BJ 1571 
 .H29 
 Copy 1 
 
 Gems of .Thought. 
 
 BY 
 
 ALICE IRVINE HENDERSON 
 
 
 w&* 
 
 / \ 
 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 BOH^ 
 
 Chap.. Copyright No. 
 
 Shelf. fct.2-3 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
GEMS OF THOUGHT 
 
 ALICE IRVINE HENDERSON 
 
 NEW YORK 
 THE METAPHYSICAL PUBLISHING CO. 
 
 1897 
 

 Copyright, 1897, by 
 ALICE IRVINE HENDERSON 
 
flntrofcuction 
 
 " Know ye not," says St. Paul, " that ye 
 are a temple of God, and that the spirit of 
 God dwelleth in you ?" And he further de- 
 clares : " If any man destroyeth the temple 
 of God, him will God destroy." 
 
 From this statement we are to infer that 
 these material bodies have their use and are 
 necessary for the habitation of the spirit, 
 the palace of the King of Love, and are 
 therefore not to be counted as nothing, but 
 are to be treated with due consideration 
 and respect. 
 
 When we can realize that life is eternal 
 and as indestructible as its Source ; that the 
 life flowing through us is without beginning 
 or end, and that we are dwelling in eternity 
 at the present moment as much as we ever 
 shall — when we can fully comprehend this, 
 then we shall begin to understand some- 
 what of our own possibilities, our places 
 and missions upon this planet. 
 
 3 
 
We are occupying these material bodies 
 for a season to gain the experiences of earth 
 which are necessary for our further devel- 
 opment ; and it behooves us that we so prof- 
 itably improve our opportunities that we 
 may finally attain to that degree of perfec- 
 tion which will make it unnecessary for us 
 ever again to dwell in fleshly tabernacles. 
 
 When first we occupy our temple, it is 
 pure and undefiled, small and plastic; so we 
 become, in a measure, the architects and 
 builders of this wonderful structure, and 
 we are responsible for its symmetry and 
 strength, or for its crumbling foundation 
 and tottering walls. It therefore becomes 
 most necessary that we select very carefully 
 the material for its construction. 
 
 patience 
 
 Almost the first lesson to be learned is 
 Patience. It is especially necessary to over- 
 come the countless petty annoyances of 
 daily life. Many a one who has bravely 
 met the storms of adversity, and stood firmly 
 under the almost overwhelming sorrows 
 that have crowded upon him, has perished 
 4 
 
miserably in the whirlpool of constant nag- 
 gings, fault-findings, and thankless duties. 
 Then let us begin by being patient with our 
 environments. We may not be able to 
 change them, and we may be obliged to live 
 among them ; we may still be called upon 
 to give our care and attention to the selfish, 
 fretful invalid who makes unceasing de- 
 mands upon our time and strength, with 
 never a word of loving appreciation. We 
 may also have to meet intemperance, pov- 
 erty, and kindred afflictions, but amidst it all 
 we must be learning our lesson of patience, 
 for it is to be a white stone in our temple, 
 without flaw or blemish. 
 
 We can, if we will, so change ourselves 
 that our real selves need not be affected by 
 all these conflicting conditions. We can 
 create our own atmosphere, if we will, by 
 daily entering into our temple and holding 
 communion with its High Priest. "The 
 Lord is in His holy temple ; let all the earth 
 [the material] keep silence before Him." 
 Therefore, by permitting this divine ego to 
 govern, guide, and direct all our earthly 
 conditions, we may rise above our environ- 
 ments and surround ourselves with an im- 
 penetrable wall of strength and patience. 
 5 
 
This requires daily effort, but a final victory 
 will be gained, and we will at last be able 
 to see the cross dissolving amidst the more 
 glorious splendors of the resurrection of 
 our higher nature. 
 
 Uove 
 
 Love is most essential for spiritual devel- 
 opment. Professor Drummond has truly 
 said it is the "greatest thing" in the world. 
 Not the selfish love of loving those who 
 love us, but the broad and compassionate 
 love of Christ ; the " love that thinketh no 
 evil, and is kind ;" the love that can look 
 beyond the sin-stained, the outcast, and the 
 degraded personality, and see the divine 
 spirit within and the stamp of God's image 
 thereon. 
 
 All about us lies this great, throbbing sea 
 of humanity, waiting for the stilling of the 
 tempest that threatens to make shipwreck 
 of them all. The spirit of love can breathe 
 upon them and lift them from the surging 
 elements of their storm-swept souls and 
 place them upon the firm ground of truth. 
 
 Then let us begin by cultivating more 
 6 
 
love within ourselves, and then open wide 
 the casements of our soul that its fragrance 
 may flow out. 
 
 Love — sweet, tender love, that pities but 
 may not condemn ! God so loved the world 
 that He sent the divine Master as a fit rep- 
 resentation of his compassion for suffering 
 humanity ; and Christ's greatest work was 
 teaching the love of God to mankind. 
 Even when betrayed and denied by his own 
 friends, no words of condemnation were 
 pronounced ; and when upon the cross his 
 loving spirit, looking from the divine 
 heights, could say, "Father, forgive them." 
 The pain of crucifixion was that the world 
 he had come to redeem was crucifying the 
 divine in themselves. Let us, then, make 
 Love one of the corner-stones of our tem- 
 ple, firm and true. 
 
 Jfaitb 
 
 Faith should also be one of the founda- 
 tion-stones of our temple, for works with- 
 out faith cannot bring satisfactory results. 
 Let us have faith in the absolute, unfailing 
 Good — faith in ourselves, remembering 
 7 
 
that, according to our faith, so will it be 
 unto us. 
 
 All the great enterprises of the world are 
 conducted by faith. The great ships start 
 out upon their journey across the water. 
 The captain realizes that storms may await 
 him and that the dangers of the deep con- 
 front him on all sides ; but he has faith in 
 the staunchness of his vessel, and by faith 
 he already sees the point of his destination.. 
 
 The little, hard, brown seed does not sug- 
 gest the fragrant lily ; yet we place it in the 
 ground, and by faith we know it will soon 
 emerge into a radiant blossom. So if ma- 
 terial things claim our faith, how much 
 greater need have we to cultivate a larger 
 and more abundant faith in spiritual things 
 — the faith that can trust unquestioningly 
 the voice and directions of the Divine ; that 
 can look beyond the shadows and discern 
 the real, and, like Moses of old, can stand 
 upon the Mount of Faith and view the 
 Promised Land ! 
 
 Let us hold firmly to our faith, that it 
 may not be tossed hither and thither by 
 contrary winds until it is lost in the fog of 
 unbelief ; but let us trust our guide at the 
 centre, that is capable and true, and we will 
 
one day ride at anchor in a peaceful harbor 
 where is waiting a place for us that none 
 other can fill, and which will remain vacant 
 if we fail to make our port. 
 
 fl>uritp 
 
 The fourth corner-stone of our temple 
 must be Purity, whose whiteness cannot fail 
 to be seen : purity of thought — for in the 
 thought-world are born the evil and the 
 good that show forth in the life. How 
 many think that, because no visible act of 
 their lives can be called impure, they are 
 beyond question ! Have they cleansed the 
 attic chambers of their thought-world ? 
 Christ said : " The pure in heart shall see 
 God," know Him, and feel His presence. 
 
 He that dwells among the lowlands and 
 marshes, breathing the noxious vapors and 
 gathering the poisonous flowers that grow 
 beside the dark, sluggish stream of sensual- 
 ity, has much to overcome. "But to him 
 that overcometh shall be given a crown of 
 life " whose stars shall not grow dim and 
 whose beauty shall never fade. " Pray ye, 
 therefore, that ye enter not into temptation." 
 
 9 
 
Thus we would build our temple upon 
 the foundation of truth, having for its cor- 
 ner-stones : Patience, Love, Faith, Purity ; 
 and though we may build strongly and 
 guard each gateway that no foreign enemy 
 may take possession, yet often our most 
 dangerous foes are those of our own house- 
 hold. So there must be guards within as 
 well as without ; and among the most insid- 
 ious enemies arc our thoughts. Many per- 
 suade themselves that what they think in 
 secret is not revealed to the world, forget- 
 ting that, not to the world, but to their high 
 priest within, are they responsible. To this 
 inner monitor there are no secret sins. He 
 has declared : "As he thinketh in his heart, 
 so is he." 
 
 Thoughts are things — living, forceful 
 things. Each thought is pregnant with 
 good or evil. We all have thought-atmos- 
 pheres from which radiate the nature and 
 line of our thinking. It is altogether a mis- 
 taken idea that the nature of our thoughts 
 is hidden or disguised from the world, for it 
 is the motive power back of each act, and it 
 writes its origin in unmistakable lines upon 
 the face. 
 
 Thoughts are a mighty force, and neither 
 
 IP 
 
time nor space knows their limitations. 
 They travel upon the wings of the light- 
 ning across oceans and beyond mountains, 
 freighted with their mission of good or ill. 
 Of what, then, are we thinking ? - What are 
 we sending forth upon the thought-wave to 
 return to us ? We are to-day reaping the 
 harvest of right or wrong thinking ; to some 
 it may be a harvest of tears, but to others 
 blessings untold. 
 
 Let us commence, then, by putting our 
 thoughts in order. Do we desire health ? 
 Then let us think strong, healthful thoughts, 
 which set in motion the vibrations of health. 
 Is it love and happiness our souls are starv- 
 ing for ? Then begin to cultivate loving 
 thoughts toward those for whom you may 
 have in times past held only unkind and 
 bitter thoughts, remembering that " as we 
 sow, so shall we also reap." 
 
 Be careful what you think, my friend, 
 For thoughts are things, they say ; 
 
 And all your hopes of heaven depend 
 On what you think each day. 
 
 You send them forth with hate or love, 
 
 To rest on friend or foe, 
 And back they come to you and prove 
 
 You reap whate'er you sow. 
 II 
 
For demons are the thoughts of hate, 
 To haunt your sleepless nights, 
 
 And round you weave the web of fate 
 And drag you from the heights. 
 
 But loving thoughts the angels bring, 
 And in their hands they bear 
 
 The notes of gladness you shall sing 
 When all your thoughts are prayer. 
 
 Concentration 
 
 If we would be fully instructed in the 
 spiritual mysteries we must constantly and 
 methodically practise concentration. Spas- 
 modic attempts, while they may not be 
 wholly without effect, will not answer if we 
 expect results. So many complain of their 
 inability to concentrate their thoughts upon 
 any fixed thing or desire, and say that when 
 they sit down in the silence all sorts of 
 thoughts go wandering through their 
 minds, preventing anything like concentra- 
 tion. Perseverance is the only remedy, and 
 after awhile we will find our own reward. 
 Some hour, when least liable to be disturbed 
 by intrusion, let us sit quietly, banishing 
 from our thoughts the acts and circum- 
 
stances of the day, and make ourselves an 
 empty vessel through which may flow the 
 stream of the Water of Life, that our souls 
 may be fed upon the heavenly manna. Thus 
 we will invite the ministry of the angels of 
 all good, who shall whisper words of wis- 
 dom and direct our ways. Then to us will 
 be opened the book containing the seven 
 seals ; " And there will be a new heaven 
 and a new earth," and we shall be taught of 
 the spirit the many things that now seem 
 to us unfathomable mysteries. 
 
 The book of Revelation tells us: "That 
 to him that overcometh I will give to eat 
 of the hidden manna, and I will give him a 
 white stone, and in the stone a new name 
 written, which no man knoweth saving he 
 that receiveth it." 
 
 prifce 
 
 It is well to consider some of the hin- 
 drances to our advancement, and to question 
 ourselves as to how much they form a part 
 of our daily lives. 
 
 Pride and selfishness seem to occupy a 
 prominent place in our nature, and may 
 13 
 
well be termed kindred evils. Although 
 selfishness may exist without pride, yet the 
 proud are usually selfish. 
 
 The Scriptures are full of admonitions 
 against the haughty, arrogant spirit. In 
 Proverbs we find that " every one who is 
 proud in heart is an abomination to the 
 Lord ;" and again, "The Lord will destroy 
 the house of the proud." Christ taught 
 humility by his birth and his refusal to be 
 tempted by the kingdoms of the world or 
 the glory thereof. In one of his lessons he 
 took a lily of the valley and declared that 
 " Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed 
 like one of these." Robed in spotless white, 
 content to shed its fragrance for those who 
 should seek its secluded dwelling-place, and 
 quietly fulfilling its mission of sweetness 
 and purity, it was a fitting type of the hum- 
 ble yet beautiful life of the Spirit of Truth. 
 
 When we analyze the source of pride, we 
 find it centres around the things that perish 
 — the purple and fine linen, the sumptuous 
 living, position by birth or circumstances, 
 intellect or fancied superiority, beauty or 
 admiration — forgetting that God is the 
 Maker of us all, and that these material 
 bodies shall all mingle in the same dust. 
 14 
 
The eternal Self, a part of the Divine, can- 
 not know or experience either selfishness or 
 pride. If we would be truly great, let us 
 then become one with the King of our Tem- 
 ple and dwell in his royal presence, wearing 
 the robe of purity and the diadems of eter- 
 nal truth. If we would be truly wise let us 
 learn of the spirit of wisdom, to whom is 
 given the keys of the storehouse of all 
 knowledge. We shall read the glories of 
 the heavens, and hear the music of the 
 spheres. Then let us put away selfish pride 
 and love humanity, for the spirit of God 
 abideth in all ; and he is no respecter of 
 persons, but chooseth from the spiritual 
 standpoint His own. 
 
 "A man's pride shall bring him low, but 
 honor shall uphold the humble in spirit." 
 
 Ifear 
 
 Another enemy we must meet and con- 
 quer is Fear. It might well be claimed 
 that fear is one of the angels that with a 
 two - edged sword keeps guard over the 
 gates of paradise and prevents us from en- 
 tering into its complete enjoyment. "Why 
 15 
 
are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ? " said 
 the Master. Surely, if we believe in the 
 Lord of our temple, we must trust Him in 
 all things ; and when tempests rage and 
 threaten to engulf, and the darkness of de- 
 spair envelops our souls, if we fear not we 
 will hear the " Peace, be still," and know 
 we are not forsaken or alone. 
 
 Fear oftentimes causes serious results in 
 producing disease ; for it puts in motion 
 the very vibrations connected with some 
 dreaded ailment and calls it directly to us. 
 Are we afraid of accidents, or of calamities? 
 The same law holds good. Fear paralyzes 
 effort and retards progress; and the victim 
 of ever-present fear is indeed in a most un- 
 fortunate condition. He sees distorted 
 shadows on every side, and dwells in hourly 
 dread of some terrible calamity. Then let 
 us overcome this great enemy of content by 
 calling to our aid the help of the Supreme 
 Ruler of our lives, who can and will free us 
 from the tyrant who would enslave us with 
 his chains. Let us declare ourselves free 
 from the bondage of disease, free from anx- 
 ieties for the future, free to walk the higher 
 pathways of spiritual unfoldment — not fear- 
 ing comments or loss of friends, nor trou- 
 16 
 
bled about the things that perish ; for we 
 know that He whom we trust is able and 
 willing to give unto us all things needful, 
 and will not let any evil thing come nigh 
 us. 
 
 anger 
 
 Anger is another foe, of mighty prowess, 
 that we must contend with and finally over- 
 come, ere we can dwell in peace and find 
 contentment. 
 
 It would sometimes seem as if the guar- 
 dian angels of our temple had all departed, 
 leaving the gateways wide open to the de- 
 mons who wait without to rush in at such 
 opportunities and take possession — who war 
 with each other for supremacy, and, when 
 at last they are driven forth, leave the body 
 a victim to their riotous visits. Why will 
 we permit our beautiful temple to be dese- 
 crated by such unholy invasions ? Many a 
 helpless invalid to-day is the victim of his 
 own ill-temper, and wonders why physi- 
 cians, travel, and all the outward means do 
 not cure his malady. Many a nervous 
 wreck that finds himself behind the grated 
 17 
 
windows of an asylum might still be en- 
 joying the happiness of tranquil life if anger 
 had been controlled. 
 
 Then learn to control anger, remembering 
 that "he that conquereth himself is great- 
 er than he who taketh a city." We will 
 also say that he who conquers himself has 
 conquered the world. What the world or 
 the material is to us, we create within our- 
 selves. All things are to us the reflections 
 of our own thoughts ; then let us cultivate 
 kindly thoughts, and, when tempted to re- 
 sentment by some fancied insult, say to that 
 person, mentally, " Your higher Self would 
 not insult me, and your lower self cannot ;" 
 and so for us it will not exist. When tempt- 
 ed by peculiarly trying circumstances, at 
 once retire within and claim the protection 
 of your King, who waits to be called and 
 never fails to help those who seek his lov- 
 ing care. 
 
TOorrp 
 
 Does any one ever really enjoy worrying ? 
 It would often seem so, judging by the way 
 some indulge in it. They must have some 
 one or something to worry about. Why is 
 it necessary to climb mountains in our 
 minds before we reach them ? If they rise 
 across our pathway, let us first see if they 
 are really mountains or but the reflection 
 of our own distorted imagination. If the 
 real mountains confront us, then look for 
 the pathway that lessens the climbing, and 
 not sit at the base seeing only the sharp 
 rock at the top. There are cool waters and 
 bright flowers and welcome shade along 
 the mountain-path, and it is not so steep as 
 it seems ; therefore, wait until we investi- 
 gate the mountain and see if it is worth 
 spending so much time worrying about. 
 Are we worried that yonder stream which 
 seems so deep and wide must be crossed, 
 and no bridge in sight ? Wait. The bridge 
 will appear, or, as we approach, the stream 
 will lessen, and a single step will land us 
 safely on the other side. Are we worrying 
 
 !9 
 
because old age and poverty stand with 
 outstretched hand waiting to lay hold upon 
 us ? Will worrying about it bring emanci- 
 pation ? Surely not ; but, by spending the 
 force and energy necessary for perpetual 
 worrying in helping ourselves into a more 
 contented and cheerful condition, we can 
 expel from our kingdom the necessity for 
 all worry. Let us paint upon the walls of 
 our imagination the most beautiful pictures 
 that cheerful and happy opportunities have 
 brought to us, and contemplation upon 
 them will turn our thoughts from the 
 gloomy and forbidding past. Let us culti- 
 vate cheeriness, thankfulness for the many 
 blessings at our command, and learn to be 
 content with the things we have. 
 
 Let us be individuals, not merely atoms, 
 in the great, seething mass of humanity. 
 Let us declare ourselves free, for until we 
 do so we shall remain in bondage worse 
 than that of the Egyptians. We may pass 
 through the Red Sea and go safely through 
 the dangers of the wilderness — have even a 
 glimpse of the Promised Land ; and if we 
 have not gained sufficient strength to de- 
 clare ourselves free from the yoke of bond- 
 age, we will find ourselves sighing for the 
 20 
 
flesh-pots of slavery, and the Promised 
 Land will recede, for it is only given to 
 those who overcome to inherit its riches. 
 If we seek a fairer country we must be will- 
 ing to leave the old behind, and, as we clasp 
 hands with the eternal, let the material dis- 
 appear. 
 
 We must permit the divine ego to guide 
 us into this promised rest, from whose holy 
 mount we may survey not only the land of 
 bondage whence we came, but the still 
 loftier heights that await our spiritual de- 
 velopment. 
 
 " Escape ; flee for thy life ! " were the 
 words of warning to Lot's wife, but her 
 earthly tendencies caused her to look back, 
 and in that moment of earthly longing she 
 lost her opportunity. How many of us are 
 like Lot's wife, determined to look back to 
 the country from which we wish to escape, 
 and to-day stand as memorials of lost op- 
 portunities ! 
 
 Let us learn to cultivate repose, and not 
 be tossed hither and thither by every blast, 
 but calmly meet whatever comes, and it will 
 soon pass over, leaving our atmosphere 
 clearer and purer for the storm. Let us not 
 be moved from our repose of spirit even if 
 21 
 
the earth crumble beneath our feet, and the 
 heavens melt with consuming fire. 
 
 Let us stand still and see the glory of the 
 Lord. We can then help those who have 
 not yet attained this standard of repose, and 
 we cannot until we do. 
 
 Let us be slow to make friends, for too 
 often we permit those whom we call friends 
 to persuade us from what we know to be 
 our duty ; and it may be that we shall be 
 called upon to choose between our princi- 
 ples of right and the opinion of our friends. 
 There must be a kindred feeling, to pro- 
 mote friendship ; so our friends are often 
 representatives of our own interior nat- 
 ure. 
 
 The saying, " A man is known by his as- 
 sociations," is often true. Then let us cul- 
 tivate the highest ideas we can have of 
 friendship, that we may be enabled to 
 choose wisely and to draw to ourselves the 
 highest and best. Then let us be true 
 to those we have chosen ; let no unkind or 
 uncharitable judgment disturb this sweet 
 relationship ; let us place it upon the 
 highest plane, where sweet, perennial flow- 
 ers bloom untouched by winter's chill or 
 summer's heat, and in that serene atmos- 
 
phere we may fill our temple with the frag- 
 rant and unfading flowers of friendship. 
 
 Let us keep this beautiful temple in 
 which we dwell, pure and clean ; let not the 
 dust of materiality spoil its costly furnish- 
 ings, but let the perpetual light of faith 
 burn upon its altar. Let the white robe be 
 kept spotless for the coming of the King ? 
 for whose coronation we may bring the 
 jewels of the kindly deeds of daily life. 
 
 Many have travelled the road over which 
 we are journeying to-day, and mauy will 
 follow after us ; so let us leave mile-stones 
 by the way, that they may not wander from 
 the true path and be lost upon the desert 
 or broken upon the rocks. Christ said, 
 "Ye are a city set upon a hill, whose light 
 cannot be hid." Also, " Let your light so 
 shine before men that others, seeing your 
 good works, shall glorify your Father which 
 is in heaven." 
 
 Where is this heaven ? Surely not in 
 some far-off country. The kingdom of 
 heaven is within us. It is only the veil of 
 our own mortality that hides the glorious 
 habitation of the immortals from our eyes. 
 Then let the veil of the temple be rent, that 
 we may stand in the presence of the Divine ; 
 23 
 
for, although no man hath seen God, yet 
 we see His reflection in our own divine, 
 higher Self. And we may hear the voice of 
 the spirit calling us to the land of our in- 
 heritance, where abideth forever the peace 
 of our Lord. 
 
 24 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 iiNiiigiNiiiiiNiiiiir 
 
 021 899 070 8