CM ' rfnA Book Copyright^! L COPYRIGHT DEPOSm Theodore G. Northrup NORTHRUPS RELIGION AND BUSINESS i The Undreamed-of Possibilities Which Man May Achieve Through Mastery of Self FOURTH EDITION BY Theodore G. Northrup ^ V4 fe FOURTH EDITION " Published 1921 Copyright, 1921, By THEODORE G. NORTHRUP. All Rights Reserved. ADDITIONAL COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THEODORE G. NORTHRUP, Breslin Hotel, 29th St. and Broadway, New York City, N. Y. NOV -2 1921 g)C!.A630137 -wo l I Dedicate This Book to ALL HUMANITY Pointing the way Out of Fear — Worry Sorrow — Trouble — Poverty And all unsatisfactory conditions. FOREWORD. IT is the purpose of this book to carry those who read and study its pages from the thought of limitation into the consciousness of mastery — believing there can be a Practical ideal which can be made so clear, intelligible and rational that it will command the brains of men as well as attract their hearts. As I look around upon this world of effect I cannot help seeing that the large majority of people are living in the thought of limitation and are experiencing as a result of this thought sickness, trouble and poverty, when with a knowledge of Themselves and their own Powers they can reach out into the unseen world and bring into mani- festation Peace, Joy and Abundance of all good. I send this book forth into the world of effect on its mission of teaching that abundance of every- thing man can possibly want is at his command when he understands the law of his being. Theodore G. Northrup. INTRODUCTION. WHAT the earnest student of metaphysics wants, in a text-book, is a clear, intelligible statement of fundamental facts in Mental Law — a statement which is sound, in accordance with science, demonstrable and not confused by appearing to be dependent upon outside "author- ity" (biblical or otherwise) ; a statement cqnsecu- tively arranged, that is logical, that appeals to common sense, that will work when put to the "acid test" of experience. Such a statement Mr. Northrup has given us in this book — Religion and Business. It is intended especially for the "man on the street," the man or woman who really wants to know the true path of development and is ready to set aside the intricacies of mere intellectual gymnastics. The statement is clear and simple and it remains only for the student to follow carefully the teach- ing to get the results promised. The author's experience, however, of many years, has shown him the wisdom of emphasizing the fact that each one must "work out his own salvation" — must actually do the work for him- self and not expect the reading of the book only 6 NORTHRUP S RELIGION AND BUSINESS to bring far-reaching results. It is only by this individual effort and exercise that we can develop the strength and experience the joy of true growth. The lessons contained in this book will be espe- cially welcome right now, at this particular time, and in suggesting the thought that each one who finds them helpful, can hardly "do his bit" more efficiently than extending to his "neighbor" the opportunity of obtaining similar benefits, I feel that an important service is being performed. It is plainly evident from the author's experience on the lecture platform, that there are untold thou- sands ready to welcome these teachings, as does the thirsty traveller the spring of "living water." Walter Goodyear. CONTENTS The Creator or Cause The Created or Effect All Is Good — There Is No Evil The Silence Healing Self and Others Application in Business . Controlling Environment Mastery of Self 9 21 29 39 50 61 78 92 CHAPTER I. CREATION. THIS is a time in the world's experience when men want to know more about them- selves and more about their responsibilities. We are meeting crises, in the presence of which man begins to ask questions — crises which the world has never met before. A popular writer has recently asked the follow- ing question: — "Why does the Almighty, the all merciful God, who created the universe and even the stars, allow His christian children to perpe- trate this horrible slaughter in Europe? Shall we in this enlightened age, the Twentieth Cen- tury, worship and love a God like this? ,, This writer does not understand that man can do any- thing — may be permitted to do anything he wants to do, only he must pay the price for so doing. War is the effect and man the cause. This he also fails to realize. The seed was sown long ago and forgotten. But law never forgets — hence the present reaping. For the stewardship of men and nations alike, this great universal law sooner or later demands an accounting. What did it cost 10 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS America to permit a black man to be sold upon the auction block? The universal law made its demand and the Nation made the adjustment. Whenever the adjustment follows the demand, the result is satisfactory, for out of it always comes Rightness. Man has made great progress on all mechanical lines. Nearly everything is done by machinery. He has followed the laws of nature into the unseen above and below, but he is just beginning to learn something about himself and the laws to which he is related. / say he is just beginning. He is slowly learning that everything and every life is under law. When he comes to understand the laws governing his life he knows more about First Cause and therefore more about man's possi- bilities. The man of affairs is beginning to learn that he is handicapped through ignorance of those higher laws governing business. The man or woman who is employed, is not fully equipped and cannot command the salary which . they should command when failing to understand these laws which govern their being. The sales man or woman can sell more goods, can achieve more highly, when he or she understands and applies the, law which is at his command. At the front of every revolution, civil, moral or spiritual, is a man, radical in thought, bold in con- ception and quick in execution. There was never a time when such ability was recognized as it is today. The question is — "What can yon do?" Unless a man can stand forth as a leader, in CREATION 11 advance of the crowd, he is not wanted. Such a man can name his own price and the world will pay it. His pulse thrills with the spirit of energy and enterprise. To keep pace with such a leader all the forces of life and action must be awakened. If one would hold a respectable place in the proces- sion he must be alert, recognize the universal law of his being and show the world where act and achievement meet. The belief in an arbitrary God — away off some- where, no one knows where — belongs to the period of the ox-cart and the canal boat. It is not up to date. Man wants to know — and he can know. Man has been able to systematize 'all the phenomena of exterior nature, why not that of his interior life and its relation to the First Great Cause? The phenomena of the human spirit is within the grasp of the intellect. There is some- thing within each one of us pushing us on towards something better, something more satisfying than that which we enjoy today. We want to grow and it is some power within which, in its growth, is pushing us on to something better. In growing we must out-grow. We are to forget the things behind and reach forward to those which are before. If everything is governed by law, everyone should be interested to know what those laws are and how to apply them in every-day life. If there is a law which \governs business, as exact as the law governing the tides ; if there is a law that I can apply that will sweeten and bring harmony 12 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS into my home ; if there is a law which I can apply to my body, which will bring health and power, I want to know it. I want to know how to make the application. During these eight lessons we will consider the teachings of Silent Demand. The subjects and their order will be as follows : — 1st — First Cause or The Creator. 2nd — The Effect or the Created. 3rd — All is Good. There is no Evil : — When we come into that consciousness and see only good in everything, then only good can come into our world. This is an important lesson because we have been taught just the opposite. 4th — Silence and Concentration — The Power of the Silence. 5th — How to Heal Self and Others. 6th — How to Apply these Principles in Business. 7th — How to Control Environment. 8th — Mastery of Self. That is the keynote. The First Lesson is the foundation on which all is built. We have been taught that God is omni- present, omnipotent, omniscient. What does it mean to you? Have you understood what it means? How can you believe it possible for a God, away off somewhere, "Dwelling in light, in- accessible and full of glory," to be omnipresent? It never meant anything to me, and yet I be- longed to an orthodox church, because there was something in me that urged me to do the best I CREATION 13 could, to live the best life possible to me, but I could not understand how God could be omni- present. I shall try in this First Lesson to so ex- plain it that all will understand the omnipresence of First Cause. We must have some understanding of this Great Cause or Power which stands behind and back of every manifestation that we see, or touch, or feel. We have been told that the finite could not know the infinite. But we must know. There is an inward impulse, a gradual forward thrust which moves us ; there are perceptions which, through the world of sense and self, discover a spiritual identity with this higher power. Our knowledge is what shapes our world, and to not know, cannot satisfy the man of today. That which we vision, that we are. There comes a time in the life of everyone, when the storm breaks and the winds are out, when he must have something on which he can stand and say triumph- antly, "None of these things move me." When this is fully realized man is master of the situa- tion. But so long as man believes in two powers — so long as he clings to duality, he will be buffeted by discordant and unsatisfactory conditions. The world demands freedom. Freedom comes only through a knowledge of the truth, and truth alone can set man free. So, in studying this truth one must know. Belief is helpful and faith is neces- sary but one cannot be satisfied until he feels that he knows. When one has reached the consciousness that 14 N0RTHRUP S RELIGION AND BUSINESS there is a First Cause, he knows that there is a Power with which he can come in touch, at will. I say, that when he reaches the consciousness that he knows, then, peace comes to that one; harmony dominates his life and Power comes into his doing. It makes no difference what teachings one has ac- cepted in the past ; if it will not stand the test of today it must be cast aside and up-to-date teach- ing put in its place. From all the differing lines of thought we are converging into the truth, and although some of the new teaching is directly op- posite to that we have received in the past, it is a truth because it can be perfectly demonstrated. This is a world of change and the law of change will push -us forward to something better. Each one must learn to stand upon his own feet. When the storm comes he must accept it as an oppor- tunity to prove his faith. When you have a problem to solve, and you know how to demon- strate; when you know the principles and how to apply them in your life, then it is the opportunity for you to say — "I am master of this problem; I know how to deal with it," and the demonstra- tion reveals the Truth more fully, and then you know that yon know. In elucidating this truth I wish to present it in a plain, simple, practical business way that will appeal to your reason. I will not attempt to prove anything by the Bible as that would be my inter- pretation, and that would be no better than yours. I will appeal to you on common ground — just where you stand — and start from what you know. CREATION 15 Each person who reads this page is living in a state of consciousness different from the other. Tomorrow each may be living in a state of con- sciousness different from today. Therefore we assume your present state whatever that may be. There are a few things that we know — each one of us knows — it is not guess work — it is not belief. We know. One thing we know is, that we are here. That we do exist. We also know that others exist all about us. We know further, that we did not create ourselves. Therefore we must be an effect. I would put this in so emphatic a manner that you will carry along in your mind the fact that You did not create yourself, — you are an effect. Our reason tells us that there is a power outside of and beyond ourselves, — A Cause. This Cause we can know. Therefore, as we trace back from effect to cause we will, and we must find a power or cause, which is not dependent upon anything outside of itself. If it depended upon anything outside, or above, or beyond itself it could not be a First Cause and we will be driven still farther back until we reach a Cause which is dependent only upon itself — then that will be the first cause. Again: — We know that man has a degree of in- telligence. As we have found that he is an effect, and as the effect cannot be greater than the cause, we know that the. First Cause must be intelligent. And as self-consciousness is an attribute of the First Cause, so it repeats itself in the conscious- ness of the effect. Again: — We know that we manifest life. We 16 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS can see life expressed everywhere, in the mineral, in the vegetable, in the animal, in man ; and, as all is an effect, we can know with certainty that First Cause is life. Man's life finds creation responsive to all its faculties. His life became the measure of all things. Man is not only the interpreter but is the interpretation of all Life. Again: — We know that love is part of our being. We must love. Love being a part of our life it must find its object. We, being an effect, know with certainty that First Cause must be Love. It is the heart that sees most clearly. Again : — We know that man has power to think. We see the expression of thought all about us. As the effect cannot be greater than the cause, First Cause must be a thinker. The effect can think out after the Cause — its thoughts. Again : — We know that man can determine his actions through a power we call will. By this we know that First Cause can and does determine Its actions, and everything that is real must be an expression of Its thought and will in action. This is what we call Law — that is, Higher Law. Again:— We have also found that First Cause is self-conscious ; knows itself and determines its actions. It is all intelligence, all power, all life and is always active. This is not all that we know. We know that all the power, forces, attributes or qualities are mental and in the unseen. We cannot see power, we see only the expression of power. We cannot see life, we can only see the manifesta- tion of life. We cannot see love, we can see only CREATION 17 its expression. Therefore First Cause, or Creator, is Mind or Spirit. We have now reached a point where we can combine this power, forces, quali- ties and attributes under the name of First Cause, Infinite Spirit, or Absolute. Again: — First Cause, Infinite Spirit or Abso- lute is Mind or Spirit and is self-dependent. Now note this: Nothing could be imparted to the effect, or creature, by the Creator but its own substance. Nothing ever proceeds from the creative Spirit but what was in it. It imparted Itself in the Creation, for even First Cause could not create something from nothing. Therefore all creation is from and is the same substance — Mind or Spirit, but dif- ferent combinations of the one substance. Ice, water, and steam are the same substance, different in degrees of temperature. The same with crea- tion. In the created are different combinations and different qualities of the one substance, as we shall see later on. Now, we have been reasoning from what we know of nature and man back to the First Cause. We will reverse our method and reason from First Cause to man. First Cause must be powerful because we see power expressed in everything around us ; in the rocks, the flowers, the trees, the animal and in man, power everywhere ; and as the effect, or the created cannot be greater than the cause, First Cause must be power. Again: — We see life manifest everywhere. Everything in the seen must express life or it will 18 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS disappear from our view. First Cause must there- fore be life. Again : — We see love expressed in the flower, the animal, in man. Therefore we can say that we know that First Cause is love. Again: — We see intelligence expressed in every- thing. Therefore we conclude that First Cause must be Intelligence. In reasoning therefore from what we know — man to First Cause, or from First Cause to man — we arrive at but one conclusion, and that is : First Cause is All Power, All Life, All Love, All Intelligence, All Good, and is the Substance of everything in the seen and the unseen. All is Mind or Spirit. First Cause we may know through the thought expressed in the things which have been made. That knowledge is valid and may be verified by the practical tests of life. When we correctly understand man and nature we may look through either directly into the mind of the Creator. The object of this lesson is to bring the reader into the consciousness that there is but one Power in the whole world. No matter where we see Power it is First Cause in action. Though it be in Niagara or in the heating of water it is the same. It matters not where Power is seen or felt, it is First Cause in manifestation. There can be but one Power in the whole uni- verse, and there is but one Intelligence. Where- ever we see intelligence it is First-Cause In- telligence. Wherever we see life it is First Cause CREATION 19 expressing Life. First Cause is the Substance of everything and everything is obedient to Law. In the realm of the Spirit, chance and caprice are eliminated. The tides of ambition, the gusts of passion, the longings of desire, the awakening of love are reduced to the dominion of Law. Things are not erratic and lawless because they are spiritual and etherial. The laws of the Spirit are as con- stant as those which govern the tides and breathe through the world of nature. What beside First Cause in this entire and infinite simplicity, could we mean when nature is pronounced? All is alive from the smallest atom to the mightiest star; and all is jubilantly expressing the Mind, or Spirit of First Cause. As your eye rests upon these pages, let your mind come into the consciousness that there is but one substance in the whole world. This will pre- pare the mind to recognize the omnipresence of First Cause in everything you see and feel. Omni- presence not only imparted Itself in creation but consciously and actively dwells therein. The power by which you move, the intelligence with which you read this page, the life by which you serve your kind, the love in which you pay your tribute to your Creator are all imparted, and have their source in Infinite Mind, for It is all there is in the seen and the unseen. Holding fast to this consciousness you will be able to consider and embrace the thoughts of the next lesson. Until you come into this conscious- ness it will not be possible for you to demonstrate 20 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS and bring to pass those things which you most de- sire. Remember as you turn the next and follow- ing pages that there is but one substance in the whole world and that is First Cause. There is but one Life, one Power, one Intelligence in the whole Universe and that is First Cause in mani- festation. CHAPTER II. THE EFFECT OR THE CREATED. OUR first lesson was occupied in considering the Primal Cause — the Cause of every- thing in the seen and the unseen. We now enter upon the consideration of the EFFECT, or what the Cause has produced. All that reaches us through the senses is the work of the Primal Cause. In our first lesson also we found First Cause, Infinite Spirit, to be Intelligence, Mind or Spirit, and that from this substance all created things were developed. I repeat, this Substance is Intelli- gence, Power, Love and Life. We learned that First Cause has imparted itself in and to all created things. Things were first thoughts, "The things that were made were not made of things which do appear/' is an inspired statement. Enthroned amidst the silent elements of material existence is a spiritual power from which their vitality is derived. To everything that has Being there is an outward form and an inward life. The substances of the mineral kingdom are pervaded by invisible agents which develop the 22 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS forces necessary to their existence. The being and beauty of the vegetable creation are depend- ent upon an invisible, vitalizing law. The meanest form in nature; the feeblest thing that lives, enshrines and reveals its quickening energy, received from the Infinite Intelligence. From the great heart of Primal Cause the vital currents flow through all the arteries of Being. All life is the continuous activity of Mind on the objects of its creation. Life is the revelation of a Spiritual Presence — First Cause Presence in the universe to which it has imparted its Life and Substance. Should we ascend to the sublime heights where thought and aspiration are wearied and can go no farther; or should we descend to that mysterious abyss where the shadows of non- entity veil the germs of existence — in every place and in all natures we find First Cause revealed? To the old arbitrary formalism we oppose this Divine Philosophy which refers the origin, the con- tinuance and the end of all things to the Life, Love and Power of God, the Spirit and First Cause. We teach that the Divine Spirit pervades and governs by established laws the material uni- verse and all spiritual existence ; that all truth is natural and adapted to those reactional faculties which the Creator has enshrined in the human soul — and that all men as they become God-like in spirit and in life are rendered increasingly sus- ceptible to Divine instruction and Divine impres- sions, from the First Cause from which they sprung. THE EFFECT OR THE CREATED 23 Thus, we see there is but one Intelligence. There is but one Power — not as a famous evan- gelist would tell us — two powers ; for, in that case First Cause would not be Omnipotent. There is just ONE POWER, FIRST CAUSE. In a subsequent chapter I will explain how we make a mistake by acting mentally as though there were two. But wherever Power is found, whether it be in heating water, swinging stars in their orbits, burning gasoline, or in the activities of man, it is the same in source and character — it is all First Cause. All creation is from the same substance — SUBSTANCE — that which stands under, upholds, sus-tains — displayed in different qualities and in differing degrees. The figures from to 9 may be so arranged as to represent any amount, and the letters of the alphabet, only 26 in number, com- pose all the volumes in the English tongue. This is a SCIENCE— THE SCIENCE OF ALL SCIENCES. All the sciences of the world are based upon this ONE SCIENCE. Ice manifests the least power, water, more power, but gas manifests so much power that it moves everything before it. For instance, in an over-heated boiler the power is so great that you cannot contain it. It will find release. So it is with Creation. The mineral kingdom has but lit- tle intelligence, the vegetable kingdom has more intelligence and in it we begin to perceive the element of love. If you tend a plant with loving care it will grow and flourish for you. The animal 24 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS kingdom manifests more intelligence, more love, and has power to control its action, which the flower has not. With man comes the crowning work of the Crea- tion. He becomes a Co-Worker with added Life and Power; but not only this, he is fully equipped to draw from the Universal Supply for all his needs. "Son, all that I have is thine." One can sit in his office, and in a moment get in touch with this great Universal Supply. Inasmuch as man has more intelligence, more love, more life, more power, more wisdom he can so approach the abund- ant supply as to immediately secure any benefit which he may properly desire. Man has power to impart in his building the same as First Cause imparts Itself in Creation. He communicates himself to everything he does. He knows and does in a finite way what the Creator does in an Infinite manner. The power of man is seen in the machinery of today. For instance, the adding machine. A bit of mechanism almost human in its work — or the machine for picking cotton; removing the white bolls with the intelligence of men. The thought man has used to change the face of nature, bridge rivers, tunnel mountains, bind continents with net- work of iron rails and subdue the earth, was first discovered in the things which First Cause made and tran- scribed into the human mind. These are, how- ever, the Effect and man the cause. He directs all this intelligence and exercises this marvellous power in building a wonderful world. THE EFFECT OR THE CREATED 25 Man imparts himself in everything he does. His handwriting is his own. If you wish to open a bank account, the first thing requested is your signature. That signature will open and continue that account, and upon it all transactions will de- pend. As man imparts himself to everything he touches he produces an effect, and by the character of the effect we determine whether it is First Cause cre- ated or man-made. Man becomes the important factor in Creation, therefore First Cause and Man are all we have to deal with in solving the prob- lems of life. For you and me, there is no depend- ence upon each other — our sole dependence is upon this Great Power, or Cause. First Cause imparted Itself in Creation, and man must use this material in his building. Thus the Universal mind repeats itself on a limited scale in the mind of man. If you attempt to build from anything outside, your building will fall and perish. You must build from:— INTELLIGENCE— LOVE- LIFE— and POWER. You cannot admit hate. No structure can survive on negative condi- tions. Building on these your house will fall. From the material imparted to us, we are to build. We find, therefore, that we are in a SPIRIT world now. And we have only Mind or Spirit to deal with. This explains how one can sit down in the Silence and speak the word which will bring health to the body of a person miles away, as we have found that there is but one substance from which the world was created, and that substance is 26 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS Mind or Spirit — this substance is all with which we have to deal. Thought as we have seen is as real a substance as anything we can see, feel or touch, be- cause it reaches out into the unseen and brings into the seen and known what that thought repre- sents. Besides, also, thought under-girds all ma- terial existence. Man's mind or spirit is the in- strument by which the unseen is brought into the seen or manifested upon this plane of action. It is the highway of the Divine Mind to the world. A certain quality of thought will bring into mani- festation the same thing every time. No matter who sends out this quality of thought, you can know with certainty what that thought will bring into manifestation. If you are carrying negative thought you may know absolutely you will have unsatisfactory conditions. Nor does it matter who sends it forth, for every thought produces its kind. An inharmonious mind cannot demonstrate SUC- CESS. An inharmonious mind will induce unsatis- factory conditions. Man, being the highest, most perfect, is master of the lower. He is, therefore, responsible for the directing of this power. Igno- rance does not excuse us. There is but ONE POWER, and we are using it every moment of our lives. That POWER is doing something in the world directed by our thought. It is either tearing down our business or building it up. It is either tearing down our home, or filling it with sweetness and light. In all this, the responsibility THE EFFECT OR THE CREATED 27 rests upon you and me, and from it there is no escape. Upon every thought mankind sends forth is stamped its quality. That quality will be accord- ing to the person's understanding of the truth. Ignorance is no excuse. Its quality is stamped upon every thought and upon every word you speak. You are responsible for what that thought or word brings into the world and escape from that responsibility is impossible. We can now see First Cause everywhere and in everything. It is not afar off in some un-imagined somewhere as we have been taught in the past. We have been taught the omnipresence of God but we failed to understand how and in what way But now we can see First Cause everywhere — in the flowers, in the trees, in the grass, in the stars, in the mountains and in men, women and children Coming into this consciousness we enter a new world with First Cause everywhere. First Cause is the Substance of everything. We cannot separate ourselves from that Substance only in belief and we can change that belief at will. Did you ever consider that the real cannot be seen, — we see only its effect. We cannot see the Cause. Intelligence cannot be seen — only its mani- festation is tangible. Power you cannot see — only its expression. First Cause you cannot see — only its manifest works. You cannot see your friend, only the instrument through which he com- municates with his kind. You cannot see the CAUSE, the LIFE, the POWER held in a kernel 28 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS of corn which produces the full-grown ear, but you can see the effect — that is, power and life in manifestation. You cannot see the life in the acorn from which springs the giant oak, neither can you see the power, intelligence, love and life folded in man which it was intended he should unfold through a conscious understanding of who he is, and the practical knowledge of his Creator. Man's business is to unfold power, love and life, and impart these to all his work. You then have the manifestation of quality, character and life which he possesses. That "an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit" is as true today as ever, neither can a negative thought bring forth good results in life or action. That which we can see and feel is only, and al- ways the effect. The Cause is always in the un- seen. If we censure this or that one for dissatis- factions which come into our lives, let us know, that lying back in the unseen is the cause in some thought which we have sent out. We meet it again in the world of effect. Back of and behind all effects which we see lies the Cause, either in First Cause or in man. First Cause is the Creator and man is the Builder, a Co- Worker with First Cause. Having power to draw from the Universal Supply man can build his world a heaven here and now if he will meet the conditions. We are not obliged to pass through these unpleasant experiences we are meeting. They are caused by mistakes we have made in directing the power at our command. The quality THE EFFECT OR THE CREATED 29 of thought builds the condition. As man is not limited in thought, in quantity or in quality, he can reach the cause of all things in the Silence, but even there he must meet the necessary conditions, for everything is according to Law. The Law of Love, the Law of Harmony, the Law of Finance, the Law of Compensation and the Law of Right- ness. Deviating a hair's breath from one of these laws will result in unsatisfactory conditions. In later chapters these laws will be considered. The purpose of this chapter, I hope you now fully understand, is to bring you into the consciousness of the First Cause, Infinite Spirit, everywhere and in everything. Wherever you see life, it is First Cause in manifestation. Wherever you see power, it is the manifestation of First Cause. Wherever you see intelligence, it is First Cause thinking in man or animal. Wherever you see love, it is First Cause in action. Thus at the end of the second chapter we leave you with this consciousness that All is Good and All is Mind or Spirit and All is First Cause. CHAPTER III. ALL IS GOOD— THERE IS NO EVIL. ALL is Good, there is no Evil. To many in the midst of present conditions, this seems impossible. Let us see if the matter cannot be presented in such a manner that we shall come to know that ALL IS GOOD, THERE IS NO EVIL? In our previous study we have found but One Power and One Substance in the whole world. We found that Power and Substance to be First Cause, or Infinite Spirit. We also found that First Cause was Mind or Spirit and that All was GOOD. We also found the result of action on the part of First Cause in Creation was an Effect. The crowning effect we found to be man. We now take into account and deal with man. He is here, and is the all important factor in creative work. He is not only a Creation but is a Co- Worker with the Creator. Everything upon this scene of action is from First Cause, or from man, the Builder. It is possible for man to reach out into the unseen world and bring into the seen and tangible that for which His words stand. ALL IS GOOD— THERE IS NO EVIL 31 With man appears what we call evil, sickness, poverty and trouble of all kinds. Now, remove every man, woman and child from New York City today — all would be peace and harmony, all would be good ; but when you bring man back you bring sickness and trouble of every kind, pain and poverty's low cry. What, then, is evil, and where does it come from? We know that First Cause Creation is good and that it created all there is. Therefore what we call evil is man's building. The origin of Evil? The subject has been a perplexing one to many thoughtful minds. First Cause is the Author of all things, but all that First Cause made was pronounced Good. How, then, came evil? I do not see how there can be any authorship to evil. No one created it. No one ever brought evil, as evil, into being. Evil — sin — is not a substance. It can neither be made nor be- gotten. It is not an attribute, nor is it a power or a faculty; therefore it is no thing — nothing. Inasmuch as it is not a constituent element of either mind or spirit, it cannot be an entity in any sense of the word. It can therefore be only an act, or a condition. Now let us see! Suppose that, on some dark night, a man stops you and forcibly takes your purse. This you would call an evil. Why does he do this ? Someone sells to your husband or son that which destroys his manhood. That is what we call evil. Your employer fails to pay as much for your services as he should, and you ask, "Is 32 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS this right?" "Is this good?" "Do I not see pov- erty, crime and trouble everywhere? "Do you call this good? ,, "Do not my friends turn against me and speak that which is untrue about me?" "Can this be good?" All this and more comes from the same cause. They all think, that in some way what they do will contribute to their happiness. Their motive is good. They desire happiness, but their method of doing is what we question. It is right that this man who robs you should have money, but not your money. It is right also that he should be self-respecting. It is right that your employer should have money and profit in handling his busi- ness. You see the motive is right but the method is wrong. What we call evil is a mistaken way of doing things. What is a mistake? It is calling 4x4=20, and so long as you persist in calling 4x4=20 it will cost you something. Mistakes are expensive. Now, it does not follow that because someone has talked about us that we should make another mistake and talk about them. No ! The only way to correct that is to correct ourselves. In that way we gain the mastery. In that way we will master all the problems of life. When we understand this truth — Man's Power, that man can sit down in the Silence and adjust all these things, bring them into perfect harmony, it becomes unpardonable ignorance for a man not to know himself and his own power. We find, therefore, that what we call Evil is mans mistaken action. There is only one way to ALL IS GOOD- — THERE IS NO EVIL 33 do a thing, and that is the right way. The wrong way is not a way at all. If you want to go to the North, you must take a North-bound train, not a South-bound. The Law is unalterable. We have believed in good and evil. We have acted upon the principle that there are two powers in the world. That is the mistake Europe is paying the price of today. Mistakes made in past years. Poverty, sickness, sorrow, trouble and unhappi- ness of every kind come through different chan- nels, but from the same sources — Mistaken Thought. Please read thoughtfully and understand me in what follows : I do not mean, when I say that "All is Good," that you are to say of poverty, sick- ness and trouble, "This is in some way good for me." No ! I do not mean that at all. I- mean to say that we have good material with which to build. First Cause has imparted Itself to us in Creation and that being good, is the material with which to form our life structure. First Cause be- ing the Substance of all things, is all Love, Life, Power and Presence. On and from this Substance we are to build. A certain quality of thought produces a certain condition. No matter who sends the thought forth, the quality determines the condition or result. If your condition is unsatisfactory, if your environ- ment is inharmonious, no one is at fault but your- self. At will you can change them all. You know some people do not want to think — they want First Cause to do it all for them. This First Cause will 34 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS not do, because man is given the power of free and independent thought. For you and me there is work. We are Co- Workers with First Cause and must do our part. Today, man w r ants to know. We must be definite. You ask for a position in a large cor- poration. They ask, "What do you know?" "What are you worth ?" "Set your own price, but bring results. " We have first to know what we want and then send out the quality of thought that will build up and bring into manifestation that which we want. If we want harmony, send out the thought adapted to bring harmony. We have found that everything in creation is an expression of thought, either from Infinite Spirit or man; that thought carries different de- grees of Life, Love, Intelligence and Power. We have found that man is the Builder, with power to draw from this great Universal Supply anything he wants. He is not limited in thought, or qual- ity or quantity. He can place himself in touch with this Universal Power at any time he may choose and bring into manifestation — if he meets , the conditions which are necessary to produce it, the thing he has definitely determined upon. Sup- pose your body is out of harmony, that is, what we call sickness. You brought that into your world. Now, to speak life and love into your body a certain quality of thought must carry In- telligence and Will-Power. That is absolutely necessary to secure healing of the body, but this is not the quality of thought which is required to ALL IS GOOD — THERE IS NO EVIL 35 bring you peace and harmony. It must be an entirely different combination and quite a differ- ent one from either of the two to bring success into business affairs. So you are required to master a Science: — The Science of all Sciences. We go blunderingly along, unconsciously using or abusing this Divine Power, too indolent to give the necessary attention that we may become masters of our own powers. The truth is like a combina- tion lock on a safe. Whoever has used one knows he has to turn the knob around to a certain num- ber and be exact about it. If you pass one iota too far, you have to begin all over again. You turn back to the next number, and if the work is exact you know the door will open for you. Just so with the truth. If you made a mistake in turning the lock on either number, the door will not open. With the Truth you must be just as exact. You must meet the right number exactly, send out the Exact Thought in order to bring that which you desire, into manifestation. Many persons send out the thoughts which bring poverty, produce trouble and sickness. Therefore it must come into their lives. They cannot escape conditions caused by their thoughts. The war in Europe is the result of mistaken thought. They have been equipped for war, have been preparing for war during centuries. Could anything else come out of it but war? No ! Con- sider your own Country. How long has it taken us to get into war ? Our President, three years ago 36 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS was standing for peace and he was mastering every condition. For some good reason of his own he changed, and took the stump for pre- paredness. How long before we were in trouble with Mexico? How long did it take to get into war in Europe? We changed our thought. We are in war today with conditions and we will con- tinue in this war until our thought is changed. When we change the combination and when we change the thought we will change the condition. The quality of thought required to manifest peace and harmony is Love. LOVE TO THE WHOLE WORLD. It matters not how r much you have been disturbed. I do not care if your business has been destroyed, or if you have inharmony in your home — go into the Silence and say, "All is peace — Peace — All is peace," and you will swing into it and as you swing into it, you will change the condition. Love To The Whole World. This thought does not carry will-power. No, faith is required. I do not care whether you be- lieve there is a First Cause or not, you do not have to. All you have to do is to carry that thought and you will sw T ing into harmony and peace. This is a Science and when you have a thorough understanding of it, you can solve all problems of life. In mathematics, if we know where to multiply, subtract, add and divide we can solve any problem; we have only to know the princi- ples by which these factors are used. When a man understands his own power and sends out ALL IS GOOD — THERE IS NO EVIL 37 the thought which builds what he wants, he too can solve any problem which life presents. We must not forget that thought emanates from us continually and according to its quality will be the effect. Each one uses this Divine power every moment, and by its quality the world is conditioned. So, all the evil of this world is of our own manufacturing. It can be wiped out at will. Now, let us take the man who steals your purse, which is called an evil. He reads these pages and finds that he has within himself, a power, which he can unfold that will bring more money, more happiness, and more self-respect than robbery. He therefore changes his life, changes his thought and begins to direct this Pow r er along right lines. The man is changed, and what you called evil in this man is gone forever. He used the same power — First Cause — to take your purse, but it was misdirected. There is only one power in the Universe and that is the First Cause Power. Our difficulty is, that we are building from a mistaken viewpoint, and not from the Substance which First Cause has imparted in the Creation, but trying to found our edifice on the plan of 4x4=20 and thereby bring- ing into manifestation poverty, trouble and sick- ness. Man can and does take good material and build what is called evil. A piano when it is in tune is perfect, and the person who plays it can bring forth exact harmony. I, who do not under- stand it, can bring forth only inharmony and dis- 38 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS cord. This is what man is doing today. He uses the same power to strike you down as to lift you up. All according to the direction given by the uses. '"THERE IS NO EVIL"— "ALL IS GOOD," because all is of and from First Cause. What is called evil is man's mistaken way of working out or solving his problems. All the so-called evil is of man's building. As a man unfolds and begins to understand who he is he changes his world. Everything has been provided for his comfort and happiness, nothing is lacking — abundance everywhere. But man must know how to re- ceive and apply the law. All the materials re- quired for him to build a beautiful world are at his hand. Is he willing to meet the conditions? He must do the building. I cannot build for you nor you build for me. Man is making many mis- takes in so directing his power that it brings all the unsatisfactory conditions into his life. One may be experiencing much that is unpleasant and inharmonious today, but he can sit down in his office or his home and speak the word that will adjust everything to peace and happiness. But we must meet the test ourselves, and each for himself. Therefore the all important thing in life is MASTERY OF SELF. Know who you are and unfold all your powers. Some will tell you of two powers, spiritual and material — duality. That concept is at the base ALL IS GOOD THERE IS NO EVIL 39 of all the world's disorders, sorrow, poverty and pain. Silent Demand comes to you with this mes- sage : — First Cause imparted itself in Creation. It is not only the power but the only POWER and the Substance of everything. Then we un- derstand how T First Cause is Omnipresent and Omnipotent; that we can separate ourselves from it only in belief, and that is only temporary. So what we call Evil is man-made and we can change it at will. CHAPTER IV. CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE. M OST of us understand that there is but ONE POWER in the Universe. That power each person is using unconsciously every day. We are directing this power against our business, our bodies and our homes, not know- ing what we are doing. Our contact with this power is immediate and constant, therefore we direct it, consciously or unconsciously, at every moment. By an understanding of the power of Con- centration and Silence we learn how to direct this power, beneficently in our personal affairs and those of the larger world. Through the Silence alone can we come into conscious touch with The All Wisdom, All Intelli- gence, and All Power. It is there also that we are best able to direct it consciously in our affairs and the world around us. Concentration we will find very necessary in the progress of our unfoldment along all lines. Some may ask, "What do you mean by Concentration ?" It is giving undivided attention to one particular thought or idea, to the exclusion of everything else. CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE 41 It is directing this Divine Power consciously to a given point. The man of affairs, in order to be a successful business man, must know how to concentrate and give undivided attention to every detail. Now, if your business is out of joint, if it is not as success- ful as it should be, do you realize that you can sit quietly down in the Silence and direct that power to adjust your business affairs? Why does the business man have a private office ? He has it that there, in seclusion, he may master conditions ; that there he may be perfectly still; that there he may get into the Silence. Now, when the master of these forces becomes still, in the silence, he shuts out all contending influences, that he may come in touch with this Divine Wisdom which does and will shape his affairs. You know that you can direct this power for yourself or against yourself. The engine can pull as many cars backwards as it can forward — just change the lever. So indeed can we direct this power against ourselves or for ourselves, according as we understand and prac- tice the truth. The burning glass collects the sun's rays into a focal point where the heat is so intense as to set on fire anything the concentrated rays touch. In the Silence one can gather this Divine Power, and it always accomplishes something. The first step is the desire. The desire must be for the accom- plishment of some object which demands our un- divided attention, otherwise we cannot expect success along any line whatever. 42 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS Some complain that their thoughts wander else- where when trying to concentrate, and they wonder why. It is because undivided attention is not given to the matter in hand. We have no difficulty in concentrating on the negative side. You have a note coming due tomorrow — you will think of it all day today if it is not provided for. Your rent is nearly due — you think about it constantly. When you enter the Silence it is for a definite purpose. You are coming in touch with All Wis- dom, therefore go consciously for a definite pur- pose and let that definite purpose take your undi- vided attention. Be so much interested in it as to be dominated by it — then you will get results. In studying concentration take some negative quality in your make-up that you wish to change, for instance, fear. Fear is the only Devil we have. We fear everything. We live in the thought of fear. Whenever we can eliminate fear from con- sciousness, it is banished from our world — we are Masters. There are but two qualities of thought which are necessary to banish fear. One is con- sciousness of who you are; the other is conscious- ness of your power. These two qualities will eliminate fear. Concentrate upon courage. Say: "I am courageous. I am Courage.'' Say: "I am more than this which I see before me." And you are. Swing into that consciousness. "I am more than failure. I am more than weakness." Realize who you are. Speak the word and march right up to it. WILL-POWER. Back your statement by action. Whatever you fear, walk right up to it CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE 43 and you will find there is nothing to fear. The negative quality, Jealousy, which troubles a great many persons, requires a different combina- tion of attributes and activities. In this, you are dealing with another, outside of yourself. Con- centrate upon Love, Rightness and Justice. In the presence of these jealousy will disappear. Carry these qualities into the Silence — Love to the Whole World. "Under the conditions exist- ing, all that I desire is Rightness/' Think Right- ness. Jealousy must dissappear. It is a Mastery of Self. That is the whole secret in this work. Unconsciously we are using this Divine Power and it responds to our dominant thought. What we most sincerely desire is what we really are, be- cause "as a man Ihinketh in his heart, so is he." Thought becomes, when we consider it, a wonder- ful power. It embraces different qualities and the effect upon our lives, or its demonstration, is in accord with the character of the combination. In dealing with yourself the proper combination will bring Mastery, Faith, Knowledge and Will-Power. These are the successful elements. Faith in your- self to apply it. Will-Power to command and enforce it, and Knowledge of just what you are doing, this will remove Fear or Jealousy or inhar- mony when you understand who you are, and why you are possessed of these faculties. Understand- ing yourself, you can, in the quiet of your home or elsewhere, adjust any problem in life. Is it not worth knowing? Any problem that a person can 44 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS possibly have to solve, can be adjusted, and by himself alone. The power is within his reach: Faith in the law, and in yourself to apply it. Knowledge of why you have faith in the law. Will-Power to command and enforce it. In dealing with the outside world we find quite a different combination necessary; this will be taken up in later chapters. CONCENTRATION and GOING INTO THE SILENCE are the same. How can the faculty of Concentration be unfolded? How to apply these laws, is the puzzle awaiting most of us. They are of little use unless we understand their application. Suppose we concentrate upon every little thing we want done- — upon everything you wish to have brought into your world. Go into the silence for it. What will be the result? As you take up the little things of life you will have no anxious thought for the morrow — you will see the demon- stration coming along out of the Silence, and as the little things make the larger ones, you will find all the larger ones are dispelled. Most of us wait until health is gone, friends are lost or business is destroyed and then we want, in great haste, some help out of our trouble. We want some one or some thing to change everything in a day or two. If it is not done, we have no use for either men or things. Waiting until everything is gone and we have not the consciousness to do the work which is necessary, is like locking the door after the thief has taken all our goods. A man came to me and wished me to speak the CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE 45 word that would secure to him a million dollars while he had less than fifty cents worth of faith. Now, how could I get that million dollars for him by going into the silence? This is a business proposition and you should treat it in a business way. If you wish to do business with me, you must come to my office. Enter the silence by yourself. Secure a posi- tion of comfort in order that nothing attract the attention. You have a definite purpose. Some- thing in your life or business requires adjustment. You get perfectly still and trust the law to do the work. Trust yourself to speak the word, because you understand there is but one Power. "Let there be, and there was." Now you can sit down and say, "Let there be, and there is." I repeat — get perfectly still and into a positive state of mind. Do not carry your trouble into the silence. Say, "I am master." "I am coming in touch with this Power which built everything in this world." As a beginner it is well that you have a key word to enable you to shut out everything of an outside character. You may have something de- pressing you. There may be conditions of inhar- mony in the home. You will be tempted to carry these things into the Silence. Do not do it. You may have some business trouble and you want to carry that into the Silence. Do not do that. You are alone there with All Wisdom. Let a higher Power work for you. I will give you something to carry into the Silence: When perfectly still and at your ease, 46 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS close your eyes— give your whole attention to it — look out and see if you can see everything "BLUE." In carrying this out if your thoughts begin to wander, break the Silence, stop right there and begin over again. If you can see the Blue, come back and Speak the Word for whatever you want, but on no account carry your trouble into the Silence. If you do, there will be no results. There are some to whom these thoughts are new. You can begin their practice at once. The Silence should be entered twice daily and the word spoken for yourself. Do not allow your business to fall out of harmony — speak the word every morning before you leave your home. Determine what you want to see manifested. Speak for that. Do not forget this — it is important. In speaking the word for yourself or others this should be said — "Let the way open that this or that may come into manifestation. " One may want a position. You may say, "Infinite Spirit, let the way open, that may have such a posi- tion as he is equipped to fill." Be definite and state the time. Then, in the evening speak the word of thankfulness that the way has opened for this one. Speak the word but once. If you do more than that you are doubting your own word. Trust your word. If you have not arrived at full faith in the law, take up some problem which does not carry any anxious thought. Speak the word for another. Then it will not have such personality and will not contain anxious thought for yourself. Some persons ask this question : "Why can I CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE 47 speak the word so well for another and not for myself?" Because in speaking the word for your- self the anxious thought is carried into the re- quest — while in speaking for another you trust the law, without personal anxiety. At first, remain in the silence but a few mo- ments. As soon as thought begins to wander, break the Silence. Practice Concentration. All successful work in the Silence is done through concentration, in healing, in success in business, and in the mastery of self. I cannot too strongly impress upon your mind the importance of this lesson. The practice of the Silence should be taken up at once. It is here alone that we come in touch with the Great Uni- versal Power. The control of thought is the cause of everything in our world and can be secured only by the practice of Concentration. Our thoughts build our world. If your world is not what you would have it, look yourself over and send out positive thoughts. Each one knows what he is doing, and where he is living. If living in the thought of limitation, change the thought to abund- ance. If you are living in the thought of fear, change it to courage, and you will see that your condition will change in the same degree that your thought is changed. To be MASTER OF YOURSELF, and MAS- TER OF YOUR WORLD, you must first be Master of your Thought, for only so can you send out the right combination. Concentration is an absolute necessity for definite work. Without prac- 48 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS tice in Concentration I question if one can sit in the Silence for five seconds with absolute control of his thoughts. They will wander everywhere. That is what we are doing constantly. That is one reason why many are unable to make conscious demonstration. We must learn that thought, not feeling, is to control. That law, not sensation, governs success. Many persons get excited over every trifle. We must learn control of feeling in order to get satisfactory results and conditions. Why should we be subject to unpleasant ex- periences when it is possible for each one to say what is coming into our world tomorrow, next week or next month? All we have to do is to Master Ourselves. Definite work is necessary in order to secure satisfactory manifestation. We must be Masters of Ourselves. In order to con- trol the Cause we must reach the Mastery through the Silence. Know what we are doing. Know how we are directing this Great Universal Power, whether for ourselves, or against ourselves. This control can be secured only by using the power of Concentration in everything and everywhere. In this way its power and value are most quickly and definitely unfolded. And while we are consciously receiving from the Great Universal Supply, we are also imparting to a given point, through the Silence. Let me again emphasize the necessity for Positive Thought. If you have negative thoughts you cannot expect satisfactory results. You know, perhaps, some persons who have been practicing this for a long time who persist in carrying nega- CONCENTRATION OR THE SILENCE 49 tive, or receiving negative thought, and wonder why they get no results. Some will tell you to enter the Silence and just listen. That brings you nothing. There must be definite, positive thought. Man is Co- Worker. First Cause is not wondering how its thoughts, will result. Man, the builder, must be as clear, as definite, and as positive as the Master. We are building every minute something in and for our world. Consciously or unconscious- ly, we build. Therefore, when you go into the Silence, go for a definite purpose. Every thought and every word should be charged with purpose and after that is completed, break the Silence. This will close the mind against those negative thoughts and nega- tive conditions. When speaking the word for an- other, be positive and realize that you are directing this Great Universal Power to their relief or benefit. THE SILENCE IS THE PLACE OF POWER. Here is where we come into conscious touch with ALL POWER. The more conscious we are of that Wisdom, that Power, that Intelli- gence, which is within our reach, the better will be the results. In the Silence we deal with the Cause of Things. When we come to understand that we are the cause of everything in our world, we are able to change the conditions by coming into its stillness, and in conscious touch with this Great Divine Power, turn it in our favor or against ourselves. There is one large corporation in Chicago which 50 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS has a Silence Room and once every day the officers of that Company visit that room either as a body or singly as they need. A business man can sit down in his office and adjust business matters a thousand miles away. This is of daily occurrence. Reader — begin the Silence today. Speak the word for yourself. Any honest desire, anything you wish to see brought into manifestation, you may see met if you bring the right spirit in your request. But do not ask for a million dollars if you have only a twenty-five cent faith. You won't get it. Ask for anything you have the FAITH that you can receive by a spoken word and you will receive it. It is not the question of how much you ask for. — it is the question whether you are master of yourself, and that comes through the Silence. Study this lesson over again. Use it every day and some night you will be able to say, "I have spoken for myself today and the reply is manifest." CHAPTER V. HEALING SELF AND OTHERS. SO long as man continues to make mistakes, so long will he continue those unpleasant ex- periences which are called sickness, sorrow and trouble. But when we come to understand ourselves and know what has been provided for us, then all these experiences will pass out of our lives. Inasmuch as we are all liable to make these mis- takes, we should learn how to correct them. Mas- tery of both body and environment is possible to all. In our first chapter we found that First Cause imparted itself in the Creation. We learned that First Cause is all Intelligence, all Love, all Life, all Power and that all is Mind or Spirit. Let the reader fasten this in his consciousness : — That man is its most complete expression. These are the qualities which were imparted : — all Intelligence, all Life, all Power, and that all is Mind or Spirit. If therefore, First Cause imparted itself in Crea- tion, these are the Substances which he imparted to man. All Substance must have a degree of intelli- gence, a degree of life, a degree of love, and a degree of power. 52 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS From this premise we begin to know how man, the master-mind in the created, can speak to these intelligences and they obey. God said — "Let there be," and there was. This power has been imparted to man. Man said — "Let there be a bridge of steel thrown across the East River," and there was. Man said — "Let the lightning be chained," and it became his servant. But man is a spiritual being. Why should he not have full commerce with Spirit- ual Powers? He does. He may sit down in the Silence and come into immediate touch with the All Power, and let it speak through him and say — "Let there be," and there is. As there is but one Power in the whole creation, man must use this or none. He directs it con- sciously or unconsciously to any part of his body. Our bodies have a degree of intelligence, and we can speak to this intelligence. It will obey. The cause of this inharmony which we call sick- ness is, that we have been telling these little minds of which our bodies are composed, that which is not true. We have filled these little minds with fear. Fear of a draft — fear of certain foods — fear of contagion — fear of microbes. We have told these little minds, "you are sick." We have said to these little minds — "I am not master." "You are the masters." They hold the thought. The master-mind must eradicate this impression. We are responsible for everything that enters into our lives or touches our bodies. When we tell these little minds that which is not true they en- large upon what we have told them. HEALING SELF AND OTHERS 53 Any up-to-date medical man will tell you that every organ manifests a degree of intelligence. Of the food we consume each organ takes only what it can use and passes the remainder on to some other organ. In case of injury to one part, all the other parts hasten to offer it restoration. Every part supplies something to aid recovery. This is true of nature everywhere. She tries to cover wounds and scars wherever made. So in the externals of life around us a degree of intelligence is seen. As soon as the truth is understood and spoken truly, what is called sickness will disappear. Noth- ing unusual about it. Nothing mysterious. It is simply to understand and exercise the power of man in the spiritual world. The physician of the future will be a teacher. He is now dealing with effect — he will then be dealing with the cause. We are the cause. We bring about a condition and then send for a physi- cian. He treats the effect which we have brought into manifestation. Later he will learn to treat the cause. Instead of looking at your tongue or feel- ing your pulse, he will ask — "What have you been telling these little minds of which your body is made up? What have you been telling them? Where are you living today, mentally?" He will diagnose your mentality instead of your body be- cause that is the source of your malady. He will begin to deal with the cause. It is a source of gratification that many thoughtful physicians are now studying the mental causes of all disease along this line and embodying its principles in their practice. 54 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS Law governs all conditions. There is a law of Health. To this law of ' Health the truth must always be spoken. By telling an untruth the law is violated and you must pay the penalty. Did you ever consider what this means in your life? Have you thought you could say anything that you wished? A lady will tell her servant to say, — "I am not at home today," when she is at home. This is an untruth and the penalty must be paid in full. In allowing oneself to become angry, the laws of health are violated. To admit worry or des- pondency to enter the mind, is to open the door and invite what we call sickness. But when the Mastery is obtained and we send out thoughts of truth, we come into perfect health. How many persons who read this page have proved this? How many can witness that worry affects the body, and anxiety disturbs all its functions? Why, then, will you continue to permit these things to produce disease and inharmony in your life? You do not have to be a thief, a hold-up man or a forger to violate law. Every day the laws of health are broken ; the laws of business and all laws relating to your well being are disregarded, and therefore you can expect nothing but unsatis- factory conditions. The Mastery of one's thoughts and words are necessary to perfect health. "As one thinketh in his heart, so is he." But so long as mistakes are made and the laws of health are violated it is quite important for us to understand how to restore nor- mal conditions. That is what this lesson is pre- senting. HEALING SELF AttD OTHERS 55 Now, the best way to heal ourselves is to begin at the root. That is, to heal ourselves of making' mistakes. Then we have less work to do later on. Mastery of self is to heal us of our mistakes. The fourth chapter taught that Mastery comes only through the Silence. Mastery of thoughts. Mas- tery of words, mastery of your world comes through the Silence. Many who read this page have proven this. You sit alone in the silence and speak the word which opens the door to health. In treating for health, as for all other conditions, always find the cause if you can. When the cause is removed conditions are changed at once. Bring the truth to the problem and error will disappear. When the cause is inharmony, speak the word for Tightness, love and justice to be made mani- fest in the home. — and in the body. If it is the thought of lack, and so many of us are carrying that today — lack and limitation in finance — speak the word for joy, happiness, abundance for one living in the thought of lack and * limitation. No one can hold that thought very long and still have lack in their world. • Is it fear? Speak the word for courage. You may find it to be lack of self-control — "all strung up — tense" — ready to break. Speak the word for poise. For mastery of self. All these mental conditions manifest in our bodies and in our affairs. These conditions will continue and increase so long as we continue to hold these negative thoughts. "To him that hath, more shall be given." So it depends on what you 56 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS and I have and use, what our enlargement shall be. If we have inharmony in the home and are living in that thought, we will have more of it — abundance of it. If we are living in any thought that is violating the law — any law whose violation brings inharmony in the body or out of it — we shall have still more. "To him who hath, more shall be given." This is a positive truth. So our life today indicates what our world will be next week, next month, next year. In healing yourself or others, first get still, in- side and outside. Perfectly still. You may at first be obliged to go away by yourself and say - — Peace — peace — all is peace/' No matter if it re- quires fifteen minutes before the state of absolute peace is secured — sit in the Silence and repeat — "Peace, all is peace." Sooner or later the conscious- ness that all is peace will transfuse and transform the spirit. Following this, secure a positive state of mind. Never enter the Silence in a negative state of mind. When you do, the door is opened to everything outside, far and near. A negative state is recep- tive. The healer may, if negative, take on the quality of thought of the one he wishes to heal — failure, of course. Do not be negative. Be posi- tive. Go into the Silence with a definite purpose. Get perfectly still. Close the eyes and send out the conscious mind into the Universal. Out, out, far out, and pretty soon you will lose yourself. That is concentration. This is concentrating for the work which you will have to do later on. Mastery of HEALING SELF AND OTHERS 57 your mentality. Mastery of your mind. Send out the mind and continue sending it out until it is pos- sible for you to see a light blue. Of course your eyes are closed. Now, when the blue light is reached, and you are conscious of what you en- tered the silence to accomplish, speak the word for just what you wish to see come into manifestation. You have no idea of the power that lies within each one until it is proven to and by yourself. Recently a lady came to me and said, "We are going to have a little gathering. There is inhar- mony in that gathering and it is not working out as it should. Will you speak the word?" I went home and spoke the word. Immediately afterward I received a letter from the lady saying that it worked perfectly. Now, each one has the same power. Each one can speak the word as well as I. The object of this lesson is to help you to self- mastery — to stand upon your own feet and not to lean upon any prop less than All Power, all love and all life. Should there be inharmony at a given place in the body — say, for instance, the arm — speak the word to that particular place. Address your mas- ter mind to those little minds which are active in that part or place which is disturbing you. They will obey. To the little minds which go to make up any part of the body, speak the word. There is intelligence and there will be obedience. Should there be a fever, one must be careful about his words. Certain words will increase the fever. In fever cases bathe the entire body men- 58 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS tally with Infinite health and normal conditions. Begin at the top of the head, and bathe, mentally, the entire body clear to the feet, as you would with a sponge. You will here recognize the importance of the lesson on concentration. I question if some can accomplish this, but it can be done by prac- tice, daily. Bathe the patient from head to foot mentally and look right through the skin. First bathe the inside and second, the outside of the skin. You can reduce the fever — how well, will depend upon your power of concentration. If you are good in concentrating the fever will be reduced in two hours at the longest. In case of weakness, bathe in Infinite Health and Strength, in Vigor, Life and normal conditions. You will note the difference in the wording. It is important. This treatment given in a fever case would increase the fever. So you must know what you are doing. As I have said, the future physi- cian will be dealing with the cause of things in- stead of their effect, and be better able than now to remove the cause of all inharmony of the body. On every occasion, whether treating yourself or another, make full preparation to speak the word, and only the right word. In treating a fever, do not come from the outer world of affairs without any preparation. To secure the best results, pre- pare yourself and get in touch with the Divine Power consciously, and then it will speak through you. Speak to these little intelligences what you want, and they will understand. Many ladies who are lovers of flowers tell me HEALING SELF AND OTHERS 59 that flowers understand what they say to them. Some say they have great "luck" in the culture of flowers because they love them and speak to them and the flowers bloom for them. It is simply the intelligence of the flower that understands and responds to your affection. We have a Persian cat that has intelligence. When it wants its breakfast in the morning it goes under the table and puts its paw on the bell and it rings in the kitchen. The maids, for a time, used to come in, but as they have become used to it, they give but little attention to the early call. But that cat knows enough to ring the bell; his intelligence tells him that when he rings the bell it brings something to eat. Do you tell me that ani- mals have no intelligence ? Now, in reference to your health — do not wait and neglect your body until its functions are out of harmony. The same advice applies to your busi- ness affairs. This is the mistake you make. You wait until you are what you call sick — the body is out of harmony before you give it attention. If you want perfect health begin today and speak the truth to every organ of your body, and speak it twice daily, and health will come and the perfect functioning of every part. Begin at the top of the head and proceed downwards, speaking to each in turn. Say, "Infinite Spirit, let the way be open that my brain be clear and alert, just as it should be — my throat, the bronchial tubes, the lungs, all manifest perfect health." Speak to each twice daily. Call to account every organ of the body 60 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS and it will respond; do not allow one to go un- spoken to. Do not tell these little minds untruths and wait till you are compelled to go to bed before you give the body its due consideration. Perhaps you do the same thing in your business. Regardless of what you might do to avert disaster, you let it go all to pieces. When it becomes out of joint you want help. Unless you speak the word for your business every day — every morn- ing express your desire, and every evening your thankfulness that the way has been opened for its success, it is liable to be destroyed — and that by your own indifference, or ignorance. Speak the word from the Silence and then, trust the law. Trust your spoken word. Do not question your- self and wonder if "that was spoken just right?" Do not say, "I don't know if that was the right thing to do." Go into the Silence with a definite purpose and become perfectly still. Let the Divine Power speak through you and trust the power which these words direct and you will get results. In absent work, speak into the Universal but with an absolutely definite purpose and with defi- nite words. Time and space have nothing to do with the spoken word — your consciousness is the sole basis. This lesson is to help you get an understanding of your own power — then you will become con- scious of Mastery. Mastery, not alone of your body, nor yet of your home affairs, but also of your business. Sitting in the Silence you can say, "Infinite Spirit, let the way open that I am covered HEALING SELF AND OTHERS 61 up with orders" ; and you can start them coming. In the Silence you may speak the word which will multiply the income from your business. You are speaking to intelligence. You are using the great power that says, "Let there be/' and there is. So can you say, "Let there be/' no matter what it may be. What has been the difficulty heretofore? You have been telling these intelligences untruths. You have talked to your bodies and told them untruths and they have responded accordingly. That is the reason for your sickness, your trouble and heart- ache today. Allow a word of recapitulation for emphasis. Live in the thought that you are power. Gain power by doing. If you would increase the strength of your arm, you must use it. If you want more faith in yourself and this law, you must practice both. Use the little faith you have. Begin to treat someone today. Speak the word for someone somewhere and prove that you have the power. You may know of one whose business is at odds, or one whose health is failing. They may be helped. Do not do this for yourself alone — it is not that, but by doing for others you become conscious that you are a power and that it is possi- ble for its demonstration in every act of your life. So, get to work. CHAPTER VI. HOW TO APPLY THESE PRINCIPLES IN BUSINESS. THERE is no place where these truths are more needed than in the field of affairs. You understand that it is possible for you to bring success to yourself out of what is called failure. This is literally true of you who read this page. You have only to understand and use your true power. We are told that 90 to 95 per cent of business men fail at some time during their business career. This should not be. There is no reason why it should be so because everyone may reach that un- derstanding by which he can come in touch with All Wisdom — an intelligence which will guide in all business as well as in all mental, moral and spiritual affairs. When a man understands his possibilities, when he understands who he is and why he is here, then he learns why he should be the master. We live in a world of change. We live in a world where most of us believe in limitation. Few ever had enough of what they wanted, perhaps APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 63 of what they needed. We see poverty on every hand, and people limited along all lines ; limited in every way. It is possible for us to get out of the bondage of limitation. And further fore we must, before we can come into the realization of abund- ance. We admit that we see limitation on every hand. But why? It is because you and I have sent out a thought that brings limitation into our world, and therefore, nothing else can come. Your thoughts and your words, my thoughts and my words build our world. Create our atmosphere. The Scripture saith, "For every idle word you shall give account." Every word you speak means something in your world, so for every good word spoken much good comes to you out of good words spoken. We are born with an "I want." The moment one enters the world he wants something and that want continues to increase so long as he remains here. Whenever we want a certain thing and it is brought into manifestation, we want something more , — something else. So the "I wants" grow. And that is right. That is best for us ; it is First Cause pushing us along to something better. This Great Universal Power pushes us on because everything that we can possibly want has been provided for us. It is in the unseen and we have to learn how to reach into the unseen world and bring it into the seen, and to the degree we are able to do that, are we able to satisfy all our "I wants." 64 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS We have been taught just the opposite of much that this lesson contains. We have believed in Duality. We have believed in two Powers. We have accepted evil and good as opposing forces in the universe. We have considered the Spiritual and the Material as distinct from and adverse to each other. Two substances cannot exist. Matter is but the manifestation of Spirit in coarser form. Here we find that there is but one power. There is but one substance, and that is Mind, or Spirit, First Cause. Not until we enter into this realiza- tion — come into its full consciousness —do we be- gin to see man's possibilities. There was a time — perhaps it is still lingering with some of us — when it was not thought right to talk about our business on Sunday morning. As business is quite a part of each life and as life is sacred, there is nothing in which we can properly engage which is not equally sacred. Most of us spend from twelve to fourteen hours in business every day. The housewife is in business. A sacred occupation. However, when we understand our- selves and what has been provided for us, there will open a way by which we do not give so many hours to business. A division of time and labor — so many hours to business, so many to recreation, and so many hours to be spent in helping others. Let me repeat. We know that all substance is mind or Spirit — First Cause. We know there is abundance everywhere. When a man knows how to build out of this abundance, all his "I wants" will be satisfied. When he realizes that he is mas- APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 65 ter of any problem that presents itself this con- dition will come into manifestation. All "wants" will be met. You say that business with you is not going as it should. You are responsible for it. If you would change your business, it is yourself that must change first. To the degree, and in the quality of the change in you, will the character and the qual- ity of your business be changed. Its success lies in you. So long as you accept and carry the thought of limitation — so long as you admit that the business is getting poorer every day, you are doing the very thing that will drive it out of exist- ' ence. Every sincere student of this truth finds that there is a universal bank to which he has free access, with unlimited credit. He must under- stand his account and know how to draw his check. Whenever a check is drawn according to law it is immediately honored. It is necessary for one to know just how to draw the check. If correctly drawn — just as this great universal bank de- mands — it will be honored every time. That is what we are studying now. How to draw the check that will bring. — shall I say — dollars? — yes, dollars to us. For every possible want of man provision has been made. He must know how to do his part, and then he must do it. With every condition fulfilled, the law will compel him to take the returns. If you violate the law you pay the penalty. If you fulfill the conditions of success the law forces you 66 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS to take that — the conditions of which you have met. You cannot fulfill the conditions of success without receiving success — it cannot be done. In drawing from this great universal supply house, you must realize the truth of things as they are. You cannot believe in error. You must omit error from the account and comply with the conditions of this great universal bank. We find that all is law, and there is a law of finance as well as a law of business affairs. There is no such thing as luck. Everyone who succeeds has in some way complied with this law of suc- cess. What now interests you and me is, how to comply with this law. Allow me to give you this illustration. A gen- tleman — a shipper of heavy goods — gave me this experience. For the past few months there have been embargoes on all the railroads. It became necessary for him to ship three or four cars of goods. From the teachings of this law, he under- stood that it was possible for him to secure the moving of these cars as it was very necessary. He went into the Silence for the purpose. He told me that he was surprised at the result. "I was able to move those cars." The embargo was on the road, but he was living under a different law. He was master of the situation. He came in touch with the great universal Power consciously and said, "Let the way be opened," and it opened. What the reader of this page wants to know is, how to comply with this law which brings what so many call luck. There are things which he must APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 67 do. Let us consider first those things which he must not do. Never ask or expect something for nothing. If you do, you violate the law of compensation, and you will not get satisfactory returns. Pay your way. Perhaps you know people who, in a street car, look out of the window as the conductor passes them, and so — save a nickel. Do you know what that means? Saving that nickel will cost you dollars. The quality of thought sent out will take many dollars from you and your world. If you cheat someone out of a dollar you are beating yourself out of hundreds of dollars. There is a law of compensation with which we must comply. Next, we must not hunt for something cheap. Cheap thoughts will always bring cheap returns. Some ladies, for instance, look and wait for bar- gain day. Do you know what bargain day costs them? It keeps them forever looking for bar- gains. Never say you cannot afford this, or that. Your spoken word will bring you into a position where you never can afford — anything. It is wise to consider what our words mean. Nor should we forget that thoughts are things, as well. You say that your business is bad — getting poorer and poorer every day. Your thought and words will surely bring it into manifestation. If you say, "I cannot afford this, I cannot afford that," you are advancing rapidly to the point where your words will prove true. I am repeat- ing this as it is necessary to impress upon your 68 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS mind ineradicably that it means everything to your world what you say regarding it. Never pay out money grudgingly or with regret. Let it go cheerfully. Make up your mind that it matters little if you have but one dollar. Decide before you spend that dollar that you want that something more than that dollar — then let it go cheerfully. Think that what you get means more to you than the dollar you spent. Live in the thought. Do not regret that you have sent the money out, or that you are without it. This means something in your world. To regret having spent the money is to violate law, which has a penalty attached to it, and you will pay that pen- alty to the last farthing. Never, never say, "My business is getting poorer/' Why do I say this? Because, when you send out a thought, you believe what you say. You believe your business is losing ground. That is complying with the law which brings about tl^e condition. Now, if you can believe, you may come into a consciousness which enables you to say, "My business is improving — getting better every day, growing in quality and volume/ ' You will see in manifestation what you think and what you are saying. If you are conscious of meeting a condi- tion, you will see it in manifestation. So when you say that business is getting poorer, you believe what you say and comply with the law which will bring the returns of getting poorer still. There are many business men and business houses, when things drop off a little, who say, APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 69 "Business is not quite so good this month as it was last," and they begin to study for places to retrench, cut off expenses. They call in their salesmen from the road; and talk to their part- ners, and say, "We must retrench." Do you un- derstand what they are doing? Do they under- stand? They are sending out a quality of thought that will bring disaster to any company, I do not care how large it is. We induce conditions which bring disaster and then wonder why things go wrong with us. We are personally at fault. Young man reading this page — to you let me say, You have within yourself the power to build just as high as you want to build. You are limited only by your aspirations. Your world lies in your making. The thought you are sending out is building your future habitation. It is plastic now, it may crystallize around you later. Do not rely upon any employer. Do not rely upon any- thing outside of yourself except Divine Power, and you may build just as good a business, just as large •a business as you wish. WHAT WE MUST DO. Let us consider some of those things. First : — We must control ourselves in the home. Must have perfect harmony there. No man can succeed in business with inharmony in the home. There of all places peace and harmony must reign. When a husband and wife agree and everything is at peace, they can sit down in the Silence together and speak the word which will open any business, or that will start success out of failure. The possi- 70 ' NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS bility of husband and wife to do work in the home is something wonderful. Second : — We must control ourselves in the busi- ness world. Everything must be based on the principles of rightness if you desire permanent success. You can comply with the law of suc- cess and secure it while violating the law in an- other way, the results of which you will reap later on. This is hair-line work. There was a firm in Chicago which conducted its affairs by questionable methods. It was carry- ing on a large business, but went into bankruptcy. The firm could not pay ten cents on the dollar. This result was in consequence of wrong methods. The law of success had been complied with for a time and success had been crowded upon it, but the moment the quality of thought was changed, the moment it began to grasp from someone else, the moment the violation of law began, that mo- ment began the reaping which resulted in bank- ruptcy, the penalty of violation. Attention must first be given to the Silence, where you ask for wisdom. Then, build a picture of what you want. I repeat, build a picture of just what you want — like an architect, drawing a complete plan for a cathedral. What is the pur- pose of your building? What is the size, design and character? Find out at first what you want. Then build. What business will you enter upon? What eminence do you wish to reach? Put the goal up there - — what height do you want to at- tain? Draw your mental outline, fill in every part, APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 71 and then put heart, soul and attention in that direc- tion and never lose the thought of reaching your goal, and you certainly will achieve. There is a gentleman in New York having in his employ three or four hundred men at the present time. He once related to me the following incident: "I was very fond of music and espe- cially the Opera. My salary was not large at the time and I could not afford a high priced seat and so, went into the gallery. But I was interested. As I sat there one evening I saw a man walk down the aisle, in a full dress suit and take a seat about the fifth or sixth row from the stage. I placed that in my mind and it was not very long before I was sitting in the fifth or sixth row wear- ing a dress suit." So it is with the picture which you build. If you surround it with limitations, if it is charged with poverty, if you build a picture of inharmony and unhappiness, you will see all your anticipated conditions brought into your world. As you read this page, come directly to this realization. You can have just what you want. No one can limit you in thought, in ambition, or in achievement but yourself. You can sit down with this little volume in your hand and make yourself anything that you wish. It all depends on the quality of thought which you send forth. You can speak the word, "Let there be." Do you ques- tion this? Do you smile incredulously? Well, prove it for yourself. Do not take the word which you have read; just give it personal proof. That is the only way. Then, you know. 72 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS Depend upon the Silence. Let the All Wisdom guide you and there can be no mistake. Every mistake costs something. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own under- standing/' "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy path/' No mistake there. As I have said before, be definite. Know what you want and speak the word definitely for that. If you want an increase in business, state the amount and have faith in yourself, as you speak the word. If you have but little faith, ask for but little, as that is all you will get. If you wish anything brought into manifesta- tion, follow it to a finish. Suppose you want to go to England or other foreign countries. Ask for the way to open that this come into manifesta- tion. If you want a new dress or a new hat, speak the word. Be definite. Name the price you will pay and then see yourself in it. Hold that thought until you see it in manifestation. Do not begin and then weaken. That does not bring you any- where or to anything. Hold persistently to that for which you start: — run the race to" the end and you will see its full realization. It is a business proposition. This lesson is for business and that is why Insistence is laid on your being definite and persistent. As I repeat — if you want to go to England, see yourself getting off the boat and hold the thought to a finish. Build a picture, then fill in the outlines to a completed fact. Never let go. Whatever you begin, hold on until it is brought into manifestation. APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 73 Young man, you are reading this page and wish- ing you had a better position. You are not obliged to remain where you are. Whatever the position you want, begin today and speak the word for it. Look for it. Comply with every condition right where you are. Do the best you can, the present place may improve as soon as you are thoroughly equipped for it. The position for which you are speaking the word will appear and the law will push you into it. But you would like to start a business for your- self? You have not a dollar of capital. You can start that business today if you will — but in what way? You can draw upon the great uni- versal bank of which you have been reading. It is within your reach to draw all the dollars that you are equipped to manage. What is the condition? You must be equipped to furnish all the thought capital required in the business. That is all that is necessary. There must be an earnest desire for a particular business. You must have faith in yourself to carry it to a success. You must be willing to assume all the responsibility that goes with it. Having these qualifications, you must sit down in the silence and draw the money — all the money that is required to carry on that business. There is abundance of money everywhere looking for just such an opportunity. All you have to do is to equip yourself and the law will bring the two together. Equip yourself and speak the word and the door will open. It is necessary, first, to master ourselves. We 74 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS will find that we can control the outer to the de- gree that we master ourselves — the cause — the within. We do not have to overcome anything, there is nothing to overcome. Bring out of your- self your latent possibilities. Each for himself. Win the battle in the Silence — it is the mastery of self. If you want harmony in the home, find it first in the Silence, in a spoken word and then in ac- tion. Follow it to a finish. Carry the spoken word into action. Act harmony, do those things which suggest harmony and which bring harmony, and harmony will come. Do what you will, you can- not escape the law. All must do their part. Do you want success in your affairs? Then speak the word and think success, act success and see yourself a success. Build the picture, put it in its proper frame, omit nothing — success will come. You have heard of Henry Gordon Selfridge, formerly a partner with Marshall Field of Chicago. He started a large business in London. He said, "Before I ever set foot on the shore of England I had a big department store all worked out in detail in my mind. I could see the great crowd of purchasers. I was doing a splendid business in London before I ever saw it." There is the exact point. He complied with the law of success and success pushed itself upon him. He did not believe that the English people were so slow and unprogressive as not to respond to the same busi- ness methods which had proved so successful in APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 75 America. He had succeeded in establishing his business before he reached London. What do you think of his experience? It was not an experi- ment — it was not luck nor chance. It was busi- ness. He was a thorough business man. He is complying with the law of success, and for you and for me the law will act in the same manner and bring the same returns. See yourself a success. Let me give you a rough explanation of this proposition. You can see in your pocketbook one hundred dollars, if you please. You put it in there — so many tens, so many fives and put in a twenty between, if you wish, to make it a hun- dred, or fifty, or twenty-five — just as you like — whatever amount you see. If you will see it there — continue to see it there and never change it, I will guarantee that you will see the money. Now, this is not theory. It is something that I have proven myself. I know from a most practi- cal experience what I am placing in words upon this page. And / am telling you that you can do the same thing. But you cannot be vacillating You must continue to hold fast the idea. Shut your eyes and count it. Count it every morning and every night. A little later on you will see it. It is not theory. It is something we have not understood before. Do not forget that all is Mind — Mind or Spirit. We are living in a spirit world now. It is not material and spiritual. No ! All is Mind or Spirit. First Cause, the Substance of everything, and this great universal Power speaks through you and me 76 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS as we direct it. We alone are responsible for its direction, and as it is directed its work is done. We may direct it against our home or our bodies, and it will tear them all to pieces or we can direct it in such a way as to bring success, peace, har- mony and plenty. As in electricity, for instance, we have just put in harness and are learning how to use it, so it is with this great truth, we have barely begun to know its use, or how it may be directed as a mighty power in all our affairs. Never give up what you have once begun, no matter what, and you will see its manifestation. Be definite— ask for just what you want. - This law cannot serve you until the word is spoken. Cannot serve you until you speak it. Cannot serve you without your being definite in what you want, and definite in your asking. In addressing a class, I have often said, Go into a restaurant and take a seat at the table. You may sit there all day and the waiter will not, cannot, serve you until you tell what you want. So it is with this Law. You think one way and then you want something else, and all you get is your pleasure or your trouble. In the business affairs if you speak the word, "Let the way be open," and you are definite and sincere as to what way you want opened, you will find it open. If you want to begin a business for yourself you can bring the money, but you must begin according to your faith and understanding. One hundred dollars worth of faith will bring one hundred dollars in money, and fifty cents worth APPLICATION IN BUSINESS 77 of faith will bring only fifty cents. So we must know exactly what we are doing. We build what comes into our world. We use this great power, as I have often said, consciously or unconsciously, tearing down or building up. We do not know what we are doing. We must study these truths. Let us come into the consciousness of what we are and what we are doing. There is no time like today to begin the use of these great truths in our world. Each must apply them for himself. Each must be governed by faith — faith in the law and faith in himself. "Accord- ing to your faith be it unto you." We therefore acknowledge that the status of our finances is in our hands. Abundance is provided and the amount of profit or income we are to enjoy is according to our willingness to meet the condi- tions. The check upon the bank may be drawn for all you want, but be sure it is properly drawn and according to the law. It can be properly drawn only through the Silence. Remember the Silence. It is everything. Everything! and as we come into conscious touch with this great Divine Power, the way is open for everyone. Before closing this chapter I wish to give further explanation about giving out money. Give it out with judgment. A lady of whom I knew, having heard these truths advanced, thought she under- stood the principle. So she took the money re- ceived for her week's salary and bought candy, giving it out to the poor children. They wanted it, they enjoyed it, but she had spent the money 78 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS foolishly and was very much embarrassed because she had no money with' which to meet her week's expenses. I repeat, therefore, use good judgment. I do not believe in contracting obligations. If you do not have the money, speak the word and get the money. Do not go into debt, because it will be more difficult for you to speak the word for the money if you have created an obligation, than it will be to speak the word before. If you have to contend with the thought that is pressing you, of a certain amount of money to be paid at a certain time, you will put an anxious thought into the silence which you would not ordinarily carry. You would therefore have more difficulty in meet- ing the conditions. So that is what I mean when I say, Use good judgment. The thought with which I end this chapter is that of abundance — abundance of everything that you can possibly want. The matter is in your hands, reader. Should your financial condition or your environment prove unsatisfactory at the pres- ent time, set to work at once to change them both. The power lies within each one. No one is limited. "I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it" without limit. Speak the word and Divine Power opens the door. Hold the thought of abundance — and then ask for wisdom to use that which First Cause has provided for us. CHAPTER VII. CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT. WE have been taught in the past that we must accept everything that comes our way, as that is the common lot of man. We have had no way of mastering the little annoying things of life and so must bear them as a part of our moral and spiritual discipline. But in this teaching, when we come to understand ourselves and the power we have, we learn that we are master of the condition as well as of the environment. We learn for the first time, that we do not have to run away from either place or condition, but we can remain where we are and change the condi- tion. You will observe that this teaching does not encourage divorce. It is possible for one person living in a home to bring into it abiding sweetness and light. It may mean much work, but if you are willing to meet the conditions, a sweet and harmonious home may be yours. Or, in a business way: if business relations are not just what we would like them to be, we have the power within ourselves to change those con- ditions. The same is true in your social life. If 80 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS it is not just what you want — you are not happy in it, change it. Do not run away from it. There are powers within each one of us competent to change a neighborhood. It is a pleasure to realize that we are not obliged to endure unpleasant conditions in life. That is a broad statement but it is true. In our former studies we have found that All is Good — that there is no evil ; therefore all good is our birth- right. As we live the truth, nothing but good can come into our world. It is impossible — if we live the truth, that anything but good can come to us. When man can do anything that should be done he is master of himself. Ah ! there is the secret. Master of himself. Master of yourself. To to be able to sit down in the silence, in your home, or in your office, or anywhere, where perfect quiet can be secured, and, shutting out all material objects and associations, you come in conscious touch with All Wisdom, All Power, directing it as you choose in your world of affairs — this indeed is to be the Master. Not, however, until you have gained the mastery of self can you become master of external conditions. When our environment is not pleasing it is evi- dent that we are not living up to our possibilities. We have not reached the height. If in building our environment we are doing it unconsciously we will suffer from many mistakes. These mistakes are the conditions which are not to our satisfaction. Ignorance in these matters is no excuse. We must know what we are doing if we would build to a CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 81 purpose. To live up to our best and highest we must be governed by the principles of rightness — which mean righteousness. This is the only ground on which true life can be demonstrated. There was a lady in Chicago who wished to sell a very valuable piece of property. After having it in the hands of various real estate agents but without success, she appealed to me to speak the word for its sale. I did so. A few days later she came and said — "I see no change — the property is not sold and I have received no inquiry regarding it." I replied, Continue along the way you are doing and I will again speak the word. And so I did. On a following visit she said, "There is no change." My reply was — There is something wrong here — something wrong. Are you asking more for that piece of property than you would be willing to give for it? She smiled and said, "I guess I am." There was the secret. We could not sell the property because she was closing the door against us. She was not willing to accept rightness. Later she became willing to accept rightness and the property was sold within a week. She had closed the door against our spoken word. In healing the body, I told you to speak to each organ and atom. In controlling conditions and environment, you are to speak into the universal — into the blue — the Great Universal. Do not mark out any way for it to appear, or any path by which it may come into manifestation. If you attempt to dictate the way you will be disappointed. Leave that to All Wisdom. Your work and my work is to 82 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS get perfectly still, still in mind and still in body, completely composed and at rest — then, get in touch with the universal power and let it speak through us as we direct it to our requirements. That is all we have to do — it is all we can do — and results will follow compliance with these con- ditions. After you have spoken the word act upon it. This is important. Act upon it. In speaking the word for success, act success, believe that you are a success. Put success into every thought that you send out. Now, let me demonstrate this so that you will fully understand what is meant. While in Chicago I had occasion to visit Saginaw, Michigan. On the night before my departure I failed to secure transportation. As I went to take the train I said to the ticket agent, I would like a lower berth and a ticket to Saginaw. He replied, "I have no lower, but I can give you an upper berth." No, I said, I do not like an upper berth, I do not want it. You may give me a ticket to Sagi- naw. I went to the waiting room, sat down by myself and spoke the word — "Let the way open that I have a lower berth to Saginaw tonight on the Michigan Central train — I want a lower berth — a good berth. ' ' Now here is where the work came in. As soon as the gate opened I took my bag and walked to the train. I walked to the sleeper and they asked for my ticket. I said, I haven't any, but I stepped forward and took a seat in the smoking car. You see that I was doing CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 83 my part. Soon the train started. The conductor came through and asked for my ticket. I said, I have no berth, but when you go through your train come back to me and you will have one for me. He went through his train and when he returned he had an excellent lower berth right in the center of the car, just what I wanted. Now, you say this is something unusual. No, it is not. It is some- thing that anyone, everyone, can do. Man is not obliged to put up with conditions. Not at all. Re- member always, that you must do your part and trust your word. Act upon it. Not sit down in the silence and say, "Let the way open," and then, "I wonder if I have said it right or not. I wonder if the way is going to open or not — I hardly be- lieve it will do it." You cannot accomplish any- thing in that way. You will get no results. When you start on a business trip, speak the word for a successful trip always. Send your word — which can always be done — in advance to open the way for you. Your word is what creates your world. Now you and I can direct that power consciously, or we can use it as most of us are using it today, unconsciously, and have all the unpleasant condi- tions to meet and deal with. Now, I do not wish to thrust personal experi- ences forward, or to seem egotistical, but I know that in presenting a truth comparatively new, ex- ample is necessary to stimulate others to try the accomplishment of like results. Everyone in business knows that he must deal 84 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS with people in different states of consciousness. The first necessity in dealing with varying condi- tions and environment, is self-mastery. In my own business I am shipping carloads of stock all over the United States, dealing with people living in the Old Thought — which is, that they must "do you" before "you do them." They have been living in that thought, which has been the dominant thought sent out for years. But our thought teaches something very different from that. It is mastery of self in lightness, then zee arc masters of conditions. When a man is trying to take advantage— I mean one who is making a mistake — he thinks it is the thing to do. In dealing with him I sit down in the silence in the office, I get perfectly still and I say, "Infinite Spirit, let the way open that this man (calling the man by name) may want to do just the right thing and adjust this matter as it should be," and when this is done we control that condition. That man cannot take from you what of right is yours. It will adjust any matter, or business affair, if we are in the right thought our- selves and master of ourselves. I was at one time snow-bound in Portland, Michigan. It is a small town having but one hotel, at which I arrived late in the evening. There came in the night a heavy fall of snow. After breakfast I saw my customer — there being but one in the place — and on returning to the hotel in- quired about a train, only to be told —"There will be no train either in or out today. The last storm CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 85 we had there was no train out of here in three days." I said, I do not want to remain here all day. In spite of the discouraging outlook, I knew the necessity of being in Chicago the following morning. I went to my room and sat down in the silence. When perfectly still I said — "Infinite Spirit, let the way open that I reach Chicago to- morrow morning, as it is important. Here is the demand, I know there is supply in this world somewhere to meet it, let the way be opened/' I came from that silence with the consciousness that I would be in Chicago the next morning and I waited patiently all day. About five o'clock in the afternoon a train came in consisting of one coach drawn by three engines, which ran down to Grand Ledge. I was ready to take that train. From Grand Ledge I secured a train to Grand Rapids. Again I spoke the word in order to get a lower berth to take me to Chicago, where I arrived on the following morning. Tell me that the spoken word did not bring that into manifestation? We are not creatures of circumstance when we know ourselves and understand our power. By many I am asked to help in the solution of their problems. Lately I received a letter from a young man in Florida. I do not know how he heard of me, but he asked that I' speak the word that would adjust a difference and make a man in Chicago pay him three hundred dollars. My reply was, No, I do not know anything about this and I cannot speak the word for you. Naturally I have heard nothing more from him. 86 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS In exercising this power we should never try to control another person or to make them do what we want done. We are to speak into the uni- versal. We do not speak directly to them, as though to force them to do something which we want them to do. That is to make a great mis- take. This All Wisdom makes no mistakes. When asking for adjustment say — "Let the way open that an adjustment, that rightness, come out of the situation " — not that you may have your way. If someone owes you a sum of money, do not see that one unwilling to pay you, but speak the word for their success so that they can pay you', and you will see quite a difference. You will also be the means to help them pay you. It is the quality of thought which we are sending out that does the work. It turns this great power against us, or it works for us, just as we direct it. If the churches of this country, if the churches of New York, realized this power, and therein their own power, they could have ended the war in one month — could have renovated the morals of the com- munity and established the true Church of God in every heart and home of the nation. Whenever you have a problem to solve that re- quires adjustment, speak into the universal. Say — "Let the way open " — no matter what the problem be. But be sure you are definite in speaking the word. Do not expect another to' do just what you think he should do, but give everyone his freedom. By giving freedom you gain your freedom. Hus- CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 87 band, give freedom to your wife. Wife, give freedom to your husband. And let me say a little more than that. Let husbands have confidence in their wives. Give them the money. Do not require them to ask for every dollar they need. Oh, it is too bad — give them freedom. If they make a mis- take, give them a certain amount every month or week and let them spend it as they want to. That is freedom. There is many a woman suffering through this lack of freedom. This sense of limi- tation induces disease. Lack -of freedom often affects the stomach. So many are troubled with this difficulty, and the cause is the husband's failure to give them freedom. Perfect freedom must reign in the home before we are in a position to comply with the law which governs conditions and en- vironment. The larger the control one has over self, the more perfect control one will have over things and conditions. Control yourself. Be mas- ter of yourself. We must be willing to see and accept Tight- ness in every situation, and in doing this we meet the conditions which will bring satisfactory results. I repeat that controlling conditions and environ- ment will depend upon the quality of thought we send out. Now, for the combination which will control conditions and environment: Faith in your spoken word, confidence in the law and certainty that your spoken word will bring rightness out of the situation. Living in that thought and ever willing to 'accept rightness in the situation, you will con- 88 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS trol the condition. Every unpleasant condition is the result of a mistake. Now, let me say, — we do not have to suffer for the mistakes of others. That would not be justice. It would not be right for one to make mistakes and others to suffer through them. If we do not understand mastery, if we do not understand the law, we do suffer through them. But when I un- derstand who I am, then I can master and change that condition in my world. I do not have to suffer for mistakes which you have made. The man who is living this truth, living a perfect life, will control what you call conditions of any kind and is what may be called a safety protector. I do not know that a submarine could hit a boat on which there was a man living a perfect life. This is the protection of all protection against mis- takes. But a man must live the truth. Furthermore, the quality of thought which we send out carries the seed to produce its kind. We therefore know exactly both the sowing and the reaping. We can tell just what is coming into manifestation next week, next month, next year. If we are living in the thought of limitation of any kind, we know that we are going to see limitation further on. To be a success later, we must live in the thought of success today. Live there continu- ously. "Abide there." As Christ says, "Abide in Me," abide in this consciousness that I am z suc- cess, then you will be one. Depend upon your spoken word to secure your desires. Trust in that word. There is the secret- — trust it. CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 89 Arriving late one evening at Detroit during the races, and going to the hotel where I usually stayed, I registered. The clerk, who knew me well, said: "I am very sorry, Mr. Northrup. I haven't a room in the house and at least twenty men are registered before you, all waiting for rooms. I do not see any chance for you to get a room to- night." I stood around until I could find a seat — sat down and went into the silence. I spoke the word for a good room with a bath. I said, "Let the way open that I get a room with a bath." After I had spoken the word I expected the room. I waited for a time and then went up to the clerk and said, Have you a room for me yet? And he replied, "No, nothing." Again I sat down and waited — perhaps a half hour. I then went to the clerk and asked, Have you a room for me yet? He said, "Is your name Northrup?" I said, It is. He called a boy and sent me to a beautiful room on the first floor. Just what I wanted. Now, is that the result of the spoken word or is it an accident? I claim it is the result of the spoken word. , No man is obliged to put up with unsatisfac- tory conditions. In asking the way to open in order to change conditions or environment, be defi- nite and state just what you want. In speaking the word for a room, you see that I spoke for exactly what I wanted and that is what I secured. But do not mark out any way that it shall come. Now, I did not know but I might have to go to some other hotel. I did not think about that. 90 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS The point with me was to get a room that night, and it was furnished me in the same hotel. Leave that to All Wisdom.* Inasmuch as a man builds his world, he can change his building if it is not satisfactory. He is not obliged to put up with conditions. We have built them, we can change them. Our present living is in our own structure. We have built the condition. Each moment we are building our en- vironment. If the condition is not just what we want, why change it, just as though we moved into a new house. If your house was not com- fortable and adapted to your requirements you would change it ; well, that is what these pages are striving to impart and illustrate — how to change a condition and bring sweetness and light out of inharmony. A great mistake made by many is to allow others to guide them in their building. Learn to stand upon your own feet. Not do something because others want you to do it, no, that other may be making a mistake. Go into the Silence, get in touch with All Wisdom and ask that the way open for just what you want to bring into mani- festation. Do not mark out the way. To live the truth is to control conditions and environment. Our build- ing must be done from First Cause qualities. Building from that which is not truth, conditions and environment will control us and flood us with all kinds of unpleasant experiences. We must abide in the truth. Are we making mistakes? CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENT 91 Are we experiencing untoward conditions? We are not obliged to live under them. Change them. Any and every person can move out of any dis- tressing condition at will. The key to happiness, success and all good lies in man's thought and words. I repeat — the key to all happiness, to all success, to all good is in your thoughts and words. It will lock the door against you or open it wide to the Great Universal Supply, according as you yourself use the key. You can lock the door with a thought, bring to you all the inharmonies of which life is capable, or with a different thought the door swings wide to abun- dance, to happiness, to peace and illimitable good and joy. All depends upon the quality of thought you think and the words you speak. Anger, hatred, fear, worry, doubt, resentment, each is a key to lock the door against you and rob you of your birthright. Peace, poise, and love to the whole world will bring to you sweetness, de- velop your manhood and womanhood, flood you with happiness, abundance and power. Joy of life and the expression of all good willl glow upon every feature, and happiness will be like a blessed contagion wherever you walk. Now, what are you going to do with this truth? Mastery of conditions and environment will come through the working of this Higher Law. You are not a thing of chance, neither are your experiences chance waves upon a tideless air. You and what you do, are products of law. Constructive or de- structive as it may be, each thought goes straight 92 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS towards a result which bears its own likeness. Each one knows well whether he is constructing today or destroying. Whatever the sowing, sure will the reaping be. Therefore the all important thing in life is to learn how to apply this law in every act, and then gird ourselves for its application. "Man is the master power that moulds and makes, and man is Mind. And evermore he takes the tools of thought and shapes what he wills — Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills. He thinks in secret and it comes to pass, Environment is but his looking glass." CHAPTER VIII. SELF MASTERY. THE subject of this chapter is THE MAS- TERY OF SELF. It is the largest problem with which man has to deal. We think that we can master others, but when we come to master our thoughts, master our words and master our minds, there is an effort required that is beyond most of us. Great persistency is required to master oneself. All our previous study was leading up to a realization, or the possibility of self-mastery. Most of us believe that there are certain lines beyond which we cannot pass. There are certain conditions which we are bound to accept because we cannot do otherwise. But here we are rinding it possible for man to master every condition, every environment that may come to his experi- ence. So I repeat, our former chapters have been given to awaken in you that consciousness of mas- tery which is yours by right of your creation. We accept the teaching of previous chapters that man was the all important result of Creative Power. He was the manifestation of thought from 94 NORTHRUP'S RELIGION AND BUSINESS First Cause, and that thought carried life, intelli- gence, love and power into his building. This combination is the real man. Not what you see — no. What you see is the instrument through which life, intelligence, love and power are manifested. The real man stands back of, and behind what you see or feel or touch. This real man, we learned, is mind or spirit, born in the image and likeness of First Cause, he is in the unseen. All realities are in the unseen. We do not see power, only its manifestation. We do not see intelligence or love, only their expression. We have never seen life, but we can all see its mani- festation. Life pushes up everywhere, but we can- not see the power that pushes — it lies in the un- seen. We also learned that we are given power, that is, man received the ability to draw from this great Universal Supply as required, as well as the power to impart this in his building. So we found that at any time this power was needed by you and me it was granted. If we required more intelligence or more love, we could come in touch with this universal supply house and receive the power we needed. At all times within our reach, it is a bank on which we can draw to meet all conditions necessary to complete manifestation. A room may be properly wired, lights arranged and connections adjusted with the powerhouse, but we must touch a little button before we see the light. That we must do. So in meeting this truth there is something for us to do. It is necessary SELF MASTERY 95 for man to touch the button which opens the door at all times and under all circumstances. The but- ton is at his command at any time that he wants more intelligence, more love, more power, more wisdom — just touch the button. At every mo- ment in life he is connected with the powerhouse. Therefore, the first step in self-mastery is to know yourself. Know who you are and what you can do. Instead of believing as in the past that First Cause is away off somewhere, we know not where, we find it now in every tree and flower and blade of grass, and in the face of man — here, there, and in every living thing. Our first chapter was based on what you know. In this eighth and last chapter we are faced with the same proposition. We must know. To every man there comes a time when he wants to know who he is and what he can do. He must know his own powers. He asks, "Am I more than this that faces me?" He wants to know that he is more than his business, and that, if it is going down he can speak the word that can change failure into success. If there is inharmony in the home he wants to know that he is master of that condi- tion — that he can speak the word which will bring harmony and sweetness and the adjustment of all untoward conditions. Therefore, I repeat, you must know. If you go to a large corporation and ask for a position the question will be asked, "What can you bring us? What do you know?" If you can bring something that is worth $10,000 or $20,000, they will say, "We want you." And 96 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS so today, it is what you know. The value of every man and woman is just what they know. Therefore, knowledge and understanding are neces- sary for the mastery of all conditions. The master workman has a plan and he works close to that plan. So it must be with the mas- ter workman in this truth. He must have a plan. He must have a goal that he wishes to reach. The first and all important thing is this — first decide what you w T ish to accomplish, what you wish to see brought into manifestation the most of any one thing. That is the first thing for you to decide if you want to master conditions. Second, work close to the plan and depend upon All Wisdom to direct you. You have been shown how you may come in touch with this All Wisdom. It is for you at any time you choose. Work close to the line, and as you do, I can assure you of satisfactory results. You will grow in mastery every day. This equipment of conscious self-mastery is not some- thing that can be handed over to you by your reading these pages, but it is something that you must bring out of yourself. It is not something to overcome, it is something to become. Bring out of yourself what you wish to see in manifesta- tion. Not from the outside — you are not going to gain it there. You will gain it only by mastering yourself and bringing out of yourself the power that is within you — the possibilities that lie dor- mant there for you and me to unfold. When you are master of yourself you are mas- ter of everything in your world. As it is possible SELF MASTERY 97 for everyone to master himself if he will. May I ask, Is man master or slave? As we are each building our world today, we are masters of that world. But we are building for next week, next year. We cannot escape the responsibility. We are masters ; but forsaking that mastery, you can turn all over to conditions at will. You can turn that mastery over to someone else if you wish, but you are the master at the same time you are turning it over to him. You are turning it over to conditions and are letting conditions master or control you. This responsibility you cannot escape. In every condition you and I are masters. If we allow the condition to master us, is that bond- age? . If a man places himself in bondage, is that slavery or is it foolishness? If in these pages the truth has been made clear to you, so that it appeals to your reason, you can begin now, today, to break the chain which binds you, whatever that chain may be. No chain can kind the man or woman who will accept this truth; who will put it into life and live it every day. Accepting is not enough. You must live the truth. Only thus will it set you free. If you speak the word for harmony in the home, just begin and act harmony. If you speak for success in affairs, you must act success, live success. Man is the master, yet he places him- self in bondage in so many ways. When you say you cannot afford, you place your- self in bondage. You are doing all that you can to 98 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS place yourself where you cannot afford. Your spoken word is what moves the world. You say you cannot afford. You believe it at the time — you are making conditions, you are bringing about a condition where you cannot afford. You are placing yourself in bondage to that very end. If you say, "I am sick," if you say, "I am out of condition," you are saying the very thing that will induce the condition. Whenever a negative thought or condition is allowed to control, you are in bond- age, and it is you who are placing the slavery upon yourself. Mastery is the place where we find satisfaction. No one likes to be in bondage. No one likes to be limited on any hand. If I would say to you from this page, You cannot go on this street for thirty days, it would be the very thing you would want to do. The moment we feel any limitation, that is the thing we want, or want to do. But we must not forget that we are masters. Things have nothing to do with us. Fold your arms and say, "I am master of you " — any condition, no matter what it is. Get into the consciousness of suprem- acy — know that you are master, and as you swing into that consciousness everything — every obstacle disappears before you. Man's birthright is mas- tery, and he must live up to that. We must swing into the consciousness that, "None of these things move me." It is wonderful what thought will do. No mat- ter what is facing you, stand boldly and say, "None of these things move me." Say it and repeat it and SELF MASTERY 99 then say it again, until you feel it and that thing will move out of the way. Remember this and apply it to anything that faces you ; / am more than that thing. But someone will say, "What can I do, I was born in bondage?" Free yourself, free yourself, no matter where you were born, nor how. No matter what your parents have been, you are mas- ter of yourself, you are responsible for your ac- tions, for your thoughts and your words. You cannot escape that. You cannot turn it back on your grandfather or your father or mother, or anyone else. You must meet the responsibility of living, never mind those of the past. Thought is the key that will set you free. Con- structive thinking will break every chain that holds you in bondage today. Constructive thinking — knowing whether you are going to be free or not. You can tell if you are thinking constructively or destructively. Each can see that for himself. That is what you have to do — get acquainted with yourself. Know what you aie doing. Make your distinction clear and sharp between constructive and destructive thought. If you want right condi- tions, if you would live under pleasant conditions, send out constructive thoughts. In our first chapter we took as a basis : What you know about the truth, that there must be a First Cause which stands back of and behind every effect. No matter what you believe, no matter what religion you may have been brought up in, everyone must admit that there is a power 100 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS standing back of and behind everything we see in manifestation. In the second chapter we found there is but one life, one power, and but one intelligence in the world, and that was, First Cause, Infinite Spirit, or God. In the third chapter we found there was but one substance in the whole world, and that sub- stance was Mind or Spirit, manifest in different quantities of the one substance — life, love, power and intelligence. In the fourth chapter I proved to you beyond question, I think, that all is good, and that there is no evil. What is called evil is man's mis-direction of First Cause power. I also explained the im- portance of the Silence and Concentration. In the fifth chapter I treated the direction of this First Cause power in the healing of the body. In healing yourself and others I insisted that you de definite. I told you to direct this power con- sciously through the Silence. I explained to you how to do this. In the sixth chapter I explained how one could direct this All Pow r er in his affairs and bring suc- cess out of seeming failure. No one need to pass through what is called failure, because you can come in touch with this All Power, which corrects everything in the seen and the unseen. I explained how you may direct it in your affairs. In the seventh chapter 1 told you, that you were not compelled to put up with everything that came, in what we call circumstances or environment, but SELF MASTERY 101 that you could change conditions and they would become harmonious and satisfactory. Now, if these truths have been presented in a clear and logical manner, so that your reason ac- cepts them, you should be able to say, "I am master." "I am master of my conditions/' "I am master of my environment." "I am master of my- self, and therefore / am master of my world." Now, in closing the message of these pages I would say to the reader, as you become master of the "I want" do not stop there. You know the first thing that interests us in this truth is the fact that we want something. We want love. It is right that we should have love. Love is our birthright. We want success in our affairs — suc- cess is our birthright, but do not stop there. Go on further, go into the truth, come into a con- sciousness of wanting to secure the kingdom of Tightness, because it is right for you to come into a conscious realization of your birthright and free- dom, not because you want something. No, but because Tightness is the sole ground of success, and because you want freedom — freedom in everything, freedom from every unpleasant con- dition. I trust that you have been brought into the realization that you and this First Great Cause, this Universal Power, this Infinite Spirit are one and cannot be separated. If you come fully into this consciousness ; and that "All the Father hath is yours" ; also that for anything you want you can come in touch with this great Universal Supply 102 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS and Power-house and your spoken word will open the door; if this little volume shall have accom- plished this, you will go from its reading the mas- ter of your world, master of everything in your world, in your business and in your home : MASTER IN EVERYTHING. THE NEW BUTTON ' Have you been informed of the new and up- to-date way of doing things that advanced busi- ness men are adopting, to bring success out of seeming failure? It is a principle, or a science, like the harnessing of electricity by Edison, or the wireless telephone by Jofin Carty, and many other advanced princi- ples which are now being used. It is a workable principle as dependable as the principle of mathe- matics, or any other well-known law. Business is what moves the world, and every progressive man and woman should be interested in learning how to touch the Right-Button that will solve every problem in life. What would it mean to you to be given an understanding through which you can materially increase your business, and thereby increase your bank account? This new way of doing things is awakening the Business World to new possibilities. If you are sufficiently interested to investigate this matter, you may write me, Breslin Hotel, 29th Street & Broadway, New York City. AFFIRMATIONS. Prepared by T. G. Northrup CREATOR'S Essence is and must be the abso- lute good, and since It is the First Cause, creating by the imparting of Its own Essence, shaped according to Its own perfect ideas, every- thing real is and must be good. It is not sufficient for me to be alive. I must live for some purpose; must accomplish some- thing; must have some object, and put forth my energy to effect it. I do now abandon every way of doing, talking and thinking, which does not conform to the principles of right and truth. I now cultivate decision and persistency. I allow nothing to discourage me. I am courageous, I am determined. I consider nothing too small or unimportant foi me to meet in the attitude of Truth. I embrace every opportunity to assert my do- minion and prove the law. I am strong, I am well, I am happy, I am free. AFFIRMATIONS. FOR THE SILENCE. I now close myself to all outside influences and open myself wide to the inflow of Divine Spirit. I am now filled with Divine Love. I am now filled with Divine Power. I am now filled with Divine Wisdom and knowl- edge to direct this power. I am now filled with Divine Faith, faith in this infinite power and in myself through it. I am now filled with Divine Life and Divine Health. I am now filled with Divine Success, Prosperity and Plenty, and radiate all of these Divine quali- ties to the whole world. THE TEACHING OF SILENT DEMAND. IT teaches the Omnipresence of First Cause and gives a logical explanation of how and why. Also teaches that there is but one Life, one Intelligence, one Power in the seen and the unseen world, and that is First Cause in Manifestation. It points out in a logical way that First Cause is Mind or Spirit and imparts itself in Creation. Therefore there is but one substance in Creation — all is the difference combination of this one sub- stance. It teaches that Man is the master mind and is a Co-worker with this great Universal Mind we call First Cause, and can and does build his own world, therefore is responsible for every experi- ence; for inharmony of the body, unsatisfactory conditions of environment, and in business, for all is law — nothing comes by chance or accident, man receives just what belongs to him and no more. We can also demonstrate that man's thoughts and words reach out into the unseen world and build, and bring into manifestation what they rep- resent — that limitation of all kinds are man-made and can be changed at will. That man can consciously direct this one All Power in his world of affairs and bring success TEACHING 107 out of seeming failure — health out of seeming in- harmony, and joy, peace, and all good into his world. It shows that through the Silence and Concentration, man can call forth things into his world. It proves that the realization and con- sciousness of this Universal Power, in man, will open the door to all of his possibilities. It tells us that this great Principle of Rightness must go hand in hand with Business so as to com- ply with the Law of bringing satisfactory results. It teaches man to stand upon his own feet and not to depend upon anyone or anything, outside of himself and this Universal Principle we call First Cause. We have learned that all realities are in the unseen, and those things that we see, touch and handle, are the effect of a Cause in the unseen. Also does it state the fact, that First Cause imparted itself in the Creation and im- parted to man the power to impart himself in his building. As First Cause said, "Let there be, and there was," it teaches and demonstrates that this same power has been handed down to man and he can say, "Let there be," and there is. It teaches that our spoken word can move all limitations out of the way and bring abundance of all good into manifestation, or it can bring bondage and unsatisfactory conditions. If you want more health of body, more harmony in your home, greater success in your business, you can reach out into the unseen, through your spoken word, and bring all this into manifestation. 108 NORTHRUP's RELIGION AND BUSINESS It claims that man's birthright is mastery and when he learns how to use the power which is at his command, he solves every problem, and limita- tion will pass out of his experience — everything has been provided for man that he can possibly want — nothing is lacking. No one need go without the comforts of the world, for, as they comply with the Law, the law compels them to take re- turns accordingly. The Universal Law is, that one must believe first, and see afterwards; also one must give in order to receive. Now, this teaching is not a Theory but a Princi- ple, that works, that can be proven every step of the way, by every human being, regardless of na- tionality or present environment, if he will study and apply this principle in his every-day life. I do not ask you to accept any statement made by me, but I say to you — study the principles and apply them and prove them for yourself, and then you will know. This Truth is the only thing worth considering, as it will take care of everything — health of body, harmony in the home, and provide in finance, and will care for you in this world, and in the world to come, when you want to make the change. i Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Nov. 2004 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724) 779-21 1 1