Book Description
1916. Based upon the proposition that events do not happen without a
fixed cause, MacLelland shows the why, and also shows how all can get
into touch with the psychic current which will carry them to success
and contentment. It is a wonderfully deep book, yet couched in such
simple language that all can understand. It is not a theory but a
resume of life. The principles involved are deductions from his own
experience. It will carry you into any desired position in life if the
methods are used. Every person in an unsatisfactory position should
read it and follow its instructions. Bruce MacLelland has helped many
to a life of contentment and satisfaction. May he do it for you?
INTRODUCTION
Wealth Does Not Bring Contentment
IT is a psychic law that, to
receive, one must first give out.
In pursuance of that
result, desiring to grow, as well as getting contentment from the
improved
condition of those who were able to receive my philosophy, I have given
much time
to its promulgation.
There is no joy
equal to the joy of receiving expressions of gratitude from a
developed man
for having taught how to start the development.
Being nothing to
gain on our part and nothing farther required on his part the gratitude
is
peculiarly free from motive other than its own expression.
These laws have done so much
for me without
exacting a return; been given so freely, that they must be given to you
in the
same spirit.
Something of what
they have done will impress their actuality upon others and be a means
of
starting them on the road. Let us follow their action upon my
personality.
Probably there has
never been born a more perfect natural candidate for failure than the
writer of
these lines.
In a varied
experience of forty-five years I have never found a fool of quite so
many
varieties.
Born of an
improvident family, in a mediocre strain; endowed with a cowardice
that was
appalling; giggling, blushing, stammering, like a silly school girl
whenever a
man or woman spoke to me, meantime cursing myself for being such a
fool,
knowing it full well, and ashamed, as though the muddled mass of terror
which
people looked upon as me was some other person in whom I was compelled
to live; antagonistic,
hasty, bombastic, sensual, vacillating and boastful, it was surely a
poor
equipment with which to win the battle of life.
On the other side of
the ledger was a determination which nothing could deter. Striving to
exhaustion and despon-dency I would begin again and work with greater
fury,
goaded by a boundless ambition. This ambition by driving me so
relentlessly has
been a curse. I had hope to excess which was a fatuous light to beguile
into a
fancied security, when instead there should have been the
realization that
unless some method was found to induct wisdom and courage, failure was
the
predestined result.
Underlying it, but
buried beyond expression, was a veneration for Infinity and love
of nature
which afterwards brought peace and concord.
The natural trend of these
things was
failure and the better qualities of necessity must overcome that
tendency in a
terrific up-hill battle.
As a consequence
failure followed failure for years.
It is interesting to
look back at the results of those qualities. Studying
book-keeping I amazed
the teachers by finishing a nine months' course in three months and
twenty
days, passing a perfect examination, while in the meantime both
teachers and
students were converted into enemies.
For the next ten
years my principal occupation was getting discharged from position
after
position and finding another. The worry, venom, and
expectation of discharge
and failure brought it while my determination to find another brought
that. I
was never idle.
An ex-employer, told
a prospective employer, "There is no better book-keeper in the
city but
no one can get along with him. He hates himself, God, man, and devil.
Let him
alone." Yet I know this big, whole-souled man liked me and could feel the
underlying love of truth, high sense of justice, honesty, sobriety, and
love
under the hate.
In fact, hate is
only love on the wrong track. He said when he discharged me, "My boy I
am
sorry for you. You are capable, honest, and intelligent, but the hate
and worry
destroys all the harmony in the office. It won't do. No business can
succeed
that way."
This made me wild
with rage. I did not want sympathy. I wanted to succeed and knew I was
capable.
The remark set me to
thinking, however, and brought the resolve to stop worrying and get
some sense.
But how?
Realize the
position. Here was a fool determined to cure himself of foolishness.
Who would be the
teacher?
There was no psychism open to
the public in
those days. In fact that resolve was a very prominent factor in the
development
of the so-called New Thought of the present day.
I cast about for
help. Hating religion with other things kept me from studying the
Sermon on the
Mount where a solution might have been found.
At that time a
school of hypnotism was flooding the country with its circulars.
Drowning, I grabbed
at the straw and hare always been glad, because an imperfect
rendering of the
law of suggestion was embraced therein. But it was enough.
How clearly memory brings
back those sentences, "I shall not worry over anything. Nothing
shall
annoy me. I will not let anything worry me."
Plunging into this
as into everything else it became a constant reiteration. It was with
me all
day and all night, every day and every night. There was no immediate
apparent
response. Nor can an immediate response be expected. The inborn fear
and habit
of a lifetime is not so easily overcome.
My mind sickened
with the very constancy of the repetition, and despair seized me
as I thought,
"There is nothing to it."
But from within came
the conviction that there was a truth somewhere in that connection
which was
needed and must be found.
Resting for a few
days, back into the suggestions I went, and after a long struggle found
some
slight relief in not hating people so fiercely.
The hate was the
product of fear, so also was the worry, and the suggestion, though
imperfect
for my peculiar mentality, helped suppress it without supplying
anything else.
Had it been, "God
loves me and will protect me." "All men are my brothers," it
would have struck at the foundation by supplanting the fear with
courage
through appreciation of His love and protection and made mankind my
friends.
However, it is just
as well because the deduction would have been lost to the world.
Determination, grim
and relentless, kept me to the task. Just how long I am not sure, but
probably
eighteen months was spent in incessant suggestions before certain
results
arrived.
One morning I awoke
quiet, buoyant, and happy. My rapture knew no bounds. Knowing nothing
about
planes of mind I did not know such a condition existed. In my ignorance
I
supposed it would be permanent.
Suddenly a great
black cloud of fear shut out my sunlight.
I saw it coming and
resisted with all the fury of a demon without avail. Heaven had become
hell
again.
Cursing and raving
like a madman I gave up to depression and despair.
Had not the thought
of leaving an invalid wife and two babies to the mercy of a
heartless world
prevented, there would have been a sad end.
The scars of that
battle remain to this day. When some degree of calmness supplanted
the rage, a
realization that such a wonderful freedom and happiness could be
attained, and
that I knew how to attain it, brought a degree of hope and set in
motion the
suggestions again.
I read "Plato's
Immortality," the Bible, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, The Age of Reason,
Emerson's essays and kindred thought.
A crisis requiring
prompt action arose. The manager was away. I, the book-keeper, was in
charge.
Should I act? Failure meant discharge and it was an ugly business.
But the interests of
the corporation required action, prompt, decisive, effective.
I acted; and to this
day wonder how I got out alive. Instead of being firmly diplomatic I
turned all
the fury within me loose and cursed those swarthy and ignorant
miners without
restraint.
For a wonder it was
successful. They were appalled by the very vehemence of the attack and
went
back to work.
The firm raised my
salary fifty dollars per month and made me Auditor and General
Sales Agent.
Then I knew the
suggestions had brought growth.
Afterwards they
elected me Secretary with another increase of fifty dollars per month
because I
had been fortunate enough to conceive and carry out a plan netting many
thousands.
Suggestions had been
a paying investment. Resigning I went into business and made
enough in a few
months to buy a ranch in Oklahoma.
We were in the
Indian country. Geronimo and his Apaches were captives on the Fort Sill
reservation.
The Comanches passed
our place almost every day, to the east lived the Chickasaws, while
cow-men,
with their jingling spurs, were in constant evidence.
It was frontier in
the reality and the last of the age of American romance.
When statehood came
we sold and moved to Oregon.
Psychic
investigation and development is my life. The spirit guides me and
resting in
such powerful arms, content, I do my duty each day; do it as well as I
can;
keep rancor out of my soul; smile occasionally, love liberality,
liberty,
justice, and a good fight for their support.
The change in my
character is due to living within the law.
It was the
transformation from the depths of despondency and hate to peace, joy,
and
content.
Mastering one's self
is no child's play. But it can be accomplished by every reader of this
book.
The change from
dependency, irresolution, and want, to a glowing certainty that
what one needs
he can go out and get, be it great or small; and the constant
presence of
peace and radiating joy in the soul is sufficient reward for the
exertion put
forth.
I do not believe any
calamity, so-called, could throw me off my balance. Things have
happened which
were sufficient to drive the average man to distraction and some to
insanity
without changing my smile of contentment and inward joy.
I can go to prison
for a principle without a murmur; can stand abuse from
theologians and
self-seeking politicians without resentment; or flay them to a
finish if
necessary to produce better conditions.
These outside
affairs are all immaterial to those who live from within.
The only really
important matter is to preserve my poise at all times, asleep or awake,
and
thus retain the spiritual connection between my spirit and the
spirit of my
God.
The ideas in this
volume have benefited mankind in every part of the English-speaking
world. They
will do more in the future.
The revivifying
effects of the law will go with it and influence every one who will
admit it;
will stir the very soul, sending energy and health bounding through one
and
prosperity will follow.
Nothing but refusal
to clear the way can stop it.
Earnestly, lovingly,
in peace and joy, I bid you good night, but not good-bye.
BRUCE
MACLELLAND, EUGENE,
Oregon.
Chapter
1
A
GENERAL TALK
Insight and Industry Are Excellent
Acquisitions.
IN order to get acquainted and
understand each other, suppose we spend a
little time in talking about the situation.
What is success? Do
you mean that it consists in gathering great riches? That is not
success. Those
men live empty, discontented lives. They are not happy, and show it by
a
constant pursuit of pleasure. If they had the contentment of a soul at
peace
there would be no such pursuit. On the contrary, they rush hither and
thither
to ball games, yachting, balls, women and wine, horse races, poker
playing,
shooting, fishing, billiards, and every other form of entertainment the
mentality can suggest without finding peace or content.
In that frame of
mind they can receive no induction of thought on higher planes than
money
making, no inspiration, no realization of the power of will, no
wandering in
flowery fields of spirituality amid the smiling petals of the
sun-kissed
blossoms of love, no growth into unity and understanding.
Such inharmonious
condition is what was meant by, "It is easier for a camel to pass
through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."
The reason being
that the constant pursuit of riches des-troys the ability to
develop the
connection between the spirit of God in mankind and the mental
faculties.
The greatest failure
of all is this man, let a tear fall in sympathy for his starved and
shriveled soul and for the soul of his wife, the society woman.
This is not an
argument against an honest business, great or small. It is an argument
against
letting the pursuit of wealth be the paramount aim of life.
Everyone must live
and most of us must earn the means as we go, but we are not compelled
to make
it the love of our religion. To him who makes acquisitions of property
his aim
there is no end to strife, no goal of peace nor spiritual growth.
Immersed
within the lake of selfishness, he grows farther and farther away from
the real
things of life.
The richer he
becomes the richer he desires to be and ambition grows as he
grasps. There is
no end to this.
It is immaterial
whether he gathers great riches, a moderate fortune, or no fortune
at all, the
effect of such a pursuit is equally disastrous to the happiness of the
man.
To attain happiness
the goal must be the development of self into unity with Infinity. Then
contentment, wealth, and indwelling peace becomes a constituent part of
the
man. A part so firm that nothing can take it away because it is the man.
Some think they will
become wealthy, then spend the remainder of this life enjoying it.
Have you
ever found a man who got satisfaction and contentment out of such a
situation?
Those who have come to my attention were restless, discontented,
and growing
into querulous senility.
The human mind
requires some pursuit, some god, and the goal of
self-conquest promises a
constant and permanent occupation with greater rewards than any other
aspiration.
In such mood one
does his work because he is interested in that work, it is a thing
worthwhile
within itself and not a means to secure wealth. The results, however,
are
always wealth and usually some degree of fame because in such mood the
very
best work can be done, and the world is quick to reward the man who
does anything
better than it has been done before.
It also brings
concentration, good will to all, economy, high ideals and force of
character,
which is growth.
Have you an idea
that wealth brings happiness?
Do not believe it.
Contentment and aspiration, coupled with plenty of work, does
bring it.
Men who seek
happiness in travel, in society, in the pursuit of happiness are
miserable.
The world is full of
people who are wealthy and fairly wild with longing for some aim. They
do not
know what is wrong, however, and remain miserable.
Those who are
centering their attention on some work, saving some money, and can
see
progress in the future, are happy.
Success, then, is
the possession of happiness and a content-ment that satisfies the soul.
We do not expect to
make millionaires of every man who reads this book, but we do intend to
show
you a way to get the highest degree of efficiency and the largest
returns consistent
with your power. Also how to increase that power.
We would distinguish
between the man who has a position with a sufficient income and the man
who is
independent of any one firm, because the former is liable to discharge
any
instant and grows less valuable as he becomes older.
Under such
conditions there can never be the contentment of the man who has proved
himself
and knows he can depend upon his own creative efforts to bring the
funds
required. Employed men are successful to some degree but not in
the intent of
this reasoning.
There is a deeper
purpose herein. An intent to start you on a road which will lead into a
world
where your mind will find other things to occupy it with
greater happiness
than can be found in the pursuit of wealth.
But first and
primarily we propose teaching you that financial success depends
upon the man;
which means the condition of, and qualities within his mind, and show
you how
to acquire them.
It shames a psychic
to know that the only way to lead a man to God is by using Divine
Law to
satisfy the selfish desire for financial aggrandizement, but we are
also glad
to be able to do it.
A man unable to
acquire a competency is entitled to this law for his development into
sufficient for his needs and a home.
It is the man who,
getting much, craves more that disgraces himself and insults the law.
Understand, then,
that success depends Upon yourself alone.
The foolish hope
that the Lord will provide is a chimera. We are provided with the power
to
acquire all we need, or to build within ourselves courage,
determination,
initiative, and force. These qualities will bring success in every case.
Success is bred,
like health, and belongs to some families as a birthright. They expect
it and
find a way of getting it. Failure does not occur to them. With unerring
instinct they seek a business that has the elements of success within
itself
and follow it with diligence.
Others are bred
failures, and unless they learn the law will fail forever and breed
failures
forever.
Born in that
atmosphere and thoroughly inoculated with it, they expect failure.
Everything
works against them. Should they get an idea of merit and have the
courage to
look it in the face long enough to organize it, the bankers would doubt
their
tenacity and wisdom and hesitate about loaning them money to carry out
the
plan.
The family
atmosphere stands in the way. Personality carries borrowing power
at the banks. This is the ill-luck we hear so much about.
Everybody and
everything, including that intangible thing we call circumstances,
work to
promote the interests of the successful mind.
The application may
be found in the following story:
"I'm tired of
this way of living and am going to work," a man said to the other
loungers.
"Where?"
one asked, eagerly.
"They ain't no
jobs worth havin'," another grumbled. The remainder looked on with
varying degrees of interest.
The first had
aroused a determination to create better conditions for himself.
The second had
evidently formed the same resolve but had not reached the point of
taking the
initiative, or making the start.
The third had
neither energy, determination, nor initiative. Was, in fact,
worthless and not
being willing to do his best, considered all jobs as underpaid and wage
earners
as slaves. This is the product of a mind which is deficient in the
qualities
mentioned, and such men must be failures.
Now the first
speaker did seek work earnestly—took the initiative and
steadfastly refused to
be discouraged by refusal. Work was scarce. He kept at it, determined
that
something would be found.
Finally, a man who
had regretfully refused work because there were no vacancies
in his plant
told Jim, as we will call him, of a man who had a contract to cut pit
posts and
hew ties and suggested that perhaps work might be secured.
Off went Jim,
post-haste, and found the contractor and a job.
He worked earnestly,
kept silent, courteous, and gentle-manly during the three months the
work
lasted. While others grumbled and swore and quit, he silently swung his
ax for
low wages, knowing better things would come, imagining
himself as
having a contract and thus in obedi-ence to a law of nature built up a
strong
drawing power within himself to attract better conditions.
The railroad
purchasing agent had been watching him and offered him a contract.
Today "Jim"
is President of one of the big lumber comp-anies.
He got within the
law of success and was borne onward by its action.
When he started to
find work he obeyed the first command, i.e., take the initiative—do
something.
When he refused to
be discouraged because work was difficult to obtain he obeyed the
second
command, i.e., you must have courage and determination.
When he silently
worked and planned to get a contract for himself, thinking of himself
as having
the contract, he unknowingly employed the law of imagination and
created the
place to be occupied.
As his business
grew, he planned larger enterprises as he had the first and
succeeded by the
same law.
The first efforts created
sympathetic interest and through such
interest the first poor job was found. Had he gone about his search in
a
half-hearted way the man who put him on the track of work would not
have felt
an interest nor thought of the wood cutting. Mankind is always willing
to help
a successful man or kick an unsuccessful one.
From the moment he
determined to better his condition and refused to be discouraged
by failure he
was successful, i.e., had a successful mind.
Had he quit when
work was refused the first few days the friendly interest would not
have been
created, nor the place found; but the loafers’ crowd would have been
augmented by
one to the acclaim of many "I told you so's."
In which case his
would have been an unsuccessful mind and failure the logical outcome.
"Jim"
did not select his business because he had a longing for that line of
effort.
He took the first opportunity and made the most of it. But everyone
should find
the business, trade, or profession to which he is adapted and
stick to it.
The desire is a sure
guide if it is a well-defined longing and not a fancy of an
unsettled mind.
The man who wants to
follow some business and knows that he wants that, and that alone, is
being led
by divine wisdom. He will not make as perfect success out of
any other work
and will not build his spirit at all unless he follows its guidance.
It seems hard for me
to confine myself strictly to money making. The desire to see everybody
enjoy
the fulness of life through communion of the God within with Eternal
Love by
development is so strong it creeps in unawares.
Let it manifest itself. It's
for your
welfare and happiness. Every success is the outcome of a small
beginning.
To the child born in
this age of big business it seems that these giants always
existed, and that
he cannot own such an enterprise, but the elders of his own
generation can
remember when the great U.S. Steel Corporation was a scattered group of
little
iron foundries.
These foundries were
started by men who had the quality, of initiative, or the will to
commence some
original enterprise.
They were perilous
adventures of small promise. The bankers did not consider them good
security
and were reluctant to advance funds for their promotion.
In fact, the advent
into the business of the man who has since been styled the steel king
was
because he had loaned one firm some money and was forced to
foreclose.
There was little
demand for their products. Sheet steel and structural steel was
unknown.
In spite of these
handicaps and discouragements the men had determination and
courage enough to persist in the enterprises, and force sufficient to
drive
them to a successful conclusion.
As the business grew
the men who managed them grew with them. They became able to grasp
big things
in a big way.
Everyone, who
desires to succeed, must have the ability to lay aside doubts, fears,
indecision and lassitude and do something: also courage and
determination
sufficient to sustain him when things look black and the cloud of
despair hangs
low: and a clear mind to originate plans to further the business.
Without
initiative the foundries would never have been started, without
determination
they would have failed under the discouragements.
The persistent
efforts created a demand for the output, originated new uses, and
brought the
Bessemer process out of the unknown to cheapen the cost.
Of this principal,
too much cannot be made. Realize that in the unseen world the continued
effort
on any project is building up a force to bring circumstances to aid.
If one becomes
discouraged and quits, even in thought,
the structure tumbles and the material is sent away
to others who are making
more determined efforts.
There is no luck so
hard that this mental condition will not overcome it, nor no luck
so good that
it will bring returns of moment without them.
There is sound sense
in doing your very best, then waiting in faith and trust for returns;
but none
whatever in weakly begging the Majestic Power which rules to send
a fortune
and trusting in faith that it will come.
We know a forceful,
intelligent, energetic man can always find a way of acquiring
wealth, but
even a weakling can make money if started in some small business
with light
expense.
A boy in Detroit,
Mich., grew rich by developing and printing films for amateur
photographers.
He never had over
fifty dollars invested at any one time and the returns came mostly in
sums of
less than one dollar.
The trouble is, the
weakling does not have enough courage to make the start.
The original
investment to this boy was a big thing and caused him as much trouble
to get as
a million would cause some men.
He did not lose
heart and give it up, but persisted until he got it.
Nothing can be
accomplished without courage sufficient to overcome the
difficulties in the
way. Some men can plan and execute up to the very point of
success, but go to
pieces when the crucial point, which requires all their energy, comes;
and they
fail.
If you should
unexpectedly make a thousand dollars today would you hug yourself and
rush home
to tell the glad tidings to your wife and neighbors; or would you
quietly put
it in the bank, forget it and continue to saw your own wood?
In the first case,
you cannot stand prosperity, and no amount of good fortune would
benefit you
because you would soon fritter it away and be worse off than before.
Money dominates you.
You are a weakling. Build yourself up into strength of mind and
forceful
character. Up to the point where you can carry a deal through, see the
papers
signed, without a tremor of excitement, knowing that you have earned
this money
by your efforts and it is rightfully yours. Take it as a matter of
fact. Then
you dominate money and are capable of doing a big business.
In every town
able-bodied but sick-minded men, may be found idling on the street
corners, or
sitting on a dry goods box with their equals grumbling at the hard
times, and
settling State affairs to their entire satisfaction.
These fellows always
know precisely how everything should be done and consider themselves
capable of
the doing, but never do anything.
Their highest
ambition is to get a job. To originate a business never occurs to them.
They
would instantly recognize their own utter unfitness if it did.
But inertia is not
the only cause of failure. Over-anxiety, over-doing, worrying into
exhaustion,
little wisdom in the selection of a business, or vocation,
antagonism,
hatred, jealousy, revenge, each add to the load one carries and makes
it harder
to travel the road of endeavor to the town of success. If you wanted to
employ
a man would you seek a worrying, grumbling fellow or one who was
alert,
willing and good-natured?
Every man is
peculiarly adapted to some line of effort and every mind to some degree
of
success.
A petty mind could
not manage a big business. The manager must have a broad grasp upon
affairs.
Put a petty man in
as buyer for a department store and he would be frightened at
the tremendous
bills. Would buy in little dabs, run the stock down, disgust the clerks
and
patrons, and ruin the business.
In a small store of
the same kind he would be successful. Had he been buyer from the start
of the
big business he would probably have grown with the business and been
able to
grasp the increased demands upon his mind.
Some men are
naturally physicians, some attorneys, some artists, some ranchers, some
truck
gardeners, some teachers, while others are adaptable to almost
anything, but
not specialists in any line.
Does responsibility
frighten you? If so, you need courage. Are you always in a hurry? Fear
does
that. Are you indolent? You need energy. It's fun to rest and
accumulate a
store of energy, then work it off in quiet, concentrative effort.
The result is an
enlarged warehouse in which to store more energy, and that is growth.
Do you always plan
to get into some big man's employ, i.e., a big company? (Every big
concern is
the shadow of some big man.) Or do you plan to have a business of
your own?
In the one ease you
need self-reliance. In the other you have it.
Why have you not
started your business? Probably because you are deficient in that
quality of
doing things which we call initiative.
Do you consider
yourself rather above the average in intelligence?
That means you have so little
intelligence
that the mind has no chance to compare what is known to the vast
knowable. You
are not capable of doing anything for yourself and are not
valuable to others.
As a clerk you might
give satisfaction but never as a manager.
Most of you would
get frightened at prosperity and become hysterical if you met him. When
wealth
is set on a pedestal and worshipped, when it is considered
unattainable and
not for you, that thought actually makes it difficult to attain.
If you are of that
mind, so born, remember that others are born with the opposite
kind of mind
and are naturally successful, also that you can change the
elements within
your mind until it will correspond with theirs and be naturally
successful.
You are ill at ease
and your solar plexus trembles, your heart throbs, and nerves tingle,
every
time a really big person notices you.
Your mind goes
wobbling around without intelligent direction, or consideration of
the effect
of your present thought and environment.
You have no inborn
plan of what you desire to do in life; nor are borne along on
the quiet silent enthusiasm such a plan produces.
Drifting along like
flotsam, swept by each wind that blows, into another channel, on to
another
course, mindless, weak, and helpless, The end will ever be a derelict,
without
sea-men, adrift on an angry sea.
This Christmas a friend
bought me a pair of gloves.
Having occasion to
exchange them for a better fitting pair, I called at the store.
"Ah!" the
clerk said, superciliously. "Another exchange, I suppose."
I gave him the
gloves silently.
"I have been exchanging all
day," he
further informed me as he reached for a glove box," and don't mind
saying
it's a beastly bore," No reply, but silent amusement at the
vaporing of
his senseless head.
"Yes, it most
certainly is," he continued as he measured my hand,"
especially
after being duck shooting out at our reserve all day yesterday. Ah!"
"Yes?" I
replied, interestedly, careful to restrain the smile within. "Any
luck?"
He looked at me as
though the question was a reflection upon him.
"Ah! Luck? I
don't call it luck when I get a string of ducks."
I afterward
ascertained he had never been duck shooting to anyone's knowledge
before and
his string was one lone little teal.
The point is, he
made a poor impression, and left in me a repugnance to going
to that store
again.
I knew exactly why
he mentioned the duck shooting. Had it been his regular custom, it
would not
have seemed important and he would never have thought about it
again, nor
would he have mentioned it to a stranger if he had poss-essed a grain
of
wisdom.
The fellow gave
himself away, showed his shallowness, and hurt the business, all
because he had
so little sense. Silence and wisdom are twin brothers.
We do not believe
speculation is legitimate. It fosters a non-productive man who
lives upon the
labor of others.
Starting upon a
small basis and carrying a business to a large affair is too slow
for them.
They want quick riches and idleness.
This begets a
fraudulent mind. He does not consider justice, or the rights of others,
in the
schemes put forth.
The man becomes an
outcast. When he fails everyone laughs. They feel that he got precisely
what
was coming.
If he is strong
enough to win a big fortune they openly fawn upon him but secretly
hate and
despise him.
He is headed for spiritual and
physical
dissolution.
To win a real
success either produce something, or do some service to mankind.
The first includes
every form of farm life, manufacturing, mining, and invention.
The second all
professions, trades, unskilled laborers, merchants, railroads,
telephones, et
cetera, but eliminates riches from increased land values, and
subdivisions,
politics, stock brokerage, and requires that business be done upon
a basis of
exact fairness.
Everything has a
proportional value. A laborer working for two dollars per day should be
able to
rent a comfortable home for six dollars per month and buy flour for one
dollar
per fifty pound sack, with other supplies in such ratio. If this
condition does
not prevail the speculator is in some way getting the man's wages for
nothing.
But prices are
subject to the law of supply and demand. If they were uniform
there would be
no commerce.
The point involved
is: Each producer by tricks and combinations of his own, as well as
those of
the jobber above him, creates fictitious prices and work a
hardship upon the
consumer.
This condition must
not be if the world is to live upon a higher plane and you, as one of
the
world, can be just, and cast your influence for Justice, and thus
develop a
rounded and perfect character as well as attain wealth.
One cake of yeast
will leaven the whole loaf. You can really lift the whole neighborhood
alone. Do you wonder what these economic ideas have to do with your
success?
Just this: psychic
law exacts justice. There can be no promotion for the man who shirks—it
is
against the law.
He is cheating, and such
deserve no
betterment. Shirking in mind, the unwillingness to grab on and
shove, is
equally as productive of failure as is physical loafing at every
opportunity.
The speculator is
building a spirit which will be hard to overcome when he starts on the
psychic
road.
Do not hide behind
the intention to avoid such things. You never will, because every
man,
sometime in the eternal, must come. Have you ever stopped to consider
that you
have an influence over every one, either for their benefit or
detriment, and
that every one has an influence over you?
Are some people
repulsive, some attractive, some aspiring, some excite pity, and
some, who
seem to be equally as respectable and worthy as yourself, arouse a
dislike
without a word?
These things have a
direct bearing upon your business, character and happiness. They are
the effect
of a law which will be explained.
If you were free
from their influence your plans would be clearer and the handicap of
their
doubts, anxieties and misgivings, added to your own would be
removed.
Here is another idea
for digestion before plunging into the explanation of psychic law.
Each mind recognizes
its capabilities and limitations.
The man who never
expects to own a home feels his unfitness to earn enough to buy one.
While the
fellow who intends to become wealthy knows he can.
To say you cannot do
a certain thing puts a bar to progress in that direction because the
effort
stops. One ruins his own chances for success.
People who allow
themselves to doubt their future success forget that they can grow in
wisdom
and executive ability, and that if the start was made without
doubting and
fearing, that they would advance mentally as fast as the demands came.
If you won't say,
"I'll try," instead of whining that you can't, stop reading right
here; throw the book into the fire and be a failure.
I do not write for
such people.
A common mistake,
which produces disaster, is to vote into office, or seek
companionship, with
genial men, mistaking it for honesty and fair intent.
That such men are
soothing and interesting is true, but one should carefully examine
their acts
in order to have a safe guide.
The expression,
"John is a good fellow, I'm going to vote for him," carries within
itself a menace to the perpetuity of liberty.
John may be true to
the interests of the people or he may be seeking selfish aggrandizement.
Our expression
should be, "John has always been upright, honest, and fair. We can
trust
him."
This should prevail,
no matter whether he soothes our vanity by kissing the baby or stiffens
our
moral fibre by telling us wherein lie our faults; whether he smiles and
smiles, or is surly and grim.
It is no trouble to
determine what intent governs a man.
Stop thinking and sense him in
solitude. You
can feel his intent.
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