of students about "I Can and I Will" and about the I AM within them without their throwing back their shoulders, raising their heads, taking a long breath, and looking me square in the eyes as a man or woman should. It was "thought manifesting itself in action." Do you see the point? I had planted the little seed of self-knowledge, and it had begun to sprout.
Before I conclude this lesson, I wish to direct your attention to one other very important thing about thought, and that is the Adductive Power of Thought. Pay attention to this; please as it is of the highest importance. Avoiding all attempts at a scientific explanation, and keeping away from technical terms, I will state the matter concisely thus: Thoughts attract like thoughts; the good thought attracts other good thoughts; the bad thought, the bad; thought of strength, likewise; thoughts of discouragement and doubt follow the rule, and so on through the entire gamut of thoughts.
Your thought attracts to it the corresponding thought of others and increases your stock of that particular kind of thought. Do you see the point? Think Fear thoughts, and you draw to yourself all the Fear thought in that neighborhood. The harder you think it, the greater supply of undesirable thought flocks to you. Think "I am Fearless," and all the courageous thought force within your radius will move towards you, and will aid you. Try it. That is, try the latter. Don't think Fear thought.
Fear and Hate are the parents of all the vile thoughts. I will go into this matter with you at greater length in subsequent lessons, but let me urge upon you now, with all the earnestness of which I am capable, to tear out those wile seeds - Fear and Hate. Tear them out by the roots. They spoil the whole garden and breed a host of other weeds, such as Worry, Doubt, Timidity, Lack of Self Respect, Jealousy, Spite, Malice, Envy, Slander and Morbid Ideas. I am not trying to preach you a sermon, but I know that these vile thoughts are hindering your progress, and you will realize it, too, if you will stop to thinking for a moment. Open the blinds, and let the pure sunshine of Bright, Cheerful and Happy thoughts pour in, and the microbes of Doubt and Despair and Failure will leave, and seek more congenial quarters.
If you were my dearest friend, and I knew that this message would be my last on earth, I would shout to you, as loud as my vocal organs would permit: "Let Go of Fear and Hate Thoughts."
How the Thought Force Can Aid You
Success dependent upon Personal Influence - "Strong men arrive" - Apparent exceptions to the rule - When negative men produce; positive men reap the benefit - Money the material manifestation of success - Money a means, not an end - The Law of Mental Control - Influence through suggestion - Influence by thought vibrations - Influence by thoughts adductive power - Influence acquired by character building.
I am addressing you upon the supposition that you are desirous of developing the forces within you, for the purpose of attaining success. Success in life depends very materially upon the possession of the quality of attracting and influencing our fellow men. No matter what other qualities you may possess, you are handicapped by a lack of that subtle force which we are in the habit of calling Personal Magnetism. Look around you and you will see that nearly every man who has "arrived " is possessed of the ability to attract, persuade, influence or control his fellows. They are all what is known as "strong" men. There are a few exceptions to this great rule, and these exceptions only go to prove the rule itself. These exceptions are usually found among men who have demonstrated their success along the lines of art, scientific research, invention, literary work, etc., and it will readily be seen that their success, from the very nature of things, depends more upon a close, concentrated, plodding research or effort, rather than upon push, energy, force and knowledge of human nature, or ability to handle men. These men are successful in their own lines of endeavor, but, as a rule, the results of their labor are reaped by others of more worldly turn of mind. If these burners of midnight oil meet with financial success, it is because some more positive man has taken charge of the business end of their work and pushed it through, in which case the said positive man usually reaps the lion's share.
This being the true state of affairs, I am justified in regarding success as meaning the attaining of financial reward, and that must depend largely upon the Personal Magnetism of the seeker of success. The inventor, student, writer, and scientist can be greatly benefited by an understanding of the intelligent use of the powers of Mental Control, but to the "man among men" remains the privilege of securing the best results of that wonderful power, for it brings him not only Success, but also its material manifestations -Money.
Money, regarded as mere money, is not a high ideal, but regarded, as the means of surrounding ourselves with the best things of like, it becomes no unworthy goal for human endeavor. I, therefore, feel, justified in treating it as the end to be sought after.
To repeat, success in life depends largely upon our ability to interest, attract, influence and control our fellow men. I do not think that you will require any argument upon that point, that is if you have had any acquaintance, whatever, with the world of men and affairs.
The next thing is to learn how this wonderful and valuable power may be acquired. The answer is: by the mastery of the law of Mental Control. That is the secret of not only Personal Magnetism, but also of Success in Life and of Happiness as well. To the man or woman who masters this law, the world is an oyster to be opened and enjoyed in comfort. Even he, who lacks the application and perseverance to follow up the exercises for the development of his latent power, will be stronger and more positive from a mere acquaintance with the subject. "This is all very well," you say, "but tell us how we may develop this power." That is just what I am doing now. I am leading you up to an understanding of the theory, by easy steps. I wish the idea to unfold naturally, so as to avoid giving you mental dyspepsia.
Now, for a summing up of the general theory, before I take up the subject in detail.
I have told you that the power of thought could be used in a number of ways in the direction of influencing men and gaining success. I have given you an idea of how thought operates in the direction named. Before proceeding to our next lesson, I think it well to again call your attention to the several different ways in which thought can aid you in attaining success, through the influencing of men.
Thought will aid you in the following manner:
1. By the use of your positive thought force in the direction of directly influencing men in person, through the law of Suggestion. By this I mean that you will be able to interest men in your schemes and plans, enlist their aid, secure their patronage, and influence them generally. This faculty, natural to some men, can be acquired by any man or woman who has the will power and perseverance to develop it within them. Most students of the subject are desirous of acquiring knowledge of this branch of Mental Control before the other phases of the subject, and I, therefore, will take it up in my next lesson.
2. By the power of direct thought vibrations set in motion by your mind, which will exert a powerful effect upon the minds of others, unless they understand the secret of guarding against these forces and rendering themselves positive to others. An understanding of this law will also enable you to present a positive mental attitude toward the thought waves emanating from the minds of others.
3. By the power of the adductive qualities of thought, which works upon the theory "like attracts like." By holding certain thoughts constantly, in your mind, you attract to you thoughts and influences of the like nature, from the great body of thought surrounding us, unseen, but all powerful. This power is one of the strongest forces in nature, and if properly used will attract assistance from the most unexpected quarters. "Thoughts are Things," and possess a wonderful power of attracting to themselves other thought waves of the same vibratory pitch and quality.
4. By the power of thought
