LEAVES OF THE TREE
By
Walter C. Lanyon
Copyright, 1923
By Walter C. Lanyon
Published and sold by
Elva M. Weidman
Copyright 1925
Peoria, Illinois
Table of Contents
1. Failure to Demonstrate
2.
Letting
Go
3.
Cast Your Bread
Upon
the Water
4. God
5. As a Man Thinketh
6. Invisible Power
7.
Think on these Things
8. The
Lord
is
Mindful of His Own
9. Your Problem
10. One Ness
11. Reversing
Failure to Demonstrate
Chapter One
Along the Road from Sense to Soul the Truth seeker meets, from time to time, earnest, sincere pilgrims almost overcome with their burden of failure to demonstrate the principle which they have tried so hard to follow. They come at you somewhat after this manner.
"I have read daily; I have declared the allness of God, and that His perfect child cannot be sick, cannot want; I have lived morally and mentally as near the teachings of our Revered Leader as I know how; I have had treatment from a dozen or more practitioners and have followed their instructions carefully, and yet the demonstration 'is only partially made or not made at all. What am I to do more?"
These remarks are usually accompanied by signs of the greatest and most absolute faith in the power of God to perform these wonders, and yet if the case is looked into it might well merit the rebuke of the Master ----"Oh ye of little faith."
In every instance failure to make manifest the Truth which Jesus taught and demonstrated and left for us as an example, with the promise "even greater works than these shall ye do," is directly traceable to lack of faith.
A statement like this is usually received by a vigorous denial on the part of the pilgrim. He is sure he is full of faith, yet look a little further and you will see that no sooner does he utter a prayer or apply the principle of Truth than does he begin looking to see if anything is happening. Not satisfied with the efficacy of one prayer he keeps going over it all day in an almost automatic fashion which if analyzed would border on self hypnosis. It is not the prayer and the truth of it that is holding the preponderance of his thought, but the fear that "nothing is happening," and unconsciously this stimulates him to greater anxiety and causes him to go over and. over his petition, entertaining, perhaps unconsciously, the thought that by repetition he will make clearer just what must happen. "Words are vain repetition."
Bringing this to the attention of the pilgrim, he will answer almost invariably, "We are told to ‘pray without ceasing’” ---not understanding that the praying without ceasing does not mean a constant repeating of words, but a fixed Faith and a contemplation of the reality of man's existence. The unceasing prayer then is the thought which, when tempted to repeat and go over work already done, quickly answers the anxiety for a sign, with the powerful words---"It is done. I have followed out the Master's instructions---I have knocked and it shall be opened unto me, I have asked and I shall receive, I have sought and I shall find." "God's promises are kept for "He that promised is faithful."
We are told that “The Kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation.” Demonstration is like the planting of seeds. They do not grow by constant observation. If you doubt this try this experiment. Plant two seeds. After planting them allow one of them to remain untouched and unobserved; the other dig up twice a day and examine it carefully, and endeavor to find out the exact moment the hard shell cracks, which is keeping from you the promise of a flower. Handle it with utmost precaution and examine it under the microscope to detect any possible change. After a week of this treatment, go back to the untouched seed and more than likely you will find it has pushed thru the hard shell and also thru the earth which covered it, while the seed of constant examination has probably shriveled up and died.. You do not know the precise moment the change came to the first seed but the law you made for it when you dropped it into the ground and left it was "It is done." Unconsciously when we plant seeds in our gardens we water them with absolute faith. We leave them, with the thought, I have planted and eventually I shall reap the harvest of flowers, vegetables or grain. In the case of the second seed, you planted it with doubt, this was so strong that you constantly dug it up to see if anything was happening and in your anxiety you wanted to assist it in its working of the problem---you wanted to help it along by observation, and so the promise was not fulfilled.
The treatment which is given with absolute faith will be allowed to accomplish its mission with the same abandon as a planted seed. There will be no constant searching for a sign. Such work will be productive of good results. Perhaps it will be instantaneous and appear at once, as the mushroom appears over night-perhaps it will be longer in its' unfolding, as 'the oak tree coming from the acorn is. But one thing sure it cannot, and will not fail to produce after its kind when it is watered with the faith which knows "It is done."
The thought which goes over and over a treatment,' though it may call itself Faith, is the fear that Prayer does not always work ---that it is sometimes efficacious and other times not. God will do his work aright without' the assistance of mortal mind, and in a way which always mystifies the mortal thought, for His ways are higher than our ways. They are not in any sense our ways.
The writer had a clear and concrete example of this recently. Early in the fall' a dozen or more bulbs were planted in water. Part of the containers were placed in the basement in the dark, the others were brought up in a heated room of the house in the light. Every day in passing the bulbs they were examined, the receptacles were turned a little, and the water replenished and while the bulbs were not exactly handled, they were more or less moved and touched by anxious fingers, and they were under the constant observation of everyone. At the end of six weeks the house bulbs had, attained a height of three inches, while the ones in the basement were standing eighteen inches and were in full bud ready to bloom.
In the silence, in the ""secret place" where the observation of mortal mind is dimmed, is the place to do your work. "The father within me, he doeth the work." In the "secret place" we can declare the allness of God, and that his perfect idea man is being manifested in its- own natural way, which is always beautiful and grand. Then when it is ready for presentation to the world, it will be so evident that it will call itself from the house tops. The perfume of its blossoms will not need attention called to them. They by their glory and attainment will attract the notice which is necessary and shall be for an example of faith. "In the twinkling of an eye all shall be changed."
"Wait on the Lord and He shall give thee the desire of thy heart" we are told, and "Those who wait upon the Lord shall walk and not be weary and shall run and not faint." Gradually man begins to see that he can of himself do nothing, and that the sooner he discontinues his efforts the sooner his demonstration shall be made. The sooner his demonstration shall be made manifest is more correct, for the demonstration is already made, always has been made and can never be unmade. It merely awaits the being called into manifestation. - Man then comes to the conclusion that his chief work is to know how to "wait patiently."
"Waiting patiently" does not mean procrastination, or putting off, nor does it mean the fatalistic handling so badly misunderstood "well if its best for me I shall have it" ---for unless this is understood properly it makes one a mere pawn in the game of chance.
Waiting patiently does mean Faith in God. Faith that God not only can but will accomplish and has in fact already accomplished our desires and will bring "everything to our remembrance." This kind of faith is the song of glory "It is done, it is done." When man has found the blessed Truth as revealed to him by the Writings of Mary Baker Eddy, he has a right to expect and declare that "Christ has rolled the stone away from the door of human hope" (S. & H. pg. 45 line 17). He has a Right, a Divine Right, to expect that his sincere, honest desires shall be made manifest to him here and now, or else his study is in vain.
He who prays after this fashion shall know what is meant by "Let your light so shine before men, etc." He shall know that "let" does not mean "make"---he shall know that the "letting" is the easiest and most beautiful thing in the world, which will take place as unpretentiously and as gloriously as the coming of dawn. Gradually the flood of light, understanding and completed demonstration shall steal over him for the obstacle has been moved from the cave of his limitations and he steps free---untrammeled.
In looking over the works of our Master one finds almost the keynote of his work in the expression "I can of mine own self do nothing, but with God all things are possible." If Jesus. the Way-shower used this law so perfectly and stated it so well for us; if He acknowledged that He could of himself do nothing, it should open our eyes to the futility of our trying to aid the Divine.
If any man doubt this let him go into his garden and pick a rose bud and try to make it blossom by use of his mortal fingers. What will, be his results, but a blasted promise, neither bud nor rose.
Then pilgrim take heart. Send your prayer with the same sweet assurance that you plant a seed, knowing that having done this you have done all that you can- do. Let it go from you with the same freedom that you drop your letters into the post office, and presently-perhaps before you expect it, the ' answer will come back, freighted with joy and happiness.
Letting Go
Chapter Two
Perhaps one of the most difficult things to the growing student is the ability to let go. He makes a reality of the very things which he wishes to overcome and in doing so hugs them to him with all his strength, when it is only necessary many times to let go and the thing which has been hurting or hindering his progress will disappear.
In the Bible the struggle of Jacob with the unnamed thing is a good illustration of how we hold things to us and suffer from them. When Jacob loosed it and let it go it disappeared and was no more. Now what this condition was we are not told, but if it was one of sickness or poverty or hatred it was one and the same thing, the process of being able to let go is one of the: most freeing things possible.
In the first place when a man loosens his hold on a thing he can them move away from it, if the thing does not want to move from him. Some men are carrying around loads so large and out of proportion to their size that they, can hardly accomplish the meanest tasks because they are handicapped and because all their energy is used or sapped in holding onto the condition which they want to be rid of.
In Africa one of the ways of capturing a monkey is by making a small hole in a coconut and filling the coconut with some most edible grain. Presently the monkey puts his hand in the opening and closes it on the handful of grain thereby increasing the size of his fist to such an extent that he cannot again withdraw his hand from the hole and at this point the hunter appears and the frightened monkey who might scamper off into the jungle to his freedom tries to drag the coconut after him and is caught. His condition is exactly like the man who has a problem which he is not able to let go of. He does not realize that by relaxing his hold the thing would slip from him and that he would be free and able to go where he would.
This is the doctrine of "Resist not." When a man resists a thing it is a pretty sure sign that he fears it. Resisting also produces friction which wears a man out and makes him worthless. "Resist not" does not in any way mean that a person should let go of their very being and let the wind of chance handle them as it sees fit, but it does mean letting go of the claims which are objectionable to us, and also a refusal to acknowledge them as such realities that they need to be fought or resisted. That which we resist is real and a thing that is real cannot be put from us. If you feel that your present condition is an absolute reality and that it cannot be changed rest assured that no amount of thinking will change it, for your thought is holding it in place and until you change your thought, stop resisting the thing, make of it a thing that can be overcome, you will never gain the goal of your dreams.
If you realize that you were given dominion over everything then why waste your time resisting a thing; why not come out with your authority and command the situation. But it would not be fair to either you or the thing which you were resisting if you did not give it the same chance to get away as you take to get away from it. Loose it therefore and let it go.
"Judge not from appearances but judge righteous judgment"---refuse to accept the testimony of the material sense which is reporting inharmony to you---but 'pass the powerful thought along to the uttermost part of your kingdom "I am well "and I know it---because the Great God of whom I am an expression' (pressed out idea) has made me well and strong and I am in rapport with HIM." Meditate upon this----realize that it is as impossible for you to express an inharmonious condition as it is for God to express one. If you admit for a minute that the Great All-powerful Mind of God can express inharmony of any sort then you have destroyed your premise that God is -all good and your possible escape from the ills of the' flesh is small.
When we come to the "resist not" state and understanding that we are henceforth not going to fight a thing with all our might and main and at the same time say it is "nothing but a thought and a wrong one" ---we will come to the place that Jesus came when he began his demonstrations with a perfect acknowledgement of the completed work, "I thank thee Father that thou has heard me." He was so clear in regard to the working of the All-powerful mind that he was able to give thanks for its enactment before he saw the results. He was so sure that there was a power which could operate in the behalf of mankind healing and curing all the ills of the flesh that he never once used long and difficult argument. He knew the power was with HIM and he knew that the power is with any man who is clean enough mentally to; receive it.
Instantaneous demonstration is only a miracle in the sense that it is something which sets aside a material law---but a miracle is in reality the natural and perfect enactment of the Divine or Infinite Law, and when we learn more how to use' this law we will be able to do the things that Jesus did with the same ease. "The things that I do ye shall do also and even greater."
We are not only to do the things he did, but even greater. What did he do:
Raised the dead
Opened the blind eyes
Unstopped the deaf ears
Healed the lame
Made well the sick
Turned water into wine
Produced gold from the fish'es mouth
Made plentiful increase in the place where lack was.
"The things that I do ye shall do also and even greater." It is thundering down the ages with a new meaning. Awake thou that sleepeth to the glorious possibilities of your one-ness with this illimitable power, Good. This is your divine heritage----this is your birthright and it can only be reclaimed by right thinking.
Every condition is in reality a state of consciousness. This may be difficult, for you to see at first, but as you go into the workings of the Law of Right Thinking you will realize that the very place you are now in, is the place your thought has put you. "But the glorious thing that comes to all people who are alive and thinking that no matter what place they are in----they can by proper thinking, change that place to one more to be desired, or else they can change the place where they now are to one which will be amply satisfactory for their every need and happiness.
It is quite true that the Kingdom of heaven is right at hand---it is only a matter of how a man looks at it. With the eyes of the right thinking man he sees God. Life manifested everywhere and he becomes one with the great plan of nature and hence is in perfect harmony with the whole scheme. This brings the peace which passeth all understanding --- and brings contentment-----that most cherished gift of all.
It is not necessary then to begin worrying about the material condition. about you------first look to the mental state---get that right and as you turn to the Father or the Christ Consciousness you will find that the Father or Christ Consciousness is turning to you and you are welcome back into the land of plenty and happiness.
Suddenly in the very place which has been the desert existence to you the rose shall bloom. Infinite possibilities will open unto you; friends will flock to you, for remember you are now working with the One and Only Law that is worthy of consideration----and this law operates "in the twinkling of an eye." Suddenly as this change comes you will find yourself ready for it for the change has been going on within for a long time and the secret thing has at last been declared from "the housetop.
The difficulty experienced by most people in getting results is that they start with the effect instead of the cause. This is because in most instances they recognize the effect as the cause.
If a man is in debt he constantly meditates upon that debt-he looks, at it as a cause instead of an effect. He constantly contemplates it with fear and nine chances out of ten he puts into action the law "The thing I feared has come upon me." That is done by "the Law of Attraction"---remember that "Like attracts Like" and if you want certain conditions to manifest in your life you can never attain them as long as you keep your mind full of the opposite views of life.
All about you, you can see instances where the law of attraction has been working. The average man who is down and out in the world is always talking hard times, failure. He is fault finding and pessimistic----he believes in the will-o-the-wisp chance---and he attracts all these conditions to him, permanently because----"Like attracts like." Look at the lives of BIG MEN----some of them have failed many times---but "they never say die" one failure teaches them the lesson they needed and they go at it again with the feeling "well I made it once I can do it again." That is what prompts them on and they usually arrive.
Like physical exercise the repeated systematic exercise will surely result in enlarged muscles, increased strength and' vitality, and so with mental gymnastics----if you are faithful to your period of silent communion with the All Power and realize your oneness with it you will begin to see increased mental powers and finally when you take a check on life you will find you have made tremendous strides towards your goal. "I have done that once I can do it again" is the encouragement which you pass along to your success, little though it may be. And when a thing is well repeated the person is ready to go higher.
The old threadbare axiom, "Practice makes perfect," we all recognize. I remember passing a certain residence the very day the young daughter had her first lesson on the piano. The thought came to me what a far reach it is to a place where she will be able to interpret Chopin correctly---and yet when I passed that way daily I could begin to detect improvement almost from the start-----and one day she was playing the preludes of the master with great "ease. I could well remember when she did not know one note from the other and to have placed a prelude in front of her then and say "play that" would have been utterly foolish on-the face of it---yet you realized at that time that the child has the ability to do it if she were only willing and 'ready to set out on the faithful path of a little consistent study each day.
Perhaps you stand today where the little girl at the piano was that first day---are you willing to take up a little, sincere and careful thinking for a few moments a' day in order to come into the possession of your dreams?
We soon learn that if we would have control of the outer man we must first get control of the inner. We must begin to realize that the outer is only a manifestation of the inner and that in proportion as we wish to change a thing we must first seek the cause of that condition or thing within.
Once you have decided to eliminate a certain condition from your life from that moment on, never give voice to the lie again----when it presents itself to you dismiss it with the abiding conviction that it is a lie and has no place in, your mind or body. Make your strong affirmations and cling to them. Once you have learned that the Inner source is capable of anything, you will hold before it only such patterns as you wish reproduced, but if you have already reproduced something that is objectionable'' you can yet return to the "Secret Place" and there destroy the thought which created it in the first place. Remember to look only to the cause; the effect will take care of itself.
Having decided that you will rid yourself of some claim, you must learn to meditate upon the state or condition which you wish to replace it with. Idealize it, praise it and know that you have dropped the seed into fertile ground and that it is springing into birth.
Keep silent about your shortcomings, your faults, your fears and sickness----the more you repeat them the more real they become to both yourself and others, and voicing these errors only accentuates their reality. Eliminate weak words from your mind and your vocabulary----see how often you can substitute a powerful word for one of limitation and weakness. How often do we hear the expressions "I was scared nearly to death----tickled to death----I nearly died laughing, etc." all of which have their effect on the body and mind of man. They are weak wasteful words which could and should be replaced with words of beauty and life.
After a little while of this watchfulness you will find it becoming a habit---the habit of speaking only good-strong words and of thinking this kind of thoughts----you will then enter into a perpetual state of happiness for you will be free from the limitations that your false words have fixed upon you.
Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters
Chapter Three
In most people's thought the word "cast" means to fling away---to let go of with the thought of no return, but in the parable under consideration, the word has quite a different meaning.
In the first place, the expression came into use by reason of the rice planter. He was casting his bread upon the water---and it always returned in many days, increased.
This is a much more fruitful interpretation to consider than merely throwing a crust of bread upon the waters to be washed into the port of some needy one. It carries with it the idea of progress. When we give, we plant. When we cast the word of Truth from us---we literally plant the seed of Truth and in many days we again see the "bread" increased, returning to us.
This is particularly true of work done for others. It springs into full fruitage and we again are' refreshed by a return of the word. For we only keep that which we give. The thing which is unused falls apart or rusts. Of nothing is this more true than the unused talent which we hold in the innermost part of our being. If we conceal it from others and withhold -it, in times of great trouble when we seek it we find that it has vanished. The seed of anything cannot be kept indefinitely---if it is not planted or cast upon the waters sooner or later the life (spirit or inspiration) of it dies, and we have nothing but the material form (the letter). Now the letter without the spirit is dead, and so is the seed without the life germ.
Confidently does the planter scatter his rice upon the waters---it disappears immediately from sight. Does he become fearful that it will all be consumed by fishes and insects? Does he immediately after planting go for a net and try to regain that which he has cast away? No. As he plants he also knows that the increase is already his, and this increase comes by reason of his ability to let go of the seed.
Do you know that you cannot cast a word of truth from you that is not productive of good results, though it may not be immediately visible to you? Do not be afraid to speak the Truth whenever you see the water is waiting for the seed. It will return unto you with the increase in many days.
GOD
Chapter Four
That which underlies, overlies and encompasses all true being; that which permeates infinity; that which constitutes all force and energy that is God; Principle.
God, the infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent force of the universe is the one and only cause of all that is.
God the great and universal law of everything is expressed through his idea man bringing into view his wonderful attributes, which are love, purity, truth, health, etc, etc.
Everywhere we look we find God, from the chirping of the cricket to the "Music of the Spheres," from the energy of the most minute insect to the tremendous force of the mighty river. "Wherever we look, wherever we listen, we hear life murmur and see it glisten." A whole Universe full of throbbing vibrant life, charging the least atom of being with its magnificent energy and power. Endowing us with its super strength and placing in our hands the scepter of dominion. "I have not given thee the spirit of fear, but of power and a strong mind." Such is Life, the vitalizing substance of God which flows to us constantly, regenerating and rejuvenating us and making us anew.
The attributes of God are brought from the abstract into the concrete through the medium of man. Here we see man inspired with generosity and kindness, he goes far into the by-paths of life doing good and on missions of Love. Gradually he takes on the Christ-like quality of compassion, and we understand what is meant by the abstraction compassion, and so on through the category of his attributes.
The bringing forth of these attributes enriches -the nature of man, enlarging. his vision and pushing out the "borders of his tent" until the practical demonstration of all 'his "attributes is made manifest and man reaches the perfection of which he now but dreams.
God is health and since in "Him we Live and Move and have our being"---we are literally in a sea of perfect strength. We have but to let go of our limited sense of health to bring into manifestation the universal law of perfect health. We cease to speak of "My health"---and think no more of it than we do of the great envelope of air that enfolds us. We simply draw on this vast never ending and inexhaustible infinity of health and life and it is ours. When we learn to dismiss the personal idea in health a permanent demonstration of health is made. Man can then be truly "absent from the body and present with the Lord."
As man becomes conscious that he is an instrument upon which breathes the Divine impetus or energy, he gives himself over to the Master for the Work which will best express Him. His talent which has long been buried under the debris of material wonder, worry and reasoning, is now uncovered and brought to light, inflated, as it were with the Divine breath or energy and turned to some good account. As he pushes this talent to its limits, the Master of the Garden returns and finding him a faithful servant he adds the ten talents and the power to bring them into manifestation.
As man drops the limited personal idea of supply, he gains the unlimited substance of mind, and he ceases to speak of "my dollars and land." He uses that which he needs and that which comes into his hands as legitimate supply. It is in making the connection with the inexhaustible source of substance that man demonstrates his needs.
Since all good things come of God, desire is born of Him, insofar as desire is good, it is, so to speak, the thing in its incipiency which is pressing towards man for expression. Once man is properly contacted with God, the infinite cause of all, he becomes a channel for all good and his desires run and disport themselves into the "flesh." That is, they materialize.
A knowledge of God as First and Only CAUSE lifts man above and beyond all man made laws, all universal beliefs and fears which the flesh is heir to. That which has heretofore been considered with a certain amount of reverence, inspired by fear, is immediately uncovered and made void. Recently a case of fear and failure came to my attention through the. so called law of the planets. The person in question had had a horoscope cast at an extremely large fee and by a so-called master, but when it arrived it was so pernicious and I might say vicious in its treatment of this life, that the poor subject to whom it belonged was of all people most desolate. There was not a single redeeming feature in the whole thing. And all this was heaped upon a poor individual because, (without consent or knowledge) he had been born upon a certain day, A fear took -possession, followed by depression and gloom, when the case came to my attention. _All the bright hopes and ambitions were suddenly dashed into the dust and an aching void stood before and stretched out over weary years. Then it was that the asking of a simple question put to flight this nightmare and forever broke the self-mesmeric state of horoscopic Law. "Who came first God or the Planets?"---and since God is all power and all present, what need or reason would he have for assigning to a group of stars power to annihilate one of His children? If God is all-power and all-present why should you fear such a so-called thing as influence of the planets which are millions of miles away and derive all their power from God? And so through the application of God as First Cause man can destroy with scientific certainty all fear of unknown influences and forces, and likewise heredity, pre-natal influences and pre-dispositions, eccentricities and faith in mediums, diviners and wizards. They stand powerless and I might add senseless before this one and only Primal and Ever-lasting cause, GOD.
When we seek Him in the temple of our bodies, we find him knocking at the door of our sin-bound hearts. There in the darkness of material fears, failures and worries. He awaits us, ready to sup with us in perfect contentment and to place in our hands. The scepter of dominion. And gradually we come upon the sacred word "Father," which is breathed from the inmost recesses of our soul with the velvet lips of silence. What a glorious, swelling paean of praise breaks forth, as though it would burst the delicate heart. Like the vigorous mountain stream tearing, and dashing through the ravine carrying tons of refuse and debris before it without a conscious effort, so this soul-stirring word "Father" when spiritually discerned crashes through time honored material conditions and customs, washing everything clean with the River of Life. Presently we find the body a "well watered Garden" by the banks of the ever flowing River of Life, and we find it an exceedingly pleasant and comfortable place to dwell in. As we learn to live in this River of Life, to direct its course upward instead of downward, we come to a fine almost mystic thing, a power which though mental and spiritual is almost visible. It goes whither it will, regardless of material conditions, and accomplishes wonders by merely resting upon an object. It sweeps away the dirty web of material reasoning in which man has been ensnared so long, it takes issue with disease and heals without an effort, because it is conscious only of perfection. It transforms that which is torn down and mutilated and looses the chains of the captives of sense.
And presently man learns that the Garden so well watered and cared for is also a temple. of the living God. A place wherein he may retire from the worldly strife and stir and commune consciously with "Father." He soon learns that in time of trouble he can hide in the tabernacle of His God that he can enter suddenly into the counsel chamber of His God and ask advice and guidance that he can carry his load of gratitude to God and "Bear a song away."
And after he learns the word "Father" in its spiritual sense and meaning he comes upon a new word and that is "Brother," a word which he carries from the inner sanctuary out into the world as a sweet incense and anointing oil of love to pour upon the broken hearts. And as he ministers along the wayside of life, presently the FATHER speaks and says "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these ye have done it unto me."
What more shall we say of Such a radiant Love which enfolds us with a tender mother affection---which soothes and forgives and offers us anew His gifts in super-abundance.
As a Man Thinketh
Chapter Five
As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." On every hand we hear a great deal about the control -of mind over matter. In fact we have always heard of it, but a large majority of us have passed it by with the comment "will power," "not lasting," "theory," etc., etc..
First, does the thought affect the body? Take for example the boy who wants to go swimming and has been told, no. What is the expression of his face, and if he has work to perform notice how he moves with the action of an aged man. Say to this boy "you can go." It is like touching an electric button. Life literally shoots thru him. He jumps, throws his hat in the air, smiles until it is positively contagious and then runs off, happy as a lark. Did thought have anything to do with changing a lagging, fatigued body into a powerful little machine that operated at a tremendous high rate of speed? Think about this. It is by these simple steps that we are going to build up to things worth while and that will accomplish.
Bring a message of death into a happy family, and watch the rapid change. They have seen nothing. Actually they know nothing for a fact except what the paper says. Tears start, souls are wrung, agony comes over all, and the cheery, happy home is made unhappy in the twinkling of an eye, by what? A change in thought.
Suppose, after seeing this grief displayed that the message proves to be a mistake. In an instant the family is rushed back into joy and happiness. "All shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye" by thought. I ask you what has become of the sorrow? I ask you where did it come from and where did it go? Think on these things, they are steps to the temple of thought we are building.
How many of us have not seen a violent headache follow a great spell of anger or hatred? No blows were struck and yet the person by his thought caused himself to have headache. You have also read or heard of cases where people fell dead in a fit of anger. Apoplexy from anger is not an uncommon thing, even recorded in medical journals.
There are many kinds of thought, but suppose we take that of FEAR for a moment and look into it.
As a child you probably copied into your writing books this old adage "Cowards die many times before their death." We have all heard of death which has been caused by fear. It is the task master of the age. It is the thing that stalks about in darkness and makes slaves of us. It is the thing that keeps us under and in bondage, either to sickness, poverty or public opinion, but it is