The Power of the Word

A person knowing the power of the word, becomes very careful of his conversation. He has only to watch the reaction of his words to know that they do "not return void." Through his spoken word, man is continually making laws for himself. I knew a man who said, "I always miss a car. It invariably pulls out just as I arrive."

His daughter said: "I always catch a car. It's sure to come just as I get there." This occurred for years. Each had made a separate law for himself, one of failure, one of success. This is the psychology of superstitions.

The horse-shoe or rabbit's foot contains no power, but man's spoken word and belief that it will bring good luck creates expectancy in the subconscious mind, and attracts a "lucky situation." I find however, this will not "work" when man has advanced spiritually and knows a higher law. One cannot turn back, and must put away "graven images."

For example: Two men in my class had had great success in business for several months, when suddenly everything "went to smash." We tried to analyze the situation, and I found, instead of making their affirmations and looking to God for success and prosperity, they had each bought a "lucky monkey." I said: "Oh I see, you have been trusting in the lucky monkeys instead of God." "Put away the lucky monkeys and call on the law of forgiveness," for man has power to forgive or neutralize his mistakes.

They decided to throw the lucky monkeys down a coalhole, and all went well again. This does not mean, however, that one should throw away every "lucky" ornament or horse-shoe about the house, but he must recognize that the power back of it is the one and only power, God, and that the object simply gives him a feeling of expectancy.

I was with a friend, one day, who was in deep despair. In crossing the street, she picked up a horse-shoe. Immediately, she was filled with joy and hope. She said God had sent her the horsehoe in order to keep up her courage.

It was indeed, at that moment, about the only thing that could have registered in her consciousness. Her hope became faith, and she ultimately made a wonderful demonstration. I wish to make the point clear that the men previously mentioned were depending on the monkeys, alone, while this woman recognized the power back of the horseshoe.

I know, in my own case, it took a long while to get out of a belief that a certain thing brought disappointment. If the thing happened, disappointment invariably followed. I found the only way I could make a change in the subconscious, was by asserting, "There are not two powers, there is only one power, God, therefore, there are not disappointments, and this thing means a happy surprise." I noticed a change at once, and happy surprises commenced coming my way.

I have a friend who said nothing could induce her to walk under a ladder. I said, "If you are afraid, you are giving in to a belief in two powers, Good and Evil, instead of one. As God is absolute, there can be no opposing power, unless man makes the false of evil for himself. To show you believe in only One Power, God, and that there is no power or reality in evil, walk under the next ladder you see."

Soon after, she went to her bank. She wished to open her box in the safe-deposit vault, and there stood a ladder on her pathway. It was impossible to reach the box without passing under the ladder. She quailed with fear and turned back. She could not face the lion on her pathway. However, when she reached the street, my words rang in her ears and she decided to return and walk under it. It was a big moment in her life, for ladders had held her in bondage for years. She retraced her steps to the vault, and the ladder was no longer there! This so often happens! If one is willing to do a thing he is afraid to do, he does not have to.

It is the law of nonresistance, which is so little understood.

Someone has said that courage contains genius and magic. Face a situation fearlessly, and there is no situation to face; it falls away of its own weight.

The explanation is, that fear attracted the ladder on the woman's pathway, and fearlessness removed it.

Thus the invisible forces are ever working for man who is always "pulling the strings" himself, though he does not know it. Owing to the vibratory power of words, whatever man voices, he begins to attract. People who continually speak of disease, invariably attract it.

After man knows the truth, he cannot be too careful of his words. For example: I have a friend who often says on the 'phone, "Do come to see me and have an old-fashioned chat." This "old-fashioned chat" means an hour of about five hundred to a thousand destructive words, the principal topics being loss, lack, failure and sickness.

I reply: "No, I thank you. I've had enough old-fashioned chats in my life, they are too expensive, but I will be glad to have a new-fashioned chat, and talk about what we want, not what we don't want." There is an old saying that man only dares use his words for three purposes, to "heal, bless or prosper." What man says of others will be said of him, and what he wishes for another, he is wishing for himself.

"Curses, like chickens, come home to roost."

If a man wishes someone "bad luck," he is sure to attract bad luck himself. If he wishes to aid someone to success, he is wishing and aiding himself to success.

The body may be renewed and transformed through the spoken word and clear vision, and disease be completely wiped out of the consciousness. The metaphysician knows that all disease has a mental correspondence, and in order to heal the body one must first "heal the soul."

The soul is the subconscious mind, and it must be "saved" from wrong thinking.

In the twenty-third psalm, we read: "He restoreth my soul." This means that the subconscious mind or soul, must be restored with the right ideas, and the "mystical marriage" is the marriage of the soul and the spirit, or the subconscious and superconscious mind. They must be one. When the subconscious is flooded with the perfect ideas of the superconscious, God and man are one, "I and the Father are one." That is, he is one with the realm of perfect ideas; he is the man made in God's likeness and image (imagination) and is given power and dominion over all created things, his mind, body and affairs.

It is safe to say that all sickness and unhappiness come from the violation of the law of love. A new commandment I give unto you, "Love one another," and in the Game of Life, love or good-will takes every trick.

For example: A woman I know, had, for years an appearance of a terrible skin disease. The doctors told her it was incurable, and she was in despair. she was on the stage, and she feared she would soon have to give up her profession, and she had no other means of support. She, however, procured a good engagement, and on the opening night, made a great "hit." She received flattering notices from the critics, and was joyful and elated. The next day she received a notice of dismissal. A man in the cast had been jealous of her success and had caused her to be sent away. She felt hatred and resentment taking complete possession of her, and she cried out, "Oh God don't let me hate that man." That night she worked for hours "in the silence."

She said, "I soon came into a very deep silence. I seemed to be at peace with myself, with the man, and with the whole world. I continued this for two following nights, and on the third day I found I was healed completely of the skin disease!" In asking for love, or good will, she had fulfilled the law, ("for love is the fulfilling of the law") and the disease (which came from subsconscious resentment) was wiped out.

Continual criticism produces rheumatism, as critical, inharmonious thoughts cause unnatural deposits in the blood, which settle in the joints.

False growths are caused by jealousy, hatred unforgiveness, fear, etc. Every disease is caused by a mind not at ease. I said once, in my class, "There is no use asking anyone 'What's the matter with you?' we might just as well say, 'Who's the matter with you?' "Unforgiveness is the most prolific cause of disease. It will harden arteries or liver, and affect the eye-sight. In its train are endless ills.

I called on a woman, one day, who said she was ill from having eaten a poisoned oyster. I replied, "Oh, no, the oyster was harmless, you poisoned the oyster. What's the matter with you?" She answered, "Oh about nineteen people." She had quarrelled with nineteen people and had become so inharmonious that she attracted the wrong oyster.

Any inharmony on the external, indicates there is mental inharmony. "As the within, so the without."

Man's only enemies are within himself. "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." Personality is one of the last enemies to be overcome, as this planet is taking its initiation in love. It was Christ's message - "Peace on Earth, good will towards man." The enlightened man, therefore, endeavors to perfect himself upon his neighbor. His work is with himself, to send out goodwill and blessings to every man, and the marvelous thing is, that if one blesses a man he has no power to harm him.

For example: A man came to me asking to "treat" for success in business. He was selling machinery, and rival appeared on the scene with what he proclaimed, was a better machine, and my friend feared defeat. I said, "First of all, we must wipe out all fear, and know that God protects your interest, and that the divine idea must come out of the situation. That is, the right machine will be sold, by the right man, to the right man." And I added, "Don't hold one critical thought towards that man. Bless him all day, and be willing not to sell your machine, if it isn't the divine idea." So he went to the meeting, fearless and nonresistant, and blessing the other man. He said the outcome was very remarkable. the other man's machine refused to work, and he sold his without the slightest difficulty. "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you."

"Good-will produces a great aura of protection about the one who sends it, and "No weapon that is formed against him shall prosper." In other words, love and good-will destroy the enemies with one's self, therefore, one has no enemies on the external!

"There is peace on earth for him who sends good-will to man!" 

VICTORY AND FULFILLMENT

Victory and fulfillment are two wonderful words and since we realize that words and thoughts are a form of radio activity, we carefully choose the words we wish to see crystallized.

Life is a crossword puzzle, the right word gives you the answer. Many people are rattling off destructive words in their conversation. We hear them say: I'm broke! I'm sick! Remember by your words you are justified and by your words you are condemned. You are condemned by them because they do not return void. Change your words and you change your world, for your word is your world. You choose your food and the world is now calorie conscious. People no longer eat buckwheat cakes, beefsteak, potatoes, pie and three cups of coffee for breakfast. To keep down weight they eat dry toast and orange juice. This is tremendous discipline, but they are working for results. Why not try a diet of the right words —for you are literally eating your words. That is the value of the affirmation. You are deliberately building up a constructive idea in your consciousness. Your consciousness may be crammed and jammed with destructive ideas, but continually making a statement of Truth, will dissolve these negative thought-forms. These thought-forms have been built up from your own vain imaginings. Perhaps as a child you were taught that life was hard, happiness fleeting, and that the world was cold and unfriendly. These ideas were impressed upon your subconscious, and you found things just as they were predicted. With a knowledge of Truth all these external pictures may be changed, for they are only pictures, which change as your subconscious beliefs change.

When I tell people about the power of the word, and that words and thoughts are a form of radio activity and do not return void, they say: "Oh, is it as easy as that?" Many people like things difficult and hard to understand. I believe that was the reason the amazingly simple teachings of Jesus Christ were forgotten after a few hundred years. People build up creeds and ceremonies which they only half understand. Now, in this twentieth century, the secret things are being revealed and we are again having primitive Christianity.

"Ask, believing, thou shalt receive!" We know that our beliefs or expectancies are impressed upon the subconscious and carried out. We might say, if you ask, not believing, you will not receive. Faith creates expectancy.

This Infinite Intelligence upon which man draws his supply is called, by Jesus Christ, "Your Heavenly Father." The Father within, He described as a kind, loving parent desirous of pouring all good things upon His children. "Fear not, little flock, 'tis your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." He taught that God's law was simply a law of love and good-will. "Love your neighbor as yourself' —"Do unto others as you would be done by." Any violation of the law of love causes a short circuit. "The way of the transgressor is hard." God is immutable law— "I am the Lord (law), I change not."

Divine ideas are immutable, not subject to change. What wonderful words —"Immutable -- not subject to change."

A woman came to me filled with fears and forebodings. She said for years she had been pursued by the fear that even if she should receive the desire of her heart, something would happen to spoil it. I gave her the statement: "The Divine Plan of your life is a perfect idea in Divine Mind, incorruptible and indestructible, and cannot be spoiled in any way." A great load was lifted from her consciousness. For the first time in years she had a feeling of joy and freedom. Know the Truth and the Truth gives you a sense of freedom, soon then comes the actual freedom on the external.

This Supreme Intelligence is what man becomes one with when he speaks the word. This Supreme Intelligence awaits man's direction, but It must have right of way, It must not be limited.

Divine Activity in your body brings health. There is only one disease—congestion, and one cure—circulation. Congestion and stagnation are the same thing. People say they "have got into a rut." A new idea will take them out of a rut. We must get out of the rut of negative thinking.

The word enthusiasm in the dictionary is defined, "to be inspired or possessed by a god." Enthusiasm is divine fire and kindles enthusiasm in others. To be a good salesman you must be enthusiastic about the articles you are selling. If you are bored with your business or uninterested, the fires go out, and no one else will be interested.

A woman came to me for success in business. She said, "I have a shop but it is usually empty. I do not bother to open it until late in the day, what's the use?" I replied, "There is indeed no use so long as you feel the way you do. You are keeping people away. Become enthusiastic over what you have to sell. Be enthusiastic about yourself. Be enthusiastic about the God-power within you, and get up early to open your shop and be ready for the big crowd."

By this time she was all wound up with divine expectancy. She dashed down to her shop as early as possible and people were waiting outside and poured in all day.


People often say to me, "Treat my business." I say, "No, I will treat you, for YOU are your business." Your quality of thought penetrates every article for sale and all the conditions connected with it. Jesus Christ was divinely enthusiastic about the message He had to bring to the Father within each man. He was enthusiastic about faith. He told the people that whatsoever they "ask in His name" would be given them. It was a message of asking and receiving. He told them just how to comply with spiritual law. "Ask, believing, thou shalt receive." "When ye pray believe ye have it." "Why are ye fearful, oh, ye of little faith?"

After two thousand years His divine fire is rekindled in the consciousness of all Truth students. We are having a Christian renaissance, a new birth, a revival of Christianity. He taught a universal principle, without creed or ceremony. We see members of all religions, denominations, coming into this Truth movement. It does not take them away from their churches. In fact, many clergymen are now teaching what the metaphysicians are teaching; for Jesus Christ is the greatest of all metaphysicians, because He proved His principles and brought miracles to pass. He sent forth His disciples, "To preach the Gospel and heal the sick." For about three hundred years His message survived, then His divine fire was lost and the words, "Be thou healed," were no longer spoken. Creed and ceremony took their place. Now we see people flocking to these Truth Centres to be healed, blessed and prospered. They have learned to "Pray aright," and have understanding faith.

A woman told me of an answered prayer. Her son wrote her that he was going to southern California on a business trip in his car. She read in the morning paper of a flood, and she immediately spoke the word for divine protection. She had a great feeling of security, she knew he would be protected. She soon heard from him, saying some business had interfered with his leaving, so he was detained. If he had left when he had expected, he would have been in the flood district.

We become divinely enthusiastic about our answered prayers, which we call "demonstrations," for it means that we have demonstrated the truth and have been set free from some limitation.

The 24th Psalm is one of the most enthusiastic of the many Psalms of praise and thanksgiving.

"Lift up your heads, oh ye gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle."

The gates and doors symbolize man's consciousness. As you are lifted up in consciousness, you contact the super-conscious, the God within, and the King of glory comes in. This King of glory lifts your burdens and fights your battles, solves your problems.

The average person has a difficult time LETTING the King of glory come in. Doubt, fear and apprehension keep the doors and gates locked against your good.

A student told me of a situation which she attracted by negative thinking. She had been invited to a gathering of old and valued friends. It was of the utmost importance for her to be there. She was so anxious to go, she said to herself repeatedly, "Oh, I hope nothing happens to interfere." The day of the reception arrived and she awoke with a terrific headache. At one time she had been subject to these headaches, going to bed for several days, but she had not had one for many years. Her doubts and fears had attracted this disappointment. She called me up and said, "Will you please speak the word that I will be well by evening to go to the reception?" I replied, "Why, of course, nothing can interfere with God's perfect plan." So, I spoke the word. Later, she told me of her miracle. She said in spite of the way she felt, she prepared to go. She cleaned her jewelry, got her dress ready to wear, and attended to every detail, though she felt scarcely able to move. Very late in the afternoon, she said she had a peculiar sensation as of a fog lifting in her consciousness, and she was perfectly well. She went to the reception and had a wonderful time. I believe that the healing might have come more quickly had she not said, "I want to be well by tonight." We are continually limiting ourselves by our words, so not until night was she perfectly well. "By your word you are justified and by your word you are condemned."

I knew a man who was the centre of attraction wherever he went, because he was always enthusiastic about something. Whether it was about shoes, clothes or a haircut, he enthused others into buying the same things. He did not gain anything material by it, he was just naturally enthusiastic. Someone has said, "If you want to be interesting to others, be interested in something." An interested person is an enthusiastic person. We often hear people say: "Do tell me what you're interested in."

Many people are without vital interests and are hungry to hear what other people are doing. They are usually the ones who keep the radio turned on from early morning till late at night. They must be entertained every minute. Their own affairs do not hold enough interest.

A woman once said to me: "I love other people's affairs." She lived on gossip. Her conversation consisted of, "I was told," "I was given to understand," or "I heard." It is needless to say she is now paying her Karmic debt. A great unhappiness has overtaken her and everyone knows about her affairs. It is dangerous to neglect your own affairs and to take an idle curiosity in what others are doing. We should all be busily engaged in perfecting ourselves, but take a kindly interest in others. Make the most of your disappointments by transmuting them into happy surprises. Transmute all failure into success. Transmute all unforgiveness into forgiveness; all injustice into justice. You will be kept busy enough perfecting your own life, you won't have time to run other people's affairs.

Jesus Christ aroused the enthusiasm of the multitudes by performing miracles, healing the sick and raising the dead. "And a great multitude followed Him because they saw His miracles which He did for them that were diseased." As we read this we feel the enthusiasm of the multitudes, which surrounded Him. With Him all things were possible, for He knew that He and the Father were, indeed, one.

With divine enthusiasm I bless what I have, and look with wonder at their increase. 


THE SECRET DOOR TO SUCCESS


YOUR WORD IS YOUR WAND