of Want "God hid the whole world in thy heart," says Emerson. This fact man has been long in perceiving. From cave-man to twentieth century millionaire the propelling force has been a consciousness of lack. "I want food," said primitive man. This drove him to activity and led to his unfoldment, for it awakened in him a consciousness of his ability to supply that want. It led him to recognize the fact that food already existed. He did not, however, reach our higher viewpoint.
Neither has the twentieth century millionaire reached it, for he still shares that primeval ignorance and says, "I want Dollars." This little book is a call to him to leave that primeval attitude and come up onto this higher plane where he will hear the World's work calling to him—"I want you."
Necessity the Spur of Unfoldment In the development of man necessity has been a big incentive. Necessity has driven the wheels of progress. Animals also feel the spur of necessity. But there is in man a plus —the imagination, a psychic quality, which has been a stronger factor in his development than has been animal necessity. This power of imagination differentiates him from the animal, lifts him above the animal plane and makes him man.
The Ideal It was imagination that led caveman to paint his face and to carve pictures on bones. The Ideal, ''The haunting dream of the Better," floating before him, has lured him on to thought and action. From the animal matrix the power of the Ideal drew forth the human. Necessity drives; the Ideal draws. As the Ideal develops so does its power to draw develop. When Man in his unfoldment shall have left the animal entirely behind, he will know no necessity, but will in all ways live from the ideal.
Then there will be neither necessity nor want. Brutes want; Man has.
Human Possibility The Human Soul possesses potentially all possible power. Like heat in coal, this Power in man waits for expression. Power in coal or steam waits for opportunity for expression, but Man makes his opportunity.
Power Needs Man As fast as Man learns that the power in coal, electricity or radium waits for him to use it, he puts them to use, and learns that from all eternity they have waited for the Thought necessary to direct them in work for him.
All Things Await Man's Thought All progress is but a change of mental attitude toward conditions that exist. "A weed is a plant man does not know the use of," says Emerson. So the condition, whatever it be, that is today untoward, when Man knows how to use it, will be found favorable. There are millions of weeds waiting for Man to learn their use. Weeds want man. They will tell their secret to the listening ear. "Weeds as well as roses live for our happiness."
The Ideal Leads to Discoveries Desire for something new led man to find coloring matter in what were useless weeds; to find food in others and in others clothing and building material. Plants, minerals and unknown forces are still waiting for man to use them. Man is ever to think: "NEW FORCES want me!"
Love of the Ideal Love-for-the-ideal leads to desire. Desire leads to action, action converts untoward conditions into the actual ideal. In the old thought Man was controlled by "want." He was ignorant of his place and power in Nature. In this thought of want he labored. Ave, even in his religious life, he wrought in the want of heaven. But the fact is, heaven holds out rewards for man, because it wants him.
Want is a Lack of Manhood Want is born from the non-intelligence of the brute which Man has not yet outgrown. The individual, conscious of his power, does not want. He knows that whatever is needed for his health, happiness and unfoldment already is. All he needs to know is where and how to get it. The Psalmist said in a most matter-of-fact way: "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want!" Why? Because the Power that called him into Being prepared conditions for him before he came. Jesus saw the same truth in the realization that he was an integral portion of the universe. He said: "I and my Father are one." "All things that the Father hath are mine!" And he had learned how to get them. He could not lack. He knew his power. "Even the wind and the sea obeyed him!"
Nature's Demand THINGS FOR MAN AND NOT MAN FOR THINGS! Whoever realizes this Truth cannot want. All NATURE wants him, is constantly bidding for him, and even lying in wait for him.
Opportunities are ever present for man to use. Power and things which represent power are at all times present for his unfolding into consciousness of himself as Being; as a child of Infinite wisdom. The constant enlargement of this consciousness causes a constant change of mental attitude, so that man learns to use opportunities and conditions instead of being used by them.
Worth of Man When once an individual has reached this consciousness of himself, he realizes the value of Emerson's admonition:—"Let a man know his worth and keep things under his feet. Let him not peep or steal, or skulk up and down like a charity-boy, a bastard, or an interloper, in the world which exists for him." He will know that all that is, is for the unfolding into consciousness of the embryo god which he is.
Following the Ideal He will follow in love his Ideal, and there will constantly open fields of activity that want him. There will constantly be more power asking him to harness it. In radium he is finding now only the promise of future knowledge, a vaster use. Power is an atmosphere that cannot he limited or lessened. In consciousness of himself as Power-to-use-power, man will not seek to possess things, but will learn to use things. Thus will the Law be fulfilled—"Seek first the kingdom, then will things be added!"'
No Life Waste This truth perceived, man will not waste life in hoarding and clinging to things. Each day he will use, in love, everything that is his to use and thus will develop his power to draw other things that want him to use them. He will gradually unfold the ability to see and improve the incessant opportunities that force themselves upon him. He will come to know that nature wants his thought and love to help her express her latent forces, which are merely waiting for the hand of man to loose for his use. Nothing has value save that which adds to man's health, happiness or usefulness. Said James Freeman Clarke, 'Nature writes upon all her works 'Service to Man!' "
Inventions The power of the inventions of Watt, Stephenson, Edison and Langly to revolutionize civilization is small compared with the transforming power flowing through the mental attitude expressed in the Thought: "Things want me!" "Dollars want me!" ''Nature wants me."' ''God wants me!"
Power of Truth Every new perception of Truth causes changes in every line of thought and endeavor. Not an avenue of human expression but was changed by Copernicus, and by Darwin, Wallace and Spencer. The Truth that Man is WANTED will work a greater advancement in spiritual welfare than these perceptions of scientist and philosopher have wrought in material and intellectual good.
Universal Principle THE PRINCIPLE IS UNIVERSAL. Man must entirely reverse his attitude toward Nature, himself, and things. He must recognize that, as the crowning expression of Infinite Power, he is to accept his place as the ruler and he is to exercise dominion over all things. He must affirm: "The world exists for me. It is for my use. It has no other use than to minister to me. Without me there is no purpose, no ultimate in Nature."
Social Change There can never be a happy and equitable condition in society until the present attitude of "want" is changed. Whenever the race, shall affirm, 'Things want me!'' then the millennium will be near. Man will then see that he is infinite in his possibilities; that time and things are simply the means by which he comes into consciousness of his own divinity and immortality. That change comes to each individual when he learns to affirm in Truth: "I possess!" in place of, as he now says: "I Want!"; ''Dollars want me!" in place of "I want dollars!"
Great is This Change This Change is so great that when proposed to the average man
