liiiiiiiiw^^^^^^^^^ Class ^'B-sLl'3A_ Book ,G^ Copight}^" COPYRIGHT DEPOStr. " You are seeking the es- sence of things," said one to a chemist who was known to be making some search- ing experiments. " No, the quintessence," was the re- ply. The aim of " The Magnet" is to secure for its readers the quintessence of the teachings for the ac- quirement of magnetism in words so few that they may be remembered, so strong that they may have lasting power. LIDA A. CHURCHILL. Butbor of **tLbc 'ffHa^Sc Seven,* **B Crain of HWadness/* etc The aura you send out is to you the greatest power in the universe, and according to your character and hi'bi's '•^'iU b'ij^thnt aura. ■ffl e w V o r h : dhc Blliance ipublisbing Company THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Copies Received APR 10 1903 S Copyright Entry CLASS C^- XXc. No. COPY B. Copyright, 1903 by LiDA A. Churchill I CONTENTS PAGE ^' ~ -^ I, How to Avoid Deraagnetism - o hi 11. How to Create Inward Magnetism 19 HI. How to Establish Outward Magnetism 28 IV. How to Have a Magnetic Personality 38 V. How to Magnetize Circumstances - 48 VI. How to Win and to Keep Love - 60 VII. How to Remain a Magnet - - 77 HOW TO AVOID DEMAGNETISM. Have I any magnetism ? This ques- tion has been timidly and privately asked by thousands, and thousands more have longed to ask it. It is not a foolish or an unimportant question. If there lives a person, which I strongly doubt, who does not care whether he is magnetic or not, he is not wise or philosophical. Prosper- ity, success, health and happiness are things to which every one has a right, and of which no one should allow himself to be defrauded. Magnetism is the master key which not only un- lO THE MAGNET locks these things to man, but is also the sentinel which guards them and keeps them intact for him. "What is the kingdom of heaven?" asked a Bible-class teacher. "Magnet- ism," replied a student, "for it draws all other things unto it." We shall see that this seemingly ir- reverent reply was a perfectly legiti- mate statement. Divine magnetism (and all worthy magnetism is divine) is nothing less than the kingdom of heaven, and is to be coveted and sought for as such. "Yes," sighed a woman, "magnet- ism is something I long for, but I haven't a bit, and it cannot be culti- vated. I suppose I'm too honest and sincere to be called magnetic, but I work so hard scrubbing and sewing and cooking for my family that I get all worn out, and cannot help feeling THE MAGNET cross. I believe even my own chil- dren love sister Jennie better than they do me, though she never does much for them but listen to all their stories, and talk with them, and kiss them good-night. I'm too busy for all that." This speech betrays ignorance, mis- apprehension, and want of under- standing. The declaration that she entirely lacked magnetism was this woman's first misstatement. No one is without some degree of magnetism. How do we know that everyone has magnetism? Because we know that everyone has life. Magnetism is life. Perfect magnetism is the highest and most vital, as well as the most subtle, form of life. Whatever increases and vitalizes life increases and vitalizes magnetism. Whatever decreases or THE MAGNET devitalizes life decreases and devital- izes magnetism. An important and frequent reason why one thinks of himself, and others think of him, as having no magnetism is that he so decreases and wastes the magnetism which he naturally pos- sesses that it becomes so weak as to al- most or wholly lose its power to at- tract. In other words, he works ac- cording to the law of demagnetism. This waste is wholly unnecessary, and can easily be avoided. He who is to cease working accord- ing to the law of demagnetism must burn in upon his consciousness the truth that all action is not life. We hear certain people spoken of as being "all alive," when the truth is they have very little real life. Useless nervous activity is not life, but the waster and ,destrover of life. There is as much THE MAGNET I3 significant, magnetic life in the contor- tions of a galvanized frog, or the gy- rations of a mechanical toy, as in the majority of the movements of many people. Just as the contortions or an- tics of the frog or the toy dissipate the motor power which causes them, so the useless movements of the always- in-motion individual dissipate his mag- netism. A certain man declared that his wife had scrubbed and scolded all the love out of his home. The woman quoted above had evidently done near- ly or quite the same thing as far as she herself was concerned. This leads to the realization of an- other truth : unneeded and useless ac- tivity never increases, hut always de- creases, magnetism. This woman scrubbed a clean house and made fancy clothing where plainer raiment 14 THE MAGNET would have served to better purpose. Unneeded sacrifices, especially when they are constantly held up as sacri- fices, are never appreciated, and the almost never-ceasing motion of the hands acts as a leak for magnetism. It is Martha, careful, industrious, made irritable and fretful by her fear that everything would not be properly done, over-anxious, uselessly busy, who has come down through history as the unmagnetic woman, while to Mary, the quiet, reposeful, unworried one, was given the tender regard which magnetism always claims. "How utterly destitute he is of charm !" is constantly said of a certain man. This man is never still. Every waking moment he is swaying in a rocking-chair, twisting about on his seat, drumming with his fingers, tap- ping with his foot or some object held THE MAGNET I5 in his hand, nervously whining, com- plaining, fault-finding, worrying, cre- ating and indulging in suspicions of others, thus breaking every law of re- pose and harmony, working according to every law of demagnetism. Again, the woman quoted made the mistake of confounding sharp, rude, unkind words with sincerity and hon- esty. Nothing is more magnetic than honest kindness of word and deed, nothing is more demagnetizing than cross, unsympathetic expressions and actions. We all know, and dread, the electric person, who is aggressive in manner, dogmatic in speech, quick to suspect that insult or impertinence is intend- ed, and who prides himself upon never "giving in" in an argument, and upon always "having the last word." This kind of person deprives his natural l6 THE MAGNET magnetism of all power. "The last word" has often cost a friend or a cause. He who habitually argues, quarrels, or indulges in recrimination, may be sure that effective magnetism can no more be his than drawing power can belong to the lightning bolt or the crashing tornado. Noise, bustle, confusion, hurry, in- harmony, unkind words and irritable ways are all wasters and destroyers of magnetism. The earth, which is the mightiest magnet of which we have any knowledge, keeps its way in space and revolves on its axis with no irri- tation, no sound, no confusion. Every- where and always the absence of fric- tion and useless motion and emotion helps to create and sustain the highest and most effective magnetism. Then cease to demagnetize yourself THE MAGNET by ceasing to have inharmony in your life, ceasing to do useless things, to make useless movements and unkind speeches, and, above all, by ceasing to think of yourself as having no mag- netism. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Everyone has some degree of mag- netism. This magnetism may be much decreased, or nearly all v^asted, by in- harmony of mind, constant useless and nervous movements, violent or irri- table expressions, and disbelief in its existence. Sit alone, and as nearly as possible absolutely still, not even winking, twenty minutes at least (a longer time is better) every day, and say, audibly or mentally : / will to stop all waste of magnetism. I will to cease all in- harmony in thought or speech. I will l8 THE MAGNET to avoid all undue motion or emotion, and I hereby cease to believe that I have no magnetism. II. HOW TO CREATE INWARD MAGNETISM. Where does the first conscious at- tempt to create magnetism begin ? Just where every other important thing be- gins, in the center of one's being. In the beginning is the purpose, or the will, always. He who is to be mag- netic must first decide that he will be so, and then proceed to put his will into operation. In order to attract, one must, of course, be attractive. Now someone will probably think, "How can I be attractive? I have no beauty of even a single feature, and I cannot afford handsome clothing." 20 THE MAGNET If you will think for five minutes on this subject, the conviction will be forced upon you that the great major- ity of the most magnetic people whom you have known personally, or of whom you have read or heard, were not handsome, or even pretty, of face or feature, or people whose clothing was sufficiently rich to be at all re- markable. The prophet declared of the most magnetic One who ever walked the earth that He had no beauty that men should desire Him, and certainly one who had no worldly goods, and who wandered about the dusty ways by day and often slept un- der the stars by night, could have pos- sessed no fine raiment. Napoleon was small, and plain of face and of dress, yet men loved him more than life, or home, or comfort. Margaret Fuller, Frances Willard and THE MAGNET 21 Henry Ward Beecher were among the most magnetic Americans. Margaret Fuller was notably plain, Frances Wil- lard and Henry Ward Beecher far from handsome, and the clothing of these three was always simplicity it- self. Ninety per cent., at least, of those who read these lines will have to acknowledge that the people who have for them the greatest drawing power are not beauties or those who have costly wardrobes. What, then, is the charm ? **If I be Hfted up I will draw all men unto me," said Jesus. Think a little further and you will realize that it is they who are in some way "lifted up" who draw men and things. The Christ was lifted up in thought, in feeling, in sympathy, in tenderness, which was the important lifting up and the one to which He probably al- 2 2 THE MAGNET luded, before he was raised on the cross. Napoleon, however mistaken he may have been, was Hfted out of pettiness and narrowness by a great ambition and ideal, and by his con- stant personal care for his soldiers. A'largaret Fuller, Frances Willard and Henry Ward Beecher were lifted up by their visions of higher and holier things and their endeavors to have these visions realized, as well as by their tender love and care for family and personal friends. There is a lifted-up woman in every neighbor- hood, one without whom no child is born, no friend buried. In every fam- ily, in every group of real friends, there is one to whom all the rest go in trouble or in joy, always sure of being met with understanding and sympathy, it may be declared that many a per- son who is selfish to the core, and THE MAGNET 23 thinks of others only to benefit him- self, draws people and things unto him. True, but this kind of person does not hold the love he wins, and only by chicanery, or by arts and prac- tices unworthy of and destructive to real manhood or womanhood does he retain the material things of life. One who easily and often wins, and as easily and often loses, friends, is not magnetic, but fascinating, and fascina- tion is to magnetism what a paper rose is to the real blossom. The color, shape, and simulated life attract the attention and hold the interest for a short time, but the absence of soul and perfume render the most gor- geous artificial flower less to be de- sired than the tiniest dandelion or humblest daisy. This leads to the fundamental truth of the matter : magnetism is beautiful. 24 THE MAGNET vital, glowing life which is generated in, and goes out from, the center of one's being. This life cannot come from belittling thoughts, groveling ideas or ideals, or cold and narrow sympathies. He who is to be truly magnetic must be lifted up above these things. Hypocrisy destroys magnetism. De- ceit is sure to be discovered, and to turn all minds, even those which are themselves deceitful, against the per- son who practices it. The coin that hypocrisy offers does not ring true, and will be accepted by few, and only for a short time. 'T do not trust him in spite of his fine speeches," we often hear one say of another; and, again, someone declares of a certain person, "He speaks gruffly, and has unpol- ished manners, but, somehow, I re- spect and like him." THE MAGNET 2$ There is a scientific explanation of this. It has been demonstrated during late years that from every living being there constantly issues an actual substance called his aura, or atmos- phere. An extremely sensitive person feels this atmosphere at once, and few- are so dense as not to be influenced by it. This aura is as much a part of one as heat is a part of a blaze. Its nature is determined by one's habitual thoughts and feelings. It would be as possible to obtain clean, clear limpid water from a foul and muddy pool as to send forth a magnetic aura from a mind and heart befouled and clogged by low, mean, selfish, impure thoughts and purposes. The reason that one is attracted or repelled by another is that he feels the other's attractive or repellant aura. Samantha Allen declared that she 26 THE MAGNET wanted Josiah where she "could put her hand on him day or night." The magnetic person is he on whom one can put his mental and spiritual hand day or night and feel him to be pure, generous, large and true. Only real nobility ever makes one a lasting and holding magnet. "How shall a man be concealed!" exclaimed Confucius. A man can never be concealed. His expression, his attitude, his actions, his manners, and, above all, his aura, reveal him as he is. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Magnetism must be generated from the center of one's being. It is not necessary to have a handsome face or rich clothing in order to be magnetic. One who is to be truly magnetic must be lifted up above selfishness, im- purity, meanness, deceit and coldness. THE MAGNET 27 Fascination is to magnetism what a paper rose is to the real blossom. No one can long conceal his real self. Say in the silence : / will to gener- ate magnetism. I will to. he pure and kind of heart, wide of sympathy, can- did of mind. I will to he lifted in spirit above everything which would render me less than a perfect magnet. III. HOW TO ESTABLISH OUTWARD MAG- NETISM. How shall you make your magnet- ism felt, so that it may prove a bless- ing to you and to others? Simply by causing it to express what is in your heart and to meet the needs of other hearts. Having filled yourself with strong, kind, loving, uplifting thoughts and ideas, let these things blossom into strong, kind, loving, uplifting acts and words. This does not mean that you should turn into "a mush of conces- sion," or allow yourself to be wrong- fully used, or cheated, or that you should countenance or condone wrong 28 -\ \ THE MAGNET 29 in Others. But there is a kindly-dig- nified way of differing, a sweet man- ner of refusing, a tenderly-firm way of meeting and rebuking the mistakes and weaknesses of others. These methods have the advantage over the usual means of hoped-for correction, which are angry argument, scolding, threatening and complaining, in that they usually accomplish their pur- pose and increase magnetism, while drastic measures nearly always fail of good results, alienate the rebuker and rebuked, and waste magnetism. The angry aura is devastating, belit- tling, and utterly repellent. Remem- ber this when you are tempted to send it out to your child, your friend, or an acquaintance. Next to the habit of scolding and fretting, and demagnetizing one's self by constant unneeded movements, 3© THE MAGNET nothing more frequently hinders one from enjoying the fruits of magnet- ism than his failure to demonstrate his affection or his care for, or his interest in, others. "What is the use of being gold if you appear like brass?" asks Hezekiah Butterworth. Here is a truth to be stamped indelibly upon the mind: the more love you make manifest the more magnetism you will have. Why? For the reason that the exercise of kindly feeling creates more feeling of the same kind, and because just as you are sending out aura so is every one else, and when you demon- strate your affection for, or interest in, another, you cause him to send his magnetic atmosphere out to you, thus increasing the volume of your own. Every one you help helps you by making you a more perfect magnet. We frequently hear a person boast THE MAGNET 3I that he is "not demonstrative,'" as though this were something of which to be proud. This person would be very indignant if he were accused of withholding necessary food or cloth- ing from wife, or child, or friend. The actual fact is that in a very large majority of cases where he fails to demonstrate his affection he is with- holding that which is more necessary than a plentiful supply of food or much raiment, and at the same time keeping himself so little of an attract- ing power that he cannot hold those whom he really loves. The son of a well-to-do widow left his home and started on a train for a distant city, accompanied by a young woman whom he intended to marry. There was an accident, and the young man was taken back severely injured. One day during his convalescence, 32 THE MAGNET when she thought him asleep, his mother bent over him and kissed him, and, shaken out of her habitual reti- cence by grief, exclaimed: ''O, how coiild you leave me for that low girl !" "Why, mother," said the young man, who had been lying awake but with closed eyes, "you really do love me, then? I never remember your kissing me before. Nellie wasn't well- bred and educated, like you, but she did love me, and let me feel it all the time." In this case the mother smothered her inherent magnetism until it failed to have enough holding power to re- tain her son, while the naturally less magnetic woman strengthened hers by use and the addition of the aura which she received from her lover till it was powerful enough to draw the young THE MAGNET 3S man away from his mother and his home. Thousands of husbands, wives, and children are seeking love outside be- cause those at home have demag- netized themselves until they have no holding power. Many men are, or think they are, too busy to create mag- netism, and the divorce courts are occupied with cases of those whose husbands, for the sake of making a few more dollars, have lost the love and loyalty which alone would have made the dollars of any real worth. Francis Murphy used to tell of a men who, as he buttoned up his coat and rushed out at the door, would call back to his wife, "Consider yourself kissed." Three of magnetism's most effective agents are the eyes, the voice, and the hands. All these, when properly used, 34 THE MAGNET have great magnetic power. The mother who often holds her child's hands, looks into his eyes, and speaks to him in the tone which expresses love, will find her son a lover because she has made herself a magnet which he cannot resist. Those who discour- age, in themselves or others, a display of affection, encourage unhappiness, heart hunger, and home devastation. Another thing which creates and strengthens magnetism is the estab- lishment of confidential relations be- tween one and one's child, or friend, or servant. One is always magnetic to the person whom he trusts. Dog- matism and distrust are two great demagnetizers. He who refuses to explain the reason for his demands, or to give trust where it may safely be given, does himself and those with wlwm he deals great injury. THE MAGNET 35 "Why must I do this?" asks the child. "Because I say so," answers the mother. The child's self-respect is wounded and his sense of justice outraged by this reply, which is electric and repellant instead of mag- netic and attractive. "I can't im- agine why my boys have turned against me," said a grim-faced old fa- ther of two sons. "I always did my duty by 'em, and brought em up in the fear of the Lord. When they didn't want to pray, and asked what good praying did, I told 'em that was the Lord's business and mine, and I knocked 'em down and made 'em pray." Many husbands, wives, parents, friends, are dealing out spiritual and mental knockdowns, and then cannot imagine why those whose love they covet turn against them. 36 THE MAGNET Remember that the aura one gener- ates and sends out, and which is his real Hfe, goes straight to the center of Hfe in another, and either draws back with it that other's love, liking, admi- ration, or respect, or, by its repellant force, drives these things farther away from one, or kills them altogether. It is for each to determine which kind of influence he will send out. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Strong, kind, loving acts, sympa- thetic words and tones, and expressed affection do much towards establish- ing magnetism. The eyes, the voice and the hands may be great magnet- izers. Coldness, dogmatism, and mis- trust demagnetize. The aura one sends out causes him to be magnetic or repellant to another. It is for him to determine what this aura shall be. THE MAGNET 37' Say while sitting alone : / put all coldness, dogmatism, and unsympa- thetic and harsh words and ways azvay from me. I zvill, by justice, by tender- ness, by expressed love and thoughtful care, to generate and send out aura which shall return to me bringing the love, friendship, or esteem of all with whom I, in any way, come in contact. IV. HOW TO HAVE A MAGNETIC PERSON- ALITY. How shall one make the outer man or woman a fitting temple for the beautiful and magnetic spirit and brain ? We have seen that handsome faces and costly clothing are not essential to magnetism, but this does not mean that one's person and dress do not have much to do with his drawing power. First, the person with a magnetic personality will not brawl, or shout, or talk in loud tones, or indulge in harsh, screaming laughter. These 38 THE MAGNET 39 things waste magnetism and disgust the refined. He will speak in clear, low tones, but never mumble his words, and his laugh, when he laughs aloud, will be hearty and mellow. He will shake hands cordially, and will look straight into the eyes of the per- son whom he addresses, or who ad- dresses him. If one has not attained to the latter kinds of demonstration he has still work to do inside, for every outward act or tone is an indication of some inward state. Perfect cleanliness is one of the greatest essentials to a magnetic per- sonality. The skin breathes, and needs to breathe, as surely as the lungs. When its many thousand pores are stopped by the particles of dust which every day gather upon the body, it cannot 4*0 THE MAGNET absorb the air which is essential to its life, nor throw off the impurities of which a freely breathing skin rids the system. Soiled skins not only dis- please the decent and disgust the fas- tidious, but they make for feeble vitality and, consequently, for demag- netism. Sufficient sleep is a great magnet- ism creator. It is during sleep that the worn-out brain tissues are re- placed and made capable of that intel- ligence, quick apprehension and gen- eration of emotion which are part of the effective life, and hence make for magnetism. The dull, stupid individ- ual whom want of sleep makes is never magnetic. In order that he may have that sense of satisfaction which leaves his mind free from all mortification or uneasiness, and thus enables him to THE MAGNET 4^ appear at his best, he who is to be magnetic will be clothed in garments which are adequate to him. They may be inexpensive, but they will be neat and well fitting, and their color will meet his taste and harmonize with his feelings. No one should be induced to wear anything simply because an- other admires it, but in which he does not "feel good." Worry and dissat- isfaction are demagnetizing, and the personally undesired garment causes these things. Flimsy and tawdry ornaments, painted faces, bleached hair, pro- nounced perfumes, are all demagnet- izers. They disgust people of taste and refinement, and draw upon him who indulges in them the electric aura which is created by repulsion. A man recently called upon an in- fluential and kind-hearted woman to 42 THE MAGNET ask the latter's help in establishing him in a small business by which he hoped to support himself and his fam- ily. His story was one of struggle and disappointment, and a brave de- termination to yet win a comfortable living for loved ones. "I wanted to feel all that he told me," said the woman. "I honestly de- sired to show him that I was interest- ed, and to say helpful things, and to think of some way to really assist him, but his skin was dirty, his nails black, his coat pinned together, and there was the odor of some cheap perfum- ery about him. His eyes were scarce- ly lifted to my face, and he had a shamed air all the time he talked. All this so repelled me that I just couldn't be as cordial as I wished to be, and found it impossible to shake hands with him when he went away." THE MAGNET 43 This was a case in which things that might easily have been avoided utterly prevented magnetic attrac- tion. Here is a point to be remembered: one who is ashamed of his conduct, his person, or his clothing, cannot be magnetic. Shame sends out a timid, clouded, weak aura which repels rath- er than attracts. A clean breath is a great factor in magnetism. "I drove through that re- gion once," said one who had been listening to a friend's enthusiastic de- scription of the scenery in the Berk- shire hills. "Did you not think it beautiful?" asked the friend. "What I remember most distinctly," was the reply, "was the disgusting breath of the young man with whom I was driv- ing. I might have married him (for until that day I thought myself rap- 44 THE MAGNET idly falling in love with him) had he not drank liquor and eaten onions on that particular afternoon." Cheerfulness and serene joyousness are tremendous magnetism builders. You have probably been in the com- pany of several listless, uninterested people, when one entered with alert looks and shining eyes, cheerfulness and joy radiating from him as warmth from the sun, and have seen every person in the room suddenly awaken, and immediately become interested in the newcomer. Life speaks to life and response is certain. Nothing is more magnetic than the habit of measuring people upward in- stead of downward, judging them by the usually manifested good and the high things of which they are capable, and ignoring all unworthy habits and qualities which they possess. *'We can't THE MAGNET 45 be very bad, because the old man so believes in us and trusts us. We should hate to disappoint him." This was the spirit which animated the Rugby boys because the "old man," Thomas Arnold, who has been put on record as one of the most magnetic men that ever lived, simply refused to acknovv'ledge anything but trustworth- iness and nobility in his lads. "What is the first thing you do to redeem the apparent wrecks you pick up on the streets?" a Salvation Army woman was asked. "We love them, and show them that we trust and respect them," was the reply, "and almost every one of them immediately begins to become lovable and self-respecting. Then the work of amendment is easy." This leads to a great truth which must be acknowledged and acted upon 4-6 THE MAGNET by the person who is to be truly mag- netic: distrust and a belief in the de- pravity of another sends out an elec- tric and repellant aura which always works harm. Love and respect have the most tremendous drawing power of any two things in the world. Sincerity which makes itself felt, and the habit of kindly showing and expressing interest in and sympathy for the things which concern others, are great magnetism creators. **I never minded my own business but once in my life, and then I was sorry for it," declared a big-hearted, sympa- thetic, most magnetic woman. The magnetic person is lifted up above the habit of sneering, making cutting or sarcastic remarks, or in- dulging in jokes which reflect unpleas- antly upon another. These things make for demagnetism. In short, the THE MAGNET 47 magnetic personality is made by an inner royal nature showing through. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Personal cleanliness, neat and satis- fying clothing, good health, and a sense of self-respect create magnetism. A feeling of shame is demagnetizing. Distrust, insincerity, belief in anoth- er's depravity, sneers, sarcasm, rude habits, all destroy or prevent magnet- ism. The greatest magnetism makers are love and respect. Say, when alone, at least once a day: I will to he clean within and without. I will to he loving, kind, sympathetic, well, and in all things fit for the temple of the Holy Spirit. V. HOW TO MAGNETIZE CIRCUMSTANCES. How shall you make your generated and increased magnetism a real, prac- tical power in your daily life ? By ap- plying it to the affairs of everyday life. The boast of Napoleon that he "made circumstances" has been con- sidered by most people a daring state- ment even for one of such great abil- ity in planning and executing as was the "little corporal," and as altogether presumptuous and idle for a lesser person. And yet it is the real truth that nearly every one is, in a large measure, making his circumstances, and a more important and tremendous THE MAGNET 49 truth Is that if he will intelligently, resolutely and persistently work tow- ards this end, one may make his cir- cumstances, in a very great degree, what he will. A point not to be overlooked or lost sight of is that one who is to magnet- ize circumstances must work always from his magnetic center, and accord- ing to the things which keep at its most intense possible force the subtle life which is magnetism itself. What feeds this life and forms its substance and compelling power? Righteousness. The white heart, the pure purpose, the inwardly still, poised self, the mental attitude which forbids injustice, unkindness, indiffer- ence, insincerity, uncleanliness of mind or body. By making circumstances Napoleon meant that he made them such as he 50 THE MAGNET wished them to be. He began later, though of this he did not speak, to make circumstances such as he did not wish them to be by the stupendous injustice and imkindness of putting away Josephine at the dictates of a selfish ambition. It has many times been said that had he ''been himself" on the day of Waterloo, Wellington would not have been victor. He ceased to be ''himself," his poised, sat- isfied, strong, alert self, when he did a thing which forever afterwards called for excuse and justification, and, finding nothing adequate to an- swer these demands, tore at, and wracked, and tormented the center of life, causing weakness, remorse, anH mental devastation, all deadly foes to the mas^netism which alone can r^^ke circumstances to one's liking. ^ History and private life teei vvith THE MAGNET 5 1 annals of rulers and individuals who have begun to fail in all things in which they most desired to succeed from the day they did some great wrong, or from the hour they began a series of small meannesses. It is not merely a sentiment, but a scientific fact, that unto the kingdom of heaven shall be added all things, for the kingdom of heaven means a strong heart, a clear brain, an unwor- ried mind, a cheerful habit of thought, and, consequently, the poised, pur- poseful life, which is the only life which makes desirable circumstances. A strong purpose is a great mag- netizer. The listless, shifting, flabby individual has no strong, subtle life at the center, and cannot, therefore, be "netic. The most magnetic people wi .ave ever lived have been tre- mei ously earnest in carrying out 52 THE MAGNET some idea. A humble, unheralded monk drew thousands after him to terrible harships, almost unbearable privations, and, in many cases, to cer- tain death in a foreign land simply be- cause he purposed so strongly in his heart, and was not afraid to go stead- ily onward towards the end in view. Peter the Hermit had the most intense life at the center of his being, and is always spoken of as one of the most magnetic people that ever existed. He was lifted up above littleness, in- decision, indifference and weakness. The upright and downright person al- ways compels resp'^ct and wins confi- dence, two tremendous magnetizers. It is the upright and downright law- yer whom one seeks to conduct his case, the upright and downright mer- chant from whom one buys his goods, the upright and downright suitor who THE MAGNET 5$ is chosen from among other men to become the husband. Honesty is a great magnetizer. It gives the direct glance and the certain movements which attract paying cus- tomers and good conditions. It was said of a certain transcendentalist that "he soared into the infinite and dived into the unfathomable, but never paid cash." He who is to be magnetic must, in character, in habits, in man- ner, in all his dealings with himself and others, pay cash. One who fails to pay his dues of money, of honor, of kindness, of courtesy, of neatness, comes short, by just the measure of his failure, of attaining unto perfect magnetism. To be master of and busy about something adds wonderfully to one's magnetism. The exercise thus afford- ed the brain, the increased facilitv 54 THE MAGNET given to the executive ability, and the interest thus kept alive, engender self- respect, keep the mind from morbid fancies and unvi^holesome introspec- tion, and thus help mightily to inten- sify that central life which is mag- netism. The person who is to wholly domi- nate and control circumstances must he without fear, and must pursue that course and calling which he intelli- gently chooses for himself. No one can kindle the magnetic cen- tral fire that sends out aura which attracts success who is doing work which he dislikes, or for which his tastes and inclinations do not fit him. A certain firm decided to issue a book on different subjects pertaining to everyday life and work. The plan was well conceived, the persons cho- sen to do the work capable, talented, THE MAGNET 55 and efficient, but selected because, by stress of circumstances, they had been placed in such positions that they felt they must accept work at any price, and so could be used by the rich but economical publishers with little out- lay. The book, well illustrated, well printed, attractively bound, and of- fered at a reasonable price, was an utter failure. Why? Because no love, no enthusiasm, no sense of worthy ac- complishment breathed into it that breath of life which, going forth as magnetic aura, would have insured for it success. A truth never to be over- looked or forgotten by him who is to control circumstances is that the life which he puts into his work is the life which will go out, and on that life will depend the work's success or failure. And the work must be done, the course pursued, without fear. No one 5^ THE MAGNET was ever habitually afraid to his ad- vantage, no one v^as ever habitually unafraid to his disadvantage. He who magnetizes circumstances must be his own master, and no one is his own master who is swayed by the opinions, the caprices, or the ridi- cule of others, or who is dominated and held in bondage by some folly or weakness of his own. One to be a perfect magnet must be free in mind, thought, and action. It may be declared that the ways set forth for magnetizing circum- stances are all intangible. Right here is the place to stop and realize two tre- mendous truths : the mightiest forces are invisible, hut as tangible as elec- tricity or breath. The aura you send out is to you the greatest power in the universe for success or failure, and ac- cording to your character and habits THE MAGNET 57 will he that aura. No successful hav- ing can come from selfish and mean being. One may say that he can name men who are dishonest, and selfish, and mean, and yet who live in grand houses filled with costly upholstery and works of art, whose private cars glide along railroads, whose yachts dot the sea. True ! But think if you can name one such whose money has bought or kept those things without which money is useless — health, joy, peace, pleasure in daily life, apprecia- tion of Nature. These men have thrown out their attracting aura in just one direction for just one pur- pose, and the result is warped minds, dwarfed souls, unhealthy bodies, and utter lack of real joy and peace. An encouraging fact is that moral, and hence magnetic, qualities, once es- 58 THE MAGNET tablished, grow and strengthen with great rapidity. Man's natural tend- ency is towards good, and in nurtur- ing those feelings, actions, emotions which make for righteousness all the powers of good are with him, and he is working along the line of least re- sistance. Do not believe in or talk about hard times, failure, discouragement, sick- ness, or anything you do not want in your life. Talk success, accomplish- ment, joy, peace, and abounding Hfe. Things, like people, hearing their names persistently called, will come. Above all, put and keep yourself in every-moment touch with the great Source of Power from which all good things may be confidently claimed. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. By applying magnetism to everyday THE MAGNET 59 life one may make circumstances. One must always work from his mag- netic center. Injustice or meanness are great demagnetizers. A strong purpose, the mastery of something, in- dustry, honesty, fearlessness, and the habit of looking for good things, are great magnetizers. Say during the silent hour: / will to he just, right- eous, honest, and free, and to control my life for power and success. I will that all the powers of good shall he my helpers, and to keep in constant, vital touch with the great Source of all desirable things. I will to succeed in (here anything in which one is es- pecially interested or desirous of suc- ceeding may be named). VI. HOW TO WIN AND TO KEEP LOVE. ''What do you want most of any- thing?" asked a woman^ who, being known to put questions with a pur- pose, was usually answered with truth and frankness. "I want," replied the person ad- dressed, "some one to love me the best of anybody in the world. I never said this out loud before, but it is true." Of course it was true. Moreover, though it is seldom spoken "out loud," this is the dominating wish of every normal human being. We sometimes hear it said of a per- son that he is "lovesick." As a mat- THE MAGNET 6l ter of fact, though one speaks with a smile or a sneer of another being love- sick, two-thirds of the world is love- sick (sick for love), and the feeling is perfectly legitimate. The sacred wri- ter could give God no higher praise than to say that He was Love. Love is ever the theme of the author, the poet, the maker of songs. It is as nat- ural as breath, as honorable as life, as necessary to happiness as are food and shelter to health. A person should no more be ashamed of his thirst for love than of his thirst for water. Love is the great refiner, the great stimulator, the great purger of selfish- ness, sin, and despair. He who truly and nobly loves, and is loved in re- turn, has come into a kingdom where- in he is guarded from those influences that would despoil his character and belittle his soul. 62 THE MAGNET How can the love which blesses, en- nobles, satisfies, be won and kept? Hundreds have asked this question privately, thousands have yearned to ask it, millions have longed to have it adequately answered. Can this love be won at all by any one who will pay the price of win- ning it ? The answer is plain, clear, and em- phatic. It is sure to be won by any person who zvorks with the laws that produce it. And he who wins love, or anything else, according to law, will hold it just as long as he continues to work ac- cording to law. What wins love of any kind, the lover's love, the friend's love, the child's love? Magnetism. What holds love of all kinds ? Continued and sus- tained magnetism, A horseshoe mag- THE MAGNET 63 net will draw unto itself every particle of steel or iron filings which comes within the radius of its influence, and hold each particle forever unless it becomes demagnetized. Can the mag- net be counted upon every time and always to draw the filings? Yes, be- cause it works according to the law of magnetism. Can it be counted upon every time and always to lose the fil- ings if it becomes demagnetized? Surely, because it works according to the law of demagnetism. Settle two points once and forever in your mind : all love, of whatever kind, is won hy magnetism, all love, of whatezfer kind, is lost hy demag- netism. Two equally important things to remember are that no love can ever he won without magnetism, no love can ever he wholly lost while magnet- ism remains. 04 THE MAGNET It thus becomes clear that one who is to win and hold love must become and remain a magnet. How shall one become a magnet ? Never by anything outside himself. Occasionally one sees advertised some charm or preparation which is warranted to win love; and now and then a person will declare that by such means he actually won affection or some other desired thing. In such a case, if the truth were known, it would be found that the belief that the wished-for object was to be gained had created in the brain a set of mag- netic vibrations which really won the coveted thing. It requires more con- tinued credulity than most people pos- sess to cause a charm to "work" satis- factorily. Sometimes a person imagines he can gain the affection of another by hav- THE MAGNET 65 ing "a good Avord" spoken for him, or by parading his possessions or rich or titled connections. All this, like other outside means, is futile. Only magnetism wins and holds love, and one's magnetism is as much a part of himself as are his eyes or his hands. As has been said, magnetism is one of the most forcible, effective and subtle forms of life. What is love? Another form of forcible, effective, subtle life. Like attracts like. Mag- netism draws and holds love. A most important fact for the would-be magnet is that the person who, without selfishness, unkindness, or neglect of others, is sufficient unto himself, is magnetic. "I "have learned," said one who knew whereof he spoke, "that as soon as one grets where he can stand abso- 66 THE MAGNET lutely alone he always has plenty to stand with him." Napoleon, Margaret Fuller, Frances Willard and Henry Ward Beecher have been spoken of as among the most magnetic souls the world has ever seen. These people were ca- pable of the most ardent affection, the most acute emotion, but no person or circumstances could reduce them to despair, or throw their lives into chaos, hence nothing could demagnet- ize them. The clinging vine attitude may be fascinating for a time, but when the glamour which it generates, and which never lasts long, disap- pears, every vestige of magnetism goes with it, and the dinger is left to droop without special notice from any one. "It is a strange thing," said a woman, who, because of her troops of admirers is called "the spoiled dar- THE MAGNET 67 ling," ''that when I fairly agonized for friends I had but few, and of those few the ones I most loved deserted me. I sometimes begged for love, some- times I grew desperate and demanded it. I wept at the least coldness, wor- ried hours of the night if one whom I loved seemed to neglect me, and was miserable nine-tenths of the time, with very little of the love for which I en- dured all this as compensation. At last I decided that I would enjoy my own self-respect and approval — I had lost them in my frantic efforts to win and to keep love — would treat people courteously and kindly, but that they might love me or not as they chose., I resolved to be happy without such as did not give themselves to me with- out any of my mental antics. I became, by force of will, quiet of mind and of heart. I read and studied, laug^hed 68 THE MAGNET and sang, provided myself such en- tertainment as I could, and looked to myself for happiness. And behold ! I grew to have so much love I was fair- ly bewildered by it. I am plain of face and of dress, and have no com- pany manners, but love and attentions pour in upon me. I don't understand it at all." Had this woman understood, she would have known that by her "men- tal antics," her appeals and desperate demands, her tears and worry and sleeplessness, she was continually and surely demagnetizing herself, and thus making it impossible for her to win or to hold the love she craved. It is a truth that cannot be too well or widely known that all undue emo- tion is demagnetizing. The tears, re- proaches and entreaties by which wives, sweethearts, friends, strive to THE MAGNET 69 hold those who are, or seem to be, slipping away from them, are the very forces which weaken, and in many cases finally snap, the cords which held them. Everywhere and always "mental antics" are destroyers of magnetism. It was when she was "quiet of heart and of mind," when she laughed and sang and was sufficient unto herself for happiness, that the woman quoted above won and held love. And her method must be that of every one who is to win and to hold love. Jealousy, whether between husband and wife, lover and sweetheart, parent and child, or friend and friend, is one of the greatest destroyers of magnet- ism, and, consequently, one of the bit- terest foes to love. It creates mean and hateful emotions of the mind, causes inharmony, estrangement, and 70 THE MAGNET ill-health, and gives a sense of degra- dation to the one who indulges in it and the one who awakens it. Respect, trust, and confidence are the three great bulwarks of love. Jealousy sweeps them all away, and leaves an- ger, impatience, and resentment in their places. If you are inclined to be jealous of a person, tell yourself over and over again in the silence that you are in- capable of so ignoble a feeling, claim immunity from it, and let the one who might have aroused it know by word, act, and glance that you fully trust him. The people are few who will not live up to the standard set for them by those they love. Trust and you make trustworthy; distrust and you create untrustworthiness. "How did you reclaim and redeem Richard?" asked her dear friend of a THE MAGNET ?! woman whose husband had shown strong signs of infideHty. **I respect- ed and trusted him back to honor and more than his old love," was the reply. "I repeatedly assured myself and him that I placed implicit trust in him. I claimed his loyalty and love when I sat in the silence, and I told him mentally, and sometimes audibly, that I knew nothing could separate us or lessen our love for each other." Another great demagnetizer is the casting away between any two people, however near and dear, of all mental, spiritual, or physical reserves. A per- son should never lose the conviction that he owns himself, and that there is within his being a Holy of holies to which God and himself may alone have access except as a rare and sa- cred favor. The utter abandonment of one's self to another, mentally or 72 THE MAGNET physically, is a mistake for which one pays in loss of self-respect, the respect of others, and of power and love. Let no one dream that he can hab- itually indulge in impure thoughts or acts and be^ or continue to be, mag- netic. These things change the cur- rent of the blood, disorganize the functions of the body, disfigure the face, and destroy that poise, buoyancy and brightness of spirit and tone which are as essential to magnetism as is sunlight to the rainbow. A truth which cannot be too for- cibly impressed upon the mind is that, while love is legitimate and legiti- mately desired, and while it is proper and right to bring all one's mental skill and strength to the winning of it, there is great danger, as well as great dishonor, in winning, or trying to win, love which cannot be honorably won. THE MAGNET 73 In all history there is no record of an unholy or illegitimate love which brought forth anything but final mis- ery. The reason is plain. The wrong aura, generated and sent out by the wrong thought, attracts and brings back more wrong aura, and all the purity of thought and purpose, all the righteousness which is the real soul of that central life which is lasting mag- netism, is, by deceit, selfishness, and impurity, blasted, and smothered, and killed. That which is not yours by right may perhaps be won, but it can never be held with honor, comfort, or happiness. Good health, as we have seen, is a great magnetism-maker. Magnetism is life, and attracts its vitally alive twin, love. He who is most alive in every fiber of his being, brain, heart, lungs, limbs, 74 THE MAGNET is he who will win most love. The people named as masters of magnet- ism were all vitally and tremendously alive. The partially diseased or par- tially alive person is never more than partially magnetic. Full vol- umed life, of which love is one of the most vital forms, answers only to full volumed life. Duty, friendship, philanthropy, cause the long sick to be tenderly cared for, but, except in very rare cases, like that of Mrs. Browning, where the soul remains so insistently alive as to magnetize even tottering limbs and weak muscles, no pulsing, vital love is given to the chronic invalid, whose system works according to the law of demagnetism. This suggests another important reason why one should not indulge in "mental antics." They destroy and dissipate life. THE MAGNET 75 Always look people at whom you look at all, no matter what your rela- tions or desired relations with them may be, straight in the eyes. The full, straightforward glance is the magnetic glance. Above all, have a settled belief in the great overshadowing Power of which you are a part, and in yourself. This will insure the heart repose, hope generation and constant cheerfulness which are the best magnetism-makers and preservers. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Love is universally and legitimately desired. It will be won and kept, or lessened or lost according as one mag- netizes or demagnetizes himself. All violent or erratic states of mind or movements of body demagnetize. Quietness of mind and of body are essential to magnetism. 76 THE MAGNET Sit every day absolutely alone and perfectly still, for at least twenty min- utes — a longer time is better. Fix your entire attention on the thing you desire. Say earnestly and impressive- ly : / am an irresistible magnet, which draws unto itself ez-'crythijtg it desires. I am quiet of heart and of manner, clear of brain, clean of heart, habits, speech and body, capable and worthy of commanding all good things. I claim (whatever you wish) as mine already, and that I shall very soon tan- gibly realize its possession. VII. HOW TO REMAIN A MAGNET. How shall you hold and keep the new life, which is the new magnetism, by which you shall gain all things ? Simply by allowing no vacuum and no solidification in your life reservoir. "What splendid water you have!" said a man who had driven into a for- mer neighbor's yard to ask for a drink. "It is so clear, and cool, and satisfy- ing ! I am told that people come long distances to get it. But isn't this the old well from which you could once get water only a part of the year, and then it was not very good ?" ,LcfC. 7^ THE MAGNET ''That well was the beginning" of this one,'* was the reply. 'The old one was choked up with caked earth and rotten leaves, and nearly all the pas- sages which let in a fresh supply were thus stopped, so the water it did have was partially foul and stagnant. I cleaned out all the obstructions, and opened the way for the inflow, and the water is now always what you see it." The lives of thousands are like that old well, choked up with the caked earth of old traditions, theories, ideas and practices, thus making impossible the inflow of that fresh, satisfying life which is magnetism. It was when the dead matter was all cleared away, and the inlet for fresh water opened, that the well became a magnet which con- stantly drew people unto it. Having cleaned out all your dead THE MAGNET 79 leaves and caked earth of anger, irri- tation, useless movements, ill-health, dishonesty, too little or too much giv- ing of yourself, and everything else which clogs, and hinders, and stag- nates, open wide, and keep open, your mind, heart, and life to those truths, emotions, and interests which make for life, and hence for magnetism. Never allow any part of you, brain, heart, mind, body, to acquire that stagnation and rigidity which mean death, and, hence, total lack of mag- netism. Remember that it is the pur- poseful, progressive, virile life which is magnetic, and that the state of the mind causes the body's stagnation or virility. 'The old truths are good enough for me," is an expression one often hears. So they are, or should be, for every one, but there are always new So THE MAGNET developments, wiser interpretations, more helpful meanings of the old truths. One might as well say of stage-coaching that it is good enough for him, and refuse to utilize railroad trains, as to refuse the advantages of the later and more practical meanings of truth because they were not for- merly known and recognized. Fresh ideas, fresh emotions, fresh endeavors, are to life what fresh, clear water was to that stagnant, almost useless, wholly despised well. Remember that the life which is magnetism is a thing of the mind and will, "I remember," a very old lady re- cently remarked, "when the woman who was not married at twenty-five was considered, and considered her- self, a hopeless old maid, and a woman of forty was looked upon, and looked THE MAGNET 8l upon herself, as too old to carry on any hard or difficult work, to say noth- ing of beginning any new thing. In these days one is a young girl at twen- ty-five, and hardly middle-aged at fifty. And the strange part of it is that the old maid of twenty-five and the old woman of forty looked and acted older than many women of forty and sixty do now." The fact which was so puzzling to the speaker is one readily understood by the occult student. Tradition and theory had cast into the minds of people young in years the stagnating belief that they were old, and they no longer kept open the inlets by which new life would have entered, and so became rigid and unmagnetic. Why is it that during late years so many young men have married women past middle life ? Because these wom- 82 THE MAGNET en have never thought of themselves as old, have never ceased to keep abreast with new ideas, have not been afraid to adopt new theories, to take up new enterprises, and to enjoy those pleasures which were formerly con- fined to people whose years were few. and so have kept vital, and added to, their magnetic life. The marriage of a young man with a woman who con- sidered herself old, and acted accord- ingly, has never been known. Keep the intellect keen and bright by study, reflection, and conversation. See healthy, cheerful, unafraid people of all ages. Go to plays and social gatherings. Seek out the poor and the hungry, whether their poverty be of purse or of heart, and learn the joy and satisfaction of "the giving that is gaining." In no case neglect your daily sitting THE MAGNET 83 In the silence, for it is in these still moments that you draw the most ef- fective power to carry out any design of brain or of heart. Always keep fixed in your mind the truth that, since you are capable of creating the aura which shall draw to you, and keep for you, all that you de- sire, it is your privilege, as it is your purpose, to make yourself a per- fect and all-compelling magnet. SUMMARY AND EXERCISE. Stagnation of ideas, emotions or movements hinder magnetism. Fresh thoughts and emotions, intellectual ex- ercises, indulgence in legitimate pleas- ures, constant contact with life, daily sitting in the silence, and a recognition of the truth that one creates his own aura, and may. therefore, make his own destiny, go far towards keeping one a magnet. ^4 THE MAGNET Say earnestly in the silence : / choose to clear my mind, heart, and intellect of everything zvhich clogs and stagnates, and to keep open all the ave- nues by which life and light may en- ter. I demand, and expect, that all- pervading, all-vitalizing, divine life which, showing forth in my every thought, word, and deed, shall make me, and keep me, a perfect magnet. APR 101903 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 022 208 234 1