says Emerson.
Companionship, social intercourse, exchange of affectionate and love expressions are sources of power. Man is a social being and needs to mingle with his kind, but what are known as "social functions" are diffusive and interfere with Success, as determined in "Introduction." What is termed "society" is dissipation; a loss of opportunity and power and leads to ill health and failure. Many who feel compelled to live lives in conformity to social demands have said to me, both men and women, "Society is hell!" Physicians tell me so and the records of sanitariums and homes echo, - "Hell!" Why? Because it is the opposite of Peace - Rest - Happiness - Health.
Concentration upon pleasure for its own sake, kills. Games are right and necessary in their place. They are means of relaxing; a means of rest from our over strenuous life. But the tendency is to carry the same strenuousness into the game, and instead of enjoying the game, enjoy the winning. And there is no more nerve wearing and diffusive means than gambling in any form, be it at stock board, roulette table or at any thing where there is striving to win. Let me tell you something: - when you become so interested in winning as to lose the enjoyment of each step of the game - stop! I will not play a second game with any one who "crows" over his winnings, or who feels bad over his failures. And I would prefer he would, like myself, forget to name who won the evening before. To play in any other thought than that of enjoyment of expression at the time, is not to make the game restful, but only to change the kind of excitement. To change from concentration of business to concentration in winnings is not to change the principle, is not rest.
The same is true of athletic contests. The motive determines the benefit. Herbert Spencer loved to relax at billiards. A young man once played with him who showed great skill and declared that he was champion at the game. - "I am sorry to hear it," said the philosopher. Time, skill, effort and life wasted for that which represented no power, no real success.
President Livermore said to us at Meadville: "Young men, you cannot devote yourselves to society and at the same time attend to your studies!"
"Choose this day whom you will serve," says nature. You cannot have success on a high ideal plane and at the same time in a lower one. Cannot win in business, art, politics, literature, or any chosen field, and dissipate your time, thought and power in other fields. Concentrate upon some chosen ones and use all others as a means of relaxation and rest.
"Too many irons in the fire!" is the old proverb. Have one purpose. Concentrate and stick, is the soul of success.
I recently heard a young man in conversation with a young lady say - "No, I had to give up night school; I had too much to do!" and a few moments later I overheard him say: "I was at the theatre a few evenings ago, and with skating rink and theatre I shall be out every night this week." The probabilities are that in a few years he will complain of his "luck," because others get promoted over him. He had concentrated upon pleasure, the sensations of the physical man. Gossip, the daily papers, latest novel, the new dance, and other trifles occupy too much time for health and success. I have listened to conversations between men on some political trifle and between women on some society gossip for over fifteen minutes that was not worth a passing thought. This loss of life means loss of health and success.
Yet these people will tell me they cannot concentrate. True they have not learned the law of mastery - concentration at will, - but they naturally concentrate upon the thought that comes under present desire, or habit. What shall these do? Follow the advice given in Matthew: - "Repent," - for the kingdom of God is at hand!" Repent; - turn about; - do the opposite. Think the opposite. "At hand." Yes, reach forth and take it. It is waiting for you - is the realization of your Ideal of happiness and success.
V. I Am Life
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
- Jesus.
The infinite always is silent, 'tis only the finite that speaks.
- John Boyle O'Reiley.
The granite rocks disorganize
To feed the hungry Life they bear!
The very moss drinks daily Life, From out the viewless air.
- J. L. McCreary.
I am the Way, the Truth and Light;
In me all Being flows. I'm one with rock and star so bright.
God's spark within me glows.
- Sam Exton Foulds.
There is but one Life and I am that Life. This thought you are to hold and thus concentrate Life into One and not as in the past diffuse and limit it in amount. ALL the one life is mine. With this thought you cannot either lose or waste. All life is yours and you may use it as you choose. You have no less life at any moment than you had at first. You have as much at 80 years as you had at birth. Under the old thought habit of scattering and diffusing Life, you were at times weak, weary, or ill. Under the New Thought you are never thus, but are at all times One with the All-Life. Learn to think from this thought of life. Concentrate upon it. Do not let your mind wander off into old channels, but keep your attention fixed always upon some aspect of the ONE.
It is an excellent practice to image yourself as an inlet of an infinite ocean of Life. Imagine a current setting into you as a bay, just as it comes through our beautiful Golden Gate; and as it fills this magnificent bay, so see Life fill you. Say to yourself, - "I am a bay filled through the Golden Gate of Love from the Infinite ocean of Life. The tide never ebbs. I am at all times full. I have but to let Life flow through me into expression, and as fast as I let it flow out, I am filled again. Thus I have life only as I give it expression. O Life; Healthful Life; Beautiful Life. Mine now and forever!" Be this your constant song.
Constantly keeping a chosen thought uppermost is Concentration. As you practice it will grow easier, till you will have formed the habit of thinking of God, of Life as One, and then think of yourself as God and as Life in manifestation. You will grow to think of the fullness of life, just as you have been accustomed to think of your want of life.
Mental habits are the only habits you should cultivate or allow. There are good mental habits but there are no good habits in the objective life. To think rightly is to allow fullest liberty in the objective life, because Thought cannot take the same objective form through you to-day, as it did when you were five years old, or as it did when you were ten, or twenty or thirty years of age. As you change, your environment changes; you will find your thought of Unity taking a new physical manifestation. For instance - You may to-day, under the thought of the Infinity-of-Life, find it to your happiness to attend theatre or attend the sick, and be up all night, but your ordinary habit is to retire early. But when you make it a habit to retire early you fetter yourself, and will feel the loss when you do not.
Create the mental habit of doing what you think is best at the time and for the occasion and you will either retire or remain up with equal physical comfort. Mental habits are formed from Principle, from love of right; physical habits are formed from attention to details. Principles have millions of applications. Create a habit of temperance and you will need no pledge, and any pledge will fetter you when you wish a larger liberty. A mental habit of thinking no evil will keep you from fault-finding and criticism, while a habit of overlooking the faults of others will shut you out from seeing them and open the better to your vision. Mental habits are results of demonstration along certain thought lines. "I don't demonstrate!" Why? Because you have created a mental habit of letting the mind run at random. Create a new habit. How? By doing
