finished, but the uiifoldment or external expression of Life is constant and uninterrupted. The Master teacher said: 'T am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." He must have meant that we enlarge or increase our sense of Life and as this takes place in the mental there will necessarily be an external expression to correspond. The mental element is one intelligence constantly seeking and finding greater and fuller expression of Itself.n6496 ¶1
Do not believe that "mortal mind'" is back of the Sower, the body. etc.. as some scientists teach. Hold to the truth that God. Mind is all there is. hence all is mental, and the : ~ is as spiritual and good and perfect as are the thoughts and convictions of Truth in the mentality.n6496 ¶2
Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you except ye become as a little child ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven."' Did he mean that we must be changed back into little children in order to enter heaven? No, It would be as impossible for us to do this as it would be impossible for the butterfly to return to the caterpillar, or for the oak to again become the acorn. He meant that we are to put on or unfold the characteristics of the child mentality, which are simplicity, innocence, fearlessness, confidence, faith, purity. Now, if we will take all the characteristics that I have mentioned as a model to hold before our consciousness constantly, we cannot help but find heaven within us, for these mental characteristics are the foundation stones of all true character.n6496 ¶3
The child's mind is easily susceptible to the teachings of Truth. The power of the individual mentality of consciousness lies in possessing the qualities called love, humility, innocence, etc. It is as these qualities rest in our consciousness that we consciously possess their power. Unless you are sincere with yourself, you are fooling yourself. Truth cannot benefit you unless you are willing and glad to obey Its Law.n6496 ¶4
Have faith. Faith is a live conviction. Faith has confidence that the heights can be reached. Faith tends to bring your mind into touch with the laws of Life so that you naturally or automatically think good, and thus receive good. Have faith in the infinite, perfect God, Nature; faith in yourself; faith in the Law. Have faith in Mind and understand the power of right thought. Remember that to change what we call conditions, you must first change your thought, for the individual creation (individual body) is always the image and likeness of the individual mentality. When you are able to think rightly as you aspire to think, then will you experience your fondest desire.n6496 ¶5
You can succeed as well as can any one else. The ability to succeed is a natural quality inherent in every mentality. All mind is the same substance, for God, Life, is no respecter of mentalities. Faith gives you the power to act as you wish to act. Real faith is measurelessly calm, strong, serene. Real faith is not blind faith. Blind faith is faith placed in external things, and this is a detriment. Real faith is faith placed in internal things (right thoughts) and this faith leads to conscious understanding of Life which is real salvation. We are greater far than we at present know. If you wish to be well and stay well do not talk sickness nor allow it to be unduly talked to you. Keep your whole attention upon health and Nature's harmony. To take the attitude "I am perfectly well" is the shortest cut to the attainment of perfect health. Refuse to consider yourself other than this. God, Life, is changeless, therefore, since you are one with the whole mental element, you, too, are changeless Substance. If you can know and feel this fact to the exclusion of all opposing beliefs, these seeming beliefs will melt away exactly the way the dew disappears in the presence of the sun. Your mind cannot believe two opposite thoughts at the same time. As you hold your thoughts steadfastly to the facts of your true nature and feel that what you are thinking is actually true, this will bring you into accord with the tune of the Universe which is harmony. As long as you make something out of a lie it stands to teason you are fighting the darkness and you cannot proceed. When an individual in his thinking denies the omnipotence (all power), omniscience (all science), omnipresence (all presence) of God, good, he enters into that dream state called mortal, a belief state wherein he is not consciously at-one with the Father (understanding).n6496 ¶6
Dear Seeker, don't sit and read and rave over the wonder of spiritual life and then close your books and act like a heathen. Don't sit and talk about health and then get up and act like a sick man. In as much as in you lies, act out your own good thoughts, otherwise they are like "sounding brass." Try each day to live more fully, more spontaneously, more abundantly. Health is Life in its natural state of manifestation. Have more faith in health than in sickness, more faith in good than in evil. Why, Infinite, Loving Mind is constantly unfolding Itself in us and through us at all times when we are loving or thinking good. All that is required of us is that we let this perfect Mind and its thoughts be in us, and this we do by thinking in unity and in harmony with it, letting go all reverse thoughts. Gratitude, love, joy, praise, strengthen our faith in good (God) and bring us into a closer at-one-ment with our perfect Nature, for you can only come into relationship with the perfect mental element in a mental way.n6496 ¶7
As long as you think of yourself as sick and act like a sick person you will continue to show forth this condition called sickness. If you wish to be well you must think and act and feel, so far as in you lies, like a well person. Perfect Intelligence does not think one way and act another. Sever all mental connection with disease and suffering and begin today to enter into your birthright, your inheritance of natural harmony.n6496 ¶8
That which lives in us is constantly seeking to express more and more of Itself. Within yourself is the Power to bring forth all your right desires. After you plant a seed it needs cultivation, water and care. Some seeds (thoughts) grow in the ground (mentality) of certain individuals more quickly than in others; it depends upon the nature, desire, feeling, action, etc., in that particular mentality. But in divine thinking you cannot admit error, disease, sin, sickness as true in one thought and then turn around and realize God, heaven and perfection in another thought, for they cannot coincide or co-mingle; they are opposites, one the lie, the other the reality of Being. True metaphysics teaches that to make disease a reality and then try to get rid of it is mental quackery.n6496 ¶9
Endeavor always to think from the standpoint of mental perfection. It is not that we are actually sick and that we want to be made over into health, nor is it that our body is out of order and we want by thinking certain thoughts to put it into order again. If sickness presents itself to us we are not to try and make it go away as if it were something outside ourself, nor are we to try and heal the body as though the cause were there. The erring misconceptions which we have accepted and which are responsible for the wrong acting and feeling that we are manifesting, must be uncovered and cast from our consciousness, for just so long as we think sick or wicked thoughts and act out these thoughts just so long do they bring us their punishment. He who is not ready to part with sinful thought and action and become a better individual is not yet ready to experience harmony. Many are they who travel from this one to that one for healing when they are not yet willing to give up sinful beliefs and actions, to love fully and freely, to forgive and forget; hence, they continue to manifest in the body disease and suffering as the direct result of erring thinking and doing.n6496 ¶10
Get understanding. Refuse to think wrong thoughts; refuse to do wrong deeds. Evil is negation because it is the absence of the Truth. The only reason that we must consider evil at all is because we have all been educated to believe in evil as real, and because all around us is what is called the evidences of evil's reality. Some metaphysical teachers declare that it is not necessary for us to pay any attention whatsoever to so-called evil conditions which we are manifesting, but not so the founder of Christian Science, who said: "To heal by argument, find the type of the ailment, get its name and array your mental plea against the physical . . . conform the argument so as to destroy the evidence of the disease."n6496 ¶11
We find that in mathematics, music or in any other science, that we can correct a mistake already made more quickly if we know what the error is that needs correction, and this is also true in metaphysics. We need to point out to humanity that sin, sickness, death, are the results of false teaching, false belief, false thinking, wrong living: because, unlike the science of numbers wherein there is no universal or general thought or belief that 2 and 2 are 5, and wherein there are no schools that teach mathematics erroneously; contrariwise, the general, universal belief about Life is, that it can be well and sick; happy and sad; alive and dead; about the body is, that it can be healthy and diseased; that the mind can be sane and insane; that accidents as well as harmonies transpire in this universe of infinite good. These wrong beliefs are taught as true fads in the school of so-called learning and religion, this is why we must be concerned with them, so as to expose them, denounce them, show them to be not the truth of existence.n6496 ¶12
"Awake thou that sleepest. When a child states that the sun is moving and believes it. it seems true to him because he is ignorant of the fact that it is the earth that is revolving. When vou sav that vou are sick and believe it. it seems true to vou because vou are ignorant of the eternal fact that Life is a pure mental Substance which cannot be contaminated. But it is quite impossible for anyone to receive or partake of his full inheritance as spiritual and perfect until he claims it as his divine birthright. Until we come into conscious mental recognition of our oneness with perfect Life. God. little do we know about the joys and harmonies of Being. It is true that 2 and 3 are 5 in numbers whether we are thinking this or anyone else is thinking this or not; already, even before we think that they are 5 the sum of 2 and 3 is eternally 5 in the science of numbers, but not until we accept this fact intelligently are we conscious of it, or can it benefit us.n6496 ¶13
So, always and forever we are established in the science of Being as perfect, indestructible Life, immutable, immortal, but not until we claim this and recognize it for ourselves as true are we conscious of it, or does it become real to us. In other wTords we do not manifest or experience what we actually are, but we manifest that which we think or believe we are, while on this plane.n6496 ¶14
Be brave therefore, and refuse to accept evil as an actuality. Do not think it, talk it, act it. When you see the picture of sickness, sorrow, sin exhibited before you, it is merely the result or exhibition of the erroneous sense in the mentality of that individual. You can look at the dirt upon a child's face and not be misled into believing that the dirt is part of the child's face, or that the face is injured or harmed, and you can separate at once in your mind the dirt and the face and know that nothing at all has happened to the face. So with that individual that appears blind, crippled, sinful. Blindness, disease, sin are no more a part of the true consciousness or soul than dirt is part of the child's face. As dirt can be washed from the surface of the face, so the sense of sickness can be removed from the mentality of the individual. To show how possible this is I will tell you of a man, now living, who healed himself of what is generally considered an incurable condition. This man was blind and had been born that way. One day as he was sitting on a bench in a park, he chanced to hear a conversation between two people. One person was saying to the other that there are not two creations, onen6496 ¶15
Spiritual and one of dust, but that there is but the one real and true creation, and that we and all things else are actually perfect, even as God is perfect. This was all that the man heard. From that instant he began to think of himself as actually perfect. It seemed wonderful to him, and true. Before this he had always thought himself made of dust, but now, the more he reasoned that he was perfect because he was of God, the clearer it became to him, and the surer he was that this was the actual fact of Life. Immediately he began to put these right thoughts into operation to act and live a better man.n6496 ¶16
A few days later, as he was trying to make his way across the street alone, he stumbled and fell into the gutter, but even as he did so he was not afraid for he still held to the thought that he was in reality absolutely perfect; and then a wonderful thing came to pass in his experience. As he was getting upon his feet, suddenly the world was visible to him, he saw for the first time in his life and his sense was clear and natural. So dear friend, you who are seeking to experience health, think of this man and take new heart and fresh hope and make more earnest endeavor. God (right thinking) is no respecter of persons (mentalities). What one can do, all can do.n6496 ¶17
When Jesus was only twelve years old he said that he was about his Father's business. If each one of us would start in doing this business, which is to reason and understand the facts of Life and take into our consciousness no sense of sin, sickness, or error, nothing that is unlike good, what a great change would take place with us all. Then, we would not be tearing down other people's business, lamenting their behavior, criticizing their doings, for each of us would be in business with Good, harmony, and as we could not possibly use sin, sickness, fear, in this business of ourn6496 ¶18
Father (perfect understanding), we would not, of course, have anything to do with these.n6496 ¶19
Suppose that you were a man who handled only the finest and best grades of silk in your business, and it was your duty to pass judgment upon the various grades that were brought to you for inspection. Having already established a standard for the silk you would necessarily cast aside all materials that did not come up to your standard, would you not? Well, this is fine business for us to pattern after with our thoughts. We must not have grades of ill-assorted lots in our mentality, part of the day thinking health, part of the day believing in sickness; holding to ourselves as Life individualized for a few moments, and a good share of the time wondering, doubting, fearing, complaining. We must watch our thoughts continually, passing judgment upon the wrong thoughts that seek admittance and accepting none but the best and purest thoughts, those that are founded upon the law of Nature, God.n6496 ¶20
If you will take this business today into your home, into the street car, into your office, you cannot help but succeed. I will tell you of a demonstration in a business way that came about after following these right thoughts or entering into this business of the Father. An individual went to a healer and said: "On the opposite side of the street from my store is a big department store, and my little store does not seem to cope with it. Their prices are lower than I can afford to make my prices, and people won't come into my store and buy what I have, and I therefore cannot pay my rent and I am about to fail." Can you see that these thoughts that she was taking into her business were not the right thoughts and that she was acting contrary to the very law that she should have put into operation? The healer said to her: "Have you anything pretty in your store?" She quickly answered, "Oh, yes/' and he said: "Love it. Go back into your store and see all as the handiwork of God, Mind. Know that Mind's ideas are ceaselessly in use, some one always wants them, always is using them. Not one but many need and appreciate the beautiful ideas of clothes, etc., that you carry in your store and are taking them now. Make this your mental vision."n6496 ¶21
In a short time the lady returned to the healer telling him that she had followed his advice and that now she had three clerks, whereas she had formerly had only one. She said that now when she took up a waist it was to notice the tiny eyelets, the many stitches, to know that Mind did it, for there is nothing but Mind, and that all good ideas are forever in demand in the realm of right thinking.n6496 ¶22
Let us all join in this business of our Father, — the business of right thinking. If you will go deep into this business you will find that it will solve all the problems in your house; in your community; in the nation; in the world. If you will not think falsities, misrepresentations, lies, deceits, but instead will think thoughts of love, of unity, of service, you will have established the Law, and back of the Law is the power that operates it. Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, — the kingdom of understanding, the kingdom of right thinking and right living. Many are they who procrastinate their deliverance by working at the wrong end of the problem. The construction of any work must begin on a foundation. In order that the structure be permanent it requires that the foundation be indestructible, changeless, immovable.n6496 ¶23
The darkest hour always precedes the dawn, and the greatest storm has its end, so should you ever be placed in the seething midst of either, rejoice to know that all that is without God, true thinking, comes to naught. Think about courage and be courageous; think about protection for there is no other power than good, and it is this right and true thought that is your protection. Think: It is because I live, move, and have my being in the infinite, omnipotent and omnipresent consciousness of good, of perfect and harmonious Life wherein and whereout all is harmony and perfection that I need have no fear. Guard your thinking so that discouragement, doubt, anxiety, impatience, have no place in your mentality.n6496 ¶24
Expect. Expect today to feel good; expect to walk, run, leap, today; expect to hear perfectly, see perfectly, today; expect the floodtides of strength, joy, activity, peace, harmony, wisdom, to unfold to you, individually, today, as flow the waters over the Niagara banks, — without limit. This is the hope that passeth understanding; the joy that is King; the harmony that is eternal; the Christ which sayeth always; Be of good cheer, I am with you all the way.n6496 ¶25
People are prone to ask these days : "Are you a Christian Scientist? A mental scientist? A new-thoughter? A believer? An understander? Orthodox? Now what does this all mean? What would vou call Jesus? Naturally, the Christian Scientist calls Jesus a Christian Scientist; the mental scientist believes that he was a mental scientist; the various orthodox ministers believe that Jesus favored a certain attitude of devotion or prayer, whether it is a kneeling posture, a standing position, or a looking up position, etc. If we are asked todav, Are vou a Christian Scientist? we infer that the questioner means, Do you belong to the Christian Science church and do you attend the services and obey the rules and by-laws? To many, the mere fact that one belongs to the church and faithfully attends the services and obeys certain rules and regulations counts one a Christian Scientist. But, dear thinking friend, does it?n6496 ¶26
Is this all that is necessary, and is this necessary? As in all matters we gain the ultimate and perfect verdict by turning to the teachings of him who was Master, I now ask, Was Jesus a member of the Christian Science church or any other church? Did he subscribe to any rules or laws? Did he authorize any one else to do this? Why, in those days the words Christian Science, mental science, New Thought were never uttered and by none of these names did Jesus classify himself. Yet no one else has ever risen to the heights that he attained. Do we ever find Jesus scrambling after place and power? Do we find him censuring and condemning others who were after the kingdom of heaven and yet who were not seeking teaching from him? Just to the contrary. Jesus rebuked John for this attitude of mental slavery with these words: "He that is not against us is on our side.n6496 ¶27
Mrs. Eddy said that Jesus was a Christian Scientist, yea, the best that ever lived, and still we know that he never set foot into a Christian Science church building, nor have his name on its roll of membership.n6496 ¶28
Consciousness constantly unfolds more and more of its own glories, harmonies and truths. We should expect that Truth be continually better expressed or stated as time goes on. That which is said or written one day must not be accepted as final or the last word on Truth, inasmuch as Mind will continually unfold more and more understanding for there is no end to God or Mind nor to its unfoldment. Truth, in order to be known as Truth need not bear the stamp of any personality. Truth is its own authority whether it is uttered by this or by that individual. It is right and natural that we should be grateful and appreciative to every one who sheds some light on our path, those who bring into our experience greater good, greater joy and a fuller sense of life. But we must get rid of the notion that there is anyn6496 ¶29
"authority" over us. Do not say or do or act in any particular way because of any certain one or ones "in authority." Look back over the records of those who have advanced themselves and helped humanity and you will note that they reasoned and acted independently and positively refused to consider any authority as ruling them other than the God within them, — their highest, purest, holiest sense of right. Independent thinking and acting is the result of intelligence and is bound to bring forth greater good to the individual and greater good for humanity.n6496 ¶30
Now, I feel confident that you have broadened your vision so that you now are certain that you are more than a few pounds of clay or a few quarts of water and salt, or more than a few handfuls of dust; but do not stop here. Open your mind still farther. Expand your vision ! Never mind what kind of a religion your father or grandfather or neighbor or friend has.n6496 ¶31
Think for yourself. Do not be afraid to get out of the kindergarten when you know you have outgrown it. Do not be afraid to let go unreasonable and age-long ideas when you can understand that they are without actual foundation or truth. Listen to the song of the robin, the whisper of the forest, the rush of the ocean, saying unto you: "There is no separate life. I am this one All-Life. That which you see and feel and understand is My One Life manifested." Be fearless. Live up to the level of this vision.n6496 ¶32
Jesus said, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." In other words Nature, Consciousness, can fulfill all our needs and all our desires. If we feel the need of anything the first step for us to take mentally is to know that what we need is within our power to bring forth. We bring forth right conditions by having within ourselves right and true thoughts. It is all a matter of becoming conscious of the fact that you are, and that all good has been and eternally is yours in proportion as you become conscious of it. In mental Nature, all is forever perfect, and all good is continually being unfolded. Keep this vision before you, the vision of the perfect, the changeless, the ever unfolding divine good.n6496 ¶33
You are a particle of perfect Life and you are sustained by this Life. As a wave is a state of the ocean so are you a state of consciousness in this infinite, all-inclusive Life. The bond that unites us all, yea, the bond that unites all plants, animals, the tiniest blade of grass and the greatest constellation is the One-Life. Let this thought bring great joy to you. See God, good, everywhere; see God, good, in everything. Let God, Mind, talk to you through the stars, ocean, flowers, animals, mankind.n6496 ¶34
This is a sermon not heard from the pulpit. In this larger and fuller sense of God we have no creed, no church organization, no mental restrictions, no boundaries. We are as free as the air. As we stand upon the hill under the great blue canopy and listen to the rhythm of the universe, we can but exclaim, "Freedom!" "Progress!" "Unity !" What a glorious experience is this to feel a-kin to all life and to hear the universal and impersonal whisperings of love, of joy, of unity, in this vast consciousness of All-God. In this mental vision of soul, all wrong belief drops away, all petty troubles fade out of sight, all fears, doubts, worries are swallowed up in the active realization of heaven and harmonv within and without.n6496 ¶35
Now, the desire that swells up in our heart is the desire to aid others, to give to others enlightenment and help. From this exalted vision there is but one language, the language of love. V\e see Truth and Love as the male and female; we feel the everlasting arms embracing all; we are conscious of the One-Presence; we behold the New Day.n6496 ¶36
In this perfect vision we understand that there is no separation from our loved ones; we are all close together in the One-Life, which is paramount, eternal, indivisible. As when the light appears, the darkness disappears, so when the supremacy of Spirit, supreme and adorable Life (perfect understanding), shall unfold to us, the dream or sense of matter, evil and separation will disappear.n6496 ¶37
It is because I have received much enlightenment upon the subject of metaphysics during the past few years that I desire to share this enlightenment with others who are hungry and thirsty for an intelligent and reasonable understanding of Life. I will be very glad to help any honest seeker who may choose to write to me; also I will gladly supply anyone with the names of such books as have contributed to my mental enlightenment.n6496 ¶38
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