, music, friends, right amusements, these shall accompany you if you love this text: “I rest in the Lord.” April 10 Spend a certain portion of each day studying something worth while. Keep this text: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” April 11 Let no other one’s word change your judgment. Act in love. Wear this text down to its spiritual excellence: “I walk with God.” April 12 You are not stubborn. Show that you love those who think you so and they will see you act from judgment. Hold a word for your life law: “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable.” April 13 When other people’s judgment and directions confuse you, listen to your own judgment. It is good. Learn this as Truth: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” April 14 Music and mirth are good. Delight in them as Divine. Carry this motto: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Learn this principle: “The spirit is never crushed. Only the carnal mind droops.” April 15 There is a hidden fire in your nature, which if you turn outward, will guide you into prosperity. Learn how to turn this fire over the world by repeating: “The words that I speak unto you, it is not I that speak, but the Father that dwelleth in me.” April 16 Suppose that nature claims to hurt your brain? Has nature any claim on the Spirit? So you can keep always well and strong by saying: “I lean on Spirit only.” April 17 You are of good council and sound judgment. This judgment is God’s way of his own Being shining through you. Say: “I am radiating Wisdom and Love.” April 18 Keep peaceful. Fear nothing and nobody. Rise in the morning and say joyously: “I am strong with the strength of the Spirit.” April 19 You are a natural conqueror. This is God’s Being streaming through one gate of your being. Recognize your will as Divine Will and you will make no mistake. Say often: “Not my (human) will but thine be done.” April 20 Let no one lead you. Make all your decisions when you are alone. Be jealous of no one. Rest in the knowledge that there is a principle of Right that rules. Keep this text: “He doeth all things according to Righteousness.” April 21 Your intuitions are good. When you seem to be stubborn it is really an instinctive self -protection you are exercising. Stand for your intuitions. Repeat these words: “God is my Judge.” April 22 When you feel determined to carry out your plans at all hazards, stop to be sure your plan is not the suggestion of somebody else. When it is a righteous scheme you will feel strong and joyous and make others glad also. This is your text: “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom.” April 23 You are so ready with your abilities that you soon become known as a leader among your associates if you learned early this: ‘Jesus Christ is all in all.” April 24 Look out for zeal without judgment. Go alone by yourself and decide the question. Keep this text: “God is with me.” April 25 Sympathy is good, but common sense is better. There is an inner witness. Say: “God is my Light.” April 26 Often you catch the thoughts of others among whom you associate. Therefore, take notice of what your judgment spoke early in the morning. Say: “I am wise in Spirit.” April 27 Your life forces generate rapidly. You are a zealous friend, let your morning judgments control your day. Say’ at night: “Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.” April 28 You have great powers of endurance if you have kept this saying: “I can do all things through Christ.” You may be tenacious in your own way when you realize that it is right. Keep this text: “the tongue of the wise is health.” April 29 Your thoughts are copied unaware until you learn this text: “My help cometh from the Lord.” You are supremely original when you receive your illumination straight from Principle and not person. Bind this motive to your heart: “God is my sun and my shield.” April 30 Commit to memory your own writings. Study great principles. Trust your silent admonitions. Learn the meaning of this text: “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.”

May

May 1 Your mind is very strong by nature. Feelings, appetites, and passions must stand aside for that wonderful intuition you were born to. Keep it bright with the words: “God is my Light and my Salvation. May 2 Your interior judgments concerning business affairs are reliable. Be a foe to no one. Keep this motto: “I trust in God.” May 3 You may start any time to acquire a superior education. Then know that that inner Light of yours is better than books. This is your text: “Take heed to the Spirit.” May 4 Let no other get control over your mind through your affections. There is a fine judgment furnished you by the Spirit of God. Heed it. Say often: “The Lord preserveth them that love Him.” May 5 You are best adapted to the city life. You can learn to be thoroughly independent of other mentalities there. Con over this verse: It may not be my way, It may not be thy way, But sure in His own way The Lord will provide.” May 6 You have fine business intuitions. You seem to be stubborn, but you are not. “Love not pleasure; love God.” Keep this axiom: “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” May 7 You are capable of making superior educational attainments. Decide all important questions on your own solitary judgment. Bear about with you this truth: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” also this: “I do not believe in the power of evil.” May 8 To conquer is your prerogative. Your mental powers are Godlike. Your business intuitions are accurate. Be sure the special friend you trust is good, for only goodness and greatness will deal fairly with you. Your verse is to be selected by your own judgment from the sixty-second chapter of Isaiah. May 9 Think over honestly those friendships of yours. Your own way is generally right. Let none other influence you. Keep this life text: “I will walk in Thy Truth.” May 10 Your sympathies are easily enlisted. Your judgment in the early morning must decide your conduct. This is your life motto: “Before they call I (God) will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear.” May 11 Be never jealous. Be well educated. Listen to your own inner voice. You are a natural leader. Love the principle of Righteousness better than you love people. Keep this text: “Then I consulted with myself.” May 12 Your determination to do whatever you undertake will be your unbounded prosperity if you keep for your life promise these words: “I will guide thee with mine eye.” May 13 Your apparent stubbornness is nature’s defense of you. Be sure the cause is just and right which you espouse. This is your inspiration: “I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel.” May 14 You are zealous and sanguine in your religious views. Be sure you are led by Principle and not by persons. Look out for your judgments. Keep this saying as your own: “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” May 15 Keep a good judgment by trusting your own intuitions. Learn to trust this promise which was selected especially for you: “Thou wilt show me the path of life.”… “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord.” May 16 Your life forces swell swiftly. Your recuperative powers are miraculous. Affirm constantly: “I am Spirit, and shed abroad health, life and strength.” Believe this text: “In due season we shall reap if we faint not.” May 17 You must be sure of a good education. But your judgment must be based on your own intuitions. Keep this law: “Be not deceived. . . Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap.” May 18 Let not feelings, appetites, or passions influence you. Your intuitions are reliable. They are the moving of the Divine Principle through you. Believe in these words: “The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought.” May 19 If you speak from your inner Light, you will be original in thought and expression; otherwise you will be an imitator. Keep this affirmation: “I speak that I do know and testify that I do understand.” May 20 Be not anxious. Worry about nothing. Be satisfied with the estate whereunto you are called. Learn one basic Truth of Life, and abide by it. Believe in this law: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. May 21 Distrust nobody. Good speakers and lecturers are of your type. Confidence in people will help put you forward. Keep this text: “If the Lord be on our side who can be against us?” May 22 You belong to the realm of art and mechanics. Get a good education. Fear nobody and nothing. Keep this motto: “Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me?” May 23 What you begin to do, finish it. Understand that continuity and persistence are excellent habits to form. Keep this text: “Blessed are they that keep my ways.” May 24 There is nothing around you to make you dissatisfied. It is all your own state of mind, wholly subject to your will. Learn books. Learn Principles. Rest in the Law of Goodness as impartial. Keep this word: “The Lord reigneth.” May 25 You must learn some one thing well. Compel yourself to be faithful to that one duty. Principles are eternal. This is your affirmation: “I abide in Truth.” May 26 You must have a superior education. Compel yourself to be faithful to whatever you promise to perform. Learn this Principle: “The Good reigns.” May 27 You are fitted to speak in public when principles enthuse you. Carry nothing to extremes except your understanding of Divine Law. Bear this in mind: “There shall be no evil happen to the just.” May 28 Your cheerfulness and vivacity will abide with you if you are absorbed in this Law: “Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it.” May 29 Learn to be satisfied with the way the law works. Mind what is true. That which you begin, finish it. Make your life text: “The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious.” May 30 You may finish your text books word for word. Meanwhile be aware that there is a Principle instructing you, and which you can use any time, that makes you master of books beyond what they teach. Believe this law: “The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth.” May 31 Be constant in friendship, faithful in marriage, and diligent in business. Resist your temptation to inconstancy. Bear these words in mind: “I am the Lord, I change not.”

June

June 1 Your very arms and hands express your thoughts. So you are known and read of all. Therefore take this text: “Let the thoughts of my heart be right.” June 2 You are a maker of your associates. Form a good opinion of their worthy traits and hold steadily to them, eschewing the evil. This is your text: “There shall no evil happen to the just.” June 3 Your activities express the quick power you possess. Learn a good science and also invent a machine. This is your life text: “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness.” June 4 You are mechanical in genius. Make something entirely new. Let your mind learn the law of peace. Get a good education. Keep this affirmation: “The righteous shall flourish like a branch.” June 5 You may know all things by a little persistence. Therefore, cultivate persistence. Get a good idea of what you can do and carry it out. Keep this word: “I am satisfied with myself.” June 6 You have knowledge. This is well. Learn mechanics. You can invent something. Be not restless. Manage your affairs with steadiness. Keep this motto: “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness.’’ June 7 Your thoughts affect powerfully the people around you. Therefore, be sure your thoughts are strictly true. Keep steady, constant, cool headed. Learn this law: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get Wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding. June 8 Be very persistent in finishing the studies you attempt. Resist your temptation to changeableness. You affect people near you strongly; therefore learn Truth. By steadiness of purpose, you preside over nations. Keep this text: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” June 9 Your mind makes speakers and lecturers. Therefore, be wise in judgment by often repeating: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season.” June 10 Never distrust anybody. Find out men’s good qualities and keep your mind on them, not on their failings. This will give you a great light. Learn this affirmation: “I am governed by the Principle of Goodness and fear no evil happenings.” June 11 Restlessness is the outpicturing of quick powers of some kind. Make up your mind what you want to do and persist in accomplishing it. Keep this saying: “He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” June 12 You have mechanical genius hiding within your nature. Faithful adherence to every duty will quicken it into flame. Learn this inspiring principle: “The Salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.” June 13 Keep steady courage. Be cheerful in principle. There is no credit to you for smiling when there is plenty to smile at – no; smile in spite of fate. So you will be great and beloved. This is your life text: “The Lord God will help me; therefore have I set my face like a flint.” June 14 You may do faithfully each day what belongs to you whether you like it or not, for it is the only way you can earn the fruit of your life. Be cheerful by determining to be cheerful. This is labor that conquers. Keep this motto: “Blessed is he that waiteth.” June 15 Be strong, and of good courage. Your lot is not unfortunate, but on the contrary, is your best training ground; so be brave and fearless. This is your text to live by: “Yea the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.” June 16 Every movement of yours tells of energy needing to be expressed by perfect thoughts. Therefore, learn what is absolutely true. Then your thoughts will fall all about the people near you like rains of refreshment. Keep this truth night and day: “My kindness shall not depart from thee.” June 17 Never be suspicious of anybody. The more you believe in them the surer they will be to do right by you. This ought to be your motto: “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” June 18 Be simple; be natural. Trust in the law of the Right. You are always to be sustained by this message: “I am with you always.” June 19 Your nature can be trained to be satisfied and at peace. Therefore, while doing the best you can be not restless; be at peace. Keep this word close: “There shall no evil happen to the just.” June 20 Learn what you like to do best and stand by that till you perfect yourself in it. Be not inconstant. Pray much. Keep this word: “My fruit is better than gold, yea than fine gold.” June 21 You are kind and loving. You do not like to be dictated to and you need not so be, for your judgment is good. This is your text: “Pleasant words are health to the bones.” June 22 If you are rightly trained in your thoughts, you have become strong and self-reliant. By keeping this text you are getting on in power: “Thou God seest me.” June 23 It is sensitiveness that causes you to seem queer and eccentric sometimes. So this verse ought to be constantly in your heart: “I am sufficient unto myself, being “strong in the Lord.” June 24 You can learn to help those people you do not like by bearing this text in mind: “I do not believe in weakness; I believe in Strength and Goodness.” June 25 You are a healing presence to all because you love your home and friends. Keep this text close in your heart: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” June 26 Hoard up nothing. You will never come to want. Love of Divine Omnipresence will make you to draw from the ends of the universe things for your use. This is your heritage from the Principle of Love: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” June 27 Be not anxious about money matters. As you provide for your children or for those you love so Divine Love provides for you. Keep this text: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” June 28 All who come near you love you, therefore you should draw all your love to return unto them from the Divine Presence. Keep this text: ‘How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. June 29 Persist in the studies you began. Learn that you are loveable and so your quaintnesses are loveable. If you understand Divine Love, you are a healing radiance among the people: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” June 30 Be full of courage in all you undertake, for if you trust in the law of Goodness you will have great success. Keep this word: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

July

July 1 With your loving all people because God is Love, you will heal, and feed and comfort by your presence. Get your reinforcements from Spirit. Lean on this law: “The Lord shall help them.” July 2 Your plans will always succeed if you have this text always in your faith: “The Lord shall help me and deliver me.” July 3 Your home is your haven of rest and there they must love you fondly for you love them. Be never anxious, for “The Lord will provide” for you always, because you are diligent. Keep this text: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” July 4 Your faithfulness to duty will bring you success even if it is when it will seem to you late. This is a life word written for you: “I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” July 5 You are by nature warm and loving, therefore you heal by kindly thoughts. Keep this text: “The tongue of the wise is health.” July 6 When you know the absolute Truth you will never be worn or disheartened by people near you. Here is your strong law: “I am strong with the Strength of the Spirit. I am alive with the Life of the Spirit.” July 7 Let nobody wear upon or fret you. Back of you is the Infinite Source of Life, Health, and Strength. Pass along the bountiful supplies of Divine Goodness to your neighbor. This is your motto: “God works through me to will and to do all that ought to be done by me.” July 8 There is no reason for you to care and fear lest you should not be provided for. The less you take anxious thought the more success you will have. Hear this thought in the soul: “Cast all your care on God.” July 9 There is much love in your heart, therefore you are a healing to children. The trust of a little child in its parents should be the nature of your trust in Divine Love. Keep this text: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” July 10 Your perseverance is noble. You can make it agreeable by bearing this word in your heart: “There is no reality in evil.” July 11 There is a lovely talent hiding within your nature. Let it shine forth by shedding abroad this word continually: “God is my Light and my inspiration.” July 12 There is a Christ way of healing the sick, which you can learn very readily because your heart is kind and tender. These words spoken by you will accomplish much: “I love all the world.” July 13 There is a quality about you, which will make you successful without anxiety. Therefore, “trust in the Lord and . . . verily thou shalt be fed.” Keep this word: “In righteousness shalt thou be established.” July 14 Remember that all people are Sons and daughters of God. None of them need to disturb your peace of mind. You have peace, health, and love enough to give them all. Learn this law: “In my Father’s house is enough and to spare.” July 15 Make a home for yourself and keep it by holding determinedly to this truth: “Omnipotent Love cannot be changed or interfered with.” July 16 Your making up your mind to do the right thing will make you strong to carry out your determinations successfully always. Keep this text: “As thy day is so shall thy strength be.” July 17 No matter how people seem to look upon you, you may be sure that they will think nobly of you always if you bear this law in your heart: “I am governed by the law of God.” July 18 You are strong, and firm, and fine by nature. Let this strength and noble firmness clothe you by your saying: “Jesus Christ is all in all.” July 19 There is no power in evil of any kind to overcome you. There is no substance in material conditions to hurt you. Keep this axiom: “My God is the rock of my refuge.” July 20 Be afraid of nothing that you eat, drink, or wear. Step boldly out into whatever line of business you choose. Wear this shield in your heart: “We shall not die – we are Spirit and not flesh forever more.” July 21 Think in orderly fashion the exact truth. This habit will make you a wonderful healer when you do not hardly realize it. You can understand this by believing that: “I am the healing Life.” July 22 By nature, your thoughts are independent. Nobody can misunderstand your motives, or distrust your goodness if you keep this text: “God is my portion.” July 23 Keep as the gift of Supreme Goodness that fine intuitive judgment. Act by it. Trust it. Let this be your daily affirmation: “There is a light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” July 24 When you love, people trust in their Goodness. Trust by reason of this principle – we make people honest by believing in their honesty. Then bear about all the time this truth: “There shall no ill come nigh thy dwelling.” July 25 People may say of you that you lack natural policy. This is a good accusation. It means that you are defended by the Divine Goodness. Wear this text: “Resist not evil.” July 26 There is one positive rule of life, which you may observe till you are supremely successful. It is this: “Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” July 27 You observe everything you see and it changes your thoughts. Stop this, and do and think according to Principle. Here is your law: “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” July 28 Control your feelings and your judgment will always stand out clear and accurate. Mind this word: “My salvation shall not tarry.” July 29 How orderly and harmonious is your nature! Therefore, you will prosper on the Principle: “The words that I speak unto you, it is not I that speak but the Father that dwelleth in me.” July 30 You love to associate with many people sharing like the Apostles “all things in common.” So you ought to think this truth all the time: “There is no respect of persons with God.” July 31 Learn self-control and you will show forth extraordinary powers. Abide by this principle: “Fearing nothing I push onward to ‘the mark of the high calling’.”

August

August 1 Sit by yourself often and mentally deny that any evil can have power over you or any material conditions hinder you. Above all, use the fifth universal denial. Then you will never be deceived by anybody. This is it: “There is no sin, sickness, or death in Spirit and in Truth.” August 2 The world you think of is your ideal. The world about you will never hurt or hinder you if you keep this Truth in mind: “I am governed by the Principle of Righteousness and am not afraid.” August 3 Let no sadness get possession of you ever. Such a state of mind would be what somebody’s near presence had effected and not truly yours. So you ought to make this your daily word: “Praise the Lord for His goodness unto me.” August 4 By nature, you are refined like gold and none can truly spoil you. Be strong in the Principle of Righteousness. Trust the Divine Goodness every minute. Keep this word: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” August 5 Learn a great principle and trust it constantly, then your thoughts will never be changed by the thoughts of those with whom you associate. This is the principle that will keep you: “I am folded round with Divine Truth.” August 6 Order and harmony you delight in. This is your nature. All your affairs will be prosperous and harmonious if you hold this motto: “In me is the kingdom of heaven.” August 7 Who is that one who wins your heart? Trust in that one as guided by the love of righteousness until there is absolute safety in all the friendship – all the confidence. This is your life text: “God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness.” August 8 You are strong in Spirit. You are bold in Truth. You are great in Goodness. Demonstrate all this by believing this: “Jesus Christ is my friend.” August 9 The people around you will be strong and well if you will be true to Truth. This is your special truth: “God is my unfailing Health and my unchanging Life.” August 10 As an author, as a teacher, as a student you can be a success. As a merchant, you will not fail. Therefore, shine forth with your golden gifts. These words are your talisman: “There is no power in evil to hurt me. There is no substance in matter to hinder me.” August 11 Sometimes you speak from the thoughts and suggestions of your friends unless you are well grounded into this principle: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty.” August 12 Let not your tongue slip into words against your neighbors. When one could be made true by a true word of yours, speak it though it may seem to sever you from some tie. This is your life text: “I will speak Truth forever.” August 13 Life in sweet peace is your privilege. This you may secure by keeping this word: “The Lord is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.” August 14 There is strength and energy in your constitution. The repetition of these words will cause you to demonstrate strength and energy: “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” August 15 There is Divine Love in your heart. This love can be made to show forth as the health and joyous life of your neighbors by your believing in this Truth: “The Father that dwelleth in me He doeth the works.” August 16 Though all the people conspire to put you down, yet you still are filled with noble aspiration: “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” August 17 You are persistent and determined by nature. Get a mighty truth to demonstrate and base your actions on a noble resolve. This is your inherited text: “Thy faith hath saved thee.” August 18 There is great inherent power in your mind. Use it wisely by learning to square all your life’s actions by this rule: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” August 19 You have boldness and faith. When you have made this text your axiom you will demonstrate success: “The Lord thinketh upon me. He is my help and my deliverer. The Lord be magnified.” August 20 There are no environments or events that can hold you down. You rise by inherent excellence. This is your birthright: “In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” August 21 Your friendships must not be allowed to warp your judgment. Keep wise in righteousness by this law: “God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.” August 22 Your intuitions are correct. You do not need to suffer from the hard facts of life, for your mind is Creator of your environments. This message is for you: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” August 23 Your mind is keen and discriminating. Your ideas are accurate. Your affections are pure. Learn this life rule: “The Lord rewardeth me according to my righteousness… Therefore has the Lord girded me with strength.” August 24 Harmonious combinations delight you. Harmony may surround you all the days of your life if you will believe this: “The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” August 25 No low conditions of human experience could spoil your nobility of character and mind, once you have learned this rule: “There is no power in evil to hurt me and no action of sin can defile me while I know them as a lie from the beginning.” August 26 You impart harmony and rest. You are lovely in character. This you demonstrate daily by repeating these words: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” August 27 Be sure you are in the right and that is quite enough. Try to control no one but yourself. Rest in this law: “The Lord will give strength unto his people.” August 28 You do not ever need to experience pain or receive a hurt of any kind. Nature has provided you beautifully with defensives. Use them by holding these words in mind: “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” August 29 You are a radiator of health and harmony and peace if you love this law: “God is the strength of my heart.” August 30 Your strong likes and dislikes are your protection. Nevertheless, you ought to say this: “With God is no respect of persons.” August 31 What mighty endurance you have! Shed it abroad over the earth for the people to refresh themselves with strength by putting forth daily these words: “Thou hast declared thy strength among the people.”

September

September 1 You have great self-control and do not need to attempt to control others for your example is enough. Bear this truth in mind: “The Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.” September 2 When you love, you worship. Your will is strong. Your powers are remarkable. Your verse is to be found in Isaiah 54 September 3 Were it not for your intuition and reasoning, you would be materialistic. Learn this principle to live by: “God works with me and through me and by me and for me.” September 4 If you will learn to love the Principle of Righteousness better than anything or anybody in all the world you will succeed in all things. This is your text: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” September 5 You can make wonderful attainments along your line if you hold this text: “In righteousness there is prosperity.” September 6 Your judgments are quick and right. By this you show that this text is your own: “Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.” September 7 Your intuitions are good. Your affections are kind and true. But unless you love Principle better than personality you will have sorrow of heart. This text will help you to be strong: “Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer.” September 8 When you seem to be cast down then you are about to spring highest. Bear this axiom in mind: “The Lord shall guide thee continually.” September 9 Harmony and peace are round about you. You shed them abroad. Keep cheerful and trusting. Love this text best: “I and the Father are one.” September 10 The love of righteousness will protect and defend you from yourself. Keep this text: “Delight thyself in the Lord and He will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth.” September 11 Your interior nature is fine and sensitive. Your thoughts are idealistic. Keep this text and you will be happy: “Greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee.” September 12 You are like refined gold. All the people will realize this if you understand this message that follows you always: “Peace be unto thee, be strong, yea be strong.” September 13 You have great self-control. You control others also. But you had better teach them strong principles and let them control themselves. This is your motto: “If God be for us who can be against us?” September 14 You understand nature well. You are quick and accurate in all things except your friendships. You are able to be wise in these also by holding this affirmation: “I am governed by the law of the Good and cannot fear sin or evil.” September 15 Music and harmony enchant you. Discord troubles you. Discord and inharmony need never come into your lot if you abide in this Truth: “I am in the midst of Israel — my people shall never be ashamed.” September 16 Merge your great will into the Divine Will. Then your character will be beautiful beyond description. Repeat this pledge: “Not my will, but thine, be done.” September 17 Like silver tried — like gold refined, so is your fortitude. This will make life delightful for you: “The motive is its own justification; my motive is pure. Therefore I am justified.” September 18 When you determine to control yourself, understand that it is God’s control and you will rise in joy and wisdom. This is your life fiat: “Let Divine Wisdom now be demonstrated by the perfect judgment with which I administer upon affairs.” September 19 It is not so necessary as you imagine that you have somebody to love. No. Love the law of the Eternal Principle working through you and you will be utterly satisfied. Repeat this affirmation: “I am the Idea of God, and in God I live and move and have my being.” September 20 Though your environments design to crush you, yet shall you see yourself rising with greatness greater than them all. You rise by this affirmation: “I am governed by the law of God and cannot swerve from the path wherein He hath placed me.” September 21 Instead of analyzing nature, investigate the Spirit of God. Bear this in mind: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” September 22 How quickly the meaning and purpose of a book lie open to your knowledge. Let all this quick perceptiveness be employed in the investigation of the Divine Order. This affirmation will be life to you, and strength for those with whom you associate: “In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” September 23 So long as you follow your intuitions, you cannot be deceived. When you follow the vanity of pleasure seeking your judgment is lost. Above all notice what is right for you to do by others. “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, (the desolate hearted) he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” Your verse is in Malachi 2. September 24 If you are strictly moral you will never come to want. There is a close connection in your life between the Principle of Goodness and success. This is your text: “The lip of truth shall be established forever.” September 25 Love not excitement. Love great principles. Take strict care of your obligations to others. Bear your affirmation constantly in mind: “The righteous shall never be removed. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness.” September 26 You must learn not to be influenced by the mental conditions of other people. You must know what is right and abide by it. Keep this promise in mind: “There shall no evil happen to the just.” September 27 You are by nature just and honest in all your dealings. You are fine in your intuitions. Be not afraid to trust your own judgment unbiased by anybody. This must be your life text: ‘Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in his way.” September 28 Overcome your skeptical and materialistic tendencies by constantly remembering that there must be a Creative Principle and that It must be Intelligence and Goodness. This is your affirmation: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart.” September 29 Within your mind is a world of equity and harmony. This thought world it is your privilege to externalize. Remember this text: “Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee.” September 30 Permit no melancholy to settle down over your mind. Your own ideals can be carried out by you. Trust them. Lean hard on the Divine Presence. Speak these words often: “In righteousness shalt thou be established.”

October

October 1 Fine abilities came into being with your being. Your true judgments are unbiased ones. Use your own intuitions. Let nothing tempt you to be either unjust or sensual: “I am upright in heart.” October 2 When you are studying everything so carefully think of it all as but the sign and symbol of great spiritual realities. Then look over into the realities by saying daily: “My word shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” October 3 You do not need to give a reason for anything. That which you know because you do know it is right. Silence is your greatest weapon of defense. Believe this text: “The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy soul in drought.” October 4 The outer world is subject to your slightest wish if you believe this affirmation: “I can preach the gospel. I can heal the sick. I can cast out demons. I can raise the dead.” October 5 It is easy for you to imitate others. Now if you will make some supreme statements of Truth you will see ideals finer than what your neighbors dictate, and will be a greater help to the world. Here is your text: “I cast all my care on God. He careth for me.” October 6 You can readily master all languages. There is one language you must be sure to learn — viz: the language of Spirit. This is your life principle: “I would speak to the Almighty, and I reason with God.” October 7 You must hold firm rein over your temper. Stop often in the midst of your tasks to say: “I do believe that Divine Goodness leads me and loves me.” October 8 A high temper is an energy waiting for a good motive to hurl it into the world to work out some mighty purpose. You must hurl yours forth on the wings of these words: “I know that I shall be justified.” October 9 Activity need never waste your powers if you hold to this as absolutely true: “My words are life to them that find them, and health to all their flesh.” October 10 Sit down quietly every day and in the silence wait patiently for some true word to fall into your mind. This word will guide you aright. There will be no failure or misfortune in your lot. Say this always and under all circumstances: “I praise the Lord.” October 11 If you choose to do right and choose true friends, you will always have plenty of drops of gold. Your mental state is responsible for all your environments and all your possessions. Keep this law in your heart: “Thy words were found and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” October 12 Let not melancholy ever seize you, for your finest ideals you are supremely capable of carrying out. This word carried in your heart will take you safely through everything: “I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee saith the Lord.” October 13 You are inventive. You can make original designs. If you become very spiritually minded your externalization of your ideals will be wonderful. These words are sent for your daily food: “Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.” October 14 You can write your deep thoughts and by and by they will show how quickening your soul fires are. Keep this word: “ The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned.” October 15 The higher mathematics are very simple to you. Therefore, study them. Get familiar with the highest truths of the profoundest mystics. Believe this: “All power is given unto me.” October 16 Learn the moral law. This will make you successful. You need not anticipate trouble. The Spirit of Goodness will keep you from affliction if you trust It. Here is a divine leading for you: “Let us not be weary in well doing.” October 17 When the temptation to skepticism seizes you take these sayings: “Not the wisdom of this world. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. . . . The spiritual man judgeth all things.” October 18 When you have thought profoundly upon any subject, do not hesitate to speak in public all that is in your mind to tell the people. This is your mission. One affirmation will set you into great power. It is this: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season.” October 19 Your true nature is just and honorable. All people can trust you. Bear these words in your mind daily: “With thee is the fountain of life; in thy light shall we see light.” October 20 You can master the languages. You can invent machines. You do not need to be influenced by the minds of those near you, for there is a power of the Spirit always with you. Say this often: “There is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him understanding.” October 21 How noble is your quick judgment when unbiased by associations. This is your law of life: “Blessed are they that keep my ways.” October 22 Never let any personality control your judgment or your consciousness. Rise on the wings of your own spiritual convictions. Keep this text in mind: “I will not fear though there be an host encamped against me.” October 23 Never be jealous. Never be pretentious or proud. Be meek and lowly of heart. Bear this your natal verse in mind every minute: “Hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.” October 24 When you are looking up to one whom you consider learned in books, remember that to be wise in Spirit is greater than all other wisdom. Here is your affirmation: “There is One Spirit – One Only. I am Spirit.” October 25 You are capable of managing large affairs. Those whom you serve can trust you. You will always be sure of competence in all things if you repeat this text daily: “The Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.” October 26 Some will call you cold and exacting. This nature is only what seems. Deep within your soul is the God light of reason. Heed it. So you will be good and do good. This is your verse: “God is Love – God is Spirit – God is Truth – God is Life.” October 27 Never be tyrannical. To be so hides the beams of the sun of Righteousness and you cannot realize Life at its best. Keep this word: “I am thy God and will still give thee aid.” October 28 You do not need to look up to anybody. You do not need to govern anybody. You can have but one Lord, and that is Jesus Christ. You can govern only one and that is yourself. This is your text: “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” October 29 If you will regard the healing power you possess as being of Divine origin and office, you will never lose it. Keep your thoughts on Spiritual themes. Love this text: “Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee, saying: This is the way, walk ye in it.” October 30 You are an effective public speaker by inherent power. Lean hard on the Almighty and demonstrate the baptism of the Holy Spirit and say: “Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth whom I desire beside thee.” October 31 “Be thou faithful unto death.” This text will keep you true to your home: “Love not pleasure, love God.” Remember continually this truth: “There is in man a higher love than love of happiness; he can do without happiness, and instead thereof find blessedness.”

November

November 1 You are a skillful operator. Keep in mind that all your outward actions define a noble spiritual work and signal an operation of Soul. Keep this law: “Thy words only I give forth, for I hear Thy command, ‘Acquaint now thyself with me’.” November 2 Never try to enforce your government by tyranny. God is no tyrant. You are commanded to be Godlike. This is your verse: “He shall lift up his voice for the oppressed.” November 3 Never give way to anger or grief or jealousy. Take such feelings at their worst and speak some Divine truth instead of the angry, or grieved or jealous word. This is a saving Truth: “God is now working with me and through me and by me and for me.” November 4 Be just. Be considerate. Be merciful. You had better give up the punishments you meditate than carry them out. Keep this text for your own: “Why have ye made the heart… sad, whom I have not made sad, saith the Lord.” November 5 If you praise the Divine Spirit, you will be much praised. If you praise the Divine Spirit, you will learn to be merciful. Learn the deep intention of your verse: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” November 6 Learn self-government. This is your first step toward power, wisdom, and strength. Look upon the changes that are taking place in nations, societies, and individuals, as the divine order of things. Bear this word daily: “Hear thou from the heavens their prayer and maintain their cause.” November 7 If you learn the law of God, you will trust that all people will do it when you announce it without your enforcing it. This text held constantly will train you to mercy: “The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness.” November 8 “Deny thyself” exactly as Jesus Christ meant. Learn what He meant. Your silence will be the majesty of your name. While so silent, think persistently this thought: “I shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live.” November 9 You can fill government offices. Before your God, you must walk blameless if you would see your deepest wish granted. You will secure all things by prayer. Keep this prayer constantly: “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.” November 10 No one will ever be treacherous to you. No one will ever fail you, if you learn this precept young: “With all thy getting, get understanding.” November 11 You will get praise and honor among the people where you dwell by believing this message: “It shall come to pass that while they are yet speaking I will hear. Praise ye the Lord.” November 12 Love the knowledge of Spirit best. The rest of the Soul in God is the best rest. Labor conquers all things. Speak the merciful, just, tender word when you are tempted to speak otherwise. This is your natal note: “The greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” November 13 How strong your nature is! Consecrate it today to the Spirit of God. This Spirit will guide you into prosperity and joy. Repeat this text until it is bone of your bone: “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” November 14 Your vitality will increase and your heart shall rest in peace if you keep this in faith: “He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” November 15 Be sure to stop and consider well before you make any move, which will hurt or grieve another. There is a Principle of Goodness waiting for you to be one with it in action, speech, and thought. Here is your word: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? I love and adore Thee above all things.” November 16 No arbitrary plan carried out by you will make you happy. The love of God reigning in you will make you supremely glad. Keep this text: “I have given thee for a witness to the people.” November 17 Be careful to be merciful. Mercy and Truth are loving, and healing. Repeat this daily: “Divine Love is good to all.” November 18 Justice administered by you will be justice indeed if you keep this for your life text: “The power of the Holy Spirit is on me.” November 19 Merge your strong will into the Divine Will by saying daily: “Divine Will. Divine Will. I trust to the Divine Will that endureth forever.” November 20 No jealousy, no temper, no strong emotion will spoil or hinder you if you bear about always your Scripture verses: “Thy sins be forgiven thee – My peace I leave with thee.” November 21 Anger has no hold on you. Sadness never conquers you. Hatred will not rest in your bosom ever if your remember this: “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” November 22 Spare no pains or money to be well educated in what the world estimates highly. But above all, know this: “Wisdom is the knowledge of God. Love is the fulfilling of the law.” November 23 When you are found to be in the wrong, acknowledge it meekly. This will keep you from being wrong next time. Be strictly truthful. Stop to see if what you tell is true. All your powers and especially your vision, depend upon your truthfulness. Say this often: “I am just and true.” November 24 In the early morning, you may have true visions of things pending if you are steadfast to this word: “He is our peace, who hath made one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition.” November 25 Never be an enemy to anybody for as such you would be unjust. Be trustful of even those who seem to be at enmity with you. Be loving to all. Make it your principle of life. Also keep this affirmation: “God is the speech of my tongue, the thought of my heart, and the strength of my right hand.” November 26 Be sure that the cause you espouse is a righteous one for you are very faithful to whatever you espouse. This is your rightful principle of faith: “All they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” November 27 You can easily make any great undertaking worthwhile. Do not wait for a leader to direct you. Ask the Divine Guidance and push ahead with your convictions. Bear this text about with you as a living Principle: “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” November 28 Speak from impulse if you have well trained your mind by these words: “I am with thee saith the Lord.” “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness.” November 29 People with one idea at a time, like you, can regulate a whole community by silently praying this prayer three times per day: “I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” … “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” November 30 Train yourself not to act from impulse. Conserve the energy of your feelings into these words intensely spoken: “I am strong in righteousness.”

December

December 1 Let your extraordinary prophetic instincts be trained to foresee only the good, and let your acquaintance with Divine Spirit make you a power against evil. Say often: “Nothing can hinder the Spirit of Goodness from reigning supreme.” December 2 You may be as zealous and optimistic in your undertakings as you please if you repeat this truth daily: “No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper… righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” December 3 There is great harmony in your being. You are a faithful friend. The way you go is ordained for your training. You can have gold and friendships as tokens of Divine favor if you believe in this promise: “Thou shalt be far from oppression: for thou shall not fear.” December 4 You are sympathetic, loving, devoted, and kind. This is the Spirit of God flowing down through you. All your words will be right words if you hold this as true: “With great mercies will I gather thee.” December 5 You must not mind opposition at all. Your mind will hold its own and be always light and free if you say: “I do not believe in the power of evil.” December 6 Notice what people mean when they speak to you. Then let your conclusions be accurate, not careless. There are certain studies you ought to pursue. The study of spiritual laws will lead you into the right understanding of all things. This is your special truth: “I have given thee for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.” December 7 Give many days to music. So will the harmony of your soul thoughts be wakened. No other way for you to express perfectly your Divinity. These words will quicken your harmonies in some wonderful way: “I am the perfect child of the living God, spiritual, harmonious, free, fearless.” December 8 Strength and honor and good judgment and leadership you will realize if you repeat every day boldly: “My strength is in me. I am the Lord; I change not. I know what is right and there is no fault in me.” December 9 Your mind is active to gather conclusions quickly. You may be supremely accurate by learning the Divine law of the Spirit among us. The spiritual doctrine at its highest you should learn. It is this: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” “I and the Father are One.” December 10 The secret of the Lord it is for you to know. There is that about you that will lead you into it. “Then your joy no man taketh from you.” Keep this for your daily text: “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear and your soul shall live.” December 11 Let people fully state their propositions before you answer them. Then you will be wiser in your answers. Keep saying always: “Ye shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak; Behold, it is I.” December 12 Speak not forth from your own interpretations of people’s sayings, until you have been trained by this principle: “The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought.” December 13 Early in the morning, you may foresee events if you have learned the highest law of Truth. “Prophecy is yours and sound judgment.” This truth will help you: “God judgeth in the earth.” December 14 You can carry out any plan you please. You have executive genius. Your plans will be original and masterful if you train your spiritual forces by these words: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” December 15 You do not mind opposition, no matter who opposes you, if you make this text your rule of life: “I do not believe in failure; I believe only in prosperity.” December 16 Because you can hold one idea at a time steadfastly it is necessary that you hold an absolute Truth firmly if you would be supremely successful. Hold this for your prosperous thought: “I rejoice in my strong Spirit of Love.” December 17 You will believe in plenty of gold and silver and laugh at poverty if you do hold daily: “The Almighty is my defense and I have plenty of all things.” December 18 Drop out of mind your belief in the future for good things and events to come to you. Affirm that they are already in your grasp. You will learn the principle of “nowness” by repeating these words of Jesus Christ: “Believe that ye receive.” December 19 Go carefully in repeating what is told you. Better not to tell anything that is told you. You will conserve great energy in truth by repeating this word: “Truth is my shield and buckler.” December 20 Yield gently and graciously when you are found to be in the wrong. Then you will never be in the wrong. Keep saying these words till all the things you like are gathered to you as steel filings are gathered to a magnet: “I am full of joy in the Love of God.” December 21 Naturally, you are at the head of business affairs. Your judgment will always serve you perfectly if you have trained yourself into goodness by this thought: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” December 22 Your deep spiritual nature abides in thoughts of the real and eternal. There shall no ill come nigh such as you if you remember who provides for your every need. Keep this thought reigning: “Thou art my All.” December 23 You can indeed carry into the realm of the external your beautiful ideals. All that is necessary is persistence in this idea: “My word shall prosper in the thing whereunto I send it.” December 24 Your greatness will be demonstrated before all the people if you bear this idea as your ruling one: “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” December 25 You are full of the love of doing good. Your doings always show good judgment if you often say these words: “Let Divine wisdom now be shown by the righteousness with which I speak and act.” December 26 You must hasten to be posted in some science so that you can speak publicly the great thoughts that are nigh your speech. This should be your constant affirmation: “My tongue shall speak of righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” December 27 How noble are your ideals, sweet friend. They shall all surround your everyday life if you believe this: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about.” December 28 Money is nothing to you. Therefore, you can have all you like by getting a right thought. Great possessions naturally flow to you if you do not hold a foolish thought strongly. This verse will give you your successful idea: “All my help from Thee I bring.” December 29 Yours is a great and noble nature. Even if some thought has deceived you into misfortune, you may rise speedily into prosperity on these words: “God is my Provider. I am satisfied with the bounty of God.” December 30 Great possibilities of usefulness to the world lie in your nature. You are of the tribe of Judah. Keep this for your life motto: “Good judgment is given unto me.” December 31 Never despise anybody. Think daily that there is no respect of persons with God. Your spiritual nature is your true nobility. This nature showing forth you hold the government of nations in your grasp. This is your text: “Thy vows are upon me, God; I will render praises unto thee.” END