Stores of information; rich mines of knowledge; uncut gems and
precious metal awaiting the discoverer--Psychic and spiritual
faculties--Strange attraction of soul to soul--The Rock of Ages--The
Voice of the Soul.
Deep down in the soul are stores of information awaiting to be brought
to the surface of consciousness. Rich mines of knowledge are
there--uncut gems rest there awaiting the day when they will be
uncovered and brought into the bright light of consciousness--rich
veins of precious metals are there awaiting in patience the day when
some Divine Adventurer will search for them and bring them to light.
The human mind is a wonderful storehouse, concealing all sorts of
treasures and precious things, only a fraction of which have been
discovered so far.
We have faculties not yet recognized by the science of the
day--psychic and spiritual faculties--just as real as the recognized
faculties, playing an important part in our everyday lives,
particularly when we have been made aware of their existence. In many
of us these faculties are scarcely recognized, and many of us doubt
and deny their very existence. Others have a faint perception of their
existence, but do not know how to use them, and get but the slightest
benefit from them. Others have awakened to the wonderful faculties
which are developing and unfolding within them, and a few have gone so
far as to aid in this development of these higher faculties of the
mind, and have been almost startled at the results obtained. The
Orientals have their ways of development of these faculties, and we
Occidentals have ours. Each best serves the purposes of the particular
people using it.
As we bring these faculties out of the realm of the super-conscious
into the field of consciousness, life takes on an entirely different
meaning, and many things heretofore dark are seen plainly and
understood. No one can understand the Oneness of things until his
spiritual faculties are sufficiently developed to make him _conscious_
of it. Blind belief or reliance upon the words of another will never
do for the seeker after Truth that which is accomplished by a single
gleam of consciousness resting upon some of the hidden treasures of
the soul. One glimpse into the depths of the soul will do more than
the reading of thousands of books, the teaching of hundreds of
teachers. This glimpse, once had, will never be forgotten. Its reality
may be questioned at times--at other times the memory may seem dim and
unreliable--but it will return in all its freshness and brightness,
and even in the moment of doubt we cannot entirely escape it.
Our real knowledge of the existence of GOD is not obtained from the
intellect. We can take up the subject of GOD and reason about it all
our life, only to find ourselves, in the end, in a worse muddle than
when we started. And yet one single ray of consciousness reaching down
into the depths of our inner being will bring to us such a complete
certainty of GOD'S existence and being, that nothing afterward will
ever shake our faith in the reality and existence of the Supreme
Power. We will not understand the nature of his being--his
existence--his power--but we will _know_ that he exists, and will
feel that peacefulness and infinite trust in him which always come
with the glimpse of the Truth. We will not understand any better the
many theories of Man regarding GOD and his works; in fact, we will
be more apt to turn away, wearied, from Man's discussion of the
subject--the attempt of the finite to describe and limit the infinite.
But we will _know_ that at the Center of things is to be found that
Universal Presence, and we feel that we can safely rest ourselves on
his bosom--trust ourselves in his hands. The cares, sorrows and trials
of Life seem very small indeed when viewed from the absolute position,
although from the relative position this world often seems to be a
very hell.
Another glimpse into the recesses of the soul reveals to us the
Oneness of things. We see GOD as the great Center of things, and all
the Universe as but One. The Oneness of all Life becomes apparent to
us and we feel in touch not only with all mankind, but with all life.
The petty distinctions of class, race, rank, caste, nationality,
language, country fade away and we see all men as brothers. And we
feel a kindly feeling and love toward the lesser manifestations of
life. Even the rocks and the stones are seen as parts of the Whole and
we no longer feel a sense of separateness from any thing. We realize
what the Universe is, and in our imagination visit the most distant
stars and instinctively know that we would find nothing foreign to us
there--all would be but bits of the same thing.
And we begin to understand those strange attractions of soul to soul,
instances of which have come to all of us. We realize that it is
possible to entertain a feeling of love for every living creature--to
every man or woman, the manifestations, of course, varying in degree
and kind, according to sex and closeness of soul relation. It makes us
more tolerant and causes us to see but ignorance in many things in
which we saw but sin before. It makes us feel pity rather than hate.
Ah, these little glimpses into the inmost recesses of the soul they
teach us many new lessons.
And one of the greatest lessons that we may acquire in this way is the
recognition of the eternal life of the soul. We may believe, with
greater or less earnestness, in the doctrine of the immortality of the
soul, our beliefs and conceptions depending more or less upon the
teachings which we have received from early childhood, but until we
become conscious of that which lies within us, we are never really
certain--we do not know. Many good people will deny this statement,
and will say that they have never doubted the life of the soul after
death, but see how they act. When death comes into their houses they
mourn and cry aloud in their agony, and demand of GOD why he has done
this thing. They drape themselves in mourning and mourn and weep as if
the loved one had been destroyed and annihilated. All of their actions
and conduct go to prove that they have no abiding sense of the reality
of the continuance of life beyond the grave. They speak of the dead as
if they were lost forever--as if a sponge had been passed over the
slate of life and naught remained. How cold and hollow sounds the
would-be comforting words of friends and relatives, who assure the
mourning ones that the being who has just laid aside the body is
"better off now," and that all is "for the best," and all the rest of
conventional expressions that we make use of. I tell you that one who
has had a glimpse into what lies within him knows so well that he is
eternal that he finds it impossible to look upon death in the ordinary
way, and if he is not very careful he will be regarded as heartless
and unfeeling for the sorrows of others. And he will be regarded as a
fool in his views of life by those around him who attend church
regularly every Sunday, and who profess a full belief in all its
doctrines. If he considers that he himself is his soul, and that he is
as much an immortal being now as he ever will be--that his body is but
as a garment to cover him, or an instrument through which he manifests
himself--if he considers that he is in eternity now just as much as he
ever will be; that he cannot be destroyed by Mt. Pelee eruptions or
railroad accidents--if, in short, he feels these things so strongly
that they have become a part of his real everyday life--why, he is
looked upon as "queer" by those who hear these things taught them
every Sunday, and who would feel horrified if they were accused of
harboring a doubt regarding them. This is one of the things that go to
show the difference between "believing" a thing and "being conscious"
of it.
Now, don't run away and say that I held that the church-goers have no
conception of the reality of the immortality of the soul, for I
haven't said any such thing. There are many church-goers who have
experienced a full realization of the feeling I mention, and there are
many more church-goers who have not. And there are many men and women
who scarcely ever enter within the walls of a church who have had this
experience, and it means more to them than all the preachments they
have ever listened to. It is not a matter of being "in-church" or
"out-of-church," it is a matter of spiritual development, that's all.
I attend churches of all denominations, and I find all of them good.
The service of the Catholic Church appeals to me, and so does the
meeting of some old-fashioned Methodist congregation. I do not accept
all the doctrines and theories I hear in the various churches, but I
manage to get some good out of all. If I have any preference whatever,
it is for an old-fashioned Quaker meeting, where, perhaps, not a word
is said from beginning to close, but where there is undoubtedly a
strong spiritual power manifested. I have even found much good in
attending a certain orthodox church, where the venerable preacher, who
does not believe in the "higher criticism" or creed revision, often
gives us a delightful sermon on the horrors of hell and the state of
the damned, including the unbaptized infants. I can listen to a sermon
like this with a thrill of delight--a feeling of intense joy which
comes to me because I have been given the inward assurance that there
exists a GOD who is Love, instead of the hating, wrathful, vengeful
creature that the poor preacher tries to make us believe is the
Infinite Power--the Universal Presence--the Loving Father. Oh, no, I
am not condemning churches--I like them all, and think that each one
is doing the best possible work for the particular people who are
attracted to it. I have listened to the exercises of the Salvation
Army, and have seen much good in it. How many of you New Thought
people, or you high-toned church members, would make half the
sacrifices for what you consider Truth that the Salvation Army soldier
or the Hallelujah lassie make every day of their lives? Stop a moment
before you laugh at them. Some of these people have more spirituality
in their little finger than many of us have in our whole bodies.
There are times when we feel disturbed and full of unrest. We seek to
use our intellects and solve all the problems of life. We fret and
chafe under the restrictions which have been placed upon us. We wish
to KNOW all things. We reason this way and that way, follow up every
lane, alley and street in the city of Thought, but, alas, we find not
that which we seek. And in our search we are apt to forget that we
have within us an assurance that all is well with the world, and with
us. We rebel against the leadings of the Spirit--against the knowledge
that has come from the inner self--and we want to get our knowledge
over the old channels--by means of the Intellect. Well, at such times
we storm and fume and fret, and complain at our inability to solve the
problem. We set up ideas only to tear them down again. We assume and
then abandon one position after another, until there is nothing left.
And the end of all the intellectual debauch is to say finally, "I do
not know." And then, after the struggle is over, we see, just as
plainly as ever before, the glimpse of Truth that has come to us from
within--we hear the words of the soul--we have the same old
consciousness. We say to ourselves, "I may not get this thing
intellectually, but I KNOW it is true. I cannot doubt the voice of the
Soul."
This knowledge which comes from within is like the rock against which
beat the storms of the sea--against which dash the waves which
completely cover it and which hide it from sight, until it seems that
it has disappeared forever from view, carried away by the attacking
waves. The lightning flashes, the thunder rolls, the fury of the
tempest seems concentrated against this rock, and the demon of the
storm seems intent upon destroying every particle of it--of tearing it
to little bits with which to strew the shores. All is darkness--all is
blackness--all is fury, raging and terror. After hours, the storm
subsides, and then later morning comes, and the first rays of the
rising sun kiss lovingly the rock which has stood the fury of the
storm, and has emerged unhurt, a witness to its superiority to the
elements.
Storm away, ye who would destroy this rock--dash your waves of Doubt,
Logic, Criticism, Unbelief, Dogma, Theory, against this rock of the
Spirit. Exert yourself to the utmost--expend all the force that is
within you--do your best--do your worst. Tear and twist, pull and
wrench, beat and pound, and what have you accomplished? After the
storm has passed away--after the clouds have dispersed--when the sky
again is blue and the sun again is shining--the rock still stands,
undisturbed, unchanged, unshaken. And stand it will for ages and ages.
And Man shall begin to know of the stability and firmness of this
rock. He will begin to realize just what it means to him, and he will
know that while the waves that beat upon it are good and needful, and
not to be despised, that only upon the rock can he safely build.
Do not despise the intellect and its teachings, but know that ye have
within ye another source of knowledge--that ye have spiritual
faculties which are developing and which you can use. And trust the
work of these faculties--listen to the voice of the Soul.
"FORGET IT."
Why worry about the past?--Hugging old sorrows to your bosom--What to
do with them--Don't poison your life--Pain brings experience--Learning
your lesson--How to get rid of a gloomy thought--Throw it away--Forget
it.
One can often get some useful lesson from the slang and current
phrases of the day. There is something particularly attractive to me
about slang, and the pat phrases that are passed along from one to
another on the streets. Many of these phrases condense in a few words
certain practical truths that one could use as a basis for a sermon,
an essay, or even a book. They are the practical experiences of the
people crystallized in a catchy phrase. The phrase which I hear so
frequently on the street just now, "Forget it," seems to me to contain
much practical common sense, and if people would put it into practice
there would be many more brighter faces--many more lighter hearts.
What's the use, anyhow, of carrying around a long face or a heavy
heart, just because away back in the past something "went wrong" with
us, or even if we "went wrong" ourselves (and most of us have--I have,
I know)? What's the use? Forget it!
Of course you will not forget the experiences of the past, and you do
not want to. That's one of the things we are living for--gaining
experience. When we have once really learned a thing through
experience, we never forget it--it is a part of us. But why bother
about the memory of the pain, the mortification, the "slip-up," the
heartache, the wounded feelings, the misplaced confidence, the thing
done in the wrong way, the chance you let slip by, the folly, the sin,
the misery, the "might-have-beens," and all the rest. Oh what's the
use? Forget it I say, forget it.
If one is to worry about all the things that went wrong--all the
things that didn't come right--in the past; if he has to take out each
memory every day, and after carefully dusting it off, fondle and
caress it, and hug it close to his bosom; if he has to raise up these
ghosts from the past--these phantoms of long ago--these musty,
moth-eaten things--why he will have no time for the affairs of to-day.
He will lose all the joy of the now--all the pleasure of life of the
moment--all the interest in the things of to-day. Oh, dear, dear,
what's the use? Forget it--forget it.
Some people are not happy unless they have some old faded sorrow
hugged up close to their bosoms, and they feel guilty if they happen
to smile and forget the old thing for even a moment. Oh, how they do
gloat over their own revamped unhappiness--how they enjoy the
relieving of the pains and sorrows, mistakes and ignorance of years
gone by. How they love to hold the fox to their sides and let it eat
out their heart. These people are really happy in the unhappiness, and
life would not be worth living if they were deprived of their pet
sorrows. Of course, if these people are really happy because they are
unhappy, I have no objection. Every man or woman has the right to
pursue happiness in his or her own way, and I suppose that that is as
good a way as any other, and I should not find fault if somebody
else's way is different from mine. But doesn't it seem like a pity to
see people wasting their time, energy, thoughts and life on these old
sorrows? If they must think of the past, why not think of the bright
things that came into their lives, instead of the dark ones? Think of
the moments of happiness, not of the moments of sorrow. Don't make a
tomb of your mind. Don't let that particular painful experience poison
your present life. Don't do it--don't do it. What's the use? Forget
it.
Every bit of pain that has happened you has brought its experience to
you--you are better, wiser and broader for it. Look at it in that way,
and you will cease to mourn and wail and wring your hands over the
fact that in the past you "have done those things which you ought not
to have done, and have left undone those things which you ought to
have done." Nonsense! You have gained the experience and know better
now. If you were placed back in the same old position, and lacked the
experience that you have gained by just such things, you would do the
same old thing over again, and in the same old way. You couldn't help
it, because you would be the same old person. What you would like to
do would be to be placed back in the same position, and face the same
old temptation or problem, but you would want to take with you the
experience you have gained by your former mistake. You want the cake
and the penny at the same time. You want the experience without the
pain. Oh, yes, you do, now, that's just what you want--I've been
through it myself, and know all about it. You've gained the
experience, be satisfied. Some day you'll need that experience, and
will be glad you have it, and will see that it was worth all you've
paid for it. No, you don't see it that way? Well, maybe you haven't
had enough of it--haven't learned your lesson yet. If that is the
case, some of these days the law will drop you back into the pot,
until you're well done. The law is not satisfied with underdone
people. Oh, you're making a big mistake. Forget it--forget it.
The people who carry these old things around with them generally get
themselves into the mental attitude that draws other things of the
same sort to them. Misery likes company, and a miserable thought also
likes companionship, and almost always manages to attract some other
miserable thing to it, to keep it from being lonesome. The only way to
get rid of a thought of this kind is to--forget it.
Now if you have some pet thing that is gnawing out your vitals--is
corroding your heart--is poisoning your mind--take it out and look at
it for the last time. Give it a last long lingering gaze. Kiss it
good-bye. Weep over it if you like, for this is the last you will see
of it. Then throw open the window of your mind and pitch it out into
the outer darkness.