Transcription
SStsAC1LITYA ManThinkethJAMESALLEN
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* ASA MANTHINKETHBY JAMES ALLENAUTHOR OF "FROM PASSION TO PEACE'AUTHORIZED EDITIONNEW YORKTHOMASY.CROWELL COMPANY
PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER7EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON CIRCUMSTANCES.11EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON HEALTH AND THEBODY26THOUGHT AND PURPOSETHE THOUGHT-FACTOR30INACHIEVEMENT.VISIONS AND IDEALS3439SERENITY.205617045
THISlittlevolume (theresult of meditationand experience) is not intended as an exhaustivetreatise on themuch-written-upon subject ofthepower of thought.It issuggestive ratherthan explanatory, its object being to stimulatemen and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that"They themselvesare makers of themselves"by virtue of the thoughts which they choose andencourage; that mind is the master-weaver, bothof the innergarment of character and the outergarment of circumstance, and that, as they mayhave hitherto woven in ignorance and pain theymay now weave in enlightenment and happiness.JAMES ALLENBroadParJ lljracombe,England.Avenue,
As a ManThinkethTHOUQHTTHEAPHORISM, "As a man thinketh in hisis he," notonly embraces the whole ofheart soa man's being, but is socomprehensive as toreach out toconditionand circumstanceeveryof hislife.Ahis charactermanisliterallywhat hebeing the completesumofthinks,allhisthoughts.As theand could not beplant springs from,without, the seed, so every act of a man springsfrom the hidden seeds of thought, and couldnot have appeared without them. This appliesequally to those acts called "spontaneous" and"unpremeditated" as to those which are deliberately executed.Actisthe blossom of thought, and joy andsuffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his ownhusbandry.[7]
"Thoughtin themind hath madeus.What weareBy thought was wrought and built. If a man'smindHath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comesThe wheel the ox behind.If.In purity of thought, joy followsAsManhisisartifice,own shadowone endurehimsure."a growth by law, and not a creationbyand cause and effect is as absolute andundeviating in the hidden realm of thought asin the world of visible and materialthings.Anoble and Godlike characterfavour or chance, but isnot a thing ofthe natural result of conistinued effort in right thinking, the effect of longcherished association with Godlike thoughts.Anignoble and bestial character, by the sameis the result of the continued harbour-process,ing of grovelling thoughts.Manismadeorunmade byhimself; in thearmoury of thought he forges the weapons bywbich he destroys himself; he also fashions thetools with which he builds for himselfheavenlymansions of joy and strength and peace. By thechoice and true application of thought,rightmanascends to the Divine Perfection;by theabuse and wrong application of thought, he de-[*]
scends below the level of the beast.theseacter,OfBetweentwo extremes are all the grades of charand man is their maker and master.allthe beautiful truthspertaining to thewhich have been restored and broughtin thislightage, none is more gladdeningsoulfruitful of divinethatthismantoorpromise and confidence thanthe master ofthought, theismoulder of character, and the maker and shaperof condition, environment, anddestiny.As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love,and the lord ofthekey to everyhimselfthathisownthoughts, man holdsand contains withinsituation,transformingagency by which hehe wills.andmay makeregenerativehimself whatManisalways the master, even in his weakand most abandoned state; but in hisweakness and degradation he is the foolish mas-estwho misgoverns his "household." Whenhe begins to reflectupon his condition, and totersearchbeingdiligentlyisfor theestablished,Law upon whichhishe then becomes the wisemaster, directing his energies with intelligence,and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues.is the conscious master, and man canonlythus becomeby discovering within himself theSuch[9]
JMAKlaws of thought; which discovery is totally amatter of application, self-analysis, and experience.Only by much searching and mining are goldand diamonds obtained, and man can find everytruth connected with his being if he will digdeepinto themakermineof his soul;of his character, theand the builder ofingly prove,hisifhisdestiny,hethoughts, tracing their effectsand uponandothers,uponandmayhisuponlifeeffecttheishis life,unerr-he will watch, control, andstances, linking causeticeand that hemoulder ofalterhimself,and circum-bypatient pracinvestigation, and utilizing his everyeven to the most trivial,every-dayexperience,means of obtaining that knowlofhimselfwhich is Understanding, Wisedgedom, Power. In this direction, as in no other,occurrence, as aisthe law absolute thatest;andtohim"Hethat seeketh find-that knockethitshallbeopened"; for only by patience, practice, andDoorceaselessimportunity can a man enter theof theTempleofKnowledge.
FFCT OF THOUGHTA MAN'S MIND may be likened to a garden,which may be intelligently cultivated or allowedrun wild; but whether cultivated or ne-toglected, it must,useful seeds areandwill, bring forth.put intoIfnothen an abundanceit,of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and willcontinue to produce their kind.itJust as a gardener cultivates his plot, keepingfrom weeds, andthe flowers andfreefruitsgrowingwhich herequires,garden of his mind,somay a manweeding outalltend thethe wrong,and impure thoughts, and cultivatingtoward perfection the flowers and fruits of right,useless,useful,ess,aand pure thoughts. By pursuing thisprocsooner or later discovers that he ismanthe master-gardener of his soul, the director ofHe also reveals, within himself, the lawshis life.ofthought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mindelements operate in theshaping of his character,circumstances, and destiny.
Thought andcharacter are one,andas char-can only manifest and discover itselfthrough environment and circumstance, theacterouter conditions of a person'slifewillalways befound to be harmoniously related to his innerstate. This does not mean that a man's circumstances atany given time are an indication ofbut that those circumstanceshisentire character,areintimately connected with some vital thoughtelement within himself that, for the time being,sothey are indispensable to his development.Every man is where he is by the law of hisbeing; the thoughts which he has built into hischaracter have brought him there, and in the ar-rangement ofchance, butnoterr.his life thereall isThisisisno elementjust as true of thosewhofeel"out of harmony" with their surroundingsof those who are contented with them.Asofthe result of a law which can-asa progressive and evolving being, man isis that hemay learn that he may grow;where heandashe learns thespirituallessoncircumstance contains for him,and gives placewhich anyitpassesto other circumstances.awayMan is buffeted by circumstances so long ashe believes himself to be the creature of outsideconditions, butwhen herealizes thatheisa
JMAHcreativepower, and that heand seeds ofmay commandthebeing out of whichcircumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.hiddensoilhisThat circumstances grow out of thought everyman knows whohas for any length of timeself-control andfor hepractisedself-purification,will have noticed that the alteration in his cir-cumstances has been in exactratioSo truetered mental condition.withishis al-this thata man earnestly applies himself toremedythe defects in his character, and makes swiftwhenand markedheprogress,passes rapidlya succession of vicissitudes.Thesoul attracts thatbours; thatit fears; itpirations;whichitwhichloves,andreaches the height ofto the level ofit fallsthroughithar-itscherished as-itsunchastenedsecretlyalso that whichand circumstances are the means bywhich the soul receives its own.desires,Every thought-seed sown or allowed tofallinto the mind, and to take root there,producesits own,blossoming sooner or later into act, andbearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, badthoughts badfruit.The outer worldof circumstance1*3]shapesitself
world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors which make for the ultimategood of theto the innerAsindividual.manthereaperof hisownharvest,both by suffering and bliss.Following the inmost desires, aspirations,learnsthoughts,by which heallows himself to bedominated (pursuing the will-o'-the-wisps ofimpure imaginings or steadfastly walking thehighway of strong and high endeavour) a manat last arrives at their fruition and fulfilment in,the outer conditions of hislife.Thelaws ofgrowth and adjustment everywhere obtain.A man does not come to the almshouse or theby the tyranny of fate or circumstance, butby the pathway of grovelling thoughts and basejaildesires.Nordoes apure-mindeddenly into crime by stress of anyforce; the criminal thought hadcretlyfostered in the heart,manfallsud-mere externallong beense-and the hour ofopportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it revealshimto himself.No such conditions can exist asdescending into vice anditsattendant sufferingsfrom vicious inclinations, or ascendingapartinto virtue and itsthepure happiness without[*]
JMAH.Acontinued cultivation of virtuous aspirations;and man, therefore, as the lord and master ofisthought,maker ofthehimself, the shaperat birth theand author of environment. Evenown, and through every stepit attracts those comearthly pilgrimagebinations of conditions which reveal itself,comes tosoulofitsitswhichare the reflections ofMenitsownandpuritystrength and weakness.do not attract that which they want,itsimpurity,but that which they are. Their whims, fancies,and ambitions are thwarted at every step, buttheirtheirityinmost thoughts and desires are fed withfood, be it foul or clean. The "divin-ownthatour veryshapesself.our ends"Manisisin ourselves;it ismanacled only by him-thought and action are the jailers of Fatethey imprison, being base; they are also theself:angels ofFreedomnoble.they liberate, beingwishes and prays for does a manhe justly earns. His wishes andget, but whatNot what heprayers are only gratifiedand answered whenthey harmonize with his thoughts and actions.In the light of this truth, what, then, is themeaning of "fighting against circumstances"?It means that a man iscontinually revolting[-5]
AJMAKagainst an effect without, whileallthe time henourishing and preserving its cause in hisheart. That causemay take the form o a conisscious vice orwhateveritsan unconscious weakness; butstubbornly retards the efforts ofcalls aloud forpossessor,remedy.Men are anxious to improve their circumit is, itand thusbut are unwilling to improve themthey therefore remain bound. The mandoes not shrink from self-crucifixion canstances,selves;whonevertofailaccomplish the object upon whichThis is as true ofas ofhis heart is set.earthlyheavenly things. Even the man whose sole object is to acquire wealth must be prepared tomakegreat personalcomplishhis object;who wouldHereisarealize asacrificesbefore he can ac-and how much more so hestrong and well-poisedlife?man who is wretchedly poor. He isextremely anxious that his surroundings andhome comforts should be improved, yet all thetime he shirks his work, and considers he is justified inon thetrying to deceive his employerhiswages. Suchdoes not understand the simplest rudiments of those principles which are the basis ofground of the insufficiency ofamanand is not only totally unfittedprosperity,to rise out of his wretchedness, but is actuallytrue
attractingto himself astilldeeper wretchednessby dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deand unmanly thoughts.ceptive,Here is a rich man who is the victim of apainfulandpersistentHedisease as the result ofwilling to give large sums ofgluttony.money to get rid of it, but he will not sacrificehishisgluttonous desires. He wants toisgratifytaste for richand unnatural viands and haveSuch a manhealth as well.istotallyhisunfit tohave health, because he has not yet learned thefirstprinciplesof ahealthylife.an employer of labour who adoptscrooked measures to avoid paying the regulationHereiswage, and, in the hope of making largerreduces the wages of hiswork-people.man is altogether unfitted forprofits,Such aprosperity,when hefinds himselfbankrupt,bothandas re-gards reputation and riches, he blames circumstances, not knowing that he is the sole authorof his condition.Ihave introduced these three cases merelyillustrative ofthe truth thatmanisasthe causer(though nearly always unconsciously) of his circumstances, and that, whilst aiming at a goodend, he is continually frustrating its accomplish-ment by encouraging thoughts anddesires
which cannot possibly harmonize with that end.Such cases could be multiplied and varied almostindefinitely,the reader can,ifbuthe sothis isof the laws of thought in hisanduntil thisisnot necessary, asresolves, trace the actionown mind and life,done, mere external facts can-not serve as a ground of reasoning.Circumstances, however, are so complicated,thoughtissodeeply rooted, and the conditionssowith individuals,happiness varyvastlythat a man's entire soul-condition(although itmay be known to himself) cannot beofjudged byanother from the external aspect of his lifeman may be honest in certain direcalone.Ayet suffer privations; a man may be dishonest in certain directions,yet acquire wealth;but the conclusion usually formed that the onetions,manfailsbecause of bis particular honesty, andbecause of bis particularprospersthat the otherdishonesty,isthe result of asuperficial judg-ment, which assumes that the dishonestmanisalmost totally corrupt, and the honest man almost entirely virtuous. In the light of a deeperknowledge and wider experience, such judgThe dishonestis found to be erroneous.mentman may have someadmirable virtues whichI'll
AS .A JdAH.the other does notand the honest manpossess;obnoxious vices which are absent in the other.Thehonestmanthereapsgoodresults of hishonest thoughts and acts; he also brings uponhimself the sufferings which his vices produce.Thedishonestmanlikewise garners hisownand happiness.sufferingIt isoneapleasingtohumanvanity to believe thatsuffers because of one's virtue;manhasbut not untilandextirpated every sickly, bitter,impure thought fromevery sinful stain fromhismJnd, and washedcan he be in ahis soul,to know and declare that hispositionsufferingsare the result of hisgood, and not of his badand on the way to, yet long before hequalities;has reached, thatsupreme perfection, he willhave found, working in his mind and life, theGreatLaw whichisand whichabsolutely just,cannot, therefore, give good for evil, evil forgood. Possessed of such knowledge, he willthen know, looking back upon his past ignorance and blindness, that his life is, and alwayswas, justly ordered, and that all his past expe-good and bad, were the equitable outworking of his evolving, yet unevolved self.riences,Good thoughts andbadresults;actions can never producebad thoughts and actions can never
produce good results. This is but saying thatnothing can come from corn but corn, nothingfromnettlesbutnettles.Menunderstand thislaw in the natural world, and work with it; butfew understand it in the mental and moralworld (though its operation there is just as simple and undeviating), and they, therefore, donot cooperate with it.Suffering is always the effect of wrongthought in some direction. It is an indicationthat the individual is out ofharmony with him-Law of his being. The sole anduseof suffering is toto burnsupremepurify,out all that is useless and impure. SufferingThere could be noceases for him who ispure.self,with theobject in burning gold after the dross had beenremoved, and a perfectly pure and enlightenedbeing could not suffer.The circumstances which aman encountersown mentalThe circumstances which a manwith suffering are theresult of hisinharmony.encounters with blessedness are the result ofown mental harmony.hisBlessedness, not mate-is the measure ofright thought;possessions,wretchedness, not lack of material possessions,man mayis the measure ofwrong thought.rialAbe cursed andrich;hemaybe blessed and poor.
Blessedness and riches are only joined togetherthe riches are rightly and wisely used;descends into wretchedand themanwhennesspooronlywhen heregardshislotasaburdenunjustly imposed.Indigence and indulgence are the two extremes of wretchedness. They are bothequallyunnatural and the result of mental disorder.manisnot rightly conditioned until heisAahappy, healthy, and prosperous being; and hapand prosperity are the result of apiness, health,harmonious adjustment of the inner with theman with his surroundings.outer, of theAmanceases toonly begins to be awhine andrevile,search for the hidden justicelife.Andasman when heand commences towhichregulates hishe adapts his mind to that reguhe ceases to accuse others as thelating factor,cause of his condition,and builds himself upinand noble thoughts; ceases to kickagainst circumstances, but begins to use themand as aas aids to his morerapid progress,strongmeans of discovering the hidden powers andpossibilitieswithin himself.Law, not confusion,isthedominating prinin the universe; justice, not injustice, isciplethe soul and substance of life; andrighteous-
ness,not corruption,theismoulding and mov-ing force in the spiritual government o theworld. This being so, man has but to righthimself to find that the universe isright; andduring the process of putting himself right, hehe alters his thoughts towardswill find that asthings and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.Theof this truthproofandittherefore admits ofisinevery person,easy investigationbysystematic introspection and self-analysis. Let amanradicallythoughts, and he willalter hisbe astonished at the rapid transformationin the materialeffectMenbutitimagine that thought can be keptcannot;and habitititconditions of hiswilllife.secret,into habit,rapidly crystallizescircumstance. Bestialsolidifies intothoughts crystallize into habits of drunkennessand sensuality, whichinto ethoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify intoand adverse circumstances thoughtsdistracting:of fear, doubt, and indecisionintocrystallizeweak, unmanly, andirresolute habits,whichinto circumstances of failure, indigence,solidifyand slavishdependence: lazy thoughtscrystal-
into habits of uncleanlinesslizewhichesty,intosolidifyand dishon-circumstancesofand beggary: hateful and condemna-foulnessinto habits of accusatory thoughts crystallizetion and violence, whichinto cirsolidifycumstances of injury and persecution: selfishthoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits ofself-seeking,more orwhichlesssolidifydistressing.into circumstancesOnthe other hand,beautiful thoughts of all kindsintocrystallizehabits ofand kindliness, whichgraceintosolidifyand sunny circumstances:purethoughts crystallize into habits of temperanceand self-control, which solidify into circumgenialstances ofreposeage, self-reliance,manlyofhabits,success,and peace: thoughts of courand decision crystallize intowhichplenty,solidifyandinto circumstancesfreedom:energeticthoughts crystallize into habits of cleanlinessand industry, which solidify into circumstancesofpleasantness: gentleinto habitscrystallizeandintosolidifystances:and forgiving thoughtsof gentleness, whichprotectivepreservativeloving and unselfish thoughtscrystalfor others,self-forgetfulnessinto circumstances of sure andlize into habits ofwhichsolidifycircum-abiding prosperity and true riches.
A particular train of thought persisted in, begood or bad, cannot fail to produce its resultson the character and circumstances.man canitAnot directly choose his circumstances, but hecan choose his thoughts, and soindirectly, yetsurely, shape his circumstances.Nature helps every man to the gratificationof the thoughtsopportunitiesspeedily bringevilwhich he most encourages, andpresented which will mostareto the surfaceboth the good andthoughts.man cease from his sinful thoughts,the world will soften towards him, andLet aandallbe ready to help him;lethim put awayhisweakly andtiesand lo! opportunisickly thoughts,spring up on every hand to aidwillstrong resolves; let him encourage goodno hard fate shall bind him downthoughts, andhisto wretchednessand shame. The worldisyourand the varying combinations ofkaleidoscope,itcolours which atevery succeeding momentpresentstures oftoyouare theexquisitely adjusted pic-your ever-moving thoughts."Youwillbe what you will to be;Let failure findits falsecontentIn that poor word, 'environment,'But spirit scorns it, and is free.
JMAH AItmasters time,Ititconquers space;trickster, Chance,bids the tyrant Circumstancecows that boastfulAndUncrown, andfilla servant's place.The human Will, that force unseen,The offspring of a deathless Soul,Can hew a way to any goal,Thoughwalls of granite intervene.Be not impatient in delay,But wait as one who understands;When spirit rises and commands,The godsare ready to obey."
FFCT OF THOUGH? OH HEALTHTHE BODYisthe servant of the mind.Itobeysthe operations of the mind, whetherthey be dechosen orliberatelyautomatically expressed.At theof unlawful thoughts thebodybiddinginto disease andat the comrapidlydecay;mand of glad and beautifulit becomessinksthoughtsclothed with youthfulness and beauty.Disease and health, like circumstances, arerooted in thought. Sickly thoughts willexpressthemselves through aof fear have beenilyas a bullet,sickly body. Thoughtsto kill a man asknownand theyspeed-arecontinually killingthousands of people just as surely thoughrapidly.are theThepeoplewholesslive in fear of diseasepeople who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the wholebody, and lays it open tothe entrance of disease; whileimpure thoughts,if notwill soon shatphysically indulged,ter the nervoussystem.evenStrong, pure, and happy thoughts build upthe body in vigour and grace. The body is a
JMAHdelicateandplastic instrument,which respondsto the thoughtsreadilyby whichand habits of thought willit isimpressed,produce theirgood or bad, upon it.Men will continue to have impure andowneffects,poi-soned blood so long as they propagate uncleanthoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a cleanand a cleanOut of a defiled mindlifebody.proceedsThoughtfestation;a defiledislifeand a corrupt body.life, and mani-the fount of action,makethe fountain pure, andallwillbe pure.Changeof diet will notnot change his thoughts.hishelpaWhenman who willa man makesthoughts pure, he no longer desires impurefood.Clean thoughts make clean habits. The sowho does not wash his body is not acalled saintHe whohas strengthened andpurifieddoesnot need to consider the mathoughtslevolent microbe.saint.hisIfyou would perfect your body, guard yourIfyou would renew your body, beautifymind.your mind.Thoughts of malice, envy,disap-pointment, despondency, rob the body of itshealth andsour face does not comegrace.byA
chance;thatImade byit ismarareknowasour thoughts. Wrinklesdrawn bywomanfolly, passion, pride.whoofhas theninety-sixbright, innocent face of a girl. I know a manwell under middle age whose face is drawn intoThe oneinharmonious contours.of a sweet andthe outcomeisthe resultthe othersunnydisposition;of passion and discontent.As you cannot haveisa sweet and wholesomeabode unless you admit the air and sunshineintofreelyyour rooms, so a strong body and aor serene countenance canbright, happy,onlyresultfrom thefreeadmittance into the mindof thoughts ofand goodwill and serenity.joythe faces of the aged there are wrinklesOnmade by sympathy;othersby strong and purethought, and others are carved by passion: whocannot distinguish them? With those whohave lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful,like thesun. Isoftly mellowed,settingandhave recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He diedashe had lived.sweetly and peacefully asThereforisno physiciandissipatingcomforter totheillslike cheerfulof thethoughtbody; there is nocompare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live
continually in thoughts ofill-will,and envy, is to be confinedmade prisonhole. But to think well ofsuspicion,cheerful withgoodin allvery portalscynicism,in a selfall,to belearn to find thepatientlysuch unselfish thoughts are theof heaven; and to dwell day by dayall,tothoughts of peace toward every creature willbring abounding peace to their possessor.in
THOUGH? tAHVUNTIL THOUGHTlinked with purpose thereWith theintelligent accomplishment.majority the barque of thought is allowed toisisno"drift"upon the oceanoflife.Aimlessnessisaand such drifting must not continue forhim who would steer clear of catastrophe andvice,destruction.They who have nocentralpurpose in theiran easy prey to petty worries, fears,troubles, and self-pity ings, all of which are indilifefallcations of weakness,whichaslead, just as surelysins(thoughdeliberately plannedferent route), to failure,unhappiness,for weakness cannotin apersistbya dif-andloss,power-evolvinguniverse.Amanshould conceive of a legitimate purand set out to accomplish it.pose in his heart,Heshouldmakethispurpose the centralizingtake the form of apoint of his thoughts. It mayideal, or it may be a worldly object,spiritualbutaccording to his nature at the time being;whichever it is, he should steadily focus histhought-forcesupon theobject[30]which he hasset
Hebefore him.shouldmakethispurpose hissupreme duty, and should devote himself to itsattainment, not allowing his thoughts to wanephemeral fancies, longings, andThisis theroad to self-conimaginings.royaltrol and true concentration ofthought. Even ifderawayintohe fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness isovercome) the strength of character gained will,be the measure of his true success, and. this willform a new starting-pointfor futurepower andtriumph.Those whoare notprepared for the apprehen-great purpose, should fix the thoughtsthe faultlessnoperformance of theirsion of auponduty,matterOnlyhowinsignificant their taskin thisway canmayappear.the thoughts begatheredand focussed, and resolution and energy be developed, which being done, there is nothingwhich may not be accomplished.The weakestness,soul,and believingknowingthis truthitsown weak-thatstrengthcan only bedeveloped by effort and practice,will, thus believing, at once begin to exert it-and, adding effort to effort, patience toand strength to strength, will neverpatience,self,[3']
cease to (develop,andwill at lastgrowdivinelystrong.Asthe physicallyweak man can make him-strong by careful and patient training, sothe man of weak thoughts can make themselfstrongTobyhimself in right thinking.exercisingaimlessness and weakness, andput awaywith purpose, is to enter theranks of those strong ones who only recognizefailure as one of thepathways to attainment;to begin to thinkwho makeallconditions serve them, andwhothink strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.Having conceived of his purpose, a manshould mentally mark out a straight pathway toits achievement,looking neither to the rightnor theleft.Doubts andfearsshould be rigor-eleously excluded; they are disintegratingments which break up the straight line of effort,renderingitcrooked, ineffectual, useless.Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplishlead toanything, and never can. They alwaysto do, and allfailure.Purpose, energy, powerstrong thoughts ceasecreepwhen doubt andfearin.The will to do springs from the knowledgewe can do. Doubt and fear are the greatthat
enemies of knowledge, and he who encouragesthem, who does not slay them, thwarts himself atevery step.hasHe whoconquered doubt and fear hasHis every thought is alliedfailure.conqueredwith power, and all difficulties are bravely metand wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forthfruit which does not fallto theprematurelyground.Thoughtalliedcreative force:hefearlesslytowho knowspurpose becomesthis isready tobecome something higher and stronger than amere bundle of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations; hewhodoes this has become theconscious and intelligent wielder of his mentalpowers.[33
IKALL THATtothoughts.manaachieveachieves andtheisIn adirectjustlythat hefailsofownhisordered universe, whereequipoise wouldindividual responsibilityloss ofallresultmeantotal destruction,must beabsolute.Aman's weakness and strength, purity and imare his own, and not another man's;purity,are brought abouttheyby himself, and not byanother; and they can only be altered by himself, never by another. His condition is also hisown, and not another man's. His suffering andare evolved from within. As hehishappinessthinks, so heis;ashe continues to think, so heremains.Astrongthat weakermanisthen the weakcannot help a weaker unlesswilling to be helped, and evenman must become strong ofby his own efforts, develophimself; he must,the strength which he admires in another.but himself can alter his condition.NoneIthas been usual formen1 34]to thinkanHto
Asay,JMAK"Many menletoppressor;however, thereare slaves becauseoneus hate the oppressor."isisanNow,amongst an increasing few atendency to reverse this judgment, and to say,"One man is an oppressor becausearcslaves; let us despise the slaves."thatoppressornorance, and,andslave aremanyThe truthisinco-operatorsigto afflict eachwhile seemingAother, are in reality afflicting themselves.the action of lawperfect Knowledge perceivesin the weakness of theand the mis-oppressedof thea perfect Love,applied poweroppressor;thewhich both states entail,seeingsufferingcondemns neither; a perfect Compassion embraces bo
*asaman thinketh byjamesallen authorof"frompassiontopeace' authorizededition newyork thomasy.crowellcompany. printedinunitedstatesofamerica. thoughtandcharacter 7 effectofthoughtoncircumstances. . 11 effectofthoughtonhealthandthe body 26
