UCS Lessons & Annotations

Unity Correspondence
School Lessons
For years, requests for lessons in the Science of Being have been
coming to the Society of Silent Unity, but the way never seemed open to
take up the work until recently.
Early in April of this year we received a letter from a correspondent

who asked that we send her immediately the first lesson in our
correspondence course. It was one of those faith demands that cannot go
unrewarded. She took it for granted that we had the lessons to give, and it
was no doubt her unquestioning faith that brought our Correspondence
School into manifestation. We had often considered the matter of opening
such a school, but there seemed to be so much else more pressing to be
done, that the school remained merely an ideal to he fulfilled sometime in
the indefinite future.
The faith shown in the friend's letter quickened our faith, and we felt
moved to undertake the work at once. So an agreement was formulated
and sent to this friend to sign, and in the few day's time required for the
return of the agreement the first lesson was written and was ready to be
mailed to her when the signed agreement came back to us.
And so our first pupil was enrolled, and so Unity Correspondence

School, so long a dream, was at last established in the manifest.
When the April number ol UNITY went out, April 15th, it carried the
first announcement of the school, and in a few days applications for
membership began to come in. At this writing, June 4, the enrollment is
268.
If we had been judging by appearances we would have thought

ourselves unable to undertake so large a work as we knew this would
prove to be, for our hands seemed already lull. But, as we said, it was a
faith step and the work has been done easily and promptly, proving the
power of the Spirit back of it. The ease with which we have accomplished
all the preliminaries and set the school going, makes us often say that the
work goes ofl as if it were oiled. It has been entirely free from the friction
and confusion that usually attend the starting of new enterprises.
Sometimes, we think the work almost does itself.
Our students are appreciative and enthusiastic and much good work
has already been done, for which we are thankful to God, the author and
finisher of our faith and the wisdom and power back of all our ministry.
UCS Series 1 (Beginner's

Course)
Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Prayer

THE SILENCE
This is the secret closet,
Where the door is closed, and where
Faith moves in triumphant progress
Up the shining aisles of prayer.
Here where a host uncounted

Has beaten a path to seek,
My soul doth wait in the silence
To see what the Lord will speak.
To Him who is love unbounded

I come with a voiceless plea,
Knowing His perfect wisdom
Has an open door for me.
I have but to trust His goodness

And to listen and obey.
My soul doth wait in the silence
To hear what the Lord will say.
What is true prayer?
The subject of prayer is of vital importance to every human heart,
because the hopes and the destinies of mankind depend so largely upon
what men believe concerning the willingness and the power of God to
answer prayer. That He does hear and answer those who call upon Him,
millions have believed and have proved. "All things are possible to him
that believeth."— Mark 9:23 (A.V.). Knowing that we are able to learn to
pray with understanding and always get an answer, we can come to the
study of prayer with wholehearted interest.
True prayer is conscious communion with God, or a common union of

the human consciousness with the Father within, the principle of Absolute
Good. Unity's method of prayer is the Silence and it is reached through
orderly steps in thinking and feeling.
Jesus promised, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,

believing, ye shall receive.— Matt. 21:22. He gave some clear, definite
instructions about how to pray, and He gave The Lord's Prayer as a
model. These instructions and this prayer furnish all necessary
information to one who would pray the fervent, effectual prayer that avails
much.
First, Jesus warned against praying for the purpose of being seen and
heard by men; then He taught the true way: "When thou prayest, enter
into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who
is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee."
— Matt. 6:6.
The key word in this text is "Father." The first and most important point
in the study of prayer is to understand the true character of Him to whom
we pray. Hardly less important is it that we understand our relation to Him.
Jesus called Him "Father" and taught us to approach God as children
would an earthly parent. "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father.
. ." — Matt. 6:9.
Jesus understood how to reach the people of His time by the word
"Father." Had He referred to God as Principle or as Mind, the word would
not have conveyed to the people the same understanding that "Father"
conveyed. It was customary for them to refer to "Father Abraham,"
"Father Jacob," and others, and to like to claim their relationship, to like to
think that they had proceeded from these "fathers" and were possessed
of the same characteristics. By this word, "Father," Jesus tried to show
them their divine origin, and have them really understand that they truly
possessed the same qualities as God, the source from which they came.
In using the word "our," He was claiming this same relationship for all,
thus welding humanity into a universal brotherhood, all originating from
the one Cause.
This relationship suggests love. "God is love." — I John 4:8. To bring

this close to us the Scriptures give these comparisons: "Like as a father
pitieth his children, so Jehovah pitieth them that fear Him." — Psalms
103:13. Those who fear Jehovah are those who stand in holy awe and
reverence before Him. "Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall
ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? — Matt. 7:9. "If ye . . . know how
to give good gifts unto your children, how muoh more shall your Father
who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" — Matt. 7:11.
Have you prayed, yet failed to receive? Perhaps you fail to receive
because you do not go to God as to a Father, believing in His loving
readiness to give you good things. The better our understanding of the
character of "our Father," the greater will be our consciousness of faith,
and the more certainly shall we receive. Great light is thrown upon the
true nature of God by the statement of Jesus, "God is Spirit; and those
worshiping must worship in Spirit and Truth" (Emphatic Diaglott). This
does away with the belief that God is a man and far removed from us.
Spirit is Infinite Mind, always and everywhere evenly present. Paul thus
describes this omnipresent One and our relation to Him: "For in him we
live, and move, and have our being." — Acts 17:28.
What is the "secret place of the Most High"? - Psalms 91:1

God is everywhere evenly present, but it is within man that conscious
union with God is made. Jesus refers to this inner place of union as "thine
inner chamber," and the Psalmist calls it the "secret place of the Most
High." — Psalms 91:1. One Bible translation refers to it as "thy closet."
What is meant by "Enter into thine inner chamber, and . . . shut thy
door"? - Matt. 6:6
"Enter into thine inner chamber" — that is, turn your attention from the
without to the within. "And having shut thy door, pray." To close the door is
to still the five senses that connect one directly with the outer world. They
will keep calling the attention without, if they are allowed to do so. Closing
the eyes helps very much in closing the door to the outer world. Then
"pray to thy Father who is in secret." This inner closet of prayer is the
secret meeting place between God and man. It is a place of stillness, of
silence, so we speak of entering it as "going into the silence."
How may one bring his thoughts under his conscious control?
It is no cause for discouragement if one is not able at first to enter this
secret place or to close the door on the outer world. The senses are
habitually active in the exterior consciousness; this habit is not overcome
all at once, but by daily practice of denials, of affirmations, and of
constantly aspiring toward the divine standard of thinking and feeling. It is
well to have a regular time for prayer, but the mind should also be trained
to "pray without ceasing, (I Thess. 5:l7) that is, the ability to turn within at
all times in conscious communion with God should be sought by a
continuous realization of God as ever present, "over all, and through all,
and in all," (Eph. 4:6) and waiting always in the secret place when one
turns the attention there to meet Him.
Explain the meaning of the statement, ". . .in him we live, and move,
and have our being . . ." - Acts 17:28
What we shall say in the secret place is a secondary matter. The first
and most important affair is to be still and know God. "Be still and know
that I am God." — Psalms 46:10. Paul, in speaking of the innate desire for
God in all men, says that God "made of one every nation of men . . . that
they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, though he is not
far from each one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our
being." — Acts 17: 26-28. In the silence or stillness we feel after God, and
great is the blessing when we get so still that we feel His presence filling
and thrilling us with His life and love. In this consciousness one places the
right value on the things of the world, because he becomes more fully
aware of and appreciative of his blessings. We know what is meant by the
promise, "But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.' — Matt. 6:33. The familiar Lord's
Prayer (Matt. 6:9-14 and Luke 11:2-4), will have new meaning to us when
prayed in the silence. This prayer is filled with the life and the substance
and the power of Jesus' realization of Truth, and it will open with a new
meaning as it is prayed to the Father in the "secret place."
What benefit comes to us from praying to God as "our Father"?

"Our Father." The simplicity and the majesty of this term are
impressed upon one when he thus addresses God in the inner closet and
meditates upon His character.
What and where is heaven?

"Who art in heaven." This has been taken to mean "who art in the
skies," but such an interpretation is misleading. Jesus says, "The kingdom
of God is within you." — Luke 17:21. Having learned the true nature of the
Father, we can no longer think Him separated from us. Heaven is the
expanding consciousness of the kingdom of God, and is an omnipresent
spiritual reality. We find it within when we find God. It is the realm of
perfection and order and life and love and peace and wisdom.
What is it to "hallow" the name of God?

"Hallowed be thy name." Hallowed comes from a word that means
wholeness. God's name is "I AM" which is wholeness and perfection. It
should be so realized by us. "To hallow" is to make whole, sacred, pure,
holy, perfect. You are His character, His being, His expression. Are you
seeking to bring forth that perfection, the reality of your spiritual nature?
Stop and ask yourself these questions: "Am I, the expression of God,
hallowing His name? Am I being that which God is? Am I bringing forth in
thought, word, and deed—in mind, body, and affairs—the perfection
which I really am?"
What is "God's will" for man?

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth." We
have learned that the kingdom of God is always, everywhere evenly
present. This is a prayer that it may come into expression and be manifest
in the earth, the outer, as it is in heaven, the inner. Thus it is that God's
will is done. The great moving force that tends toward perfect expression
in the universe, in man, in nature and in everything is the will of God.
God's will is God's plan, purpose, intent and pleasure for man and all
creation. It is very necessary in praying, "Thy will be done," to remember
that His will for us is always good. He is love; He wills not that His children
shall suffer in any way, but that they shall come to the knowledge of Him
and be blessed with His wholeness.
What is "our daily bread"?

"Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus said, "Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
— Matt. 4:4. This petition, then, must have a larger meaning than is
commonly believed. "Daily bread" means more than the food that is eaten
physically. "Dally bread" is divine ideas that feed and nourish the soul and
build states of consciousness that accords with the will of God. There is a
substance in true words and no one lives life to the fullest unless he feeds
upon words of Truth in dally prayer and meditation. "And forgive us our
debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." There is a law involved
here. According to this law we cannot be forgiven until we first forgive.
This would be seen more clearly if the prayer were put in the affirmative
form, thus: thou dost forgive debts as we forgive our debtors. "And bring
us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." All things
originate in mind, and evil comes from wrong thinking. To be delivered
from evil is to have the mind cleansed from all belief in evil by the Spirit in
us, by prayer find meditation. In this way wo are delivered from evil,
delivered from the very last one of the thoughts of evil that may be in
mind. So long as one false thought or belief remains, our mind needs the
purifying power of the Christ Mind.
Explain why it is necessary to pray believing that we have received

One of the secrets of the prayer of demonstration is revealed in this
promise: "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them." This is mysterious only until we
see that it is the way of faith. "Faith is the perceiving power of the mind
linked with a power to shape substance." — Prosperity 43, by Charles
Fillmore. Faith shapes substance into the desired form or shape. At the
tomb of Lazarus, before Lazarus came forth, Jesus said: "Father, I thank
thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always." —
John 11:41-42. He knew that He had the answer, even before He saw it
manifested. When He increased the loaves and the fishes, He gave
thanks before He saw the demonstration. To claim the answer and to give
thanks for it, unwaveringly believing in God as absolutely unfailing, even
before you see the proof, is one of the greatest lessons that can be
learned in connection with prayer. This is the prayer of faith. With God
"can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning." — James
1:17. All that He is, all that He does, all that He says, are exact law and
can no more fail than following the rules in arithmetic can fail to produce
the correct answer. This is the basis of our faith in prayer and this is why it
is absolutely safe to claim the good He has promised and give thanks for
it before we see it manifested.
How does one come into conscious unity with God?

This claiming of what is ours in Truth we call affirmation. Jesus was
bold and fearless in making the highest claims for Himself. He affirmed, "I
and the Father are one," (John 10:30) and, "All things whatsoever the
Father hath are mine, (John 16:15) and so raised Himself above the
prevailing thought of the world. In this way He demonstrated His sonship.
He is our example; He came to teach us how to attain the realization of
our sonship. We can attain this realization by following in His steps, by
doing as He did. He said, "Judge not according to appearance, but judge
righteous judgment — John 7:24. In the realm of the mainifest world all
about us, many things appear true that are not true in Spirit, and we are
freed from the habit of judging by appearances and established in the
consciousness of the Truth of our being by the prayer of faith made in
understanding. One of the names of God Is "I AM." I AM is Being. When
we enter the silence and speak the name, "I AM," it brings our being into
conscious union with Him in whom "we live, and move, and haveour
being." — Acts 17:28. There is in reality but one Being."Oneness means
sameness. We are to become conscious that we are unified with God, are
the same in nature as God. This consciousnesscomes from knowing that
"I AM," from thinking, feeling and claiming that, "I am a spiritual being, a
child of God." As in the stillness of the soul we meditate on that which we
know God is, weare to become conscious that "I AM THAT I AM." —
Exodus 3:14. God is love. In the silence I am being that which God is —
love; therefore I know, "I am love." So with all the other qualities of God of
which you may think. You are to be them through thinking and, feeling
these qualities or ideas within you, and then you are to make them
manifest. The belief of separation of our being from God's Being is only a
part of the falsity that comes from judging by appearances. We overcome
this by claiming, affirming, praying in faith, "I and the Father are one." —
John 10:30. The first step in entering the silence is to think of the
presence of God; the second step is to feel oneness with God, the Good.
Upon these two fundamental steps all true prayer rests, for thinking and
feeling build consciousness.
What is meant by "holding a thought" as used in connection with

prayer?
Students of practical Christianity sometimes speak of "holding a
thought." This means that they take some statement of Truth into the
silence, repeat it over and over, and meditate upon it until they realize its
meaning, until it becomes alive in consciousness as spiritual
understanding. This is the way to come into understanding. It is natural for
the one who is yet in ignorance of the great all-knowing One within him to
want to seek here and there of some man or some book for explanation of
various texts of Scripture, but the only way to come into the knowledge of
Truth is to seek the kingdom within. Teachers and books are helpful
because they turn our attention within and help us to have faith in our
indwelling Lord. The power to "hold a thought" is the power to concentrate
upon an idea. Concentration, as used in its application to spiritual
development, means the act of fixing the attention upon a central idea
and drawing all the thoughts to that center. The thoughts of men require
discipline. Thinking to a purpose must take the place of thinking at
random. The silence gives thought discipline. Power to direct and control
thought comes not from the personal will but by centering within, in I AM.
Thus poise and self-control are attained in our thoughts and feelings, in
realization.
Name and explain the eight necessary conditions of true prayer that
are mentioned in the final paragraph of this lesson
If our prayers seem not to be answered, let us not accuse God of
failing us but let us examine ourselves to find whether we have truly
prayed with understanding. Have we directed our prayers within, or
without? Have we prayed to God as Father, or as the "unknown"? Have
we known ourselves to be one with Him, or have we thought Him
separate from us, perhaps a long way off? Have we entered the inner
chamber of prayer? Have we closed the door? Have we asked believing
that we have received? Have we prayed, desiring, above all, the kingdom
of God; have "things" been first in our minds? Have we forgiven?
Give three affirmations that help one to realize his unity with God
Meditation
God is the all-surrounding, all-penetrating Spirit-Mind, out of which all
come. I live; that is, I am animated and inspired by and through Infinite
Mind. I breathe into my lungs that which is necessary for the life of my
physical body, and my mind is inspired with divine ideas, ideas of good
which are in this Mind. I am ever in the presence of this Almighty One,
and am being the qualities or attributes of God to the extent that; I know
them. I am God-life, God-intelligence, God-substance, to the degree of
my understanding. A fish lives in the water, its natural element, and
moves and has its being there. An animal lives and moves and has its
being in the air, its natural element, that which is necessary for its
well-being. Spiritually, I am an idea in God-Mind, and I live and move and
am the expression of God-Mind. I am sustained and eternally supplied
with its substance through right thinking and by not misapplying or
misusing any of its ideas. I must learn to do this consciously; through
choice I am to keep my thoughts on the good that is in and around all. In
this way I consciously live and move and have my being in God.
S1L1 Annotations
Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 1
What is the difference between spiritual understanding and intellectual

understanding?
1. This subject was covered very extensively in the eighth lesson of
Lessons in Truth, especially annotations one, two, five, six, and eight
(Lessons In Truth Lesson 8 Annotation 1). We can say that the difference
between these two types of understanding is the difference between that
which is revealed by Spirit within and that which is apprehended through
the use of the senses and the thinking faculty (intellect). Intellectual
understanding may present information about God, but spiritual
understanding knows God.
When our consciousness is attuned to Spirit we receive ideas direct

from Divine Mind within ourself, where all is Truth, order, and perfection.
As we learn the value of these divine ideas, and learn also to use them in
the right way, we attain spiritual understanding.
When our consciousness is directed only toward the external world
we receive information through the five senses, which information is then
handled by our intellect, or thinking faculty. It is here that we observe
ideas, things, people, even beliefs about God, for the intellect (thinking) is
the realm of choice and judgment. Too often through ignorance we judge
from the appearance of some manifestation, not from the reality.
Intellectual knowledge acquired through the five senses and handled by
the intellect may be good as far as it goes, but in accepting such
knowledge as final we stand in danger of weakening our conscious
contact with Divine Mind and putting our dependence on the external
world. Unless intellectual understanding has become blended with Truth,
it can fill an individual's life with restlessness and dissatisfaction, giving
him a sense of insecurity.
We must come to see the true relation of intellectual understanding

and spiritual understanding, and perhaps the following words of Charles
Fillmore found on page 155 of Keep a True Lent help to make this clear:
"Intellectual understanding comes first in the soul's development, then

a deeper understanding of principles follows, until the whole man ripens
into wisdom" (Keep a True Lent 155).
What is God?
2. In the absolute sense, God is infinite Being, the one Presence, the
one Power in the universe; the Creator, the Sustainer of all life. God is the
originating Cause and continuing Source of all being, all creation. He is
the one universal Principle, unchanging Law, the unlimited and absolute
Good; He is Truth, Spirit, omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience.
In the relative sense, God as Spirit individuated in man becomes to

man the personal, loving Father who always welcomes His child, who
cares for him, guides, protects, shelters, feeds, clothes, comforts, and
sustains him. He is to man the Presence and the Power that is his help in
every need.
God is dependable Principle both in an impersonal, universal way and

also in a personal, specific way. The divine Creator as Spirit and as
unchanging Principle in the universe moves as the Holy Spirit, the
Comforter, and loving Father in each human being just as soon as man
turns within to God and puts his dependence on Him as the one and only
source of all his good.
What is true prayer?

3. Our lesson material states emphatically that true prayer is
"conscious communion with God." When we consciously turn our
attention to the Father within, placing our faith in Spirit (God), then we are
acknowledging the one Presence and Power within our own being. We
thus become receptive to divine inspiration in the form of God ideas, and
there is no room for any limited concept to find entrance into our mind.
When our consciousness is free from worry or tension we are an open

channel for the inflow of the inspiration and enlightenment of Spirit.
"In eagerness 'we wait in singleness of heart' for the revelation,

inspiration, or illumination from the Father. When God 'speaks' it is the
movement of Divine Mind on our mind expressing divine ideas that are
absorbed by our waiting consciousness. We have now come to the place
where we know!" (Lessons In Truth Lesson 10 Annotation 4).
What is the "secret place of the Most High" (Psalms 91:1)?

4. The "secret place of the Most High" is
"a place of meeting between the Christ at the center of your being,
and your consciousness — a hidden place into which no outside person
can either induct you or enter himself" (Emilie Cady Lessons In Truth 9:6).
The "secret place of the Most High" is the name the Psalmist uses to
designate the "place" within our own being where we may retire to feel
God's presence and power. It is where the human consciousness merges
with the divine consciousness and Spirit meets spirit (the first phase of
our threefold nature). The "secret place" is the point at which we are able
to silence all limited thoughts and desires that seem to entice us into sin,
and acknowledge the supreme Source of our being. We are then able to
contemplate our unity, oneness, and sameness with Divine Mind, the
Father within.
Anything is "secret" when it is hidden; the "secret place of the Most

High" is that which is hidden from all who are not in the "Most High" state
of consciousness.
In our metaphysical study we find that the "secret place" can be

explained simply as being the Silence, that phase of prayer when God
"speaks" and we "listen" to His revelations.
"When we pray in spiritual understanding, this highest realm of man's

mind contacts universal, impersonal Mind; the very mind of God is joined
to the mind of man. God answers our prayers in ideas, thoughts, words;
these are translated into the outer realms, in time and condition" (Charles
Fillmore Christian Healing 78).
What is meant by "enter into thine inner chamber, and . . . shut thy
door"(Matt. 6:6)?
5. It is important that we realize that the instruction given by Jesus to
"enter into thine inner chamber" and to "shut thy door" is not something
mysterious but a simple turning within to our loving Father. The instruction
telling us to "enter" also advises us to "shut thy door," meaning that we
are to close the mind to anything of the outer that would intrude upon this
meeting with our Father.
"What we need to know above all is that there is a place within our
soul where we can consciously meet God and receive a flood of new life
into not only our mind but also our body . . . . Quietly entering the inner
chamber within the soul shutting the door to the external thoughts of daily
life, and seeking conscious union with God is the highest form of prayer
we know" (Teach Us To Pray 5 and Teach Us To Pray 17).
Once we have entered the "inner chamber" which is God's Presence

in us, it becomes a simple matter to close the mind to all that would call
our attention away from the light, life, and love of God that permeates and
enfolds us; yet it often requires discipline to control our thinking and
feeling. The five senses need to be controlled so that the physical eyes
are closed to all outer objects or situations; the physical ears no longer
listen to the noises of the objective world. This also means that the mind
must be controlled so that past thought forms or psychic phenomena
must not be allowed to interfere with this sacred meeting with our Father.
What is the meaning of the expression "going into the silence"?

6. "Going into the silence" means just what the previous annotations
brought out — turning within to the indwelling Presence of God, our "inner
chamber," closing the mind to all outside distractions, and waiting in
stillness for God's revelations to us.
Charles Fillmore gives very definite statements about "going into the
silence" in Teach Us to Pray, pages 24-25:
"The first step in scientific silence is simply to still . . . outer intellectual

thoughts so that the consciousness may become subservient to the Spirit
within. . . . God works in the stillness. As man comes into the presence of
God with his prayer in the form of an affirmation of Truth . . . he is aware
only of the soundlessness of God's word as it weaves itself in and out
through the whole soul and body consciousness." (Teach Us To Pray
24,25)
How may one bring his thoughts under his conscious control?
7. The highest way for one to bring his thoughts under his conscious
control is by constantly aspiring toward the divine standard and daily
practicing the presence of God. This may involve much denial of error (as
being reality) and affirmation of the Truth, in order to train the mind to
stand firm on the divine standard for right thinking and feeling.
It is possible for a person to consciously control his thoughts by fixing

his attention on an object or on an idea, and by willfully opposing all
diversions. However, resisting the forces that may distract attention takes
energy and wears a person down, diminishing his power to produce
according to the idea he is holding in mind.
Desire is a great factor in making thought productive; the more

intense the desire, the greater is the onward impulse of the thought and
the greater is the power to produce desirable results. However, the desire
must be one-pointed in order that Mind substance may assemble around
the single idea to support it and give it body. When a single God idea fills
the consciousness, there is no room for other thoughts to enter; one's
entire interest and attention is given to it and no energy is expended in
resisting other thoughts. For this reason, we take some statement of Truth
into our mind, dwell on it until its inner meaning becomes a realization.
Then the idea is free to do its work in and through us.
Explain the meaning of the statement "In him we live and move and
have our being" (Acts 17:28).
8. By this statement Paul was endeavoring to make clear to the
people of Athens that God is a living presence and power, the cause or
originating essence of all life as well as the sustenance of every living
creature during its existence in a bodily form. He pointed out to them the
statement made by one of the Greek poets (and recorded in our
Scriptures), "For we are indeed his offspring" (Acts 17:28), making plain
to them that God is not a human being apart from them, nor, as verse 29
says, "like gold, or silver, or stone." Rather God is the everywhere-present
intelligence, the all-pervading Spirit substance, the one Mind essence in
which are inherent all the qualities (Ideas) of God. It is out of this one
substance through the power of Spirit moving on the ideas that beast,
bird, fish, and man are created.
Job stated:
"In his hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all
mankind" (Job 12:10).
The fish lives in the water and from it obtains everything needful for its
existence; the bird, the beast, and the body of man maintain a physical
existence in the air by a natural process of breathing air substance. The
soul of man lives in omnipresent Spirit substance by means of divine
thought action, the Word, Spirit-breathing (inspiration), through which man
is inspired by prayer with God ideas. It is the right use of these ideas that
enables man to express and manifest himself as a divine being instead of
just a human being.
What benefit comes to us from praying to God as "our Father" (Matt.

6:9)?
9. The benefit which comes to us from praying to God as "our Father"
reaches into all areas of our life. Recognizing God as "our Father" causes
us to see ourself as heir to the qualities (also termed ideas, truths,
principles) that make up His nature.
Primarily, a father is one who has begotten a child. The word beget is
made up of "be," which is to enter into a living relation with an object or an
idea and "get," meaning to cause to be. God as "our Father" has entered
into a living relationship with us as His son, His idea of Himself in action.
A father is also called a generator; to generate is to produce a being
similar to the parent. Man is a spiritual being because, created by and of
God, he is similar to his Parent; he is God's image, patterned after His
likeness. A father performs the office of a parent through affectionate
care, maintenance, counsel, and protection. In like manner, God as "our
Father" maintains us, supplies us with all that is essential for a full and
complete expression and manifestation of our spiritual nature. God shows
His affectionate care for us by all that He has provided for our well-being.
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called
children of God; and so we are" (I John 3:1).
The possessive adjective our in "our Father" links us with all humanity
as brothers. Because there is but one Creator, all men have the same
Father; every human being belongs to the family of God and each is an
heir to God's estate of good. Consciously recognizing God as "our Father"
inevitably moves one into the larger perception of the brotherhood of all
men where God is recognized as the universal Father of all,
"One God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in
all" (Eph. 4:6).
What and where is heaven?

10. Heaven is the poised and balanced wholeness existing in man
and in the universe through a conscious realization of the presence of
God — Absolute Good.
We find the word kingdom used in two ways:
"The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21 A.V.).

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).
The kingdom of God, then, must be the realm of God within the
individual, the very Presence of Absolute Good or God's own nature in
every man. The kingdom of heaven is the realm of harmony resulting from
the right use of the ideas that make up the kingdom of God. Harmony
(heaven) is always "at hand" ready to be brought into manifestation when
we handle rightly the Truth (ideas) of God.
"The kingdom of heaven . . . is a state of consciousness in which the

soul and the body are in harmony with Divine Mind ...
"Teachers of metaphysics find that their most difficult work is getting

students to recognize that heaven is a condition of mind" (Metaphysical
Bible Dictionary, Heaven, p.266).
The Kingdom of God is neither a state of mind nor a condition of mind,

but it is the God nature; the kingdom of heaven is that good state or
condition of mind that produces in the outer life a sense of harmony,
causing us to feel that we are truly "in heaven."
When we say "our Father who art in heaven" we can see that this
universal Father of all, who is also our loving, individual Father, could only
be harmony, wholeness, perfection. We must become conscious of and
obedient to the God ideas, and make right use of them (handle them
rightly), in order to dwell in this "home" of God and experience the
heavenly state of joy, order, and harmony that stem from the "kingdom of
God . . . within you."
What is it to "hallow" the name of God?

11. To "hallow" the name of God means to recognize God's nature
(name) as wholeness and perfection. To hallow is to consecrate and hold
in reverence; to make holy, or whole. The name of God is the nature of
God, thus to use the name (nature) of God only in relation to that which is
good is to "hallow" the name of God. (See How I Used Truth Lesson 3
Annotation 2 and How I Used Truth Lesson 3 Annotation 3)
God is to each person whatever that person can conceive Him to be --

whatever the person's concept of God is. Regardless of the way one may
conceive Him, God is Absolute Good in all its perfection and wholeness.
The name of anything is its whole nature; it bespeaks the thing's
character, its power, its authority. Therefore, when we speak of or to God
we must recognize and reverence Him as Absolute Good – this is
"hallowing" the name of God.
We must come to understand that God is Principle, Law, and that He

bestows no new favors upon man for hallowing His name. Man simply
opens the door of his mind, his heart, and through this opening Absolute
Good in its fullness pours into his whole being. By this "hallowing" of
God's name or nature, we make contact with the highest good that we are
capable of receiving and sublimate or refine our human (moral) nature so
that it becomes a fit channel for the expression of our divine nature, our
real Self.
What is "God's will" for man?

12. God's "will" is God's purpose, intent, plan, or law for man, His
beloved son; and God being Himself Absolute Good, His will is always
good, because He could only plan that which is good for His creation.
"For man, God's will or plan is that he shall express and manifest his
true spiritual nature, imaged for him at creation" (How I Used Truth
Lesson 1 Annotation 9).
Because our spiritual nature (called the Christ, or I AM, or our real
Self), is God's own nature in us, we often refer to God's will in man as I
AM, for it is His plan that man bring forth this nature. A right
understanding of God's will for us does away with any tendency on our
part to think that anything unpleasant could be "God's will" to which we
have to submit.
As brought out in the above reference from How I Used Truth, God's
will does not apply to man alone, but to all species of creation, operating
under the law for each species. As we learn to seek guidance in carrying
out God's will in every area of our human experience, we begin to
cooperate with the rest of creation with very satisfying results. We come
to realize that God's will has resulted in definite laws in our world and that
only obedience to these God laws can bring about the harmony, peace,
and happiness we all seek.
"God's will is always perfection and all good for all His children;
perfect health in mind and body; abundance of every good thing including
joy, peace, wisdom, and eternal life" (The Revealing Word, God - Will of).
What is "our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11)?

13. The lesson material brings out very clearly that according to our
teaching "bread" is representative of all the divine ideas that "feed" the
soul. These ideas inhere in divine substance and the following from The
Revealing Word, page 29, on "bread", covers this point very well:
"Bread -- Representative of universal substance. ... Our daily bread is

the sustenance for spirit, mind, and body. Some of this daily bread is
appropriated in the form of food. There is substance in words of Truth,
and this substance is appropriated by prayer and meditation on Truth."
Most people feel it is vital to feed the body daily with physical food,
and certain periods are set aside for mealtimes. When one becomes
aware of the needs of the soul, he realizes that the soul (i.e., the mind)
has need of its "daily bread" in the form of divine ideas, otherwise the soul
is starved for the only sustenance upon which it can really "feed."
Bread has been referred to as the "staff of life." A staff is a stick,

carried in the hand, upon which one may lean for support. In Truth study,
substance ("bread") is the support that God has provided for all states of
man's being. Life could not be made manifest unless it were "embodied,"
hence the necessity of substance through which to give expression and
manifestation to life, to give it "body."
We are threefold beings — spirit, soul, body — and each phase of our
being has need of its special food; needs to be nourished, sustained, and
satisfied in order that we may be channels for the expression and
manifestation of the God nature.
Let us consider other words of Scripture related to food:
"It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4)
"He ... fed you with manna, which you did not know ... that he might
make you know that man does not live by bread alone" (Deut. 8:3).
"Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and
to accomplish his work" (John 4:34).
"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which
endures to eternal life" (John 6:27).
"I am the bread of life ... This is the bread which comes down from
heaven" (John 6:48, 50).
From these sayings it is clear that our concern should be to feed,

through prayer, upon the Word of God — the I AM — the living substance
that is within every human being, providing him with the necessary
sustenance for both the inner and outer life.
To sum up the meaning of "our daily bread," we say that it is the
spiritual ideas, inspirations through which we enlarge our consciousness
of God and His creatures. It is through "our daily bread" that we have the
courage and the strength to meet our experiences at opportunities to do
God's will and thus to make Him manifest in the world of visibility.
Explain why it is necessary to pray believing that we have received.

14. It is necessary to pray believing (with faith) that we have received
the good we desire, because our believing opens the door of our
consciousness to receive the idea that is back of our desired good. This
believing (faith) goes further than our consciousness or mind; it acts like a
magnet to draw the outer forms that can fulfill our desire.
We live, move, and have our being in divine substance which is

provided for our use in satisfying our longings and fulfilling our every
need. All good is ours now and always has been, just as all air is ours to
breathe freely.
We often refer to divine substance as the presence of God. To each of

us is entrusted the power to mold this substance into the forms that fit our
needs. But in order to lay hold of this substance, we have to believe (i.e.,
perceive through our faith faculty) that it is inherent in us as part of our
divine inheritance. Through prayer we are able to appropriate this
substance, in which inhere the ideas that are our "daily bread," and this
appropriation should be as spontaneous and effortless as the
appropriation of the air that we breathe. The mental attitude of faith, or
believing, seems to correspond to the physical action of breathing air into
the lungs.
The abundance that we call divine substance has always been ours,
but we have lost sight of it. Because of this and our need for "daily bread,"
we feel the impulse to pray. When we do pray believing, our attitude
becomes positive and expectant toward the answer. We are able to act as
though we had already received the answer in the outer. It is through our
faith, or believing, that we make way in consciousness to accept the
fulfillment of all of the promises of God to us as His beloved children. It is
only our faith in God as our Source and in His promises that we are able
to mold rightly the omnipresent substance into the forms ("our daily
bread") that can meet our needs.
What is affirmation?
15. Affirmation is making firm in consciousness that which is true of
God and man; it is declaring as true in human experience that which is
already true in Spirit.
An affirmation is a statement of Truth, spoken silently or audibly, or

written for use by an individual. The word affirm comes from the Latin
prefix af, an assimilated form of ad, meaning to add to or intensify, and
firmare, meaning to make firm, stable. Affirmation is the claiming of what
we believe (have faith) is already ours. If we have not felt our oneness
with God and the spiritual principles, or laws of God, that we call divine
ideas, we affirm in order to establish them as a conscious part of our mind
or soul consciousness.
The constant repetition of Truth adds firmness to firmness, strength to

strength, and causes a divine principle to become established in our
subconscious (heart) or feeling nature. When both the conscious phase of
mind (intellect, thinking faculty) and the heart (subconscious, feeling
faculty) have accepted the truth behind the words of the affirmation, then
the true meaning is established in our consciousness.
The power to affirm, to say "yes" to any idea, belief, or concept that
comes to him, is a part of every man's divine heritage. However, too often
man has misused his spiritual and mental powers and has affirmed or
said "yes" to false beliefs and wrong concepts. By this wrong use of mind
activity, he builds up a false standard that produces inharmony and
discord in his mind, body, and affairs. For this reason we each need to be
ever alert to affirm or say "yes" only to that which is true of us as a son of
God; affirm only that which we desire to see manifest in our life. (See
Lessons in Truth Lesson 5 Annotation 1 and the annotations that follow)
How are we helped by affirming Truth?

16. As explained in Series 1 Lesson 1 Annotation 13, through the
practice of affirming Truth, we consciously "feed" our soul with the
substance of God, our "daily bread," in the form of divine ideas. As we
daily affirm words of Truth, we are making our mind a storehouse of the
principles of Being (God). However, our conscious phase of mind, the
thinking faculty, which is constantly in touch with the outer world through
the five senses, needs disciplining and help. Affirmation of Truth keeps
the consciousness up to the Truth level whenever we are tempted to think
or feel that which is not true. Affirming Truth (eating of our "daily bread")
gives us courage and confidence to meet the experiences of daily living,
and stimulates us to reach for higher goals.
The greatest help to be received from affirming Truth is that it causes

us to arrive at the state of consciousness where we no longer find it
necessary to say actual words — we think the Truth habitually; we feel
Truth habitually; we act habitually in accordance with Truth. We have
identified ourself with Truth until it is manifested through us both
consciously and subconsciously. Just as the eating of our food each day
provides the body with the various elements it needs as it goes through
the processes of mastication, digestion, and assimilation, so our mind can
"eat" of words of Truth masticating, digesting, and assimilating the ideas
that are back of the words.
How does one come into conscious unity with God?

17. One comes into conscious unity with God first by thinking about
God and man's relation to Him, then letting the Truth become a part of the
feeling nature so that one no longer merely thinks about God, but feels
His indwelling presence.
"'Conscious oneness with the Father' means that we are able to feel
— not merely think about — the Christ or God-presence within, the
'Father' of our human consciousness. With the revelation of God as
immanent in us, we come to know with deep feeling that our true nature is
one with and the same as the God nature . ... there is a vast difference
between merely being intellectually aware of Truth principles and actually
knowing Truth (God) and rightly using the principles. We can see, then,
that we have to add feeling to our thinking in order to reach the state of
knowing that is 'conscious oneness with the Father'" (How I Used Truth
Conscious unity with God comes from identification with God. We

identify ourself with God through I AM. "Be still and know that I am God"
(Psalms 46:10). We silence or quiet all that is "of the earth earthy" and
contemplate that which God is. We let our human consciousness expand
to encompass God's greatness, His power, His might. Then we let our
heart dwell on His love for the "little things," the tiny insects, the blade of
grass, for all are the object of His love and care. From the greatest to the
least, all are expressions of God's Being—therefore, each one of us is
one with all life. Each can say for himself: "I am all that God is; God is
Mind; I am idea; and I live to be, to bring this idea into manifestation in all
the fullness and glory of the likeness of God. I am consciously the son of
the Almighty."
What is meant by "holding a thought" as used in connection with

prayer?
18. "Holding a thought" as used in prayer means taking into the
silence of our being a statement of some spiritual good that we desire to
see manifest. The statement "holding a thought" is the same as "holding
to the Truth," and we find further explanation of this in How I Used Truth
Lesson 8 Annotation 1, "Trusting and Resting":
"By this familiar statement, we mean holding words in mind that

declare the reality of God, a person, a situation, or a thing until the
meaning of the ideas back of the words becomes clear to our
consciousness (thinking and feeling). . . . If we are 'holding to the Truth'
with a sense of anxiety concerning the answer to our prayer, then we are
not knowing that God is in charge. ... When we 'let go and let God' we are
releasing everything erroneous or limited from our thinking and feeling
and letting our consciousness be open and receptive to the inspiration of
God ideas."
At first the thought or statement is viewed intellectually only. By

affirming it over and over (silently or audibly), mentally studying its
meaning, and from time to time excluding (denying) all other thoughts
from our attention, we give all our interest to this statement in absorbed
concentration. Meditating on the ideas embodied in each word of the
statement or prayer holds the mind steadily focused and helps us attain a
fuller understanding of the context of the statement or prayer — and thus
we are "holding the thought" or "holding to the Truth." Meditation and
concentration enable one to obtain mental control; this activity is carried
on in the brain. But to reach the desired good requires more than this. It is
through contemplation in the heart, or the feeling side of the soul, that we
come in conscious contact with the intuitional state of our being that leads
to illumination. The "spirit" (i.e., the meaning) of the thought in the
statement becomes alive to us, and we begin to see with the inner eye.
"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6 A.V.).
This coming alive causes every area of our life — thinking, feeling,
speaking, acting — to express and manifest the spirit of the statement.
Give three affirmations that help one to realize his unity with God.
19. One point to be remembered is that "unity" means oneness,
sameness, likeness. It is through knowing God that conscious union is
made. Bear in mind that a keyword here is realize. We need more than an
intellectual approach (talking about God) — we need a spiritual approach
(talking to God).
Name and explain the eight necessary conditions of true prayer that
are mentioned in the final paragraph of this lesson.
20. We must
Direct our prayer to the Lord within our own being, God's Presence in
us.
Acknowledge God as the Father-Mind which contains, constitutes,
creates, sustains, and governs all that is.
Know that each of us is the son-idea, forever one and the same as the
Father-Mind — His image-likeness.
Enter the "inner chamber," the very core of our being, the innermost
recess of our soul.
Close the door to both physical and psychical phenomena. (We are
seeking Spirit, not phenomena of any kind.)
Seek to know, to understand the substance of Being, the kingdom of
God, and the laws governing its presence and use.
Have faith that Absolute Good, God, is the one Presence and the one
Power in the universe and that the good we especially desire is now being
manifested.
Realize that the forgiving love of Jesus Christ, the love of God
intelligently active in us, dissipates and dissolves all that is unlike the
nature of God. We are to exercise that spirit of love by forgiving all
shortcomings (sins) in ourself and in all other persons.
Christus
Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness —

An inward stillness and an inner healing;
That perfect silence where the lips and heart
Are still, and we no longer entertain
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions,
But God alone speaks in us, and we wait
In singleness of heart, that we may know
His will, and in the silence of our spirits,
That we may do His will, and do that only!
—Longfellow
Series 1 - Lesson 2 - Healing

NOT BUILT WITH HANDS
R.H. Grenville [Beatrice C. Rowley] No fairer structure has been

raised on earth
Since time began; no walls of costly stone
Built for a Solomon had half the worth
Of this fine edifice of flesh and bone.
Here is a city in itself complete,
At once a temple and a citadel,
Set like a palace in the common street,
Wondrous beyond the power of words to tell.
Perfect and beautiful in every part,
The ark of each man's covenant with life,
Shines the bright altar of the human heart,
A sanctuary in the midst of strife,
Fairer than any which the prophets trod --
Behold the temple of the living God!
What is the one way to health?

Health is a blessing greatly to be desired. That men appreciate it is
shown by their efforts to regain it when once it seems to be lost. The
question is: What is the true method of gaining health?
Everyone instinctively feels that there must be a way to health, an

exact, sure way founded upon principle. There is such a way. It may be
found by the earnest student in the doctrine of Jesus Christ. The teaching
of Jesus is an absolute science. Webster defines science as a knowledge
of principles or facts, "systematized and formulated with reference to the
discovery of general truths or the operation of general laws."
The foundation principle upon which the universe was created was
that it was "good" and "very good" (Gen. 1:31). This principle should be
understood and applied; this cause should be set into operation in order
to produce a like effect. When the mind of man is trained to believe in the
good, the true, the perfect in self and in all others, a like effect will be
produced in the body and will show forth as health or wholeness. Jesus
knew God; He knew the principle, the law lying back of every man's
being. He, the great Teacher, was perfectly competent to instruct men in
the law of their being.
"Then the real object of existence is to attain the consciousness of

eternal life . . . Jesus was the great way-shower to the attainment of this
realization of Spirit" (Atom-Smashing Power of Mind 151-52).
The law of man's being is I AM, the Word, the creative power of God.
Man uses this law or creative power of God by his thinking and feeling.
The use that man makes of the law of his being is his formative power of
thought, or his use of I AM power. "The law of manifestation for man is the
law of thought" (Mysteries of Genesis 12). Conscious knowledge and
understanding of the law of man's being, followed by right thinking, right
feeling, and obedience, result in health in soul (mind) and body. There is
no other way to health. Living in conscious harmony with man's true
identity — I AM — and using the power of I AM in the right way in
thinking, feeling, words, and actions, is the true method of manifesting
health. This lesson aims to explain the operation of cause and effect and
show how the laws of God may be made practical by everyone in the
demonstration of health.
Explain what is meant by the statement that there is no reality in

disease
The fault with the healing systems of man lies in the fact that men
have tried to cure disease without removing the cause of it. Causes are
not remedied merely by dealing with effects. This is a simple proposition
and one that easily appeals to our reason. To find a remedy, we must go
to cause first. If a cause is removed, its effect is removed. This is the right
and only sure method of wiping out the appearance of disease — and it
should be remembered that disease is only an appearance; there is no
power or reality in it, for God did not create it. If mental and physical
discords were real they could not be healed, because that which is real is
enduring, unchangeable. Disease does not have a divine idea or principle
behind it as a pattern for its formation. Therefore, any belief or condition
of disease can be changed because it is not a God creation.
What reason have we for believing in health as our birth-right?

The "real" is that which cannot be changed, which always is. Health is
real, abiding, eternal, unchangeable. Health or wholeness is every man's
birthright. "The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty
gives me life" (Job 33:4). It is very important to remember this because
the thought of man has so built up the belief in the power and reality of
sickness and disease that they seem impregnable fortresses of evil. This
is especially true of the forms of error which have been stamped
"incurable." There are no incurable diseases. Every appearance of ill has
a cause, and that cause can be removed. When the cause has been
removed, then the effect will disappear.
Is it possible to heal all diseases? Explain.

The belief in the power and the reality of disease is itself one cause
for the appearance of disease in the body. When men see that there is no
truth in such a belief they let go of it, and the appearance then yields
readily, not having the sustaining force of thought to keep it in evidence. A
law was stated by Jesus when He said, "According to your faith be it done
to you" (Matt. 9:29). Those who believe in disease as a reality have faith
in it; they get results according to the application of their faith faculty, and
some form of physical error keeps manifesting in their lives.
All causes are mental. Everything starts in mind as an idea or a

concept of some idea. If we want to manifest health, we must think of the
life idea, build a concept of it, and see it manifesting in us as health. Then
the law ("according to your faith") will work for us to bring about health in
the body.
Since we are the offspring of God, why have we appeared to be unlike

Him?
What is the basis of our faith in health? It is understanding of the real
nature of God and of ourself as His offspring. God is perfection,
wholeness; His offspring must be like Him, so it is very evident that we
have had wrong concepts about ourself if we have considered
imperfections as being real, enduring. We have thought ourself so
different from God that it seemed sacrilegious to claim our Godlikeness.
Every idea, every thought we have is like a seed, and it produces "after its
kind." The thought of man's unlikeness to God has worked out in
appearances that are the image of the thought that produced them.
Appearances cannot be changed except by going back into mind and
correcting the thoughts that are making the error appearances. Such
changes are accomplished by a transforming of thoughts so that they
harmonize with the ideas of Divine Mind, God. Nothing is accomplished
by working in the external alone—men have tried that for ages without
success. Analysis of our thoughts determines whether the beliefs back of
them have their foundation in wholeness and perfection, or whether they
are based upon the limited concepts about life that have been built
through ignorance of Truth.
What is forgiveness of sin?

All sin is the result of a belief in dual powers — good and evil — and
this belief must be eliminated from consciousness.
"Sin is a falling short of the divine law, and repentance and
forgiveness are the only means that man has of getting out of sin and its
effect and coming into harmony with the law" (Jesus Christ Heals 59).
What is the relation of forgiveness to healing?
The process by which sin and error are erased from the mind is the
forgiveness or remission of sins. In the healing work of Jesus, forgiveness
was prominent. We can readily understand why forgiveness plays so
important a part in the life of the overcomer when we know the relation of
sin to disease, of righteousness to health; when we remember that the
appearance of the body is the outpicturing of the beliefs held in mind. In
other words, the appearance of the body is the result of the individual's
thoughts. Thus we see that forgiveness is related to healing as cause is
related to effect.
What is repentance?
The first step to be taken toward healing is "repentance," a change of
mind, turning away from the belief in things as they appear and turning
within toward God, then making the necessary change in conduct.
Penitence and sorrow emphasize the feeling, but repentance is more than
this — it signifies new purpose, a determination to change the beliefs that
have been the cause of the imperfect results. "I rejoice, not because you
were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting; for you felt a
godly grief" (II Cor. 7:9, 10).
Is there a power of evil? Explain fully.

In making this change, we have not only to behold ourself as perfect
in mind and body, but we must eliminate from our mind all consciousness
of sin and evil, all belief that they have reality. We must learn to see the
perfection of God as being brought forth in all creation, to know that there
is no sin in the divine plan for man, no evil in reality, though it may exist as
an appearance. (See How I Used Truth Lesson 7 Annotation 6.) We must
all come to see that each person is expressing God according co his
individual concept, his highest knowing in spite of appearances. Today
each one knows in part; tomorrow his knowing will be greater, and he will
express in a way that is becoming a little nearer to the perfection which
God is.
How is the mind renewed?

By a complete change of thought the mind is renewed, made fresh
and clean with pure ideas about God and man, and by this renewal of the
mind the outer world, the whole realm of appearances, is transformed.
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (John 7:24).
In this way appearances of evil, sin, and sickness are changed. Because
the appearance of the body is the result of the thoughts that are held in
mind, the more one thinks of the divine, the ideal, the perfect, the more
these thoughts will outpicture in the body. Prayer then is a very important
factor in the attainment of health, for it is conscious communion with God,
or good, and this good includes life that produces health in the body. Thus
daily meditation and prayer, where unity with Divine Mind (the source of
life) and its perfect ideas is realized, is very essential to well-being.

Him?
The belief in fleshly heredity keeps many persons in bondage to
disease. "And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father,
who is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9). This Biblical statement is a complete
denial of the belief in fleshly heredity. As we are the off-spring of God, our
inheritance must be from Him and not from the flesh man. In Truth there
is no such thing as a hereditary disease, and appearances of such are
due entirely to man's limited belief. He is ignorant of the fact that God is
his Father, and he insists upon claiming man as the source of his life, thus
connecting himself erroneously with flesh as his origin instead of Spirit.
The fruit of this thought must be "eaten" until the thought is changed. To
overcome this error thought, one should enter the silence in this
realization:
I am the offspring of God and I inherit His perfect Mind and life.
I am made in His image and after His likeness.
I live, move, and have my being in Him, and I express His wholeness.
Love is a healing balm. Our knowing God as our Father and as the
Father of all men will take away the great burden of condemnation from
our minds. When condemnation is removed from mind, many of the ills of
the flesh will disappear, because condemnation, criticism, and faultfinding
make sick bodies. Instead of judging by appearances we shall practice
seeing ourself and others as we are in Truth. Thus, we shall remove the
appearance instead of condemning it.
Every form of hate and envy and jealousy is a burning fire, a

disintegrating force that disturbs the mind and tears down the body. But
love will restore us when we enter the silence, affirm our oneness with
love, and express it. There is but one power — the power of God's love.
What place has prayer in the attainment of health?

One might conclude that since all disease is caused by error thought
he should be continually searching his mind for error. This is not
necessary or profitable. "But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me
from hidden faults" (Psalms 19:12). The point is that we are to deal with
the cause side, and we do this more effectively by keeping our thoughts
busy in establishing the good than by looking for error. We need to
remember that thought is formative, and it brings forth into the manifest
world in accordance with the character of the thought. If the mind is
dwelling on error, then error is what will be produced, because keeping it
active in mind shows that we are placing the energy of our faith faculty in
it. Those who conscientiously give up (deny) their ignorant and untrue
thoughts and lay hold of true thoughts (by affirmation) based on divine
ideas are called "overcomers." They find, as they turn the whole matter
over to Spirit and trust in its wisdom and power to overcome, that the
work proceeds in an orderly way. They do not have to spend their time
looking for error; they affirm the Truth and hold themselves in an attitude
of willingness to be guided. If there is an inharmonious condition, the
cause of it will be revealed to them. The light comes not by anxious
thought but by the revelation of Spirit within, which is made operative in
consciousness through meditation and prayer.
What is a treatment? In what respects does the prayer treatment differ

from the old concept of prayer?
A prayer for healing is sometimes called a "treatment." The old
concept of prayer was more a beseeching of God for something which (it
was felt) might or might not be His will to give. We are now learning to
think of prayer as described in the first lesson of this course — a
conscious communion with God, not a beseeching for good. We are
learning to pray with understanding and with faith. When a treatment or
prayer is spiritual and scientific, it asserts but one real Presence and
Power — perfect Spirit — and is a call to the Christ within (Spirit in the
individual) to come forth and take dominion in the manifest. The steps in
prayer are the same as the steps in a treatment, so if we know how to
pray, we know how to treat. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 10 Annotation
4)
Explain how to treat another

In helping others, we must first enter the silence and realize the one
Presence and one Power, God omnipotent. We might hold a thought such
as this:
It is not I but the Father within me, He does the works.
We declare oneness with God and feel the fullness of life and power.
We speak the healing word to the patient, giving thanks that in Truth he is
every whit whole. We must realize for him the truth of his being, his
wholeness, his perfection as the offspring of God, and declare that it is
manifest. We need to deny whatever seems to be the specific error
appearance, and affirm that the saving grace of Jesus Christ cleanses the
mind and the body of all belief in evil and establishes the Truth that
makes free.
In considering the "saving grace" of Jesus Christ, we find that the

word grace means gift or favor; saving means freeing from that which
binds or limits either in mind, body, or affairs. The "gift" comprises all the
God qualities within us and the power to express them. Metaphysically,
"Christ" is the divine pattern, God's idea of Himself with all the principles
necessary to reproduce God in man. "Jesus," that which saves us, is our
right use of the pattern and the God principles; or the unfolding in our
consciousness of all the qualities that are required to bring forth divinity
into manifestation through us.
Is it right to give a treatment to any person who has not requested it?
The question sometimes arises: "Is it right to treat any one without his
consent?" In solving this problem, we should know that free will is every
man's God-given right, and no one is justified in interfering in any way
with the freedom of another. But also we should take into consideration
the fact that if we think of another at all, our thoughts carry responsibility,
because we must think of him either as he is in Truth or as he appears to
us. If we hold him in negative appearances, the power of our thought
goes out against him and has a tendency to fix him more firmly in adverse
conditions; if we think of him as he is in Truth, in Being (God), we help to
set him free. In a sense this might be called "treating," but it is what we
term "holding him in the universal." We do not interfere with another's
free-will when we "hold him in the universal," because we hold no thought
that he shall do this or that specific thing.
Another point arises here. If a man is in bondage to some habit —

drugs, liquor, for instance — he thinks he wants the stimulant and
sometimes feels that those who keep him from it are interfering with his
free will. The fact is that it is not his will but his sense of lack of some
good that is demanding satisfaction. Thus his will is in bondage to his
unrighteous desire. Friends who love him and would save him have the
right to declare for him the Truth that makes free yet are not interfering
with his right of choice.
In all prayer the "secret place of the Most High" must be recognized
as the "point of mystical union between man and Spirit" (Emilie Cady
Lessons In Truth 9:10); therefore the body of every man should be
blessed with the understanding that it is the "temple of God" wherein the
"secret place" may be contacted. Healing is sometimes slow in
manifesting because the "temple" has been profaned with the thought that
it is merely physical — flesh and blood — and not worthy of a place in the
divine plan of salvation. Such a thought can and must be overcome by
statements of Truth such as these:
My body is a temple of the living God.
The glory of His presence illumines and quickens and heals every cell
and fiber with His wholeness.
This temple is not material but spiritual; every cell is now alive with the
life, substance, and intelligence of Spirit.
***
We Can Be Healed
We can be healed!
Each day His healing word
Waits to be spoken
as the living Truth,
Waits to subdue the aching flesh
And heal the fearful mind,
Waits for our growth . . . .
We can take up our bed and walk,
We can reach upward,
We can be healed!
— Christie Lund Coles
S1L2 Annotations
What is the one way to health?

1. The one way to health is through the I AM, the Christ, in man,
which is the law of his being. I AM life, I AM health, I AM strong, capable,
perfect. Conscious knowledge of I AM identity, obedience to the law of our
being, to the law of right thinking, result in health in soul and body.
Health in a living organism means soundness in all respects.

Soundness implies freedom from anything and everything that could in
any way weaken or corrupt man's consciousness of the original purity of
the organism. God, Divine Mind, is the cause and source of all living
organisms and is Absolute Good — good in its perfection.
Man achieves health by returning to the source of life, learning and

obeying the laws that govern this state of purity and soundness. The law
of anything is in its governing principle, that which causes right and
intelligent action in order to produce perfect results. As God is Spirit, so
His laws are spiritual; as God is Absolute Good, so His laws are the
causes of the actions that produce universal good in all living expressions
of His Being.
To be whole, one must not only learn the laws of universal good but
must also be obedient to them in every thought, feeling, word, action, and
reaction. Since the perfect idea can produce only perfect results, the man
who wants to have such results in his life must watch the thoughts or
concepts in his mind that he has built around the divine idea. He must
entertain only healthful thoughts, because the law of manifestation for
man is the law of thought. He must form clean mental habits and establish
a loving attitude toward all creation. This is the doctrine that Jesus taught
and proved by His living.
Explain what is meant by the statement that there is no reality in

disease.
2. There is no reality in disease because any diseased thought,
feeling, belief, or condition can be changed. The change in the body is
made by making a change in consciousness. God did not create disease,
therefore it can be changed, for it has no supporting principle back of it.
Reality or the "real" is Truth, the very life of God, omnipresent, eternal,
enduring, everlasting, unchanging. When the word Truth is used
metaphysically or philosophically, it refers to logical ideas that are real,
existing independently and apart from our conceptions of them and our
names for them. Reality is not limited to a certain definite form, to a
certain place or a certain time. When we know the nature of reality —
Truth — we are freed from the belief in reality of disease.
"Dis-ease" is a separation or a parting from ease, comfort, freedom.

Disease always has a specific location in a body or some part of a body.
Reality is unconfined and limitless; it endures; it is; it cannot be modified;
does not come and go. Disease may come and go within its locality thus
proving its changing, vacillating nature. Disease has nothing enduring for
its foundation, is not an entity. It is a false condition, an appearance only,
brought about by man's unrighteous thinking — thinking out of harmony
with the universal law of Absolute Good.
Man, through the power to think, forms disease concepts, fear

concepts, anger concepts, censure concepts. These negative thought
"formations" are all departures from the law of love, the law of universal
good, yet they become the "mental equivalents" that produce disease in
the body.
What reason have we for believing in health as our birthright?

3. A birthright is a native right or privilege that comes to a person by
virtue of his relation to his parents. Our human parents are not the source
or givers of mind and life. They supply us with the body or instrument in
and through which life and mind may function. The life and mind of that
instrument — in our case as in the case of our human parents — are
derived from the life principle — God.
God is the Absolute, complete in Himself, the essence of all being.

Man is His relative, His son, created complete in the image and after the
likeness of his Father. As God's relative, manifest man is in a state of
developing or unfolding his native rights through claiming his relationship
to the Absolute and making use of the native elements that are in his
being as ideas. From our Father, or from perfect life, we originate, and
because there is nothing in God, Divine Mind, other than perfection, our
heritage is life, health, wholeness, here, now, and forever.

Him?
A. Even though man is the offspring of God, he has appeared to be
unlike Him because he has not built a consciousness of the image of
perfection in which he is created.
God is the only Creator, but as the image-likeness of God, man has
the power to reproduce in the earth whatever God has created in the
heavens. As God is unlimited freedom in the spiritual state of being, so
His son has unlimited freedom to act in the earthly or formed realm. Man's
"business" as God's son, His representative, is to express and manifest
the God nature, thus to make Absolute Good known in the earth even as
it is known in the heavens. "Thy kingdom come ... in earth, as it is in
heaven" (the Lord's Prayer). Man's "business" is to represent (or to
present) God in his soul, body, and affairs.
Because man has not lived consciously at the center of his being
where Spirit, as life and intelligence, dwells in him, he has formed many
misconceptions. Through the false use or misuse of his power to conceive
images, he has looked at effects and called them causes. That which is
unlike God, instead of that which is His likeness, has been produced. God
does not compel man to use ideas in the right way — that is, according to
His law of universal good. However, each person is essentially spiritual,
and the potential is within him to claim eventually his full inheritance of
divinity. Because his divine nature is made up of God-ideas, the individual
can learn to use ideas wisely, thus expressing and manifesting more and
more of God.
What is forgiveness of sin?

5. To forgive is to "give" something "for"; to exchange the mental
concept of limitation of oneself, of others, of life in general for the Truth. It
is to give one's thoughts to building new states of consciousness based
on divine ideas. Primarily, forgiveness of sin is the forsaking of all
thoughts and concepts that do not measure up to the divine standard of
universal good. Forgiveness causes us to behold good in all things and to
pour out a feeling of love toward everybody and all living creatures.
In the Absolute (Truth, God) there is no sin, for all is perfect order and
harmony in accordance with the ideations or creations of Divine Mind. It is
in the relative or mental realm—the human consciousness — that there is
the belief in both good and evil. Whatever the character of man's
concepts, the results will be of like nature. Manifest man produces error
conditions in his body and his affairs because of his lack of understanding
of the power of God inherent in himself as the "formative power of
thought." Thus, man forms false concepts (or negative "mental
equivalents") that lead to sin, for they "fall short" of Truth.
In his consciousness, manifest man has felt himself to be separated

from God, Absolute Good, and this in turn has caused him to be mentally
separated from his fellow man. Man sins in having too low an aim, too
limited a concept of himself, which causes him to "miss the mark" of his
high calling in Christ Jesus.
What is repentance?
6. Repentance indicates one's sorrow for sin, accompanied by a
desire to amend, or resolve to amend, one's life as a result. Repentance
is a complete turning from the sin in thought, word, and deed.
The word penitence is regarded as a synonym for repentance.

However, penitence is transient and may involve no change of character
or of conduct. The sorrow may be for the consequences only, but
repentance exacts a change in one's attitudes, intentions, and conduct.
Paul said, "I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were
made sorry unto repentance, , . . For godly sorrow worketh repentance
unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret" (II Cor. 7:9-10).
To repent means to turn away from seeing a relative good and a

relative evil and to behold the Absolute Good even as God saw it at
creation. As we come into a knowledge of the purpose of life, we discern
that we live in a spiritual universe; that our environment is really God,
Divine Mind. We also discover God's presence and power within us as the
true souroe and cause of our every good. Thus, we attain a new attitude
toward life, a new purpose in living, and endeavor to manifest more of the
divine Spirit that is within us.
How is the mind renewed?

7. Mind as the term is used here has reference to the human
consciousness in which there are beliefs in both good and evil. "To renew"
is to make new again and this can be done by turning in prayer to Divine
Mind with its perfect ideas of life, love, wisdom, power - all that is
absolutely good—and thinking on these ideas until the feeling is charged
with them.
"I am the door" (John 10:9) and it is through the opening of this I AM
"door" that a flood of light pours into the soul or consciousness bringing
just the idea or ideas needed at any given moment. Through meditation
on the ideas, man is enlightened as to their value and as to the means of
coordinating them for use in daily living. In prayer (aspiration) the Holy
Spirit brings to man's remembrance (inspiration) his spiritual identity as a
son of God.
Worldly things and conditions claim much of man's attention and

occupy a large portion of his life. It is essential for him each day to revive
his thoughts of the image of his spiritual self and to strengthen his
consciousness of union with God, thus renewing his mind.
What is the relation of forgiveness to healing?

8. Forgiveness is related to healing as a cause-and-effect relationship.
Healing, as has been explained, is making whole, sound, and pure man's
mental, moral, emotional, and physical phases of being. Whether man is
conscious of it or not, he has the power to produce the likeness of what
he images. Our character, body, and environment are the results of
beliefs that we have harbored in our human consciousness. Corruption in
our morals, disease in our body, and discord in our circumstances go to
show some of the misconceptions we have held in consciousness and are
working out. On the other hand, high ideals, health in body, and harmony
in our affairs indicate the true concepts, based on God ideas, that we
have planted in the "soil" of consciousness, bringing forth these good
"fruits" in our outer life.
Forgiveness is the giving up, erasing, arid releasing (through denial)

of all concepts and beliefs about ourself or about others that are contrary
to the divine standard of good. All thought about and belief in sin and evil
must be given up — for, as stated in annotation five, forgiveness is
"giving" Truth "for" error; thus forgiveness is a combination of both denial
and affirmation.
In order to achieve healing, we must think in accordance with divine

patterns (ideas) and feel in unison with the divine nature and when we do
this all parts of our being will be restored to health and harmony. Thus we
see how essential forgiveness is to healing.

What place has prayer in the attainment of health?
9. Prayer has first place in the attainment of a consciousness of
health. Prayer is conscious communion, a "common union" of the human
consciousness and the divine consciousness. Prayer is our opportunity to
"talk" with God and to aspire toward divine ideals. Prayer is also God's
opportunity to inspire or "speak" to us as we quieten our outer activities
turning our five senses inward toward God in order to keep negative
thoughts from entering our consciousness. When we take control of our
thoughts and emotions, we become master of our mind, heart (thinking
and feeling), words, and acts. We are then able to feel after God, to know;
Him as the spiritual presence and power within and around each of us.
The realization of God's presence and power, through prayer, brings

life and health and is therefore a necessary part of the healing process.
Prayer is indeed the "pipeline" to God's storehouse of good, and when the
need for healing arises we can go directly to this storehouse. Our prayer
stakes a positive claim to the health that is ours by divine birthright. Trying
to get our health through any way other than prayer to God is futile. Jesus
said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into
the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief
and a robber" (John 10:1).
Is there any true foundation for the belief in fleshly heredity? Explain.
10. There is no true foundation for the belief in fleshly heredity. The
teaching that God is Principle, expressing and manifesting according to
established laws, embraces the biological laws of heredity. The
transmission of physical and psychical characteristics is known; the
foundation for the belief is therefore not questionable. The truth or the
falsity, however, about particular beliefs regarding heredity is subject to
question and to scientific examination.
As human beings we are evolving; our biological inheritance as an

evolving organism is both strength and weakness. Transcending this is a
spiritual inheritance that was involved in the original created idea of man
and is the very core of us. The inheritance from God is life itself, an
inheritance of strength, wholeness, intelligence, power, and the other
attributes (God ideas) that are the constituent elements of God, Divine
Mind.
In its healing and corrective powers, our spiritual inheritance is

paramount to any biological or pathological weakness. Circumstances or
heredity, therefore, need not hold us in bondage except as we let ourself
be bound. Our bondage to limiting hereditary factors is due to lack of
understanding of how to free ourself and lay claim to our divine heritage.
Freedom from hereditary weaknesses lies in the activating of our mind by
true prayer, for through prayer we are led to spiritual insights, knowledge,
understanding, and healing.
Is it wise to be watching for error continually? Give reasons.

11. No, it is not wise to be searching in the outer for evil. Our attention
should be given to beholding only that which we wish to have manifested
in our life or the life of another. If we watch for error continually, we are
giving our attention to that which is not true, and in so doing we are giving
the belief of error the substance of our thought and forming "mental
equivalents" of error in our consciousness. As we keep the idea of good,
rather than error, before us we will produce results like it, for like produces
like in all states of being. We are then forming "mental equivalents" of
good. "Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the
wicked" (Psalms 91:8).
We are free-will beings and, therefore, we have the power to

determine the character of the thoughts that we will think and to which we
will give substance. Therefore, it is much wiser to keep before us divine
ideas such as life, love, wisdom, faith — anything and everything that is
good — than to be watching for error. Our mind is always active, and if it
is filled with a belief in error there is no place for the good to take root.
Two opposing thoughts cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
Let us build for health and wholeness. Let us begin to think only thoughts
that are positive, joyous, constructive. "As he thinketh in his heart, so is
he" (Prov. 23:7 A.V.).

What is a treatment?
12. A treatment is a prayer for healing for oneself or another. A
treatment is a conscious, loving desire to realize the higher spiritual
qualities in one's own soul or the soul of another, and thus lift oneself (or
the other person) out of ignorance or inharmony into a consciousness of
man's true spiritual nature. In reality it is a prayer for healing based upon
faith in God as the source of all life and our right as His heirs to that life.
A treatment can also be said to be a scientific prayer for the purpose

of establishing a new consciousness of God, Absolute Good, as perfect
life in every part of the body. The mind of one who is praying scientifically
is in active contemplation of God and His perfection. Contact has to be
made between the human consciousness of the one praying and God
Mind. This contact leads to a realization of the one presence and power
immanent in every individual and opens the way for the inflow of divine
ideas of life and wholeness. The establishing of this new state of mind
can be called a "treatment."
A treatment is not limited to the healing of the body only, but deals
with man's soul or mind, his world, his natural environment, and all of his
affairs. (See the final paragraph of How I Used Truth Lesson 8 Annotation
1 and subsequent annotations.)
In what respects does it differ from the old concept of prayer?

13. The old concept of prayer was that God was a superman apart
from human beings, superior to man in every way, who might or might not
condescend to answer, as it suited His pleasure. Some thought that if a
person prayed long enough and hard enough God might be induced to
heed his plea and change His laws to suit the beseecher. It was a futile
way of trying to reach God without understanding His nature and man's
relationship to Him (as His son and heir and thus entitled to the good of
life).
The new and scientific prayer is made in understanding faith and love.
We think of God as Divine Mind, the creator of perfection and wholeness
whose entire rule or law of action is the law of good — the expressing of
good in the form of ideas to be set into operation in all parts of the
universe, producing the required good for every living thing. In reality, it is
the "getting in tune" with God, the infinite, the source from which all
creation comes forth "in the beginning" (Gen. 1:1).
When we begin to understand the nature and action of Divine Mind,

we have faith that if we place our attention in Absolute Good, declare only
good to be operative in mind and heart, then only good can and will be
produced in our outer life. We do not pray primarily for things but for the
divine ideas, inspirations, that produce the things and conditions we
desire. "Seek ye first his kingdom" (Matt. 6:33) and the promise is that the
"things shall be added."
Explain how to treat another.

14. One who is preparing to "treat" another first treats himself by
clearing his mind (by denial) of any opinions, concepts, or beliefs that do
not measure up to divine Principle, thus making himself a worthy
instrument for the works of God. He acknowledges that there is but one
Presence and one Power in the universe, God, the good omnipotent,
omniscient, and omnipresent.
After one has done this, he is ready to place the one seeking help
under the action of God so that He may do His perfect work in the mind,
body, or affairs of that one.
When this has been done, the next action is to realize that the work is
not being done by the one treating another, but to know that he is an
instrument ready to be used by Spirit, for creative Mind does the work —
"the Father abiding . . . doeth his works" (John 14:10). He denies the
appearance of error as having reality and affirms the saving grace of the
Christ, active in and through himself and the one for whom he prays.
In connection with treating another person, the lesson material deals

with the names Jesus Christ, Christ, and Jesus from the metaphysical
standpoint. The following elaborates on these meanings:
Metaphysically, Jesus Christ is the name of the principle immanent in

every living human being. It is the gift that is inherent in each of us as the
offspring of God. It is the spiritual inheritance of the God ideas within us,
as well as the power to understand, express, and manifest them in the
flesh.
Christ, metaphysically, is the pattern of God, the image that is within

each soul; the seed or Word of God, Son of God, God's idea of Himself,
containing all the elements necessary to reproduce God, the good, in
human experience.
Jesus, metaphysically, is that which saves us; the understanding use

of the Christ pattern, and the God substance. It is the unfolding in each
soul (thinking and feeling) of all the ideas that are required to bring forth
the divinity in each individual. Jesus is the "likeness," the Son of man;
God incarnate in every man; "the word . . . made flesh" (John 1:14).
Is it right to give a treatment to any person who has not requested it?
15. It is always right to pray for such things as health, happiness, or
prosperity. However, we have no right to pray for a definite outcome of
events, especially where other persons are involved. To do so would
indicate that we want God to express through another individual
according to our standard or belief of what is right for him. Man is a
free-will being, and no lasting good is gained by coercion. Neither can one
judge as to what experiences are necessary for the awakening and
growth of another.
It is good to recognize and affirm for another his innate divinity and
thus surround him with a mental atmosphere that will dissolve the barriers
he has unconsciously built around himself, and help to arouse in him the
realization of his spiritual nature. A positive "treatment" of this kind
strengthens his consciousness of spiritual life without in any way
interfering; with his individual will and helps him to grasp the full
significance of his true relationship to God as His' son.
True prayer is prayer for an understanding heart — prayer that one

may come consciously into right relation in his every thought, feeling,
word, action, and reaction with the divine law of good. Therefore, it is
always right to offer a prayer for a person, or persons, to be divinely
illumined, awakened, guided, protected, healed, prospered, and blessed
in God's own wonderful way. It is good to pray for the uplifting of mankind
everywhere, and for the betterment and improvement of the entire world,
that the kingdom of heaven may be established in the minds and hearts of
men, and upon the physical earth.
What is meant by holding a person "in the universal"?

16. "The universal" as used in this question means the God
consciousness. In God consciousness we can see a person as a spiritual
being who is learning to use his physical body as an instrument on which
he may play the symphony of life. The wisdom, intelligence, power, and
substance of God are given to all men equally, for there is "one God and
Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all" (Eph. 4:6). Thus
all men are one in God, the universal Spirit of Absolute Good; as spiritual
beings, this is our true place. When we hold a person "in the universal"
we are seeing him where he really belongs — in a realm of good. If he
seeks health, we see him filled with God life; if harmony is needed to
adjust his life, we see God's love and wisdom bringing order in his affairs;
should prosperity be his urgent need, we see the substance of God filling
him to overflowing. In none of these have we attempted to interfere with
the individual's freedom.
As mentioned in the previous annotation, a universal treatment

blesses everyone. In it we declare the word of God to be active in and
through all persons, uplifting, healing, protecting, blessing all. In a
universal "treatment" we express a desire for God as divine intelligence,
love, and order to have full and free expression in each individual. In the
universal we see every person as perfect in his spiritual nature, even as
God the source of all creation is perfect.
Is it possible to heal all diseases? Explain.

17. "Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is
impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). It is
possible to heal all diseases for there is only one Presence and Power in
the universe, the presence and power of God, the good omnipotent.
A thought or concept that has produced an appearance or condition of
disease has used the same power that when used to picture health, can
manifest health in the body. It takes no more thought energy, no more
mind substance to use this power to produce a desirable experience than
it does to produce sickness or disease. If such were not true, then there
would be two powers at work instead of a single, infinite one.
Disease is an effect, an appearance, as a result of bondage to some

error thought. No one needs to be held in bondage to error beliefs
because God created us free-will beings. As one learns to release all
error thoughts by denial, and affirms the Truth, then appearances will
charge. "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
Diseases are not real, enduring, because God did not create them. They
can be changed by building new states of consciousness, thought by
thought, producing a consciousness filled with the realization that God is
omnipresent life, the one eternal, enduring, unchanging reality, and man
as His offspring is heir to that life.
What is an "overcomer"?
18. An "overcomer" is one who has "come over" to the understanding
of Truth — to the Christ consciousness. An overcomer is one who
subdues or masters something; one who conquers or obtains a victory.
An overcomer, metaphysically, is an awakened soul who has perceived
the Christ within — "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27) — the
divinity of man — and makes consistent effort to bring this divine nature
into outer manifestation in his body and his world. The overcomer rises
above one limitation after another; he sees that the difficulties lie within
the wrong beliefs in his own mind and that his body, his affairs, his
environment are the objectifications of his own consciousness. He has
grasped the truth that the solution to his difficulties lies within himself and
he seeks to make conscious contact with the God Presence within to find
this solution.
Overcoming includes taking dominion over both conscious and

subconscious activities of the mind, putting off all sins, errors,
weaknesses, even the habit of death, and putting on the righteous,
incorruptible body of Christ.
An overcomer knows that spiritual unfoldment is really a grace, or

receiving process, not the losing or giving up of anything real or anything
good. The overcomer slowly but surely loses the desire to condemn
himself or others and desires only to look for and praise the good in
everybody and everything. Knowing that overcoming is done primarily in
his own consciousness (mind), the overcomer helps others by his manner
of life rather than merely by what he says.
Is there a power of evil? Explain fully.

19. There is only one power in the universe, the power of God,
Absolute Good; thus there can be no real power in what man terms "evil."
All belief in evil as an entity arises because of ignorance of or lack of
understanding of Truth. A person always fears that which in unknown;
fears which he thinks can subdue or master him. The support that the evil
appearance has is in the consciousness (mind) of man who conceives it
and gives it the substance of his thought, thus keeping undesirable
conditions alive.
We cannot say that evil is the "absence of good," for God as good is
omnipresent. The second denial statement given in Lessons in Truth
reads,
"There is no absence of life, substance, or intelligence anywhere"

(Emilie Cady Lessons In Truth 4:23).
So-called evil is some undesirable appearance that has come as a

result of the wrong use of a perfectly good power. Our producing power in
mind is thought. Many times through our lack of understanding we have
used ideas wrongly by failing to combine them in their right relation
(unrighteous use) or according to the laws of God. Thus wrong
manifestations have resulted. For instance, we take from God Mind the
idea of love, but if we do not relate it to good judgment, power, order,
strength, justice, and the like, the power back of the idea may be brought
into action as jealousy, inharmony, possesslveness, even hatred. When
love is understood to be the idea of universal unity, it becomes for the one
expressing it a magnet to attract blessings into his life and into the life of
others. When love is fully and consciously expressed by anyone, all
appearances of evil will disappear because there will be no thought of evil
to sustain them.
What is the difference between real spiritual righteousness and

morality? What is morality? What is spiritual righteousness?
20. The difference between real spiritual righteousness and morality is
that the former lies deep in the character of man, as a part of his divine
nature, while morality has to do with the conduct of man, with what he
does rather than with what he is spiritually.
The dictionary says of morality; "particular moral principles or rules of

conduct: conformity to ideals of right human conduct." An individual can
only carry out "right human conduct" according to his particular stage of
soul unfoldment, thus he will be influenced by customs of environment,
country, race, religion. Sometimes morality is thought of as refraining from
doing certain things because of the adverse opinions of others or because
it is not the custom or fashion to do them. The moral influence is more
from without and often motivated by fear of consequences rather than by
love and understanding. The Western world tends to take the human
standard of morality as set by the Ten Commandments given through
Moses and called the Mosaic Law. Nearly all these commandments place
a limit on man's conduct and prohibit him from causing injury to others.
Spiritual righteousness on the other hand is the grace and Truth that
comes through Jesus Christ. Jesus expressed and manifested in the flesh
all the divine ideas or Godlike qualities. Spiritual righteousness ("right
use") is God's standard wisely expressed in soul, body, and affairs as a
result of the guidance that comes through prayer. No man can be truly
righteous unless he is growing nearer in his consciousness to God and
daily manifesting more of the God qualities in his life.
It is possible to be outwardly moral without being spiritually righteous.

However, it is not possible to be spiritually righteous without morality
("right human conduct"). A righteous man has the power to turn others to
God. This power of awakening God in himself and others is possible only
in one who lives in conscious union with God. Morality from a purely
human standpoint may have no such power and often, unwarned by
divine love, can have a chilling effect on others. We have seen this occur
in the case of those who follow only the "letter" of the Scriptures and omit
the "spirit [that] giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6).
The watchword of morality is duty; but the watchword of spiritual

righteousness is good will and service.
Series 1 - Lesson 3 - Prosperity

Lesson
What is prosperity? Explain fully.
The first question that presents itself in the study of this subject is,
"What is prosperity?" In this lesson we shall seek to find the true meaning
of the word. To find the true meaning of prosperity we must get away from
the belief of limitation in the realm of appearances and into an
understanding of reality.
In cleansing the soul-consciousness of false beliefs concerning

prosperity, the first to be erased is the belief that possession of things only
constitutes prosperity. Such a belief is a false concept and has no place in
Truth.
True prosperity is a rich state of mind, a consciousness of rich ideas,

a consciousness which recognizes the individual's oneness with Infinite
Mind, with all the ideas of supply and service which inhere in that Mind or
Mind Essence, another name for substance. "Prosperity is the enrichment
man gains inwardly through the right use of divine ideas." Prosperity is
the consciousness of continued well-being man derives from an
understanding of his Source and Sustenance, Spirit Substance, Mind
Essence. Prosperity is a state of consciousness in which there is no lack
of anything good, a consciousness of well-being. It is the consciousness
of abundance based on an understanding of God as the inexhaustible
resource of good which is open to all men. One is prosperous to the
extent that he is establishing a consciousness of peace, health, and
plenty and manifesting it in his world. Stop and give yourself a treatment
for the cleansing and renewing of your mind on this point. Say,
My understanding is quickened by the word of Truth, and I no longer

believe that prosperity consists only in possession of things. These are
but manifestations of the inner working of ideas in mind. I acknowledge
God, Divine Mind, with all its inhering ideas, to be my unfailing and
unlimited resourse.
What is substance?
Substance is not so generally recognized as some of the other
attributes or ideas of God, such as life, love, wisdom and power, but it is
very necessary to the well-being of man, and it should be recognized and
studied and used. Substance is Mind Essence, the body of God; it is
Omnipresence, all penetrating, all potential, all intelligent, all providing, all
sustaining, everywhere present. It is the foundation of the universe, all
things being formed from it, the structure upon which all things are made;
it is that in which ideas live and move and have being just as a fish lives
and moves and has being in water. Although substance or Mind Essence
is invisible and intangible to the outer eye of manifest man, man has the
power of thought or of image-making by which he can attune himself to
Spirit and by this mind activity come to see and feel divine substance as a
living reality. From this living reality or substance man forms in his mind
mental images or pictures of whatever he wills or desires, whatever he
thinks or feels. These forms then take shape in the outer or physical
realm as things, circumstances and conditions and are known as formed
substance, matter or material things.
What is matter? What is the distinction between substance and

matter?
Matter, or manifest objects, is formed substance. It is an effect or the
form or appearance of substance or Mind Essence in the physical realm
after it has been handled in the mind or consciousness of man by his
thought or image-making power. Both substance and thought power are
absolutely good. Man as a spiritual being is given absolute freedom to
use them as he chooses. So matter or the form or appearance of divine
substance on the physical plane is dependent upon man's understanding
and use of substance. Man therefore becomes a secondary cause in
producing events and things in the manifest realm. Whatever the form,
the condition, the thing that appears, it has been formed or produced out
of spiritual substance and this Mind essence always pervades it. The
substance or Mind essence never changes, but the form or appearance of
things and conditions change according to the understanding and use of
man's thought power. Man is in a state of becoming conscious of himself
as a spiritual being. He is growing and unfolding in understanding of his
Christ dominion and mastery through right use of his image-making
power. Many of his thoughts and actions show that he has not yet
attained the highest consciousness of perfection, a consciousness that is
his divine heritage. It shows that he does not always form, make or
produce out of divine substance (body of God) that which accords with
the character and nature of God, which is Absolute Good. The
appearances in the manifest realm are not always in accord with the
divine idea that lies behind them. Jesus instructed us against taking
appearances as the basis for our thinking and feeling when He said,
"Judge not according to appearance." — John 7:24. Understanding the
omnipresence of God, we know that His life and intelligence and
substance permeate all things and that there is, therefore no absence
anywhere of life, substance, and intelligence. This is a good affirmation to
make. It will free the mind from many limiting beliefs.
What metaphysicians call substance, natural scientists name the

universal ether. "The very air is alive with dynamic forces that await man's
grasp and utilization . . . these invisible, omnipresent energies possess
potentialities far beyond our most exalted conception. What we have been
taught about the glories of heaven pales into insignificance compared with
the glories of the radiant rays – popularly referred to as the ether. We are
told by science that we have utilized very meagerly this mighty ocean of
ether in producing from it the light and power of electricity. The invisible
waves that carry radio programs everywhere are but a mere hint of an
intelligent power that penetrates and permeates every germ of life, visible
and invisible." – Charles Fillmore Prosperity 10.
Substance contains all the elements in a rarefied state. "Form" or

matter is substance condensed so that it is visible in a three-dimensional
world. That which is real to a metaphysician is that which is permanent,
substantial, enduring. Organized forms or bodies in the manifest world are
not permanent and enduring, but the elements of which they are
composed are resolved back to the rarefied state from which they came;
thus nothing is ever lost or destroyed in Spirit. All is God and God is all.
Should we take a piece of ice, put it in a vessel, and raise the temperature
the form of the ice would disappear and we would know the substance as
liquid, water. Still raising the temperature, it would next become steam
and would float away as gases out of the sight of the physical eye.
Because it is not visible to the physical eye does not mean that it has
been destroyed or lost; it has simply been transformed from a solid,
dense state to a lighter and more rarefied one. Solidification of a thing is
due to a decrease in the rate of movement of its particles. In the physical
world this movement is known as vibration. The higher the rate of energy
the more nearly invisible the substance is, until finally it is not
comprehended by the physical eye. The highest rate of movement is in
mind, in what we term consciousness, the activity of the invisible
substance.
What relation does divine substance bear to man's supply?

One definition that Webster gives of substance is: that in which
properties inhere. Unity refers to it as "thought stuff," "mind stuff," the raw
material out of which all things are made. God being infinite Mind, then
the substance of God would be all the ideas inhering in Divine Mind; a
spiritual aggregation so to speak, of all the qualities or attributes of God;
the universal supply of all good; the source of all that is manifested or
unmanifested. Everything begins in mind; ideas are the cause of all that
appears in the manifest; ideas are the builders.
We have stated that substance is the body of God or Omnipresence,

and the admonition is, "Take, eat." – Matt. 26:26. All the ideas which
inhere in Divine Mind are ours to appropriate and use in whatever
combination or form we desire. We may take substance in the form of life,
in the form of love, in the form of power, in the form of strength, in the
form of faith, in the form of prosperity – whatever we feel that we are
needing. We have the privilege also of combining these ideas in any way
we choose. Substance then is the essential foundation, or that which
stands under all visible things. The first emanation of God Mind, the first
"God said," – Gen. 1:3, of creation, is light; and so if we would rightly
combine these ideas which are the body of God we must not only have
that which stands under but also light, that which understands. Otherwise
we bring in to the manifest world that which is imperfect or incomplete,
that which is far from satisfying.
Explain the meaning of the Scripture, "Seek ye !rst his kingdom, and
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt.
6:33.
An understanding of God as substance forms the foundation of true
spiritual prosperity. Those who know God in this manner have an
assurance of unfailing supply. By understanding and faith they lay hold of
the one substance and bring it into manifestation according to their need.
By acknowledging and praising God as substance, the mind is opened to
ideas inhering in substance which then flow into consciousness as a great
stream of bounty. This explains why Jesus said, "Seek ye first his
kingdom,~and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you." – Matt. 6:33. He knew the one source of supply and He lived
constantly in the consciousness of it, and He was pointing it out to man. It
also explains why He said, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. –
Matt. 6:20. The inexhaustible source of mind essence or substance is
available at all times and in all places to those who have learned to lay
hold of it consciously. Thus they build a consciousness of rich ideas which
is true prosperity.
How may one become conscious of substance?

In the first lesson we learned that God is everywhere equally present,
conscious union between God and man is made within the mind or
consciousness of man. Man realizes all of God's attributes or ideas only
as he gets still and comes into conscious union with Him in the "secret
place." – Psalms 91:1. So it is with substance; the only way to know about
substance for oneself is to go within and get direct conscious union with it
by affirming its presence, its reality, its power, and the possibilities that it
contains for man. This may be done by using "I AM" affirmations, which is
the right use of the creative power of God, the I AM, the Word or Christ.
Then substance will be seen with the eye of faith. "Faith is the perceiving
power of the mind, linked with a power to shape substance. . . in other
words, faith is that consciousness in us of the reality of the invisible
substance and the attributes of mind by which we lay hold of it." – Charles
Fillmore Prosperity 43. In this way man becomes conscious of substance
as a living reality which he can intelligently direct and wisely use to satisfy
his every need.
Give three affirmations of your own for the realization of divine

substance
One should not be kept from acknowledging substance because he is
not at first conscious of it; he should affirm its presence because he has
the understanding that it is. God did not create the universe out of
nothing, but out of His very own Spirit substance. Man cannot make
something out of nothing. The clearer his understanding of substance out
of which he makes things, the better he will be able to bring forth
whatever good he desires. Then he will not be deceived by the thought
that things are the source of his good. "The spiritual substance from
which comes all visible wealth is never depleted. It is right with you all the
time and responds to your faith in it and your demands upon it. It is not
affected by our ignorant talk of hard times, though we are affected
because our thoughts and words govern our demonstration. The unfailing
resource is always ready to give. It has no choice; it must give, for that is
its nature. Pour your living words of faith into the omnipresent substance,
and you will be prospered, . . . turn the great energy of your thinking upon
'plenty' ideas, and you will have plenty regardless of what men about you
are saying or doing." – Charles Fillmore Prosperity 13.
Substance never fails. It is as eternal as God is eternal, and is always

ready for man's use. It is the "inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and
that fadeth not away." – I Pet. 1:4. It means something to inherit from
God, and happy are they who can say with understanding, "All things
whatsoever the Father hath are mine." — John 16:15.
It was out of substance that Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. He
understood it as all-potential, everywhere present, and intelligent and
instantly responsive. He had faith in it and he showed by His example that
it can be brought forth into manifestation by prayer and thanksgiving.
Explain fully the law of giving and receiving

We live, move, and have our being in the sea of substance. There is a
law that substance must have both an inflow and an outflow; this we call
the law of giving and receiving. Substance flows into consciousness
where it is given form according to the faith and the understanding of the
receiver; then it must be given out in blessing in whatever form he is able
to express it.
People sometimes say, "I have nothing to give," but they do not make
such statements after they come into the understanding of Spirit
substance. There is Spirit substance in words of Truth, and one may
begin giving it in that form. Those who seem not to have in hand the good
with which they desire to bless others can give that good in words and the
outward manifestations will come. There is, therefore, a good reason why
one should pray for others. If he affirms good for them, he is praying; and
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." – James
5:16.
The substance of true words is seed, and the harvest will be rich with
increase to all who recognize that their seed words contain life, substance
and intelligence. These constructive, joyous, praise-filled qualities in
words of Truth make them powerful in demonstrating prosperity, health,
protection, guidance, or whatever else is desired. Prosperity is the law of
increase in action. To make practical use of this knowledge of the power
in words, enter the inner consciousness and there speak directly to God
within, and realize or feel the truth of words such as these:
Dear Father God, I have faith in Your ideas as the source and the
substance of all my good. I have faith in this substance as it is now
manifesting in me and in my affairs. I have increased bounty through my
increasing faith in You, dear God as my Father and my support and
supply. I praise and bless You, O Spirit of Plenty, for the fullness of Your
supply. I am free from the care and the burden of thoughts of lack
because I am quickened to the consciousness of abundance of all good. I
praise and give thanks dear Father God, for this freedom. I have an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. Your ideas are my inheritance, O
blessed Spirit of Plenty.
The fact that there is a law of giving and receiving needs emphasis,
because many have hindered their demonstrations of prosperity by an
unwillingness to give, while others have shut off their supply by an
unwillingness to receive. The first fault is usually caused either by
selfishness or by a belief in lack; the second fault by pride of some form.
Whatever may be the error the overcomer must change his thinking and
feeling in regard to substance and his relation to it. This is done by a
conscious practice of denial, affirmation, meditation aand prayer.
Selfishness is overcome by giving up the false concept of the source of all
good and by realizing that the great universal substance is free and open
to him and to all persons. Pride is a form of selfishness. Beliefs of lack are
eliminated by the recognition of the one substance, everywhere present
constantly responsive to all demands made upon it.
Prosperity comes, not by chance, but in accordance with absolute

laws. There is no such thing as luck. The law is universal and even those
who are ignorant of spiritual things sometimes blindly set it into operation
for a time. Such an experience they call a "streak of luck." If they would
study the law and obey it intelligently and willingly, it would work for them
continually and their prosperity would be permanent. They would not
judge prosperity by the outward appearance, but by the inward
consciousness of plenty, and thus they would be satisfied; the outer would
correspond to the inner and there would no longer be an appearance of
lack.
How may we overcome worry about supply?

All anxiety concerning supply is removed by knowing God as the
Source of supply. Health is another form of prosperity, and it would in
many cases spring forth speedily if anxiety were overcome, because
many people suffer both in mind and in body from belief in lack and from
consequent worry. The habit of praise for the fullness and richness of
God's bounty will lift men out of a consciousness of lack caused by not
knowing God as Father and supply.
In the past it was generally believed that it was God's will for men to
be sick and poor; but great light has come to the race, and such errors
are fast being dispelled. God's promises of prosperity are so numerous in
the Bible that it seems strange that they could have been overlooked. It is
sometimes said that Jesus was poor, but such a word is surely a
misnomer when applied to a man who could demonstrate supply as Jesus
demonstrated it. Doubtless He had true riches – the consciousness filled
with ideas of God as substance, and He lived in conscious union with
God.
Why does the apparent source of income sometimes stand in the way
of one's knowing God as his bountiful and ever present supply?
While yet in an unenlightened state, the mind sometimes firmly holds
the belief that supply can come only in a certain way. The channel is
looked upon as the source. External supply, such as the weekly wage or
the income derived in other ways, assumes large proportions in the mind
and shuts out the consciousness of God as the Source of supply. This
state of mind can be changed by denial of the error and by affirmation of
the Truth.
What is the true object of all work?

One should not think that the world owes him a "living," that he should
not work. Such a one needs to come into a true understanding of work
and of life itself. Jesus said, "My Father worketh even until now and I
work." – John 5:17. Life is, we are living now. "God gave unto us eternal
life." – I John 5:11. How much one is living depends upon how conscious
he is of his inherent abilities and powers, and the purpose of his work
activity. All activity is work. God created the universe out of His own
substance, and man forms his world out of the substance that is within
him. The greater work is in the mind, and the work of the hand follows the
work of the mind. By work of the hand we mean the whole outer activity.
Man's chief work is to glorify God in all that he thinks, says and does.
Then the work of the mind should be to bring forth spiritual powers
increasingly, to bring into expression the true riches of Divine Mind which
are ideas of abundant life, abundant joy, abundant wisdom, abundant
love, abundant prosperity. When one comes into the consciousness that
every word, every act he performs is really a part of himself – his
expression – and that he is either giving forth a slovenly, unlovely,
imperfect individuality or a beautiful, perfected type of Being from the
substance that is within him, he will then seek for the ideal that is within
his seemingly menial tasks, that he may bring forth the perfection that will
glorify God and be an enjoyment to himself and to all. He will have a true
understanding of work and he will be living life "more abundantly." – John
10:10. Every thought molds the fertile substance of mind. You work, work,
work even at your laziest moments, for your thoughts are the tools that
fashion your life. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou
return" – Gen. 3:19, or come into the understanding of what you are and
how to use the mind-substance within you and bring forth the likeness of
Him in whose image you were created. As Angela Morgan so aptly puts it
in her poem:
Work!
Thank God for the might of it,
The ardor, the urge, the delight of it;
Work that springs from the heart's desire,
Setting the brain and the soul on fire -
Oh, what is so good as the heat of it,
And what is so glad as the beat of it,
And what is so kind as the stern command,
Challenging brain and heart and hand?
Thank God for a world where none may shirk -
Thank God for the splendor of work!
The true object of work is the expression of all of man's God-given

faculties and powers and service to his fellowman. The race is a unit and
every man is under obligation to all men. This obligation is not an arbitrary
matter fixed by some tyrannical God or by some unfeeling law; it is the
obligation of love. Love is the law that unifies the race and adjusts all
people in righteousness and establishes harmonious relations. Discords
come from violation of the law of love; when men work for a living instead
of for the purpose of expressing their powers in righteousness and
rendering loving service to their fellowmen, they interfere with the
operation of divine law.
Co-operation instead of competition is the secret of success, because

co-operation fulfills the law of love.
What has faithfulness to do with demonstrating prosperity?

Sometimes prosperity is not demonstrated because of unfaithfulness
in work. The reason is not that labor is the source of prosperity, but man
has not worked in harmony with the law of loving service. Whatever the
work may be, the whole heart should be put into it and it should be well
done. Fault-finding, complaint, or dissatisfaction with one's occupation
makes a poor workman. When dissatisfied with one's work, one cannot
do his best. The compensation is poor because he has not observed the
law of giving and receiving. "You demonstrate prosperity by an
understanding of the prosperity law and by having faith in it, not by
appealing to the sympathy of others, trying to get them to do something
for you or give you something. Faithftilness and earnestness in the
application of the prosperity law will assure you of success" – Charles
Fillmore Prosperity 50. "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct
thy paths" – Prov. 3:6.
What is the relation of praise to the manifestation of supply?

If you cannot see in the work you are doing an opportunity to help
others, change your work; but unless you are doing that which is directly
harmful to men you can always feel that in some respect, however slight,
you are benefiting mankind. The woman who makes clothes, the man
who farms, and the miller who grinds are all doing their share of the
world's work. Do your part and be glad. If you are not doing so much as
you would like to do, rejoice and give thanks for the privilege of doing the
little and the larger opportunity will come – but it never can come through
your finding fault with your opportunities. Blessing and praising the good
increase your consciousness of good. Praise is cumulative. Man
magnifies and expands that which his mind dwells upon with approval. As
he mentally sees how valuable anything good is, it naturally increases in
worth.
The law of giving and receiving is innate in man's being, as is shown

by even his blind attempts to observe it. If another does something for him
he feels the obligation to do something in return. The use of money is a
blind attempt to keep the law of giving and receiving, and it is a
convenient means in the present stage of the world's advancement. If Mr.
Smith renders a service to Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones may not be prepared to
return the favor directly, but he gives to Mr. Smith a certain sum of money
representing his idea of the value received from Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith can
use the money to make a satisfactory exchange with some other man for
something he needs. So it goes on right under our eyes all the time; the
law of giving and receiving is being used, though not always in its
perfection. When men fully understand the law of giving and receiving and
their relation to one another, they will know that ideas and not money are
the means of fulfilling the law and they will demonstrate that "love
therefore is the fulfillment of the law." – Rom. 13:10.
"Love is one of those ideas which provides a key to the infinite

storehouse of abundance. It opens up generosity in us. It opens up
generosity in others when we begin to love and bless them. Will it also
open up a spirit of generosity in God? It certainly will and does. If you
consciously love and bless God, you will soon find that things are coming
your way. It will surprise you that just thinking about God will draw to you
the things you want and expect and bring many other blessings that you
had not even thought about. Thousands of persons have proved this law
to their entire satisfaction. . . This law will demonstrate itself for you or for
anyone who applies it faithfully, for 'love never faileth.'" – I Cor. 13:8 –
Charles Fillmore Prosperity 108.
Money is not an evil in itself; it is the selfish use of money that makes
trouble. Money is not a curse to those who see the place that it fills and
keep it in its place. "Money was made for man and not man for money." –
Charles Fillmore Prosperity 184. When they know that substance and not
money is the source of their good, they will not be grasping and selfish.
The term "uncertain riches," refers to the possession of things apart from
the consciousness of one substance as the source of all; "uncertain"
possessions are the ones that cause vexation and sorrow.
As men come into the consciousness of the universal law they will
give in love and receive in love, and everybody will be satisfied with that
method of keeping the law. Instead of considering money as a cold, hard,
material thing, see it as formed substance, the symbol of the
inexhaustible idea of substance and the means that men are using to
keep the divine law of giving and receiving. Money is not to be hoarded,
but is to be kept moving. All who understand true prosperity keep the law
of giving and receiving. All who take the right attitude toward money have
plenty of it. It flows into their hands in a constant stream of blessing. They
know that it is formed substance, the symbol of the inexhaustible idea of
substance, and they come to understand and use money wisely as a
medium of exchange.
When you give to another or do something for him, why should you
trust divine law for recompense, rather than expect compensation from
him?
In the matter of giving, it is well to remember that the law of giving and
receiving is universal and not personal. You should not be disappointed if
those to whom you give do not recompense you, and you should not be
anxious because you feel that you cannot give to those who do something
for you. The law will take care of all that. The unchangeable law is, "Give,
and it shall be given unto you." – Luke 6:38. The exact way in which the
return shall come is not specified. If you serve your neighbor, it may be
that the most direct way for you to receive will be for him to do something
for another. "We must not try to fix the avenues through which our good is
to come. There is no reason for thinking that what you give will come back
through the one to whom you give it. . . The law will bring each of us just
what is our own, the reaping of the seeds we have sown. The return will
come, for it cannot escape the law, though it may quite possibly come
through a very different channel from what we expect. Trying to fix the
channel through which his good must come to him is one of the ways in
which the personal man shuts off his own supply. The spiritual-minded
man does not make selfish use of the law but gives because he loves to
give. Because he gives with no thought of reward and no other motive
than love, he is thrown more completely into the inevitable operation of
the law and his return is all the more certain. He is inevitably enriched and
cannot escape it." – Charles Fillmore Prosperity 143-144.
How would you build a consciousness of prosperity?

In this lesson, ideas have been presented to help one build a
prosperity consciousness and the first step in this activity is a desire to
come into a feeling of conscious oneness with God, Divine Mind,
Omnipresent substance, the Source of all good, and the basis of all
supply. All men, to some extent, desire to have an abundance of good, to
have peace of mind, and health of body, but they have not realized that all
these have their foundation in God, and that they cannot have the gift
without the Giver. So the first step in building a prosperity consciousness
is to recognize the importance of desiring to have a conscious feeling of
oneness with the infinite resource, which is God, Absolute Good. As one
heeds the call of his heart's desire, he will turn within to his own indwelling
Father, the great storehouse of divine ideas, the kingdom of God, and
make this his abiding place. He will consciously abide or stay in that place
within himself and make conscious union with the idea of divine
substance. He will contemplate substance, he will meditate upon it, he will
affirm its presence and through the right use of the creative power of God
which can be directed by his thoughts, feelings and words, he will, in faith,
begin to image himself molding and shaping the everpresent substance of
mind, or "thought stuff" into peace of mind, health of body and an
abundance of all good of which he feels that is needful to him and to
others. In faith he sees himself as well and happy, peaceful and joyous.
He praises God for his ability to recognize and to feel the goodness in
which he is abiding. He praises God for divine substance that fills every
need. He praises and gives thanks to God for the right attitudes of mind
that are now flooding into his mind and heart, feelings of kindness,
generosity, love and appreciation for all persons and things. His world
begins to change. He has that feeling of well-being in every phase of his
life, for there is no lack of any good thing in his life. He understands his
source of all good and he knows that "All things whatsoever the Father
hath," – John 16:15, are his to use, to enjoy and to share.
The more conscious one grows of God as the inexhaustible,

everywhere present substance that is instantly responsive to any demand
made upon it, the less he will feel limited in any way. He will know that he
is blessed with the great privilege of giving and of sharing this substance
with all people. He will give freely and cheerfully of his consciousness of
abundance, of peace, joy and good-will. His very life will be a blessing to
all who come in contact with him. He will have the right attitude toward
God, toward himself and the world in general and it has been said that the
whole universe is behind the one who has the right attitude, and we know
that God is behind the universe sustaining it in divine substance.
"Peace, Power, and Plenty,

Words that are heaven born
Say them, ye hearts that are weary,
Till hope in your soul is born.
For words are things that will lift on wings
The one that believes them true,
And whatever you will when your mind is still
You may call to the soul of you."
Henry Victor Morgan
God bless you, dear one, as you give your thought and word power to
building a consciousness of prosperity, which is the consciousness of
eternal well-being here and now.
"Spirit substance everywhere,

Waiting for us to mold;
With Christ Jesus we can share
Treasures of worth untold.
Words and thoughts have molding power,
So let us careful be,
Knowing that we are building our eternity."
Verse three, #128, Unity Song Selections

S1L3 Annotations
What is prosperity? Explain fully.

1. Prosperity is a rich state of mind. It is the enrichment man gains
both inwardly and outwardly through the right use of divine ideas.
Man has accumulated much goods, money, and lands, the acquisition
of which has often brought only responsibility, worry, sorrow, and unrest.
The growing consciousness of divine ideas brings joy, satisfaction, and
peace. True prosperity comes to the individual through an understanding
that within and around him is the one creative Mind substance, Spirit, the
presence of God, containing ideas which are like seeds waiting to be
planted in the soil of the human consciousness. These seed-ideas
produce the forms that fulfill all man's needs. If man is to become
prosperous he must first become rich in his consciousness through right
thought activity. This is done by releasing divine ideas into the
consciousness just as seeds are released or planted in the soil.
Man is the "image of God" and his mission on earth is to express and
manifest God. To do this he must identify himself with God, with the Mind
essence or substance that is God, and release the wealth of ideas that
make up the God-nature. Manifest man is prosperous when he has peace
of mind, an understanding heart, and joy and satisfaction in handling his
affairs. He achieves these attitudes through knowing the one Creative
Mind as his unfailing supply and support.
What is substance?
2. Substance is the unformed Mind essence out of which every form is
produced. It is also termed Omnipresence because it is the presence of
God interpenetrating all creation. It is the Mind essence in which "we live,
and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). This substance is of such
rarefied nature that it is not tangible to the physical eye of manifest man.
However, through the power of thought this Mind essence can be
cognized. It can then be formed by man's conscious and subconscious
(thinking and feeling) phases of mind, and the resultant manifestations
are recognized by the senses. It is through his acceptance in thinking and
feeling that man becomes conscious of substance as the living presence
of God. This Presence sustains, provides, protects, and is the ever
available source of visible supply for all creation, not just for man.
Substance is the "raw material" out of which all things are made. It is
the spiritual aggregation of all the ideas (also termed qualities or
attributes) of God. Divine Substance is the universal supply of good for all
creation. Thus, it is the source of all that is manifest or yet unmanifest.
(Added references: Lessons in Truth Lesson 2 Annotation 7 and How

I Used Truth Lesson 10 Annotation 5.)
What is matter? What is the distinction between substance and

matter?
3. Matter is formed substance. It is the form or appearance of Mind
essence. In man's individual life, matter, the form or shape that substance
takes in the physical realm, is dependent upon his degree of
understanding and use of substance. Webster's dictionary defines matter
as, "That of which any physical object is composed."
The distinction between substance and matter is that substance, the

invisible Mind essence, never changes. It is without form and shape.
Matter is form; it is the shape that substance takes as it appears in the
manifest realm. In man's life, the form or shape is the result of his beliefs
and his power to name his conceptions. Manifest man as the offspring of
God is endued with the power of the thought-word; he names and gives
character to all the ideas of Divine Mind, and these in turn take form or
shape in the visible world.
Matter is what we see and handle with our five senses, the result of
our concept of substance. Matter is substance condensed so that it is
visible in a three-dimensional world. Matter is called "unreal" because the
form, as such, may be changed, while substance is changeless, thus the
"real."
The distinction lies in the fact that substance is the lasting, enduring
essence, while matter is the temporary form that substance has taken to
fulfill some purpose in creation.
What relation does divine substance bear to man's supply?

4. Divine substance is the basis of man's supply, whether he is aware
of it or not. Substance is the source, the great reservoir of unexpressed
good in the form of divine ideas. These ideas are the spiritual patterns
that when rightly used will mold the substance to produce man's supply
as food, shelter, employment, success, harmony, health, any good he
desires. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 2 Annotation 7.)
Man is a channel through which the blessings (ideas) of God may

flow; but he does not become a truly effective channel until he has
received the revelation of himself as a son of God, heir to the ideas that
make up divine substance. Man's health, happiness, abundance -- his
supply of all good -- are related so directly to divine substance that any
attempt to gain them in any other way results in failure. All the
unhappiness that mankind suffers comes from man's belief in supply as
being separate from him, and obtainable only outside of himself. When
man realizes that divine substance is the only basis for his supply, he then
begins to claim that which is his by divine right. He learns to use his
faculty of imagination to form a "mental equivalent" of the good he
desires. His supply, whether it be some good for mind, body, or affairs, is
then attracted to him through the action of his own mind moving upon
substance. Man makes the choice as to the manner in which he will
combine divine ideas and divine substance. If he allows himself to be
guided by God, then he will build the right "mental equivalents" to bring
forth his supply of good.

Explain the meaning of the Scripture, "Seek ye first his kingdom, and
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt.
6:33).
5. A kingdom implies a sovereign ruling power, in this case the will,
law, of God in authority, having dominion over manifest man's whole
being. "His kingdom" is God indwelling, or the realm of divine ideas in
man which is within and around manifest man. By these words of
Scripture Jesus was directing man's vision God-ward, to divine ideas. He
knew that manifest man often looks to the world of appearances as the
source of his good. He knew also that supply could not be secured in that
way. The kingdom of God or "his kingdom" means the perfect ideas of the
entire God-nature. By seeking first these ideas and using them
righteously, manifest man becomes poised and balanced, so that he
attains the dominion that his soul craves. Then "all these things shall be
added" to fulfill his life. Such "seeking" includes an understanding of the
law of form and environment. He who comes consciously into "his
kingdom" understands the nature of substance and how the Word of God
moves in and upon universal substance to produce the visible forms of
good or "these things . . . added."
Jesus, as a manifest man, knew how to contact the true source within
Himself. He showed man the way to realize ("seek ye first") and bring
forth his divine birthright. Through prayer man enters "his kingdom," God
within him, and lays hold of its seed-ideas, learns their nature, and makes
them a conscious part of his own human consciousness or mind. Man's
aim should be to use divine ideas for the highest good. The Father then
supplies his every need ("and all these things shall be added unto you").
"In the inmost center of every man the indwelling Christ resides .... In
this inner realm you will find the spiritual ethers (light) heavily charged
with ideas that turn to spiritual substance. As your consciousness
(awareness) expands, you touch the everlasting truths and you find that
every blessing is abundantly added" (Keep a True Lent 11).
What is the truth back of the command, "Lay not up . . . treasures"

(Matt. 6:19)?
6. The command, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the
earth" (Matt. 6:19), has back of it the truth that man is not to look upon
effects, forms, and treat them as though they are causes. It is a warning
to those who put their trust first in "things" rather than in divine ideas
which inhere in God substance that produce the "things." Things that are
manifested as results are destructible, changeable, hence temporary; but
divine ideas are permanent heavenly riches in man's divine nature. Divine
ideas are above the laws of physical disintegration. The man who lives
only in the confines of personal consciousness can accumulate vast
possessions; but "things" so accumulated are uncertain in their tenure. Of
themselves they do not convey the peace and happiness, the sucurity
and freedom that man really seeks. However, when "his kingdom" is
sought first, the ideas of that kingdom satisfy man's soul and produce the
things as a natural course of events. Then man is able to appreciate the
"things" as the outer forms of God ideas.
The truth back of the command, "Lay not up . . . treasures," is that

divine substance (with the inhering ideas) is forever omnipresent, so outer
forms need not be hoarded. Man in touch with God's constant, adequate
bounty (divine substance) needs seek no other source of supply for the
ideas inhering in substance can produce all the outer supply that man
needs. The heavenly treasure (ideas) is a hidden treasure. The
"hiddenness" may be explored and the treasure possessed in mind,
together with its outer, visible form, by anyone who, forsaking the old way,
is ready to give the new way a trial.
How may we become conscious of substance?

7. Primarily, we are conscious of anything when we feel it within our
own being. Our soul is composed of the substance of God; therefore, all
the God elements (ideas) are inherent within us in a latent or potential
state, awaiting the soul's claim upon them.
Mentally, we may become conscious of substance through meditation,

affirmation, contemplation, concentration, which result in the illumination
that comes through the Silence bringing the light of understanding, or
knowing, in our own human consciousness.
Spiritually we may become conscious of substance by entering our
"inner chamber" and seeking an understanding of the law that governs
the use of substance for the good of all creation. In "the secret place of
the Most High" (Psalms 91:1) within us, we identify ourselves with the
nature or substance of God by dwelling in thought and feeling on the
reality of substance which contains the underlying elements (ideas) of
Being. We must come to the understanding of ourselves as fundamentally
and elementally all that the nature of God is, because we were created in
the "image" and after "the likeness" of God. We need to behold the one
creative Spirit as the only Source and know our oneness with it.
Recognizing the source, God indwelling, ("his kingdom"), we affirm the

presence of divine substance in and around us. We claim its power to
clothe our thoughts with that which is substantial and lasting. With every
silent thought and every spoken word we are "telling" the omnipresent
substance what to do, and it carries out whatever commands we project
into it. Understanding of the law governing substance leads to faith in it.
Faith becomes assurance and conviction; acknowledgment develops into
praise of God as the one source of substance and ourselves as heir to it.
Give three affirmations of your own for the realization of divine

substance.
8. Here are some examples:
"I LOOK TO GOD AS MY SOURCE OF SUPPLY, AND HIS

SUBSTANCE MANIFESTS ABUNDANTLY FOR ME WHEREVER I AM."
"RICH IDEAS FILL MY CONSCIOUSNESS AND OVERFLOW INTO

MY AFFAIRS AS ABUNDANT PROSPERITY."
"I AM ONE WITH GOD. HIS SUBSTANCE MANIFESTS IN AN

EVER-INCREASING STREAM OF SUPPLY IN MY LIFE AND AFFAIRS."
(These affirmations can be made more personal by making them

direct prayers addressed to God; e.g., "Father, I look to Thee as my
source of supply, and Thy substance manifests abundantly for me
wherever I am.")
What is the law of giving and receiving?

9. The law of giving and receiving is the law of balance.
"There is a law of giving and receiving ... it is a law of mind action, and
it can be learned and applied the same as any other law . . . The law of
giving and receiving that Jesus taught, 'Give, and it shall be given unto
you,' is found to be applicable to all our commercial as well as our social
relationships" (Charles Fillmore Prosperity 145,146)
In his true being man is both producer and consumer. Unless he

maintains a balance between the two he produces discord and
in-harmony. It is a spiritual law as well as sound economics that balance
is necessary in every phase of experience. Where man seeks to retain
more than he can use, he causes not only disease (lack of ease) in his
own being, but he also upsets the balance for the rest of creation. All
humanity are members of one body and therefore interdependent. Jesus'
statement of the law of giving and receiving, as mentioned in the
quotation, "Give, and it shall be given unto you," is very clear and admits
of no doubt as to the receiving when the prerequisite of giving has been
completed.
The law of giving and receiving is the universal law of supply and
demand. It is the law of reciprocity between God and His creation,
including man. God is the source of all of man's good (divine ideas), and
man's own consciousness must be the outlet that allows these ideas to
produce his outer supply in the forms of health of body, food to sustain his
body, shelter to house himself and his family, education, and all the many
things that make for the "abundant life."
As man learns to keep the outlet in his own life open through giving to
his fellow man, to creation in general, he has cleared the inlet that allows
more of God's blessings to flow into and through him. When man realizes
that he is a chosen channel for distributing God's good, he does all that
he can through prayer, through right thinking, feeling, speaking, and
acting to make of himself a worthy channel. He becomes a conscious
co-worker with God to bring His kingdom on the earth.
While it is true that man must first receive of God, giving becomes his
first act as a co-worker with God, as a son in partnership with his Father.
Because giving is only one part of the law, the receiving or acceptance of
more of God's blessings must follow. This is made possible through those
moments of prayer when man enters the Silence and receives the
inspiration of God through the revelation of divine ideas. These in turn are
given forth in daily living and produce the harmonious conditions that
make a "heaven" here on earth. If one attempts to receive from God, yet
does not give in daily living the ideas he has received, he causes a
damming of the channel. By the same token, if an individual gives, yet
does not allow himself the moments of prayer whereby he may receive
from God, there can be no inflow of the rich ideas to fulfill his needs. Soon
the time will come when he finds he has nothing to give to himself or to
other people either in ideas or substance. No one can give what he has
not yet received in consciousness. He must receive divine ideas such as
life, power, success, love, and so forth from God. Then he can form the
"mental equivalents" in consciousness that can bring forth the manifest
forms, or "these things . . . added."
What has the keeping of this law to do with the demonstration of

supply?
10. The keeping of the law of giving and receiving makes possible the
demonstration of supply.
If we fail to keep the law of giving and receiving, the consciousness

becomes stagnant and tainted. The outlet is blocked by thoughts of fear,
negligence, ignorance, selfishness, or some other error belief. These sins
act as a dam in the stream of consciousness and stop the outflow of the
good we are seeking. On the other hand, if the soul is closed through lack
of faith in God, nothing can flow in to enrich it, and there will be nothing
for the soul to give. The more we are able to give, the more we increase
the consciousness of our supply. Life is consciousness toward knowing
God, and knowing our fellowman.
Jesus communed often with the Father; but He also understood that
His inspirations must be made practical in daily living on the earth. First,
through prayer He talked with the Father; next, He mixed with the
multitude, blessing them with the knowledge that He had received.
A man cannot open his mind to the inflow of the elements of divinity
and at the same time not feel his nature respond in love toward his
fellowmen. Neither can he be consciously one with the laws of Being and
at the same time not feel at one with his fellow-men. Only as man
understands the twofold nature of the law of giving and receiving, and
keeps the law, will he experience true and lasting prosperity in all ways.
Is there any reality in the belief in "luck"? What is it that is called luck?
11. Luck implies something that comes to one by chance. As all things
in the universe occur in a lawful and orderly sequence, there seems little
opportunity for luck or accident. Every effect must partake of the nature of
its cause. Without law and order the universe would be chaos.
The explanation for what is termed "luck" is plain to the one who
understands the laws of mind and knows how they work. Just as there are
specific laws in the domain of electricity, mathematics, chemistry, and the
other sciences, so there are specific laws of mind. In the human
consciousness, men operate under the mental law of what is termed
cause and effect; that is, whatever the character of the cause that is put
into operation, the effect will be like the cause which produced it.
When a human being has what he calls "good luck," his mind has
been conforming to the laws of good, whether he is conscious of it or not.
God, Absolute Good, can produce only that which is like His own nature.
If a person has what he terms "bad luck," he has allowed his thoughts to
dwell upon failure, sickness, unhappiness, or any negative belief or
condition. In accord with the specific laws of mind, the mental causes that
he puts into operation produce according to their kind. Like produces like.
When man can hold the vision of abundant good as his rightful
inheritance, that is what will be his portion. The good he reaps will not be
according to "luck" but according to law.

How may we overcome worry about supply?
12. We overcome worry about supply by knowing first that God as
substance is the source of our supply. We need to become acquainted
with the divine ideas that inhere in this substance and learn to use them
correctly in our thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting.
Overcome means to conquer, or to subdue. The overcoming referred

to here must be done in our own consciousness, for it is the conquering or
subduing of our own wrong thinking and feeling. Whatever we hold in our
consciousness operates as a mental cause producing conditions of a like
nature. If the beliefs we are holding in our mind are negative, then by the
law of mind action, the conditions they produce will be negative.
Worry is giving the mind over to anxiety and fear. It is interesting to

note that the root meaning of the word worry is "to strangle." Certainly, if
there is worry over one's supply it has the effect of strangling the mind,
keeping it obsessed by fear of lack, and there is no opportunity for God's
good to flow in. It is true that God has already "given" a divine inheritance
to man, but man has not really "received" it so long as he has not
accepted it in consciousness. If there is worry over supply, then man has
not accepted the Truth that God is the source of his supply. He may even
have reached the point of recognizing God as the storehouse of all good,
yet may not have recognized himself as entitled to that good.
The habit of prayer must become established in the individual if he

would overcome worry about supply. Outer possessions cannot give a
person the security that comes through knowing God as the one presence
and power of good. Prayer becomes the line of communication between
God and man, and without it man only stumbles in a maze of
misconception. One writer said very aptly, "Worry is the 'don't-trust-God'
disease."
(An added reference for this question is found in How I Used Truth
Lesson 3 Annotation 10.)
Was Jesus poor?

13. No! He was wealthy with riches that the average individual is not
fully aware of. Jesus did not need to possess "things" in order to enjoy or
appreciate them. He found enjoyment in many simple ways overlooked by
others. He saw in life healing and abundance where others saw a lack.
Those who can see as Jesus did "inherit the earth" in a fuller sense than
does the owners of land. Jesus wore a seamless robe so valued that after
His crucifixion the soldiers cast lots for it. He was intimately acquainted
with the omnipresent, omniscient substance of God-Mind, and so
understood the omnipotent Word of God that He was able to speak the
word of Truth and call forth what was needed to heal the sick, feed the
multitude, pay the taxes. He told His disciples to do likewise, since the
loving Father had given them this power also. "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father" (John
14:12).
Poverty could have no place in Jesus' consciousness, for it is a state

of mind that believes in separation from good. Jesus believed in oneness
with God, the source of all good. It is true that Jesus lived the simple life.
Charles Fillmore states in Prosperity:
"There is a great difference between the simple life and poverty. The
two have been associated in the minds of some people, and this is the
reason they shun the idea of the simple life. . . . All those who base their
prosperity on possessions alone have a purely material prosperity which,
though it may seem great for a time, will vanish because it is founded
upon the changing of the external and has no root within the
consciousness. The simple life is a state of consciousness. It is peace,
contentment, and satisfaction in the joy of living and loving, and it is
attained through thinking about God and worshiping Him in spirit and in
truth" (Charles Fillmore Prosperity 106 - 108).
This was the secret of Jesus' wealth. He worshiped God in Spirit and
in truth; He knew peace, contentment, satisfaction, joy, love because His
mind was centered in God.

Why does the apparent source of income sometimes stand in the way
of one's receiving a bountiful supply?
14. Unless one has understanding that God alone is the source of
supply, the income one is receiving regularly may be viewed as a source,
rather than a channel. Thus his attitude toward the income becomes an
obstacle to receiving a bountiful supply. A regular income -- one's salary,
dividends from investments or property -- can cause the recipient to
become so used to it that he thinks that only as this arrives on its
designated date will he be able to obtain the outer things that make up his
life. When such an income is viewed as a channel only, and accepted as
such, it continues to be one of the many channels God can use to bring
His good into manifestation. We give our thanks to God as the source of
all our good, but we must never fail to give our thanks also for the
channels He uses to bring it forth.
Our faith should be centered in God substance which embodies the

Ideas which are the spiritual patterns for everything that appears. To give
our allegiance to the forms rather than to God who created the forms is to
attempt to work the prosperity law backwards. The divine ideas need to
be "planted" in our human consciousness to produce the "mental
equivalents." This in turn will mold the substance into the desired visible
good. Our thinking, feeling, and speaking become the tools that mold
substance according to the divine patterns (ideas). By affirmation we lay
hold of the ideas of abundance and they open many channels, not just the
income with which we may be very familiar.
"The law of supply is a divine law. . . . when you continue to think

about God as your real supply, everything in your mind begins to awaken
and to contact the divine substance, and as you mold it in your
consciousness, ideas begin to come which will connect you with the
visible manifestation. You first get the ideas in consciousness direct from
their divine source, and then you begin to demonstrate in the outer"
(Charles Fillmore Prosperity 67 - 68).
What has faithfulness to do with demonstrating prosperity?

15. Faithfulness has a great deal to do with demonstrating prosperity,
for by its very nature faith "perceives" the good that man desires to
demonstrate (show forth in his outer life), and it keeps him on the goal
toward its attainment. Faithfulness to the ideal of prosperity prevents one
from becoming "double-minded," as James points out: "But let him ask in
faith, nothing doubting . . . let not that man think that he shall receive
anything of the Lord; a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways"
(James 1:6, 7). Only that which is faithfully done is well done and is
Godlike. Whatever the work we have to do, we must make it an
expression of the highest of ourselves. Our work must stand for the
highest ideal we have of it, and we must make it a manifestation of our
love for the perfect. "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been
faithful over a few things, I will set thee over manv things" (Matt. 25:21).
Man is the instrument through which godly ideals are expressed, and
work is the process used to manifest them. Man should perform all
services with love, faithfulness, and gratitude that he is able to do the
work. Even if a person does not enjoy his work, he should be faithful in
doing what he has to do. As he sees in his work an opportunity to use his
divine resources, one of two things can occur: either he will come to enjoy
what he is doing, or, if there is a better channel where he can serve, he
will be moved into it harmoniously as long as he does his very best where
he presently finds himself.
The fact that a person devotes himself faithfully to just and right
purposes releases him from struggle and dissatisfaction, and he enters
into amazing activity. He who works in accordance with divine principles is
always joyously busy. He knows that he is really accomplishing
something, for he realizes that he is about his Father's business.
What is the true object of all work?

16. Life is a school for our development physically, mentally, morally,
and spiritually; and work is an avenue that allows for such
accomplishment.
(a) Physically, work is the process that enables manifest man to use
his abilities in service, or in the making of products for his own use. The
excess is given to his neighbor in exchange for his neighbor's service or
product. The aim is first expression and second, service.
(b) Mentally, the true object of all work is for the upliftment of mankind.
It is to release divine ideas through right use of the thought process.
Music, art, literature, drama, and the sciences are products of man's
imagination as it channels the ideals of Spirit into expression.
(c) Morally, the object of all work is the development of soul powers. It
is said that man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Thus
the development of soul powers and their ever-increasing expression
should accompany all true work. When we work to express God, instead
of working for a mere living, we bless and magnify the good of our labor
and find peace, contentment, and happiness along our way of usefulness.
(d) Spiritually, the true object of all work is to allow God to know
Himself in His creation. God imaged Himself in all His perfection as
spiritual man. This perfection is revealed to man through the Christ or I
AM indwelling. The "living soul" evolves as a "life-giving spirit" (I Cor.
15:45), showing forth in the flesh the entire nature of God—abundant life,
love, substance, joy, wisdom, peace, all good.
What is the relation of praise to the manifestation of supply?

17. Praise makes possible the manifestation of our supply in a
number of ways. Praise is first of all the acknowledgment of good, or God,
without which no good thing abides with us long. Praise, being
acknowledgment of good, causes the consciousness to expand to
encompass more good. The mind (thinking) and heart (feeling) are
opened to higher aspirations through faith and our whole being is
prepared to receive the good that is being moved into our life by praise.
Not only does praise make us receptive, but it enables us to enjoy more
of the goodness of God.
What we commend we focus our attention on, and our attending to it

with love and gratitude increases its value to us. Holding the attitude of
continual praise for God's goodness and love in and around us makes us
more conscious of His presence and power. Praise increases in us a
sense of the Fatherhood of God, and being a form of prayer, it enables us
to talk to God in a personal way. Having recognized the Fatherhood of
God, praise causes us to become aware of the brotherhood of man and
we have a loving desire to share good with others. (For further reference
see How I Used Truth Lesson 8 Annotation 1 and following annotations.)
When you give to another or do something for him, why should you
trust divine law for recompense rather than demand compensation from
him?
18. When we give to another we should trust divine law for our
recompense because God is the source of every man's supply
(recompense), while other individuals are channels and must not be
thought of as the source of our supply.
Divine law is the action of universal principles established by Creative

Mind, Spirit, for the government of creation as a whole. This law is
unchangeable. "Give, and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38). This law
is dependable, it is accurate. It never fails. The channels through which it
will work are not and need not be specified by man. We do not need to be
worried or concerned about the channels through which our good will
come. Let God choose the channels. If we work with the law it works for
us. It brings to us the good that is warranted. "Fear not, little flock; for it is
your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
When God Almighty, Spirit, "involved" His life, substance, and

intelligence, as spiritual man, He opened the way for the evolution of all
the elements contained in the entire God-nature.
In humankind, involution is God breathing His nature, as it were, into

action as man. Evolution is man breathing out, or giving back to God, as it
were, what was entrusted or involved in him as an inheritance to be used
for the benefit of all creation.
Thus, when one gives to another or does something for that one, his
recompense lies in what he received (involution) or "breathes in" from the
one Creative Mind. What he has expressed of good to another is part of
his "breathing out," or the spiritual evolution that takes place in him to
sustain life and the continual flow of abundance in his own experience.
Divine action is universal in its scope. If, by our limiting thoughts,
words, or acts, we attempt to deal with divine law in terms of personality
only, by expecting recompense from the one to whom we have given in
service or goods, we place an obstacle in the way of the free-flow of the
divine law of supply in our own life. Our business is concerned with the
action of fundamental principles, not merely with persons. Our
recompense or supply must come through the correct application of those
principles. We must allow them to take the right course unhampered.
We make no bargains with persons; we make only the covenant of

love and service. We recognize and trust Spirit, the governing power of
the universe, to bring our own to us.
How would you build a consciousness of prosperity?

19. One builds a consciousness of prosperity in the same orderly
manner in which anything is built, starting with an idea as the foundation.
First, there must be a desire to build such a consciousness. There must
be recognition of God as the one source of supply, and the individual's
right, as son and heir of God, to that supply. Starting with this premise, the
individual then turns his consciousness (mind and heart) Godward in
prayer in order to lay hold of the idea of abundance that will act as his
pattern or "blue-print" for building a prosperity consciousness. Through
meditation upon the idea of supply, one learns what he needs to deny
from consciousness, and what he needs to affirm. Then he contemplates
the idea, and allows it to work in his imagination to form a mental image
or picture. When he enters into that deeper phase of prayer which we
term the Silence he has opened his consciousness so that the "letter"
may be filled with the "spirit (that) giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6).
Charles Fillmore covers the process that goes on in the mind of man
in the following words:
"It is well said that the mind is the crucible in which the ideal is
transmuted into the real. This process of transformation is the spiritual
chemistry we must learn before we are ready to work intelligently in the
great laboratory of the Father's substance. There is no lack of material
there to form what we will and we can draw upon it as a resource
according to our purpose. Wealth of consciousness will express itself in
wealth of manifestation" (Charles Fillmore Prosperity 56).
When man realizes that all things are of and from God, and that man
is a steward of them, he is no longer selfish and grasping. He learns the
truth of the Biblical statement "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness
thereof" (Psalms 24:1, A.V.).
Man has an innate desire to know God as the source of his good. On
coins of the United States of America this basic prosperity law is stamped:
"In God we trust." Consciously or unconsciously man is seeking to build
or establish this truth in his mind and heart. So, strictly speaking, what we
term the building of a "prosperity consciousness" in spiritual study is not
merely a mental acceptance of our right to manifest good. It is the
consciousness of God as the source of all that man and the rest of
creation need in order to fulfill each individual purpose of existence. In
The Story of Unity, page 118, this is stated very simply in this way: "The
Fillmores ... thought that if they could maintain themselves in a prosperity
consciousness, an awareness of God as the source of their supply,
prosperity could not fail to be theirs" (The Household of Faith 118).
Series 1 - Lesson 4 - Body of Christ

Lesson
What is the "church of Christ"? What do we mean by "universal
church" and "particular or individual church"?
The New Testament teaching about the body of Christ has seemed
mystical, but the Scriptures promise that the Spirit of Truth will guide men
into all Truth, therefore nothing is beyond the comprehension of the mind
of one whose understanding is quickened by Spirit.
In the 12th chapter of I Corinthians Paul describes the church of

Christ or the Lord's body and explains its working in this way:
"As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of
the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit
were we all baptized into one body ... For the body is not one member,
but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the
body; it is not therefore not of the body. ... if the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing? ... But now hath God set the members each one
of them in the body, even as it pleased him. And if they were all one
member, where were the body? But now there are many members, but
one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or
again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much rather, those
members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary ... but
God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part
which lacked; that there should be no schism in the body ... Now ye are
the body of Christ, and severally members thereof" (I Cor 12:12).
Christ is "the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit
together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of
God" (Col. 2:19).
A physical body is defined as the total organized substance of man,

animal, or plant. Another definition given for body is, "a number of
individuals spoken of collectively, usually united by some common tie, or
organized for some purpose, as a legislative body, a clerical body, a
corporate body, or the like." We also speak of a heavy-texture cloth,
closely woven, as having "body," our thought being that it shows that it is
organized substance and has a certain durability or staying power; it lasts
or wears well, due both to the material of which it is composed and to its
being closely woven. With these definitions in mind, we are able to see
something of the truth which underlies the meaning of the word body.
Paul says, "If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body" (I
Cor. 15:44). The natural body, the physical organism, is organized
substance in the realm of manifestation. The spiritual body is organized
substance in the invisible aspect of Being, the realm of Mind and Ideas.
This distinction is made of two aspects of the one omnipresent divine
substance taking a concrete form tangible to man's human senses.
"We must learn the law of expression from the abstract to the
concrete -- from the formless to the formed" (Charles Fillmore Christian
Healing 38).
The physical body of man outpictures the body-idea in Divine Mind

according to man's thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting. The body-idea
is the spiritual body. The manifest form, the natural body spoken of by
Paul, is the expression and manifestation of the body-idea. The natural
body and the spiritual body are interrelated, interactive, and mutually
dependent, being in reality one.
All the members of the physical body -— head, heart, eye, ear, foot,
hand, and the like -- are necessary to the harmonious functioning of the
complete organism, yet are more or less separate in action. The same
thing is true of the spiritual body, both individually and universally.
All the ideas in Divine Mind -- life, love, faith, strength, will, order, zeal,
renunciation or elimination, substance, and so on -- inhere in the "church
of Christ," the Lord's body, as an aggregation of spiritual ideals. These are
involved in the spiritual body and must be evolved by man that he may
consciously know his body to be the "temple of the living God" (II Cor.
6:16), that he may consciously be the expression and manifestation of I
AM, the image-likeness of God.
God is Divine Mind. The activity of Divine Mind, as Absolute Good,

created the Christ. In the last analysis all the universe is consciousness.
The supreme consciousness which knows only oneness and perfection is
divine consciousness -- a body of active spiritual ideas. This
consciousness of oneness and absolute good, when held by man, is
called "Christ consciousness." The total of this Christ consciousness in
humanity has been called the Church of Christ, the church universal, the
Body of Christ, the Lord's Body. It is not at all an organization in the outer
realm, but is an organization of life, of love, of power, of wisdom, i.e., of
divine ideas. In man it is called "Christ." The particular church, or the
individual church, is the Christ consciousness in the individual. The one
purpose or aim that unifies this church or body both individually and
universally is that of making God manifest, bringing forth into actuality the
oneness and the perfection which have been an ideal. Knowing the
elements or ideas of which this body is composed, and the life and the
light that are weaving it closely together, we can have no doubt of its
durability, its staying power.
Paul, in writing to the Colossians, speaks of the body as "the church,"

thus regarding the "body of Christ" and "the church" as the same. To
avoid confusion it is necessary to take the word church in its true
meaning, freeing the mind from concepts that have gathered about the
term through the centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding that have
blinded men and prevented them from discerning the Lord's body.
What is a "sect"? What causes the forming of "sects"?

A sect is a group of people, usually with a leader, who have separated
themselves from some religious denomination because of differences of
opinion, either in beliefs or in forms and ceremonies. Often those forming
the sect feel that the "letter" of the Scriptures is being followed by the
denomination from which they have withdrawn and that they alone have
the true "spirit." On the other hand, the religious denomination from which
the sect has drawn away feels that the defaulting group is in error. Other
sects draw away from the established denominations only because they
are expanding in thought and find themselves bound by the old
theologies. Viewed from a more impersonal vantage point, sects must be
seen as a part of the expanding consciousness of those who cannot find
their religious freedom within the framework of the existing religious
organizations.
What is the basis of real unity, and why?

All unity is in Spirit. This is an important truth, worthy of prayerful
consideration. The benefits of unity are so generally recognized that men
everywhere, in every department of life -- business, social, and religious --
band themselves together for mutual help. Differences appear between
manmade organizations and the unity of Spirit, and these differences are
manifest in results. A measure of success and benefit often seems to
attend the efforts of men of the world to cooperate, even though these
efforts are not based on the unity of Spirit; but there is always something
lacking, and discord is ever likely to spring up until such time as men find
the unity of Spirit within. Seeing this lack we look back to the cause, and
find that it is fear (and sometimes selfishness), expressed through
unenlightened personalities.
The statement made before that all unity is in Spirit comes with
greater force when it is taken in connection with this declaration: "There
can be no true union in personality alone." When we find our true unity in
Spirit, then every avenue of man's life can be unified. We who seek the
real unity, understanding that it is found primarily in Spirit, should stand
ready to give up all limited and negative personal desires and opinions.
These interfere with our entrance into the consciousness of divine unity,
which should operate on every level of man's experience. The one real
unity is the body of Christ, His church, the God consciousness which is
spiritual unity with all good. For the privilege of entering into it we should
put aside every thought, feeling, word, and act below the Christ standard.
In contrast to the limited personal expression of life there is the

universal, the Christ expression. When Jesus talked about forsaking all
for Him, He meant simply that everything that was unlike the Christ, that
was not Godlike in thought, word, or deed, should be given up for the
universal Spirit of All-Good, the Christ. This is not a sacrifice but a
privilege that is valued the more as it is accepted.
Why are the members of the "church of Christ" referred to in some

translations of the Bible as a "peculiar people"?
Of the Greek words for church, ekklesia gives the clearest
understanding. It means "called-out ones," and this is what the "body of
Christ," His church, consists of. The people of His church are called out of
darkness into light; out of bondage into liberty; out of death into life. These
"called-out ones" are referred to as a "peculiar people" in some
translations of the Bible. Peter describes them as "a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (I Pet. 2:9).
What is the purpose of the "church of Christ"?

Today those who might come under the heading of "peculiar people"
do not necessarily attempt to attract attention to themselves. Rather their
"peculiarity" comes from the new ideals and standards that they accept
when they are God-possessed; when they come "out of darkness into his
marvellous light" (I Pet. 2:9). They no longer pray in the old way. Their
prayers are directed to the indwelling Presence of God within themselves.
They learn to look first to the Great Physician, the living Christ within
themselves, when they have need of healing, for themselves or others, so
they turn to doctors and medicine only as guided by this indwelling Christ
Spirit. They do not limit themselves to the methods of the world in
obtaining supply; they seek God directly, knowing that He will open up
outer channels of expression for the desired good. They are not in
bondage to customs of the world but seek to live, eat, dress, with
simplicity. They are "God's own possession" because they order their
conversation aright, speaking of goodness and Truth, health and life,
rather than of evil, sickness, and death.
Explain the meaning of the word restoration as used in this lesson.

This "church of Christ" has a work to do. That work is the "restoration
of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that
have been from of old" (Acts 3:21). It is true that "the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain" (Rom. 8:22), waiting for "the revealing of
the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19). The sons of God make up His church, and
upon their development and revelation as members of the "body" depend
the restoration and the deliverance of the whole earth from pain and
suffering and sorrow.
What are the two phases of growth which the members of the "church
of Christ" experience?
It is of the utmost importance, then, that every son be about his
Father's business, diligently seeking Truth and obeying it, that he may be
saved and may be able to do his work as a member of the "body." He
finds his growth proceeds along two lines:
First, his individual development;

Second, his relation to other members of the "body."
What place has thought in the restoration to divine perfection?
The work of restoration begins in him; he aspires to realize
consciously his unity with the Father and to establish his sonship; and his
own progress toward the divine occupies his mind. Gradually his thoughts
begin to shape themselves aright and as he acquires the true perspective,
he becomes conscious of others who are working along the same way,
having the same aspirations. He perceives his oneness with others who
have consecrated themselves unto the Lord, and his sense of
brotherhood becomes deepened.
The fact of restoration indicates that there is a reparation to be made.

Man was made in the image and after the likeness of God, but he lost
sight of this image and likeness and substituted the "likeness of sinful
flesh" (Rom. 8:3). Thus, man grew into the image that he held in his mind.
It is a law that we grow to be like that which we see in mind and dwell on
in our thoughts. In this regard restoration means, primarily, that man is to
be restored to the divine image, after the divine likeness -- to the mastery
and dominion that were given to him in the beginning.
Explain fully the meaning of the word blessing.

The whole earth, the whole creation, suffers because of man's loss of
consciousness of his dominion. When man comes back consciously into
the knowledge of what he is and what his power is as the offspring of
God, he will exercise his power and dominion in wisdom and love and the
whole earth will be blessed. It will have its part in the restoration even as it
now shares in the sorrow and the blight of man's fall from the
consciousness of his high estate. The Psalmist says, "What is man, that
thou art mindful of him?" (Psalms 8:4). Then he goes on to recite the
wonderful powers and possibilities of man, and we know that he was
talking of man as the offspring of God, made in His image and after His
likeness.
What was Jesus' mission on earth?

Jesus revealed to men the Christ within them which would lift and
restore them. He made men to see that they are the sons of God, thus
taking away the burden and bondage of sin. He revealed to men God as
Father, and showed them how to demonstrate their sonship. The work of
spreading the truth about man falls on all as fast as they come into the
light. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12); "Ye are the light
of the world ... let your light shine" (Matt. 5:14, 16).
What is meant by forsaking all for Christ's sake?

When the Truth comes into consciousness it upsets the old errors that
have become fixed in mind; for some, the immediate change is so great
that it causes a mental revolution. With others the work goes on more
slowly, and they may scarcely realize the changes that are being made in
them. But there is no reason for being elated and no reason for being
discouraged. Restitution in each individual must be complete, and no one
can compare himself with another at any stage of the process. We have
all lost consciousness of the divine image and we must all be restored to
its likeness. We cannot hasten the restoration work except "by patience in
well-doing" (Rom. 2:7), holding fast to the saving grace and power of
Jesus Christ to help us on the way.
In the church of Christ or Lord's body, each individual has a particular
work to do, and a particular talent, described by Paul as a gift. "To each
one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal" (I Cor. 2:7).
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit" (I Cor. 2:4). These
gifts Spirit divides "to each one severally even as he will" (I Cor. 2:11).
One's gift and place as a member of the body cannot be bestowed or
filled by any other man. Each one receives directly from God the place he
is to fill and the work he is to do.
Of all the gifts, that of healing seems to be more fully desired,

developed, and manifested than any of the others. There is a greater
realization of its need and greater understanding of how to use it.
Explain how baptism and the Lord's Supper are the means by which
man becomes a conscious member of the "church of Christ."
As no one organization of men is the "church of Christ" -- because its
members are everywhere -- a question arises about the so-called
"sacraments" that the different organizations observe. Are baptism and
the Lord's Supper part of the true church? Yes, but only when practiced in
the spirit and not in the letter alone. All symbols are useful, to the extent
that they serve to point man to the realities for which they stand.
Explain why and when the use of symbols becomes unnecessary.

When understanding and realization of Truth are attained, the symbol
is seen in its true light. The child in the kindergarten leaves his blocks and
goes on to an understanding of principles. If he persisted in keeping up
his kindergarten play after he had learned the lesson of it, he would stop
his development. So men arrest their growth when they continue to rely
on symbols that were given to help them to understanding in their spiritual
childhood. They should get hold of the reality and see beyond the symbol.
Water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing, purifying work of Spirit in

the consciousness of men. A cleansing of the mind from all erroneous
thoughts, emotions, and beliefs precedes the descent of Truth into the
consciousness, and this we term "denial." There is but one true baptism:
the total immersion of the individual in the Christ Spirit. It is through the
Holy Spirit baptism that one becomes a conscious member of the true
"church of Christ."
The Lord's Supper consists of two symbols -- bread and wine. Bread
represents the substance of Spirit; wine represents the life of Spirit. We
are saved by the blood of Christ -- that is, by His life. Jesus came to bring
to the race the knowledge of abundant, omnipresent life. "I came that they
may have life, and may have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Paul, writing to
the Corinthians about the Lord's Supper, told them that because they did
not discern the Lord's body, many among them were weak and sickly,
holding fast to the symbol without discerning the reality, and many were
asleep, or dead.
The mind "eats," or appropriates the Lord's body or the Christ

substance and life, by affirming the omnipresence of substance and life,
and claiming union with it. This is the true sacrament, and the body is
vitalized and renewed when the whole sacrament is partaken of. There
are three phases of our discernment of the Lord's body:
First, the recognition that it is substance and life;

Second, discernment of the Lord's body or the Christ within ourself;
Third, understanding that this body is made up of many members, or
"called-out" ones.
In the first phase, we realize that omnipresence, God consciousness,
works in man and in the universe to bring forth the good, the divine and
perfect. This is Spirit substance in which we live and move and have
being, and which lives and moves and has expression in and through us.
The second phase applies to our own bodies. We usually see and
think of them as they appear: flesh and blood. But this is not their true
estate. "My little children ... I am again in travail until Christ be formed in
you" (Gal. 4:19). This "form" is His body, and it is pure Spirit, substance
and life. When we know this and appropriate substance and life by
declaring the Christ Mind and its body of divine ideas to be ours, the body
that seems material will begin to manifest the truth that it is made of finer
essences than flesh and blood, and in this way it will be transformed and
will become "conformed to the body of his glory" (Phil. 3:21). This is a
change that comes, not by death, but by our daily feeding upon substance
and life in meditation, prayer, and the silence.
The third phase is understanding that all those who have discerned
the Christ Spirit within them and are bringing it forth, and in addition are
helping others into this knowledge of divinity in all, are also the "Christ
body."
"As often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the
Lord's death till he come" (I Cor. 11:26). His "second coming" has been a
matter of much controversy, because the letter was read instead of the
spirit. All the symbols that are given in the description of His "second
coming" have a spiritual application. He comes when He is received into
our consciousness and revealed to us as our own Lord. It is only the
childish state of mind that clings to the outer forms and ignores the
substance that they represent.
What relation is there between food and the redemption of the body?
Charles Fillmore - As To Meat Eating
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). The substance and life of Spirit are
appropriated and assimilated, and become a conscious part of the soul
and body by holding in mind words of Truth. We should exercise great
wisdom and judgment in selecting the food we eat, even as we do in
selecting the thoughts and words that we allow to find place in our mind.
As men become more and more quickened by Spirit and lifted up into the
Christ consciousness, a change goes on in their choice of food.
Every degree of consciousness has its corresponding degree of

vibration in the physical realm. If the flesh body becomes low in vibration,
it requires the work of consciousness in continued contemplation of Truth
to raise the vibrations of the body.
The body automatically raises the vibration of a certain quantity and a

certain quality of food to a consciousness that allows assimilation by the
body. When the quantity or the quality of food is such that the automatic
action of the body is not sufficient to do its work properly, body troubles
follow and the consciousness must work to erase the trouble. The same
energy cannot be used for two purposes at the same time. If energy did
not have to be used to raise the body vibrations, it would be free to raise
the mind or consciousness, and this raising of the consciousness would
automatically raise the vibrations of an already normal body. The
continued repetition of this cycle of rising vibrations would mean a longer
span of life for the body, in which the proper food would play its part.
Many would have much less to overcome if they ate that which is
nourishing and upbuilding. Overeating could be entirely eliminated If man
would partake of food with the idea of building and vitalizing a spiritual
body rather than satisfying the false appetites of a flesh body.
Unity considers a vegetarian diet preferable because it considers the

proposition from the standpoint of love and mercy, believing that the
commandment "Thou shalt not kill" (Exod. 20:13) applies not only to man
but to all God's creatures.
While vegetables, berries, fruits, and nuts have life, substance, and
intelligence, they do not have consciousness in the same degree that
animals have consciousness. Meat eating may eventually cease as man's
consciousness becomes wiser and purer. Even now the race is being
educated to know that a vegetarian diet is wholesome and completely
nourishing when well-balanced, and followed with wisdom and good
judgment.
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit
of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food" (Gen. 1:29).
However, abstaining from eating meat is a matter for individual

guidance, according to the inner convictions. Undoubtedly the race will
eventually come to use an entirely different type of food, as we grow and
develop spiritually. Just to abstain from the outer act of eating meat does
not guarantee spirituality. If the abstinence is the result of an inner desire
and conviction, then it is a part of spiritual unfoldment. Otherwise, it
should not be forced. In regard to vegetarianism, Unity leaves the
individual free to think and act from his own level of growth and
unfoldment. If an individual is guided in prayer to try a vegetarian diet, he
should do so.
The restored earth will have in it no death and no sorrow. This is the
kingdom of God expressed in the earth, and its outward manifestation
depends upon individual realization of the kingdom within. The kingdom is
mercy, righteousness, peace, and justice expressed by man to man and
by all men toward the rest of creation. The crowning demonstration in
restoration is the overcoming of death, attainment of eternal life -- God
manifest in the flesh.
Explain the "Sabbath."

The "church of Christ" works; it also rests. Our Sunday is a symbol of
the true Sabbath, a time when men turn away from business to seek a
day of quiet and rest. The great Sabbath, the rest of God, is for all who
will enter it. As Mind continually rests in action, then man, as the Christ
idea, must be forever expressing righteous activity. The Christ body does
not observe days, times, and seasons, but makes every day holy to the
Lord, and rests by entering into the secret place of the Most High. One
seeking spiritual leading does his work impersonally and to the glory of
the whole, thus lightening the great sense of burden and toil in proportion
to his uplifting thought.
(Bible references used in this course of study are taken from the
American Standard Version.)
S1L4 Annotations
What is the "church of Christ"? What do we mean by "universal

church" and "particular or individual church"?
1. The "church of Christ" is a temple of God within each human being,
an aggregation of spiritual ideas within the individual consciousness, the
point of contact between the human and the divine. It is here that the
Christ holds its never-ending service. Jehovah, appearing to Abram, said
unto him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect." --
Gen. 17:1. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus of Nazareth stated, "Ye
therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." -- Matt.
5:48. This consciousness of perfection when held by humanity is called
Christ consciousness. Each one who realizes the power, value, and
enduring nature of the Christ consciousness is an individual "church of
Christ." When the soul of man grasps the truth of its being and its
possibility of development Godward and lives this truth, it allows the
Christ within to build its church. The Christ is the activity of divine ideals
that works toward perfect expression and manifestation. The "church of
Christ" is established in the human consciousness by thinking Godward,
that is, by thinking on the divine ideas that make up the "church of Christ."
Spiritual substance is used in the structure. The church is not an outer
organization but a living organism within the outer organization (body). It
is a body alive and alight with the glory and beauty of Truth.
The universal "church of Christ" consists of those individuals,

regardless of race, color, occupation, or place on the earth, who have
awakened to the divine nature and purpose of Spirit in mankind. It is
those who are carrying out the plan universally. Such are members of the
body of Christ. They are the universal "church of Christ."
Talks on Truth by Charles Fillmore, page 110:
"When the true church is revealed to his soul, all this illusion of the
manifest man is dissolved. He finds that the church of Jesus Christ has to
do with the world right here and now; that it is not a religion, as he has
been accustomed to regard religion; that it is an organic principle in
nature working along definite lines of growth in the building up of a state
of consciousness for the whole human race. Thus the church of Jesus
Christ is an exact science" (Talks on Truth 110).
What is a "sect"? What causes the forming of "sects"?

2. The word "sect" comes from a root word meaning "to cut."
According to Webster's dictionary a "sect" is "a group having in common a
leader or a distinctive doctrine or way of thinking. A school of philosophy
or of philosophic opinion." From a religious standpoint, the dictionary
states that a "sect" is "the believers in a particular creed, or upholders of a
particular practice; especially, now, a party dissenting from an established
church; a religious denomination; a separate religious organization."
Groups have drawn away from an established church because they,

or a leader, feel that only the "letter" of the scriptures is being followed by
the established church, rather than "the spirit" that "giveth life." On the
other hand, "sects" have been formed because of some belief on the part
of a leader, or a group, that when truly analyzed could be found to be
itself only the "letter" based often on some outer rite or ceremony.
No matter for what reason a "sect" has been formed, it can be seen
as concerned primarily with the expansion and growth of mankind to the
knowledge of the Christ consciousness. Many times in history when
groups have drawn away from an established church, it has caused the
church to look into its own doctrines and practices to see wherein it may
have erred in presenting the Truth, so this soul-searching can be the open
door to the church's own expansion. On the other hand, those who have
drawn away from the church, for reasons other than direct guidance from
the Spirit, will through their own experiences eventually have to attain the
Christ consciousness and come to see oneness rather than differences.
When we come to really know Truth, through our communion with

God in the "secret place," we are free from beliefs in separation. No
matter what outer religious organization we may belong to we shall know
that we are "all one in Spirit" with every other seeker after God, thus part
of the great "body of Christ," the "Lord's body" or universal "church of
Christ."
What is the basis of real unity, and why?

3. Unity is oneness, universality, completeness. It is union of God
consciousness, universal Christ consciousness, and individual Christ
consciousness brought into one complete, all-embracing oneness. This
means oneness with God, with mankind, and with the universe, Unity of
ideal, idea, and unity of purpose that acknowledges no division and gives
no thought to separation. The church of Christ acts in a consciousness of
oneness with all recognized and unrecognized factors of the universe.
Unity, oneness, comes from knowing there is only one Mind, God Mind,
Spirit, and only one man, Christ Jesus. In Spirit, God Mind, there is only
one governing power, the Jesus Christ principle, which is the union of
wisdom and love.
To attain full unity (acceptance of God as the Allness of all things), you
train your mind to look upon every human being as an expression in some
degree of the wisdom and love of Spirit, God Mind. In the ideal every
human being is the beloved of Spirit, God Mind, no matter how unlike the
ideal his present appearance may be. As an expression of Spirit, God
Mind, you have the wisdom in your mind and the love in your heart that
enables you to discern the divine ideal in all human beings. In thought,
word, and act you are to welcome joyously that ideal and give thanks for
its unfoldment, no matter how small that unfoldment may seem.
Man-made unions usually have some selfish interest to promote and

are held together by rules and regulations formulated by men. These
rules and regulations often prove to be fetters to members who are not in
accord with them. The real unity comes from abiding in God
consciousness.
Why are the members of the "church of Christ" referred to in some

translations of the Bible as a "peculiar people"?
4. Often the words "people," "race," "nation," are used as though
synonymous terms, but there are distinctions in meaning.
"People" refers to generic man with customs and habits common to all
mankind. "Race" has to do with physical characteristics; "nation" refers to
a group that has established a political system of government. Our
lessons relate to Biblical usage. (I Pet. 2:7-10) The only way the Bible is
concerned with man is from the spiritual standpoint, man created as the
image of God through which he is to prove his divinity by developing the
likeness of his Creator, Jehovah. In its original significance "peculiar"
meant a whole group distinguished by some mark or standard that was
unlike anything possessed by other individuals of the same class. In Deut.
7:6 Jehovah told the Israelites that he had chosen them for his own
possession. This makes them a peculiar people in the sense of being
God-owned.
By Jehovah's act of adopting them they became a distinctive people in

religious things, consecrated, set apart from races and nations
everywhere, with Jehovah as their standard of life. The Israelites as
assembled before God and considered as the religious element of all
peoples were distinguished as the "church of God." They were not a race,
neither were they a nation, but a people who individually and collectively
put their dependence in God as their standard, supply, and support in all
ways.
In translating the Old Testament into the Greek language, the Hebrew
word which designated the Israelites as the religious element was
rendered "ecclesia," which was the Greek word for "church." Both the
word "ecclesia" and the word "peculiar" indicate men as coming out from
under the tyranny of negative conditions as produced by negative
thinking; men who through awareness of their own divinity establish God
as the governing power of their life. God works in and through them, His
church, to accomplish a universal good for all the earth.
What is the purpose of the "church of Christ"?

5. The purpose of the church of Christ (consciousness) is to pass on
the good news of divine sonship to every human being who may not be
conscious of this truth. Man as the beloved son of God is not under law
but under grace. Because man has learned many lessons -- some of
them very hard ones -- from his various experiences, law is given the
greatest prominence in his life, so much so that he forgets the gospel, the
good news of his divine sonship. Even when he expresses intelligence
and recognizes that so-called evil is in his life because of his
non-conformity to spiritual principles, he too often believes his only way
out is by personal effort alone. This erroneous concept has caused many
who received the first glimmer of light to mentally concentrate too closely
on the appearance of evil in themselves and in the world and thus to lose
the very thing they were seeking, the presence of God.
The mental law of cause and effect says: Life is a battle; one must
labor for all that he requires.
The gospel or the good news of the grace of God says: Life is a
joyous experience, an opportunity to express God.
The mental law of cause and effect says: When trouble comes into
man's life he must bear it patiently.
The gospel or good news says: You have the ability to respond to the
love of God and to assert your dominion over all adverse states of
consciousness.
Explain the meaning of the word "restoration" as used in this lesson.

6. Man is created in the image of God. In his unenlightened efforts to
manifest the image he failed to produce the likeness of God. Man was
created a spiritual being; he was placed in an ideal environment, made
dependent on God for the revelation of needed knowledge. By turning
away from God, man became unconscious of himself as a spiritual being
and only conscious of himself as a physical man dependent on
knowledge gained from an external world through his five senses.
Restoration here means the process by which man comes again to

his original inheritance, the high position that he had in the beginning,
conscious of the omnipresence of God and of himself as a spiritual being.
Every cell in his body must be regenerated and resurrected. All peoples
on the earth must be freed from false beliefs in sickness, sin, poverty, and
death. "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert
shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." -- Isa. 35:1.
As all creation suffered through man's "falling short," so through man's

restoration to God consciousness all creation will be brought again to its
original perfection.
What are the two phases of growth which the members of the "church
of Christ" experience?
7. There is first the growth which entitles the individual to membership
in the church of Christ. This is followed by his developing an
understanding of the universal church of Christ and finding the place he is
to fill in it.
First, the individual becomes conscious of his birthright as a spiritual

being. A desire for further revelations of Truth is aroused. He begins to
take the necessary steps to promote his own regeneration. He feels the
necessity of cleansing his mind and heart of the beliefs and habits that
heretofore controlled his life. He seeks Spirit within his own being for
illumination and guidance, willingly and courageously acting on further
revelations received. His obedience to the divine plan as it is revealed to
him brings increased enlightenment. His conception of God, of himself, of
humanity, and of the entire universe undergoes a change. He sees the
universality of the one life; he sees the place he should fill in the divine
plan for the good of all life.
Secondly, his understanding of life deepens and broadens. His love

for mankind grows. He begins to note the effect that his feelings,
thoughts, words, actions, and reactions have on those about him. He
desires to be of service to his brothers by showing the practicability of the
redeeming power of the forgiving love of Jesus Christ. He wants others to
know how the grace of God frees each and every one and restores to him
the power and dominion over his world with which he was vested at his
creation.
In this way each individual member of the Christ body must pass from
the belief in bondage to acceptance of freedom; from human limitation to
divine understanding; from the belief in death to acceptance of eternal life
here and now." "We know that we have passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren."-- I John 3:14.
What place has thought in the restoration to divine perfection?

8. Man lost consciousness of his divine origin through the
misapplication of his causative power, thought. Ideas are the cause of all
that is. A man is as limited as his beliefs; as free as his beliefs accord with
Spirit. Man is a conscious thinker. To attain a consciousness of divine
perfection he first must have a clear mental image of what divine
perfection is. Divine perfection is God; therefore in his thinking man
should contemplate God. What is God like? Man fell short of manifesting
perfection by beholding an imperfect image (pattern) of himself, and now
to be restored, he must carry an image of God in his mind and in his
heart. Our whole life is an outpicturing of our mental conception of what
God is. Our thoughts, our concepts concerning God are the most
important ones we can have. Divine perfection cannot be restored without
a pattern, so we image in consciousness our conception of what God is,
where God is, and what He is like. As we catch the true vision and
meditate on it, our homeward journey begins. The more man desires,
visions, thinks, contemplates that which is like God, the more nearly
perfect will be his manifestations. Man "falls" every time he lets himself
consciously think of anything less than the ideal and the perfect.
Explain fully the meaning of the word "blessing."

9. "A blessing is the essence of the highest spiritual realization that we
can give to another" - (Dare to Believe! 28). A real blessing is of God; it
appears in the consciousness of man as a divine idea, such as love, life,
power, faith, protection and so forth, that his heart would pour out to
others. It takes feeling as well as thinking to produce substantial results.
The word "bless" comes from an Anglo-Saxon word that signifies

"blood" which in turn represents life; the blood in ancient times was
considered so sacred that it was on the "blood" that men would take an
oath... Thus in blessing we are recognizing the life of God and stirring into
action all the God qualities by our "highest spiritual realization." Blessing
is like the use of oil in machinery -- it does away with friction and delay; it
brings about order and harmony. Blessing, however, is not confined to
others. We may bless our minds as channels for the expression of God's
ideas; we may bless our bodies as temples of God to manifest His life,
strength, vitality; we may bless our affairs with the love, understanding,
peace, harmony that are part of our divine inheritance as sons of God.
Man's power to bless is unlimited. It may reach to the ends of the

earth and beyond to all the universes created by our Father-Mother God
-- into infinity itself. But this far-reaching, unlimited power to bless is
dependent upon man's recognition of himself as a son of God endowed
with this power of blessing. We may bless with peace and be brought
together in love and understanding.
When we regard all life as sacred because it is an expression of Spirit,

and every form of creation as part of God's divine plan, then we are
exercising our power to bless, with the power and dominion given to us as
sons of God.
What was Jesus' mission on earth?

10. Jesus overcame "the world," man's system of beliefs in sin,
sickness, poverty, and death. He overcame "the flesh," that which
believes in the physical, mental, and moral weakness and frailty of man
due to the biological body with its appetites and passions. He overcame
"the devil," the thoughts of fear, separation, selfishness, and unlikeness to
God which the human family has accepted for ages. He erased the
man-made mental laws that humanity has set up, substituting for them the
grace of God, God's wondrous love for man. Everything that He claimed
for Himself, He said, belonged equally to every man. He taught by His
word, His works, His life, that man is free, not subject to man-made laws.
Jesus is the great Way Shower.
God as substance has always been present in man's soul and body,
but the power of God's presence cannot be released until man becomes
consciously one and the same as God in nature and in disposition. The
law of life is the law of love. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life,
and may have it abundantly." -- John 10:10. According to the Emphatic
Diaglott the correct rendering is, "I came, that they may have life, and
may have abundance."
Jesus showed mankind by His example how man may come into a
conscious understanding of his birthright as a son of God. God is the
Father-Mind; the kingdom of God is within man. Through often turning his
consciousness to God consciousness, man can become established in
ever-present good. Jesus showed the use of the power of God by the
transfiguration of His body in the presence of some of His disciples. He
also proved this power by resurrecting His body from the grave. He
redeemed mankind through leading it out of darkness into the light of
understanding. All men may become consciously one with God through
entering into God consciousness, which in this lesson is called the
"church of Christ" or the "Lord's body."
What is meant by forsaking all for Christ's sake?

11. "So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple." -- Luke 14:33. In the King James
Authorized Version of the Bible, the word "forsaketh" is used instead of
"renounceth." Renounce means to "give up, abandon, or resign." Forsake
means to renounce something dear to one, to quit or leave entirely; to
desert.
We must remember that when Jesus Christ spoke these words, He

spoke from the consciousness of the Christ, I AM, and He meant that
each one of us who would be a disciple (follower) must give up all in
consciousness that is likely to interfere with our living the Christ life,
expressing the Christ Spirit, manifesting the Christ nature and character.
If we are to become the Christ in expression and manifestation, we

must forsake all error thoughts (false beliefs), inharmonious feelings that
we have about ourselves, God, and man; we must renounce all
consciousness that would in the least degree deny the archetypal spiritual
pattern for universal man, Jesus Christ. Man must withdraw his attention
from the without and center it within his own being, and through
affirmations begin to consciously see his body as spiritual substance
manifesting the perfect body-idea. Man's body will then be the perfect
vehicle for God consciousness or Christ consciousness.
I AM is God's name for Himself; His acknowledgment of Himself as

Being. I AM is the identity of God as Creator and Cause of all that is.
I AM is man's name for himself; his acknowledgment of himself as a

spiritual being. I AM is the perfect Law of man's being. I AM is the identity
of man as a co-worker with God in sustaining all that God creates and
makes as His visible and invisible presence in creation. Man
acknowledges his identity as the Son of God by his use of I AM in
connection with his thoughts, feelings, words, actions and reactions.
By forsaking all for Christ's sake, man loses nothing, but gains
everything.
Explain the meaning of "spiritual gift."

12. A gift is something voluntarily bestowed without expectation of
compensation. When we speak of a "spiritual gift" we usually mean some
quality, talent, or mental faculty to which man has awakened and of which
he is now making use in order to better conditions for himself and for all
creation. We may become aware of God through one or more of the
qualities of Being thus only partially identifying ourselves with Him. When
man becomes conscious of such a quality, talent, or faculty, it is, so to
speak, "given" to him. Through use the gift is brought to life and light.
The supreme gift of God to every human being is that I AM identity.

Identity here means: the same living being that God is; the same
character as God; the unchangeable nature of God as perfect good. I AM
is the name (Nature) of God as given to Moses to show that perfect good
is alive everywhere.
I AM is the nucleus, like a seed idea of God Himself, that is living in

every human being. Around this identity his desires, feelings, and
thoughts must gather in continuous activity until he enters into God
consciousness in all parts of his being, spirit, soul, body. He is then a
"life-giving spirit." -- I Cor. 15:45.
The universal Christ body is those of humanity who have awakened to

their divinity and are carrying out the regenerative process of redeeming
their natures of all that is unlike God. Each member of the Christ body
relates himself to the whole by voluntarily using the special talent he has
unfolded, not only for himself but for the benefit of all.
Thus he recognizes the Fatherhood of God and establishes the

brotherhood of man. There is an infinite number of members, each of
whom is expressing the God nature in a variety of ways. There are no
great, no small. No matter what his standing is in man's world, one
member is no more important than any other member of the body. There
are no superiors and no inferiors. Consciousness of eternal life is attained
by each member of the Christ body, as he unfolds within himself the
character of God; when he is manifesting the likeness of God.

Explain how baptism and the Lord's Supper are the means by which
man becomes a conscious member of the "church of Christ."
13. Baptism and the Lord's Supper can be the means by which man
becomes a conscious member of the "church of Christ" only if these
sacraments are observed in the Spirit instead of the "letter." The "church
of Christ" is an inner consciousness of God's Presence that must develop
within the outer organism, (the form or the body). What we read in the
scriptures regarding the "church" is to be applied to the invisible spiritual
body as it goes through the process of regenerating and redeeming the
biological flesh body.
The outer rites and ceremonies of church organizations are symbols

that lose their true significance if more attention is given to the symbol
than to that which the symbol represents. All symbols are good when
rightly used, and when they emphasize the reality they represent. Every
word we utter, everything we see in the outer world of manifestation, is a
symbol. Mankind has had need of the rites and ceremonies of the
organized churches as symbols of devotion to and worship of God. We
are, however, learning that the value lies beyond the outer act; it lies in
the soul's own contact with Spirit through prayer. Only in this way can the
Lord's Supper or baptism become valuable to the individual in awakening
him to his place in the "church of Christ."
Denial corresponds to water baptism. Affirmation corresponds to Holy

Spirit baptism -- "Receive ye the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). Affirmation
also corresponds to the eating of the "bread" and the drinking of the
"wine" of the Lord's Supper. However, both denial and affirmation yield
their full meaning for us only as we remember the inner activity back of
the words.
What does water baptism symbolize?

14. Water baptism symbolizes the cleansing and purifying process
that must take place in those who are living in error consciousness.
Humanity as a whole, traveling the evolutionary path, has filled its
consciousness with pure and impure elements. Each experience through
which the human being passes becomes embodied in accordance with
the way he reacts to it. The natural man is prone to cling to the memory of
his adversities, and in so doing multiply and increase the imperfect and
the untrue in his being. Since subconscious action builds the body in
accordance with what is settled in it as a belief, the body becomes the
great burden bearer. In consciousness there is no vacuum; therefore the
old must be dissolved in order that the newer and better may replace it.
Water baptism typifies the dissolving of error consciousness through a
process of denial. Water baptism symbolizes man's willingness to cleanse
his human consciousness in order to enter into the Christ consciousness.
Explain the symbols of the Lord's Supper.

15. The truth taught is that man is saved, freed from his troubles and
shortcoming, through appropriating the substance (bread) and life (wine)
of Spirit. Questioned when teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum,
Jesus declared, "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if
any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; yea and the bread which I
will give is my flesh, for the life of the world." -- John 6:51. Jesus is here
referring not to His personal self but to that I AM as the bread of life.
The symbols used in the Lord's Supper are bread and wine. Bread is
sometimes called "the staff of life," that which is substantial in food, that
which gives solidity to the diet. Metaphysically it represents the substance
of God in which inhere perfect elements or ideas necessary for spiritual
growth. Wine is a stimulant which enlivens the action of the physical heart
and the blood. Metaphysically it symbolizes the quickening power of Spirit
circulating through every cell of the physical body, vitalizing and
sustaining it. The Christ body, comprising both substance and life, is
intelligently appropriated by the individual through affirmation, meditation,
and contemplation, the Silence and in action. We "eat" when we
appropriate God ideas with our understanding. We "drink" when we
accept them through faith in God. The process of physical eating had its
counterpart in the Eucharist. The Word, which is the bread of life, is
(1) Received in the head (mind), as food is received in the mouth.
(2) Analyzed intellectually, as food is masticated in the mouth.

(3) Dropped from the head to the heart, in the same way that food is
swallowed into the stomach.
(4) Contemplated in the heart, as food is slowly digested in the

stomach.
(5) Established in the consciousness in the same way that food is

assimilated and incorporated into blood, bone, muscle, and tissue. "And
the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
Explain why and when the use of symbols becomes unnecessary.

16. The true purpose of religious symbols is to help the individual
become consciously acquainted with God. A symbol is useful when it
directs the attention to the reality (divine idea) behind it. When one
depends on symbols rather than on the truth to which they point, he is
missing the full blessing which the symbol represents. When we speak of
"eating" and "drinking" the body and blood of Christ, we refer to the mind's
appropriation and assimilation of the substance (bread) and life (wine) of
God. When a person contemplates substance and life he comes into an
intelligent understanding of his true nature and manifests eternal life here
and now.
Rightly understood, symbols make us aware of the divine ideas they

represent. We must then go beyond the symbols themselves into the
realm of God ideas in order to lay hold of this "spiritual food" for the soul.
When a symbol is used literally as though it had power of itself, it does

not fulfill its true purpose. When used thoughtlessly a symbol has no
spiritual meaning to the individual. When used with understanding,
symbols help to strengthen one's faith in the ideas of life, substance, love,
power and so forth.
Only as each one is guided by God can he know when outer religious
symbols will be of value to him at any particular stage of his soul
unfoldment; also when he has no further need for them. To use with
understanding flowers, candles, bread, wine, water in religious
ceremonies tends to lift the person to a state of consciousness where
God may reveal His Presence to him.
How do we reach the consciousness where we discern the Lord's

body?
17. Discernment of the Lord's body (the glorious body of light) is the
fundamental step toward attaining consciousness of eternal life here and
now in the body. To arrive at discernment of the Lord's body, we pass
through three stages of developments.
First, we discern the one omnipotent Spirit working as consciousness

in and through all living forms. We know that Spirit always works for good,
for God consciousness, for perfection in form and in nature.
Secondly, we discern that we have our place in the Lord's body; that it
works in and through us. We are intelligence substance and life, having
part in the expression and manifestation of the one life. As this concept of
oneness and perfection grows, it begins to show forth in our physical
organism. We lose the thought of our body as being flesh, blood, and
bones; we behold it as the habitation of Spirit. Spirit builds in accordance
with the thought we hold in mind; by the process previously outlined, the
body takes on life and light. We must form a structure harmonious and
orderly for the use of this finer substance and life, which is infinitely more
subtle and vital than we have heretofore recognized. This essence is
given form by thought; by spiritual thoughts it is built into an eternal
dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. The overcoming of death is not a
casting off of the present body but a purification of each cell contained in
it so that the whole becomes finer and finer. It passes from human
consciousness into the Christ consciousness.
Thirdly, as we see ourselves with this higher vision, so also by it do we

see others. We awaken to the real meaning of brotherhood. We see how
we are all bound together in an unbreakable bond, one life flowing
through us, one intelligence guiding us, and the whole of redeemed
humanity woven together in the one substance of love.

What relation is there between food and the redemption of the body?
18. Food has much to do with the redemption of the body. We eat to
live, not live to eat. It is a scientific fact that the heavier and grosser foods
slow up the digestive and eliminative processes. They also dull the action
of the brain through which the conscious thinker must express himself.
We lessen our ability to feel the uplifting power of Spirit by any practice
that slows down the vital processes of the physical body. As the body has
no initiative of its own, it lives in darkness unless the soul makes it
actively conscious of the light, life, and love of Spirit. For the body to fulfill
its purpose as a perfect instrument through which the conscious thinker
may achieve the redemptive process that makes him consciously one
with God, to attain the consciousness of eternal life here and now, man
can wisely partake of only such foods as will increase efficiency. We know
that behind everything in the manifest world is the idea that causes form.
Eating the form, we are appropriating and making one with us the ideas
that caused the form. If we appreciate the life and substance of Spirit we
shall intelligently eat that which is vital, living, sustaining, and
regenerating.
Life, light, and love are closely associated with the Word of God, for it
is through our desires, feelings, thoughts, words, actions and reactions
that we give form to the substance of God. The longing we have for better
things and greater attainments is the effect of the soul's effort to lift the
body to a higher level of intelligence in order that it, the soul, may
progress onward and upward.
Explain the "Sabbath."

19. The word sabbath means "restoration, completion, perfection,
oneness, rest." The true Sabbath is conscious atonement with Spirit
within and around us. The Sabbath is first mentioned in Gen. 2:2-3, "And
on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." The
plans were finished in God consciousness, and the creative principle
rested within the soul of man as His image, taking it for granted that the
creations would come forth into expression and manifestation in due
season. Then follows the pause, the rest, after which the Son moves into
the expression and manifestation of the divine potentialities inherent
within Him.
All manifest life is carried on in cycles. This corresponds to the

periodic method in which Spirit works; there is the inflow, the pause (rest),
then the outflow into expression and manifestation. With manifest man the
Sabbath is a pause in the midst of his outer activity. In the pause he
realizes that Spirit is working in and through him to accomplish its
purpose. Man prays (speaks the Word) and then rests in perfect faith
knowing that the law of God is bringing into manifest form the perfect
result.
Even as God rests in the soul of man, so does man rest in God
consciousness, knowing that all is well and that the Father is doing His
perfect work. Every day is a Sabbath day if at some time during that
period we turn away from our interests in the outer and seek Spirit within
us for rest and refreshment. "In returning and rest shall ye be saved." --
Isa. 30:15. Eventually the Sabbath is that eternal rest which comes to
regenerated man when all that is unlike the Christ has been denied, and
man awakes in the likeness of God.
Series 1 - Lesson 5 - Overcoming

Lesson
Why does man ever seek to exercise dominion?
The idea that dominion was given to man in the beginning is so firmly
implanted within every human being that each person is continually
endeavoring to express it. He tries to surmount conditions and to gain
mastery over them. He struggles with sorrow, disease, poverty, death,
and all other adverse conditions because he feels, through his memory of
past experience, that he ought to be master of conditions and ought to be
able to order his life in harmony, health, and success. Spiritual
understanding shows that such overcoming is possible, and it points the
way.
Past failures of the human family to demonstrate mastery over

adverse conditions have come from the ignorance of not knowing how to
master them. A right understanding and application of the Jesus Christ
teachings is the way out of this ignorance because He exemplifies Truth,
so completely that He becomes our Way-Shower. By following His
teachings man may "know the truth" (John 8:32), and be set free from all
the conditions produced by ignorance. Jesus Christ came into the earth
as a human being and demonstrated that He could overcome everything
that seems to burden mankind. He revealed to all men that they could
overcome as He did. He taught them how to do this and promised to help
them along their way of overcoming.
Because man has not realized that there is but one presence and one
power in the universe, God the good, omnipotent, and that he is one with
that presence and power, he has built up a consciousness of separation
from God. Jesus said, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). Man fails
often to realize that this is just as true of him as it is of Jesus.
Why does evil appear in the world?

From this basic cause -- a belief in separation from God, the good,
omnipotent -- there appears on the surface three reasons why evil
appears in the world. But these three reasons have their root in a belief in
two powers, "good and evil" (Gen. 2:9).
The first of these reasons is that man has not known that he is a
spiritual being. He has not known his innate divinity and that his spiritual
identity gives him dominion and authority. Not having the full
understanding and realization of spiritual mastery he has in ignorance
struggled in the outer to improve conditions in his life and in the world
about him. The second reason is that man has not known the power of
thought to produce conditions, desirable or undesirable, according to the
nature of his thoughts. The outer is impermanent for it is the realm of
change. As it is produced by thought, it can be changed by thought.
Ignorant thinking, or the ignorant use of ideas, makes all the evil that
appears. The third reason is that man through lack of understanding has
not seen the relation or connection between cause and effect. No ill effect
was ever righted except by correction of the cause, and the cause is
always an idea in mind. Ideas are the patterns of the manifest world and
must be used in right relation with God's law of right thinking.
What is the subconscious phase of mind?

Because some persons have experienced effects for which there
seems to be no corresponding thoughts, these persons have doubted that
the effects originated in mind. They have looked only in the outer realm.
There is a phase of mind called the subconscious. Every idea that has
ever been thought about in the conscious phase of mind (realm of
thinking) sinks into memory and remains, even though no longer held in
the conscious phase of mind. Past thoughts gather about some central
nucleus or central point (like attracting like) and form states of mind which
constitute and build soul - consciousness. The character of these states
of mind is determined by the character of the dominant thought.
The formed states of mind make up what is called the subconscious

phase of mind and, in a certain sense, they work independently of the
conscious phase of mind. Once established by our acceptance and belief,
they continue to work according to their character. For instance, in sleep
the subconscious carries on breathing, digestion. and circulation. These
functions are carried on harmoniously or inharmoniously, according to the
past thinking that has become habitual.
Besides being the storehouse of memory, the seat of habits, realm of

feelings, the controller of the vital physical functions, the subconscious
phase of mind is also the mind of instinctive desire. It is not confined to
the brain but is existent in every cell of the body. It is the total of each
individual's own thoughts as well as the whole of the inherited race
thoughts and beliefs. The subconscious phase of mind works subjectively;
it has no power of choice. It reaches conclusions from premises given it,
but it is not capable of testing the validity of these conclusions. It never
sleeps, never rests, never tires; it is the secondary cause, the reproducing
phase of mind in the individual. It is constantly bringing forth according to
what has been stored in it, thus building man's body and his environment.
Why is it important for the overcomer to understand the functioning of

the subconscious phase of mind?
It is clear that the character of the subconscious phase of mind
depends upon past and the present thinking. Controlled, constructive
thinking in the conscious phase of mind builds right states in the
subconscious phase of mind. Uncontrolled, random, and erroneous
thinking in the conscious phase of mind builds untrue states in the
subconscious phase of mind. Untrue states having been built into the
subconscious phase of mind, it has no choice but to act according to
these established states. This is the reason why we sometimes
spontaneously think, speak, and act adversely.
What is the Christ consciousness?

Paul called the total of all error in man's consciousness "the mind of
the flesh," -- Rom. 8:7 or "the old man." -- Eph. 4:22. By some persons
this error thought is called "mortal mind"; others name it error
consciousness, personal consciousness, or "carnal mind." The
consciousness of Truth established by thinking Truth, is called the Christ
consciousness; in the Bible it is named "the new man" (Eph. 4:24).
What is overcoming?
When rightly understood, all overcoming is seen to be an inner
realization of victory over error states of consciousness. Sometimes,
however, one's conscious thought may give him no hint of the overcoming
which he needs to do in his subconscious phase of mind. However, when
Spirit begins to quicken and transform him, it will reveal the need of a new
state of mind.
What is it that man is to overcome?

One may find himself in the midst of inharmonious experiences in
body or in affairs. When these experiences come a person may feel that
he is a great sinner and begin to condemn himself. But condemnation
must be overcome because it makes heavier the burden of sin.
The seeming injustice of including all the race in Adam's sin is cleared
away when the laws of mind and the power of thought are understood.
"All men are created equal" (The Declaration of Independence). The
same law that makes men sinners makes all men righteous in Christ. The
use of the law determines the result in man's life. "For as through the one
man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the
obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19).
Sin, that is, error or negative thinking, is overcome by the attaining of a
consciousness of Truth. The whole message of the Gospel is that as the
race went down into sin and death in the Adam consciousness of sin, so
shall it be lifted in righteousness and life in the Christ consciousness. A
cause set into operation always produces a like effect.
What is meant by "work out your own salvation"?
The result of overcoming is salvation; freedom from sin and the effects
of sinning; freedom from all consciousness of evil, and the removal of evil
thoughts from both the conscious and sub-consciousness phases of
mind. Every man must work out his own salvation. That is, he must take
hold of the saving Truth with his conscious phase of mind, and by the
power of his thought build states of consciousness that are enduring,
even to the consciousness of eternal life here and now.
The whole of salvation is summed up in the consciousness of the

Christ Mind. The perfection of man as the offspring of God is an eternal
truth. However, this truth must be embodied in man's consciousness --
into his thinking and feeling processes. It is man's conscious individual
entrance into the "Christ consciousness" that gives him salvation from his
own error thoughts, feelings, beliefs, words, actions, and reactions. Jesus
"brought life and immortality to light" (II Tim. 1:10) but man gets the
benefit of the light only as he consciously incorporates the light of Truth
into his consciousness through the right direction of his daily thought.
What is meant by "race consciousness"?

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (I
Cor. 15:22). That is, as in the limited Adam consciousness all men die to
the consciousness of good, this results in death of the physical body. In
Christ all men shall be made alive to the glorious Truth that man is a
spiritual being capable of expressing life abundant through his soul, body,
and affairs here and now. Adam represents the consciousness of both
good and evil. The Adam consciousness is sometimes called the race
thought. The race thought is the thought, concept, or belief that is
common to the greater part of humanity, whether it be good or ill. Among
the error thoughts held by the race are those of sin, poverty, disease,
death, and the belief these appearances are inevitable in human
experience. Another race thought is the belief that materiality is the real.
In the blindness of ignorance, man does not see Spirit manifest
everywhere. He thinks God to be separate from His creation; he believes
that the world and his body are lacking the eternal life and light of Spirit.
These and other adverse thoughts of the race work in the minds of
men and produce all kinds of inharmonious conditions. Every one who
would overcome must have the understanding of Truth, in order that he
may deal with causes intelligently and produce the effects that he desires.
If he says, "I don't see what I ever did, that I should suffer," or "My friend
is so good, it cannot be that his thinking causes his troubles," he is
exhibiting his ignorance of the law of mind action and the power of
thought. The negative race thoughts are working in the subconsciousness
of all persons who have not fully established themselves in the Christ
consciousness. Every overcomer finds that he must deal firmly with these
negative race thoughts by putting them out of his mind, and in their place
putting thoughts of Truth.
How do limited race beliefs become a part of the consciousness of the

individual?
The dominant error race beliefs get into the subconscious of men by
being carried from generation to generation, forming what is termed
experience, until they are accepted and made a part of everyday beliefs
and habits of mind and action. When one is quickened by Spirit and
awakens to the knowledge that he is the offspring of God, this realization
consciously unifies his thinking with the ideas of Divine Mind and he
begins to express and manifest more of God's perfect life.
When man believes only in a physical heritage as his source of life he

manifests the limitations and imperfections of that state of consciousness.
These limitations are the result of expressing beliefs that have been
learned and accepted from human ancestors from whom one believes he
has descended. When man learns that he is by nature divine, is in reality
Spirit manifested in physical form, his thoughts begin building a new
consciousness. He begins to express and manifest spiritual qualities or
ideas, which are his inheritance from God.
What two mental steps are taken in overcoming?

There are two definite steps that one must take in the process of
overcoming:
The first step is for the individual to place himself consciously by faith
in the Christ consciousness and hold himself there by training his
thoughts to think on God ideas. This step is taken by the conscious phase
of mind, the intellect or thinking faculty. One must consciously open his
mind to divine ideas and must refuse to recognize anything but good.
Thus the change from error consciousness to spiritual consciousness is
accomplished in one movement.
The complete transformation, however, comes as the result of a

second step taken by the subconscious phase of mind (realm of feeling).
The thoughts of good are taken into the storehouse of the subconscious
phase of mind and produce states of mind that eventually bear fruit in the
outer.
The working of Truth from the inner, the within, to the outer, from
consciousness into the body and affairs, is what is meant by working out
one's own salvation. It is incorporating divine ideas of life, love, light,
substance, intelligence, into one's consciousness and letting these ideas
be expressed in his thoughts and feelings, in his words and actions, that
he is saved from all false thinking and its effects in his life here and now.
This is working out one's own salvation. "Be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). Holding oneself mentally in the
Christ consciousness by faith consciously connects one with the Truth of
Being. Truth quickens the mind and renews it, and the renewed mind
transforms the whole man.
What is the difference between an overcomer and one who merely

does the best he can?
It is sometimes taken for granted that if a man does the best he can,
no more should be expected of him. However persons all over the world
are doing the best they can, yet they are not being saved from sin,
sickness, poverty, and death. It is evident that they should do more than
they are doing, more than they have thought that they could do. The
difference between one who merely does the best he can and a real
overcomer is in consciousness. One uses his own mental effort in the trial
and error method. The other turns consciously to the Christ within himself
and uses the creative power of God to improve his consciousness and
eventually his life and affairs. The overcomer lays hold of a divine power
through faith which enables him to do what he of himself could not do.
This is the power of the indwelling Christ. "I can of myself do nothing"
(John 5:30) . "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13)
. One's success as an overcomer depends upon the understanding that
he has of the Christ principle within. Prayer enables him to get this
understanding.
What have one's ideals and standards to do with his spiritual growth?
All movements of mind are toward certain standards. Therefore every
man's growth is governed by the ideals or standards that he has in his
mind. The difference in standards marks the difference between the man
who ignorantly does the best he can and the man who makes use of the
understanding and knowledge of the Christ, the true standard. The first
man has only the thoughts and interests of his human consciousness with
which to form his standards. These have no uplifting power and he goes
along in a treadmill, making no progress toward spiritual things. The other
man has ideals and standards that expand higher and higher, and as he
grows in understanding they draw him upward in consciousness. Jesus
said, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself" (John
12:32).
Merely to dwell in the contemplation of high and lofty ideals without

being able to reduce them to useful demonstrations is nothing more than
idealistic thinking. Such thinking alone does not help one to progress
toward spiritual realities. The highest aim that any soul can have is to
bring God into manifestation through his thoughts, feelings, words, and
actions. Each man must let the Christ be exalted in his soul as the
supreme good toward which all his being is drawn. Then, through the
overcoming, uplifting power of the Christ, good will be manifest in his life.
The children of Israel were a type of the "body" or church of Christ.

Their wanderings and all their experiences portray the experiences of the
members of the Christ body in their overcoming. The Israelites were
forbidden to mix in any way with the nations about them, lest they adopt
heathen standards and forsake the Lord, their God. So the church of
Christ is a people holy unto God, separate from the beliefs and standards
of the world. This is not self-righteousness, but a requirement of the law of
spiritual growth. A mixed state of consciousness cannot produce
perfection. Jesus said in His prayer for those who believed in Him, "I pray
not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15). Though living in the world,
followers of Jesus Christ are separate from it in ideas, standards, and
manners of living.
Why is it important that an overcomer identify himself only with the
highest?
Everyone grows to be like that with which he identifies himself. The
overcomer must then be wise in the matter of identification and must
consciously unify and identify himself only with Truth ideas. Many persons
have a habit of identifying themselves with disease by using such an
expression as "my rheumatism," thus claiming and holding fast to the very
appearance that they wish to overcome. The question of what one shall or
shall not identify himself with is a very important one to the overcomer. He
knows a great secret of help and deliverance when he is wise in choosing
his thoughts, and attitudes of mind.
What work will the overcomer do for the world? How will he
accomplish this work?
Those who drift with the limitations of race thought and follow the
popular standards of thinking and living do not qualify as members of the
body of Christ nor do they receive the blessings of the overcomer. The
overcomers are those who place themselves consciously in the truth of
Being and think the thoughts based on the true ideas of God-Mind. These
overcomers will make a new world, "new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness" (II Pet. 3:13). Through the overcomer's
understanding and use of Truth, mankind is to be lifted into conscious
unity with God.
The world is waiting for the manifestation of these sons of God who
have the understanding, the faith, the courage, and the fearlessness to
think, express, and manifest ideas that will establish an entirely new order
in the earth, even the kingdom of heaven. The leaven is at work in the
individual overcomer and it will leaven the whole race. Great is the motive
power back of the one who knows that his overcoming is not for his
personal comfort and benefit alone, but for the uplift of the human family.
What changes take place in man's conversation when he becomes an

overcomer?
When the overcomer knows the power of thought he can readily
understand that thought expressed in spoken or in written words is also
powerful, and he will learn to consider carefully the words that he uses.
His conversation will no longer center in negative consciousness. He will
not speak of conditions that he does not wish to see manifest, but he will
speak of life and health. He will not complain, but will praise and bless
God, the All-Good for "the abundance of all things" (Deut. 28:47). The
Israelites brought great afflictions on themselves by murmuring. By the
same law, similar results follow complaints and faultfinding today.
The overcomer does not wait for appearances to testify to the

goodness of God, but looks back of appearances to the eternal, enduring
ideas. He knows that God is unchangeable and everlasting good, and so
he gives thanks with faith and understanding. If sin seems powerful in his
life he overcomes it by acknowledging and giving thanks that he is the
sinless offspring of the perfect Father. If the effects of sin appear, he
erases their appearance by knowing that sin has been wiped out of his
consciousness by the knowledge of Truth, and that its effects can no
longer manifest in his life. Thoughts and words are the tools that God
has given him to use in the building of his soul consciousness in bringing
to manifestation his perfect body, his perfect world and affairs.
S1L5 Annotations
Why does man ever seek to exercise dominion?

1. In Genesis we are told that God created man in His own image and
that the plan for him is perfection or manifestation of God's likeness. This
Godlikeness includes dominion over the fishes, the birds, the cattle, over
all the earth. Need for dominion arises in man because he finds himself
beset with adverse conditions in body or in estate. The need gives rise to
a desire to master these conditions. Since the attention of the "natural
man" -- I Cor. 2:14, is centered in the outer, he tries to gain dominion over
persons, animals, and the forces of nature and to bend them to his will.
He is restless, unsatisfied, and dissatisfied until he turns his attention
within his own being. Then he sees the beasts of the field as the appetites
and passions of his own fleshly body; fishes as his desires and emotions;
and birds as his higher, freer thoughts. He attains mastery only through
self-discipline; he must achieve victory over his own lower nature.
Man is in reality a spiritual being. This means that in essence he
pertains to the realm of cause. Mind is cause; body is effect. Cause has
dominion over effect, and man will continue to seek dominion until he
becomes conscious of his Divine Source and makes righteously active
the spiritual principles that are the essence of his being. Knowledge and
use of Truth will make him free.
Why does evil appear in the world?

2. Man is created in the image of God, and in order to be complete he
is to make of himself the likeness of God. Specifications for making this
likeness are given him through close companionship with Jehovah God,
the law and order of his being. Designated as the "Christ Mind," the
original principles of his Creator are within his soul as latent substance
that contains all the ideas of God, Absolute Good. Man's business is to
listen to Jehovah God's inspiration, learn the value, the proper
co-ordination, and the right use of divine ideas and to make his body and
his world accordingly.
Manifest man is not always conscious of the power of thought,

Jehovah God as I AM, and does not understand its use. His attention is
largely absorbed in appearances, in effects. Not understanding that his
thoughts produce according to their character and experiencing results
that are sometimes painful and sometimes pleasurable, he has concluded
that there are two powers outside of himself and that these powers work
either to increase or decrease his well-being. Pleasurable sensation he
calls "good" and painful sensation he calls "evil." The wrong use of his
freedom of thought is his undoing, as he becomes absorbed in effects,
looks upon them as causes, and so increases evil in his life.
Failure to know that "the kingdom of God is within" -- Luke 17: 21,
him; failure to understand that "as he (man) thinketh in his heart, so is he"
-- Prov. 23:7 (A.V.); failure to live up to the command "Thou shalt have no
other gods before me" -- Exod. 20:3; and finally the ignorant use of ideas
in wrong relation has produced all the seeming evil in the world.

What is the subconscious phase of mind?
3. The subconscious phase of mind in each person is the feeling
nature as well as the storehouse in which is kept whatever he has made
out of the portion of substance that has been given him. Of this substance
he forms his body and his world. In the store-house he keeps patterns of
the results that have accrued from the experiences through which his
body has passed on the path of life, from single cell to complex organism.
Each cell has a capacity for instinctive knowing that is based on the
sensations experienced by the fleshly body. The subconsciousness is the
seat of various feelings, the feelings of pleasure and pain as responses
made to the sensation. The pleasure causes a desire to bring about
conditions that enable a person to repeat the sensation. Feelings that are
responses consciously or subconsciously to sensations make up his
emotional nature.
As a storehouse has its goods arranged, so the subconscious stores

of instinct and feeling are organized into habits, opinions, beliefs,
memories. These give rise to moods, temperaments, and attitudes of
mind from which man acts spontaneously. The subconscious phase of
mind has no power of choice; it works deductively, handing out its
supplies as they are requisitioned by its master, the conscious phase of
mind. From the standpoint of time, the subconsciousness is each one's
past (minus what he has eliminated by conscious or unconscious denial),
active in the present, projecting into the future. It is the total personal mind
(consciousness) of each human being as well as the accumulated race
mind (consciousness).
Why is it important for the overcomer to understand the functioning of

the subconscious phase of mind?
4. First, he must understand the functioning of the subconscious
phase of mind so that he will not let any more untrue and imperfect
concepts become stored there to become habits of mind. He must watch
his conscious thinking and so train and direct it that the subconsciousness
will not have any more wrong impressions to work out and bring forth as
unpleasant experiences in his life. Everything should be consciously
judged according to the Truth of Being.
Secondly, he must watch his emotional responses and so avoid
mental disturbances. If a matter now annoying is not going to be annoying
five years from now, why become emotionally disquieted about it at any
time? The effect of Truth's working in consciousness is to give each event
its rightful place and importance in life. The individual should call his
reason to the rescue and form true judgments; then he will be undisturbed
whatever his experience may be.
Thirdly, an understanding of the activities of the subconsciousness

helps us to know why we spontaneously feel, think, speak, and act
adversely. We know that the conscious phase of mind thinks or acts and
the subconscious phase of mind reacts. Fourthly, all moods, habits,
opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of mind now entrenched in the
subconscious phase of mind and not measuring up to the standard of
Truth must be redeemed through conscious effort.
What is the carnal mind? What other names are given to it?
5. The word carnal means "fleshly". The carnal mind then is the error
consciousness, the state of mind that sees life from the standpoint of
effect rather than cause. It regards the physical body -- the flesh -- as the
seat of power, and it unthinkingly gratifies the bodily desires, Man comes
to regard himself as a child of the flesh; sees his ancestral lineage as
flesh; sees himself as a limited, human being, helpless to control
circumstances; sees God as something different and wholly apart from
himself; sees the visible world as the real power and the spiritual world as
a deep mystery; sees death as the end of all living things.
These wrong beliefs and concepts weaken man's consciousness of

dominion, because he is centering his thought and attention in external
things, instead of in spiritual realities. But his real power comes from
knowing and proving his birthright as a Son of God.
Other names for carnal mind are: "mind of the flesh," "old man,"
"mortal mind," "error consciousness," "Adam consciousness," "Devil,"
"Satan," "the Adversary," "the serpent," and the like.

What is the Christ consciousness?
6. The Christ consciousness is the Son of God consciousness in man,
the state of consciousness in which the soul and the body are in harmony
with Divine Mind, the Father, and all ideas and all faculties are in orderly
adjustment and expressing in right relationship. It is man's supreme
awareness of the pattern of perfection, I AM, the Christ, the Image, the
Son of God. The Christ consciousness is God consciousness expressed
in, by, and through manifest spiritual man, His Son. The Christ
consciousness is God's ideal for man. The Christ consciousness in the
individual is the Church of Christ, or the Lord's Body, the body or
aggregation of Christed Ideas. It is the Truth-filled consciousness that
sees things from their beginning in cause; it therefore sees only one
Being, sees only Absolute Good. Spirit creates by self-contemplation;
sees only itself. This idea of the oneness of Being is the Logos, the active
agent in creation, identified in man as I AM, the Christ. The Christ
consciousness is man's knowing within his own being that he is a Son of
God; that "I and the Father are one." — John 10:30. This consciousness
man establishes by recognizing God as the presence and power of
creation. Jesus knew Himself as the Son of God, with all that this
tremendous conception implies. By recognizing God and only God His
Sonship became the dominating factor of His life. When man understands
this so that he uses the Christ power, ordering his life and modes of
thought by it, he is going toward the Christ consciousness. When under
the many forms and varied manifestations of the world he recognizes the
one life vibrant in every atom, recognizes the hidden love infolding all in
oneness, he comes into conscious touch with this hidden life and love.
Then he feels himself to be one with all life; then he touches the Christ
consciousness. No longer does he seek to fight "forms" with which he
does not feel in harmony. Instead he seeks contact with the life behind the
form, and as a result the outer becomes "attuned" or ceases to touch him.
What is overcoming?
7. Overcoming is a "coming over" into the Christ consciousness or a
starting on the return journey to the Father's house: spiritual
consciousness. It is in reality the growing consciousness of one's power
to master any condition or situation, mentally, morally, physically, or
environmentally through one's faculties, supervised by the Christ. To
exercise this power in training the lower desires and emotions and in
assigning the body to its rightful place in the three-fold being of man is to
practice godliness, by which one becomes consciously the likeness of
God.
What is it that man is to overcome?

8. The aspiration to become Christ conscious, to know the truth of
one's self, causes one to become sensitive to Spirit. In projecting
affirmations of Truth into his consciousness man stirs up the entire
subconsciousness, the relative good and the relative evil. He may find
himself in the midst of experiences that are not harmonious. By noticing
his reactions to the conditions and happenings of daily life he will be
shown his field of overcoming. If he is overwhelmed by difficulties, jarred
by discords, disheartened by failures, out of sympathy with others, he will
by asking Spirit learn what mountains of error must be removed to make
straight the way of the Lord. As he studies the principles of Truth and
grows in understanding he gains a high standard of living. His ear must
be trained to hear the inner voice so that he may note the subtle
discriminations of Truth. When so trained, whatever is contrary to Spirit
will strike a false note to his ears; therefore he should ever be alert to his
ideals. Man is to overcome all that is unlike God, Good, in his
consciousness, body, and world of affairs—all thoughts, fears, feelings,
concepts, beliefs, actions, and appearances that do not measure up to
the standard of the Christ perfection and order. Spirit will not only reveal
to him what he has to overcome but will also show him how to overcome
through the forgiving love of Jesus Christ, which is able to redeem the
errors of his mind and make him Christlike.
Explain the teaching that all men are sinners in Adam and righteous in
Christ.
9. All men are manifestations of God consciousness, the one eternal
movement of God-Mind. Mankind is the universal man, one man, the
type. There is an outer department of mind that sees personality only as
man. It does not think for itself but bases its conclusions on what others
say. It believes in birth, sin, sickness, poverty, and other calamitous
occurrences, all culminating in death. This mode of belief may be called
the Adam consciousness, in which all men are sinners since they are
missing the mark of their high calling as Sons of God. To be righteous in
Christ every element of the Adam nature must be changed, transmuted
into the Christ nature. All men are righteous in Christ as they are
conscious only of the perfect creation in all people and in all things. In this
consciousness they use their powers wisely and lovingly to make Christ
become manifest in themselves and in others, to cause the human to
become consciously a divine being.
Show the justice of the statement, "As in Adam all die, so also in
Christ shall all be made alive." — I Cor. 15:22.
10. Adam represents the personal consciousness or outer mind of
mankind that forms judgments from appearances. The Adam
consciousness is the race consciousness, the race mind at work. When a
man appropriates in his mind the impressions resulting from his personal
experiences, as when Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, he aligns himself with that which destroys his peace of mind. He
places himself under the mental law of cause and effect, where each
thought gives rise to a corresponding effect. Cause is always within the
individual, and his disobedience to the law of Being produces double
vision. Instead of seeing with the single eye of faith in God he is confused;
he sees many images, among which are the forms of Adam and death.
Christ represents God consciousness, the inner mind and feeling of

man at one with God and at peace within and without, with itself and with
the whole universe.
The justice of the statement lies in the fact that all men are created
equal. Man is free, just as free as God is free. Therefore he may choose
the kind of thoughts and feelings that he will entertain in his mind and
heart. If he chooses the Adam variety, he will die. If he chooses the Christ
Mind, it will keep him eternally alive in spirit, mind, body, and soul.

What is meant by "work out your own salvation"?
11. In the Old Testament the words translated "salvation" have in
common the meaning of a broad or wide place, an enlargement. In the
spiritual life "enlargement" comes from righteousness, from dwelling
under spiritual conditions. Salvation is deliverance and freedom from the
narrow, limited consciousness in which man has placed himself by
believing in the error desires, feelings, thoughts, words, and wrong acts of
personality. Man is partially saved when he removes these mental
patterns from both his conscious and his subconscious being, his mind
and his heart, so that they will no longer produce more of their kind. He
must replace them with perfect ideas or mental patterns. Working out his
own salvation is the greatest work he has to do. He is to make of himself
a replica or likeness of his Creator. The "working out" requires him
definitely to concentrate on the ideal, to hold ever before him God's ideal.
At first he forms his own idea of life and its requirements, but later he
unceasingly tries to discover God's ideal for him.
Truth is established only when it is "experienced," therefore he must

bring the God ideas or powers of his being into manifestation by doing all
things to the glory of God. It is a just provision that each person must
work out his own salvation. No one else can do it for him; there is no
vicarious atonement. Each one must make in his own mind and heart the
changes that cause him to be safe and free in all ways.
What is meant by "race consciousness"?

12. The "race consciousness" is the sum of past and present
thoughts, beliefs, concepts, and ideas prevalent among mankind. It has
been said that possibly the greater part of our thinking did not begin at our
cradle; that it is the sum of the thoughts of those born before us,
producing the atmosphere we are born into and causing our thoughts to
have the same general character as theirs. Of many persons it might be
said that they are living dead men's lives, since they are thinking dead
men's thoughts. The thoughts of those who have lived before us may be
either helpful and uplifting or depressing and limiting. As generations of
self-centered, self-conscious men have succeeded each other it is the
limiting thoughts principally that have been accepted and impressed on
the succeeding generation. The stream of thought thus established, with
its strong currents drawing all thought in their direction, is the race
thought, or "race consciousness."
The thoughts and emotions of humanity in general must be dealt with

as being below the level of man's divine inheritance and as having no
power in and of themselves. Their seeming power is that which the
individual gives them through his own process of thinking and feeling.
This allows the imagination to form all sorts of "bogeys" and out of the
suggestions that have been dropped into the subconsciousness during
the history of mankind.
How do race beliefs become a part of the consciousness of the

individual?
13. From the time a child is born into the world until he reaches the
age of perception, usually considered as twelve years, he is open-minded
and susceptible to the impressions of his senses. He readily accepts what
is told him by those around him. He often fully believes what his
schoolmates tell him. Only exceptionally is a child taught to think for
himself. Accepting the point of view of those with whom he associates, he
makes their beliefs a part of his subconsciousness. Then too the thoughts
that people in general believe and express are in the air, and these enter
his mind unless he has learned to be alert and to shut them out. When the
current thoughts are accepted consciously or subconsciously, they lodge
in the subconscious phase of mind and take root there like weed seeds in
the garden or dandelions on the lawn.
What is flesh heredity? How is it overcome?

14. Flesh heredity is the belief that man has his origin in flesh, that he
is created through the will of mortal man; that through his ancestral
lineage he inherits disease, traits of character, good and evil qualities, as
manifested by his fleshly ancestors.
There is no foundation for the belief that one inherits diseases or

characteristics from the flesh. The flesh profits nothing; it has no life of
itself, is not lastingly causative. Spirit, Divine Mind, through the action of
the Christ idea, is the cause of all that is divinely perfect. Science teaches
that the body with which we were born is not the body that we have at the
age of seven years. The later body is an entirely new set of atoms in
motion. By another kind of growth man gradually begins to see himself as
Spirit. The composite idea of the Christ man holds together in one body
the atoms of the physical organism as well as all the ideas that inhere in
the spiritual body, in order that the individual may be consciously a true
instrument of expression and manifestation of Spirit. Seeing that he does
not inherit his earthly father's mind -- for his father still possesses his own
mind -- man begins to look for the source of his mind or consciousness
and is forced to acknowledge an origin common to all. This is universal
Mind, the ideas of which are for the use of the entire creation. He goes
still further and sees himself as the composite idea of universal Mind, and
he knows that as such he inherits divine ideas more powerful than any
human concepts. At last he gets the vision of himself as a Son of God, the
inheritor of the presence (mind substance), and the power (thought,
words, or idea) of his Father, Divine Mind, the cause and creator of all that
he is.
What two mental steps are taken in overcoming?

15. First, it is necessary to believe that it is possible to overcome our
animal instincts and lower emotions such as fear, hatred, etc., as well as
our error thoughts, wrong concepts, and false beliefs. The assurance of
our victory is given us in the victory of Jesus, who overcame the world,
the flesh, and the Devil. We must hold firmly to the belief that it is possible
here and now to master our lower nature and to live the present life in the
Christ consciousness. This work is not to be postponed. As a matter of
fact we do not "live" but only exist before we are awakened to the Christ
consciousness. Secondly, as the determination and the constant
endeavor to live up to daily overcoming become more stable, they find
expression in our mode of thought, feeling, and living. The idea grows in
strength and clarity through constant attention, and it becomes in time the
dominating factor of our lives. We are no longer affected by the thoughts
of those with whom we come in contact. The Christ ideal has become
established in our subconsciousness and we are so filled with Spirit that
we radiate it spontaneously and effortlessly.
What is the difference between an overcomer and one who merely

does the best he can?
16. The one doing his best is simply using human effort to make his
moral character presentable. Deep in his mind there is always the idea
that circumstances are unalterable and conditions inevitable. When held
to, this conception will in itself prevent complete success. In addition to
this he endeavors to combat adverse conditions with his personal will, his
human powers. While these may by themselves carry him far, they do not
insure success. Disease, lack, and fear continue to possess his conscious
phase of mind, and his subconsciousness, having no renewing and
constructive thoughts given to cleanse it and to enlighten its structure,
remains as it was before. Such a person is vainly trying to establish
righteousness by mental law.
The overcomer daily grows into greater knowledge and understanding

of Truth principles. He has learned through prayer and meditation to draw
on the divine Source of limitless supply; he knows that the most untoward
circumstances can be changed and harmonized by the idea of divine
love, put into expression. When man through prayer, faith in God, and the
spoken word is quickened in mind and in heart, the Christ within gives
itself wholly to the work of redeeming the human consciousness and
regenerating the fleshly body. This restores the soul to its rightful heritage,
a perfect body.
What have one's ideals and standards to do with his spiritual growth?
17. Human ideals and standards are limited, but one cannot at once
conceive God's plan as stated by Jesus Christ, "Ye therefore shall be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." -- Matthew 5:48. So man
must make a mental concept of what this perfection is, of what it consists.
His ideal and standard must be higher than his present development
indicates, so that he may be ever aspiring toward them and putting forth
conscious effort to attain them.
Growth is a matter of vision. Biblical admonitions are to "seek" to "look

up," to "behold." Substantial and earnest plodding with the mental law has
its virtues, but until the plodder lifts his eyes and beholds the rich ideals of
Spirit, until he seeks with great ardor to shake worldly mindedness from
his life and glorify his thought with the Christ vision, he is still in the
treadmill of the world. To accept the Christ as the pattern, the standard of
living, means to subject the whole being to the presence and power that is
greater than all human beliefs and standards, unlimited in its ability to
accomplish the good.
Why is it important that an overcomer identify himself only with the

highest?
18. To identify is to make to be the same. Each one becomes like that
with which he identifies himself. Many sad experiences are the result of a
mixed identification. It occasions moments of peace, joy, and power as
well as moments of sorrow and disappointment. To have experiences only
of the God nature means dominion and life abundant. Man can be
transformed only by beholding the pattern that from the beginning has
been in the heavens of his mind; he must fix his vision and his aim upon
the Christ ideal. He must have the "now are we the sons of God" vision.
This vision will be the guiding light that assures dominion and freedom
from adversity. It will transform his mind and transmute his body into a
temple of the living God.
What work will each overcomer do for the world? How will he
accomplish this work?
19. Each overcomer will help to establish the kingdom of heaven upon
the earth. World thought has the attitude of the average moral level, the
thought force, and the general enlightenment of mankind as a species.
There is a great need today for the triumphant life of those who have
developed the spiritual qualities of faith, fearlessness, and spiritual
understanding, for these denote the conquering spirit. By holding the
Christ consciousness, the consciousness of oneness of Being, the
overcomer helps set up a new heaven (cause) and a new earth (effect)
wherein dwells righteousness; helps impart a new attitude to life and give
a higher expression to it. He builds this first for himself, then more
gradually for others; for before he has learned to build well for himself he
cannot really help others. Yet he cannot travel onward alone, for heaven
is reached only by the path of love and service. He accomplishes his work
first by vision, which he seeks to establish outwardly; first he glimpses
heaven, and then he seeks to re-form the earth or to make its conditions
harmonious.
What changes take place in a man's conversation when he becomes

an overcomer?
20. Man's conversation, like his thoughts, is established in heaven
when he becomes an overcomer. "The kingdom of heaven is the orderly
adjustment of divine ideas in man's mind and body." -- Metaphysical Bible
Dictionary 387. He does not desire to talk of limitation, negation,
inharmony, disorder, imperfection, for he is interested in Principle and its
working. His conversation will no longer feature criticism and adversity but
praise and blessings; he will not dwell on aches and pains but on the joys
of living. He is strong and reliant; his attitude toward the weak is
heartening and toward all others inspiring. One who has learned that he
makes his own conditions by his thoughts and words will not talk about
anything that he does not want to see manifested. His conversation will
be of the good he is seeking and expecting. Dwelling on the bright side of
life, he will always strike a constructive, buoyant note.
Series 1 - Lesson 6 - The Great

Demonstration
Lesson
What is meant by "demonstration" in Truth study? What is "the great
demonstration"?
We often hear and read the word demonstration in Truth study. It is
defined as: an exhibition; proof; especially, proof beyond the possibility of
doubt or denial. In this lesson we may designate a "demonstration" as an
exhibition or example of the working of a spiritual law; a proof -- beyond
the possibility of doubt or denial -- of the operation of a principle of good.
In order to have this proof there must be a change in a person's
consciousness from error thoughts to thoughts of Truth. This is brought
about by thinking true ideas (spiritual principles) in the conscious phase of
mind until they take root in the subconscious phase, or feeling nature. In
this phase of mind, the ideas will, like seeds, grow and produce "after
their kind" through the "spoken word" (silent or audible). In mind, these
seed-ideas will bring forth alertness, keenness, positiveness; in body, they
will manifest as health, strength, vitality, beauty; in affairs they will
produce success, prosperity, harmony, order, and peace.
The "great demonstration," that which crowns all others and includes
all others, is the individual's consciousness of life -- omnipresent, radiant,
pure, perfect life, without beginning or ending. It is the demonstration of
eternal life for spirit, soul, and body in harmonious unity here and now.
The "great demonstration" is the continuous proving of spiritual laws,

a harmonious solving of all the problems of life. The "great demonstration"
is the understanding of perpetual growth, renewal, and reproduction of the
life idea. It is knowing that life is inexhaustible and indestructible, and a
showing forth (demonstrating) of this life eternally by the individual
consciousness. It is demonstrating the Christ mastery over one's
thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and reactions. The "great
demonstration" is mastery in one's entire being. His very life stands forth
(demonstrates) as a living proof that he Is a conscious soul. He is
spiritually awakened and illumined in mind, peaceful in heart, radiant in
body, harmonious in his human relationships. He is victorious in living and
conscious of the omnipresent substance of God as his constant and
abundant source of supply.
Since the teachings of Jesus are practical for daily living, the "great
demonstration" must mean the practical application of His instruction in
our daily living right here and now, showing forth (demonstrating) the
principles of Truth successfully. In this way we truly bear witness to our
knowledge and use of Truth.
What is consciousness? What is its importance in "demonstration"?

All the attributes of Spirit -- life, substance, intelligence, love, and so
on -- are eternal, but nothing exists for one unless he becomes conscious
of it. The importance of "consciousness" in all demonstrations, in the
whole of salvation, should be clearly understood. "Consciousness" is all
the states of mind that have been formed by thinking and feeling.
Life is consciousness; direct knowledge of a person, thing, or
situation; knowing for oneself without the possibility of doubt; knowing all
the time so that such knowing is a habit of thought.
Consciousness and demonstration are related as cause and effect.

Consciousness is cause, demonstration is effect. Consciousness is
therefore the forerunner of demonstration. When the intellect grasps
Truth, that act symbolizes John the Baptist's going before and preparing
the way. But a greater one than John must come, and that greater one is
Jesus Christ, representing the realization and the demonstration of Truth.
"He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath
not the life" (I John 5:12). Man in limited consciousness is not aware of
eternal life, thus he is not able to demonstrate it.
What is the Absolute?

The actual operation of a law brings the functioning of that particular
law to our notice. A person may be aware of the probability of divine
powers within himself, but until he knows by experiment that he can use
them he is not really conscious of possessing them. Realization
(consciousness) of the effect of a single thought, or train of thought, upon
the body gives man possession (knowledge) of the mental law of cause
and effect. The conscious use or application of this law is the motive
power in changing from the limited, personal consciousness to the
universal Christ consciousness. The change is brought about by letting go
of error beliefs concerning life and by taking into the mind the true
understanding of life in the Absolute. The Absolute is God, the good
omnipotent. The Absolute is that which is; the limitless, the unrelated, the
unqualified Truth, pure Being, pure knowing; not in a state of becoming as
is the relative.
What is sin? How is sin the cause of what is called death?

Jesus came to show us how to attain the consciousness of life in its
fullness. By understanding and applying the principles which He taught
and proved, each one may reach the same consciousness of life and thus
make the "great demonstration." Jesus' teachings are not to prepare men
for a heavenly home after they have separated from the body, but to give
them the victory over death, "the last enemy," so that they may become
conscious of heaven and enter into its joys here and now.
"There is no need of any state or condition called death. The word
'death' is a denial of God's idea of life. If we would accept life as God
offers it to us, we are obliged to refuse the conditions that man has
attached to it" (Talks on Truth 149).
Paul stated to the Romans "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).
So long as we continue to sin we may expect to receive the wages of sin.
The race in general accepts the belief that death is inevitable because it
refuses to acknowledge the cause of death as sin. The way to overcome
the effect, death, is to remove the cause, sin.
"Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have

transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye
die . . . for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord
Jehovah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live" (Ezek. 18:31-32).
In Talks on Truth 155, we read:
"If we are not spiritually alive, if we have not the Christ Mind, we are
not alive at all. ... In order to be alive, we must be sanctified, purified, and
regenerated. We must be perfect, even as Jesus Christ was perfect. . . . If
I am in any degree a sinner, I have in that degree a corruptible, dead
body. . . . And what is the remedy? I must get rid of carnality; that is all.
The quicker I do that, the quicker I shall become alive. I should not expect
that through my further dying the good Lord will make me alive. I can find
in the Scriptures no hint of a promise that warrants such a presumption.
'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living' (Matt. 22:32)."
Mankind in general looks upon "sin" as a transgression of the moral
law only; that is, nonconformance to the law as set forth in the Ten
Commandments. These laws have to do with the conduct of man. "Sin"
originates in the human consciousness or soul, the realm of thinking and
feeling. God is perfection; man, God's image-likeness, His offspring, is
also perfect in the spiritual phase of his nature and always one with his
indwelling Father. "Sin" is primarily man's belief that he is separate from
God; that he is limited and unlike his divine Parent. "Sin" is ignoring the
divine law of life; it is a failure to recognize one's own innate divinity and
failure to apply (demonstrate) spiritual principles (divine ideas) in his own
life and affairs. Such negative thinking and feeling result in an adverse
state of consciousness that is called "the Devil" or "the Adversary."
Whether sin is committed willfully or in ignorance, the effect of the
transgression is the same.
What is the meaning of "the Devil" sometimes called Adversary and

accuser?
In the American Standard version of the New Testament, "the Devil" is
referred to as "the Adversary." This "Adversary" is an adverse state of
consciousness which has developed in man. Because of man's dual
consciousness (belief in two powers), there is warfare in the individual
soul. Spiritually, man is the "descent" of the Holy Spirit, and humanly, his
aspirations for good draw him upward toward his source, God. "No one
hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even
the Son of man who is in heaven" (John 3:13).
The Hebrew word that is translated Adam means "red earth." The
unenlightened Adam man is ascending from "red earth," from a lower or
undeveloped consciousness. It is from this undeveloped consciousness
that his low desires and impulses come. Not knowing that this conflict is
within his own consciousness, man has felt as if he were in the hands of
two powers, and has imagined one as a good being, God, and the other
as an evil one, the Devil. He has made the Devil his alibi for selfishness
and for the weakness of his will when he has been led astray by low
desires. Paul's description exactly fits when he calls man's low desires
"the mind of the flesh" (Rom. 8:7). The concept of a "personal God" must
give way to the knowledge of a universal God individuated in every man.
Belief in "the Devil" must go before the understanding that "the Devil" is
only the personalization that man has given to his wrong thoughts,
feelings, and beliefs. "The Devil" is the mental image that man has made
of his own concept of evil.
How may one overcome adverse states of consciousness called "the

Devil," "the Adversary," or accuser?
When Jesus took on Himself "the likeness of sinful flesh," (Rom. 8:3)
He placed Himself where He had to meet and overcome all that man has
to meet, including the adverse state of mind called "the Devil." He found
that "the Adversary" tried to overthrow Him by quoting Scripture. We need
to be on guard and to be so rooted and grounded in the knowledge of
Truth that we shall at once detect any illegitimate use of Scripture that
would aim to keep us bound in the limitations of the manifest or physical
man.
Since God is the one Presence and the one Power in the universe,
the seeming power of "the Adversary" must come from man, to whom
God has given all authority, dominion, and freedom of will, for he is to
represent God in the manifest world. By using this freedom and power for
his own selfish interests instead of recognizing the unity of all creation,
man has built within himself a state of consciousness adverse to the
universal good. The strength of the adverse thought lies in the power
attributed to it by the people who have accepted it. By such acceptance
they have given to this adverse belief the substance and intelligence of
their thought. Thus it seems to be a separate force, no longer under the
control of man. It is an enemy, subtle, lying, deceiving; it is "a liar, and the
father thereof" (John 8:44).
Part of man's great problem is to learn how to overcome "the

Adversary." To overcome it, he needs to know its character, that he may
not be deceived by it. He must also understand that "the Adversary" is not
his true Self. Adverse states of consciousness keep their hold on man
when he continues to believe they are part of his true Self. When adverse
states of mind express selfishness in some of its forms -- jealousy, greed,
lust, anger, envy -- then man feels that he is a great sinner without
redemption. He forgets that he is the sinless offspring of the perfect
Father. He identifies himself with adverse states of mind and thus loses
the consciousness of his heritage of divinity.
"The Adversary" helps to accuse man of sin. In Rev. 12:10, this

Adversary is called the "accuser." Every overcomer needs to be on guard
that he may not be deceived by the accusing voice within him. God does
not accuse His offspring of anything wrong; His eyes are too pure to
behold iniquity. God constantly beholds man in the perfection of his
spiritual nature. Man must learn to cast out all depression, all
discouragement, all bondage to a belief in sinfulness as being a part of
his nature. The image of Truth constantly repeated or reproduced in mind
will eliminate all other concepts and the sinner will not exist because
man's mind will have no image or reproduction of that thought, thus the
act cannot exist either. "Be fruitful, and multiply" (Gen. 1:28) was the
command, and this growth and multiplication of awareness of the divine
image is the essential factor in life. A good overcoming statement is:
Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. (Based on I

John 4:4.)
That is, greater is the Christ in each of us than "the Adversary" who is
of the world.
What is the Christ righteousness?

The Christ righteousness is our true or spiritual nature. By faith in our
Christ righteousness, sin is overcome. This Christ righteousness is not
based on personal merit, but is a heritage that is ours as sons of God.
God's own nature of Absolute Good is our inherent perfection. We may
manifest this perfection by claiming it and holding firmly to it in the face of
all appearances set up by "the Adversary." If we claim our divine heritage,
know ourselves as the sons of God, free from all sin, and refuse to be
identified with adverse states of mind, we shall overcome all sin.
Consequently, we shall also overcome death, for death can come only
through sin. Our realization that sin has no power, except what we give it
by believing in and making ourselves one with it, makes this overcoming
more easy to accomplish. Christ is Truth, and righteousness is the
functioning of Truth in the mind of man.
The first appearance of "the Adversary" is recorded in Genesis under

the figure of a serpent, which was "more subtle than any beast of the field
which Jehovah God had made" (Gen. 3:1). The "serpent" represents the
quality in the human consciousness that ignorantly takes of the good of
God and uses it for ignorant, selfish, unlawful, or sensuous purposes. The
"serpent" told Eve a lie in the very beginning and she believed him
instead of Jehovah-God. Jehovah-God had told Adam and Eve that the
result of disobedience would be death, but the serpent said, "Ye shall not
surely die" (Gen. 3:4). The life force working out the divine command to
"be fruitful, and multiply" (Gen. 1:22) reproduces the body form, but when
man is not fully enlightened he does it only in a separate organism
instead of reforming and renewing the cells within his own body, as divine
wisdom directs. Man is thus reproducing only limited concepts of himself,
the physical man, instead of going further and reproducing In himself a
consciousness of what God is, the immortal or spiritual man, the Christ.
The lie that the Adam man is immortal and does not die because of
sin became incorporated into the race consciousness. Many men are still
believing that although they sin they are by nature immortal and will not
lose the physical body through their sin. When the Christ idea of life is
quickened in man and he lays hold of it; when he enters into the Christ
consciousness; when he directs the life force in obedience to divine law,
thus conserving it indefinitely, then, and then only, does man prove his
claim to eternal life.
What is reincarnation? What purpose does it have in the experience

of man?
The "deceiver" deludes man with the thought that death does not
come by sin but comes because it is the will of God, or the course of
nature, or the inevitable. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of life by
any of these delusions. God is life, and it is His will that all His children
should have life abundantly. If they have not realized their privilege, or
have not succeeded in demonstrating life, the loving Father has provided
opportunity for them to try again in a new body vehicle. Through this new
embodiment opportunity is given to express and manifest man's inherent
perfection in accordance with divine wisdom. This is called
"reincarnation."
When man understands the plan and purpose of life, he begins to

exercise his mastery over all limitations. He consciously forms his own
body vehicle, a spiritual creation, an image of the divine ideal. In its true
state the body is the embodiment of all the laws of the universe.
What is the resurrection? How is man individually resurrected?

Thus we see that the goal of man is not reincarnation, but
resurrection: a rising again; the resumption of vigor -- the raising of the
whole man, spirit, soul, body, into the Christ consciousness of
righteousness and life. There is first the divine center -- the creative idea;
then an unfolding or expression of the divine faculties of the soul that it
may be a true "temple of the Holy Spirit"; then a vehicle for the
manifestation of all the God qualities -- the body of man.
How does salvation come to man?

It should be remembered that "salvation" -- freedom from sin and its
bondage, freedom from all the limitations of both mind and body -- and
the attainment of a consciousness of eternal life are not dependent upon
man's own power or ability. "By grace have ye been saved" (Eph. 2:5).
Salvation is the gift (grace) of God. That is, it is man's heritage on account
of his divine origin. It is not anything that is man's because of his personal
merit. In his human consciousness man has no power of himself, and
usually it is the realization of this fact that leads him to seek spiritual
comfort in a higher power. Man has so long thought of his limitations that
he has failed to perceive that all freedom is his, that all good is a part of
his being.
Jesus Christ brought knowledge of the gift of salvation within the

reach of man. Through His teachings and His example in proving the
principles of right thinking and feeling, He showed the way to eliminate
the consciousness of sin and to establish the consciousness of divinity.
The Old Testament words, "Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most
High" (Psalms 82:6) were reiterated by Jesus, "Is it not written in your law
... Ye are gods?" (John 10:34).
The first chapter of Genesis states that man was created in the image
and after the likeness of God. Metaphysically, Christ is the image or divine
principle, which is inherent in each one. Metaphysically, Jesus is the
Saviour, or the constant outworking in man's mind of the Godlikeness; the
claiming and unselfish use of the attributes of God; the continuous
proving or showing forth of the laws of life.
What has man to do with the working out of his own salvation?
Jesus made the gift of salvation possible by showing the way. Man's
responsibility is to take the gift and use it, to make practical application of
it spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. The gift is individual,
and each man must use it in his thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting.
That is, each man must work out his salvation or he will not be freed from
belief in sin, sickness, poverty, and death. All his concepts of life, his
manner of living, must undergo a revision in order that he may unfold his
knowledge and powers. (See Annotations for Lesson Nine, Lessons in
Truth, and Annotations for Lesson One, How I Used Truth on "salvation.")
The process by which the old state of consciousness (which produces

general death to the physical from or vehicle of manifestation) is changed
into the Christ consciousness, which gives life to the body, is called
putting off "the old man" and putting on "the new man." In Truth "the new
man" is and always has been present and intact in every man, and is the
only reality for it is the divine nature or pattern of every man -- "Christ in
you" (Col. 1:27). We must have faith that this is true. "The old man" has
been put on by man's wrong thinking, built into his consciousness by
ignorance. In other words, "the old man" is the outgrowth of wrong
thought habits. Since "the old man" has been put on by wrong thinking, he
must be put off by right thinking.
Paul said to the Ephesians,
"That ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old
man . . . and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the
new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness
of Truth" (Eph. 4:22-24).
To get spiritual understanding of Paul's meaning, one must take the

statements into the silence. By meditation and prayer one prepares for
the quickening of Spirit that will make Truth a saving power in one's
consciousness and daily experience. Words like these used by the
individual will help to quicken his understanding:
Old thoughts and old conditions are as waters that have passed away.
Behold, all things are made new in my life.
Pain, sickness, poverty, old age, and death cannot master me, for
they are not real.
I am a new creature in Christ Jesus.
I am alive, alert, awake, joyous and enthusiastic about life.
To put off "the old man" one must have faith in God. Despite all
appearances to the contrary, man is alive unto God in Christ Jesus. Man
begins to demonstrate this when he is willing to cooperate, to make the
effort. The first step is to believe in his inherent divinity and to put away all
thought of himself as a sinner. The next step, taken by faith, is to begin
daily to unfold the spiritual powers (divine ideas) latent within him. Each
day he becomes more and more alive to Spirit, basing his thinking on the
divine ideas of the Christ Mind and living the Christ life in all that he does.
The divine law is constantly in operation, working out the adjustment

of all things in perfect order and harmony. Everything in life works toward
the observance of this law. So long as man believes himself a sinner,
falling short of the perfection inherent within him, he is disobedient and
causes friction, inharmony, with resultant loss of power and dominion.
Man's endeavor to be a law to himself has formed conditions which bring
him sorrow, suffering, and dissolution. The resolving of these conditions
by divine law into their primal elements is not vengeance or punishment
by God, but rather releasing of life and substance from the error. By so
doing the integrity of the whole is preserved. There are in reality no
destructive forces. What man sometimes calls a destructive force, that
seems to bring him punishment, is actually divine love purifying and
protecting and preparing him for a more perfect expression. The old error
conditions must be dissolved before the new conditions based on God's
plan of good can manifest.
What is "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2)?
The raising of man's consciousness to the Superconscious realm, or
the Christ Mind, frees him from "the law of sin and of death" (Rom. 8:2);
that is, the effect, death, is dissolved by the removal of the cause, sin. A
new law (the law of right thinking), "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus" (Rom. 8:2), is set into action. A new cause will be set into
operation bringing forth eternal life instead of death, when the following
conditions are met:
(a) Man must understand the relationship that exists between God
and man himself; between himself and his fellow man; and between
himself and the universe.
(b) All men must be guided by divine wisdom in thought, word, and
deed.
(c) Universal love must be expressed in each heart.
(d) Each man must be conscious of all as much as he is of self.
How does the body benefit by salvation?
The body must share in the scheme of salvation, for it is "a temple of
the living God" (II Cor. 6:16) and "the whole creation groaneth ... waiting
for ... the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:22). One may redeem one's
body by understanding Truth and by holding words of Truth in mind until
they become a part of the subconscious phase and are built into the flesh.
The Word must be made flesh through the law of righteous thought. The
flesh, nourished and sustained by thoughts and words of Truth, is
immortal and incorruptible. It is not subject to decay or death, because it
is formed of the pure substance of Spirit and is eternally renewed by
God's life and power.
Love is the great organizing power of Being (God) and is an essential

factor in demonstrating eternal life. Love, united with wisdom, harmonizes
all the functions of the organism and saves mind and body from the
destructive, disintegrating effects of jealousy, hate, and anger. Divine
power gives dominion and establishes in man's mind a positive force
which prevents the forming of negative states of mind that cause
conditions of weakness. When one perceives that the body is an
instrument of Spirit, such perception helps to redeem it from the belief that
it is merely physical or of animal origin. Every one of the attributes (ideas)
of Being has a place in the work of redemption. "Every idea has a specific
function to perform" (Mysteries of Genesis 21). One should keep the life,
intelligence, love, power, and substance of Spirit active in the body by
giving attention to these qualities or ideas in meditation and prayer. The
conscious thought should be carried through the organism every day,
giving to every part of the body words of Truth that will quicken it and
make it truly God's temple. Silently hold these quickening words:
The Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus quickens my body.
My body is the temple of the living God, because the Spirit of God
dwells in me.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the
law of sin and death.
To speak some word that has direct reference to a particular part of

the body is sometimes a help in awakening life in that part. For instance, if
you wish to feel the quickening power of the Word in your feet, you will
find it easier to center your attention on them if you concentrate on
statements like these:
My feet are established on the rock of Christ Jesus.
My feet are filled with the quickening, vitalizing life of Spirit, and they
love to express it.
Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, at the well,
"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give
me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given
thee living water. . . . the water that I shall give him shall become in him a
well of water springing up unto eternal life" (John 4:10, 14).
What is the river of life? How do we become conscious of it?

In Revelation, this water is described as a "river of water of life, bright
as crystal" (Rev. 22:1). This great fountain or river of life is the activity of
the life idea, the life principle, the I AM or Christ within man. Man
becomes conscious of this life when he comes into touch with the
quickening power of Spirit through sincere desire to know God and feel
His presence. The life idea is the desire of God for self-expression; it is
the active or positive energy of which divine substance is the negative
(responsive) or passive counterpart. It flows through man, a life-giving
stream of intelligent, vitalizing energy, renewing and restoring the body to
the wholeness of Spirit. To know about this life energy is not enough; it
must be felt. The consciousness must receive it and feel it filling and
thrilling the body from the innermost to the outermost parts of the
organism. There can be no death where this life stream flows. It flows
freely and continuously when the Christ righteousness opens the way,
and it keeps spirit, soul, and body eternally renewed. This is what it is to
be saved "to the uttermost" (Heb. 7:25).
IN THE BEGINNING
The great God dreamed a dream through me,

Mghty as dream of God could be;
He made me a victorious man,
Shaped me unto a perfect plan,
Summoned me forth to radiant birth Upon the radiant earth.
He lavished gifts within my hand,
Gave me the power to command
The thundering forces that He hurled
Upon the seething world. . . .
Creation's dream was wondrous good
Had I but understood.
The great God dreamed a dream through me,
But I was blind and could not see.
My royal gifts were laid in rust,
For parentage, I claimed the dust.
Decay and sorrow, age and blight --
These gifts I deemed my right.
The great God spoke a word through me --

That word was Life. How can it be
That I, in God's own substance made,
Should face the universe, afraid?
Born of eternal life am I --
Why should I fail and die?
O God, so huge was Thine intent,
So greatly was Thy passion spent,
This counterfeit is not the plan
That Thou didst dream for man.
'Tis this: Man's dream must mate with Thine,
Man's word, man's life, must be divine;
Man must be conscious through and through
To make Thy dream come true!
-- Angela Morgan (Copyright by Dodd Mead & Co., Inc.)
S1L6 Annotations
What is meant by "demonstration" in Truth study?

1. Primarily the word demonstrate means "to point out," "to show." A
principle has to be proved, while a problem has merely to be solved by
the application of principles that have been proved. Demonstration shows
or makes clear the functioning of a law, bringing to light the details of the
operation and the final result thereof. It is the consummation, the final
outcome, the finished work of one who has employed all the underlying
principles that enter into a creative process and followed exactly the right
method step by step. A spiritual demonstration is the validation of a law
that results from its correct application.
Spiritual demonstration is Truth understood in the mind, realized in the

heart, and applied in the daily living. It proves or shows forth Truth or
some aspect of it in such a way as to preclude all doubt or question of its
validity, and also of its universal application in life.
What is the "great demonstration"?

2. As man was created in the image and after the likeness of God, the
"great demonstration" is to show how the connection is made between
man and God, so that all that God is will show forth in man's spirit, soul,
body. It is the victory over physical death and the redemption of the body
to eternal life. Jesus Christ made this demonstration. He set the example
of regeneration through crossing out the animal instincts that are in
carnal-mindedness, the consciousness that is of the flesh, and replacing
them with the wisdom of the Christ Mind. He redeemed the lower
emotions of fear, anger, hate, greed, and the like in man's feeling nature
through faith in God, Good, causing man's thoughts to respond to the
nature of divine love. Victory over death of the physical form becomes
possible only as man succeeds in working victoriously with the so-called
animal instincts and lower emotions as they present themselves for
redemption. It is the aggregate of these smaller victories that gives him an
understanding of the divine power and nature inherent within him.
The "great demonstration" is that which shows life with all its beauty
and abundance here and now to be God's glorious gift to man, His son.
This lesson teaches that the "great demonstration" is accomplished

through an understanding of all supplementary spiritual laws or principles
of Being (God), and the using of these laws in our daily living in
accordance with universal good.

What is consciousness? What is its importance in demonstration?
3. The word "conscious" applies primarily to that which is felt as within
one's self. When we speak of having a "consciousness" of some state it
means that we feel as well as think on that subject. One may have a
"consciousness of poverty" or a "consciousness of prosperity"; a
"consciousness of ill health" or a "consciousness of health." (See How I
Used Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 4, on "consciousness.")
When we speak of "man's consciousness" we mean the totality of his

thinking and feeling -- his mind, or his soul. Mind is, and wherever there is
any kind of feeling there consciousness exists. Consciousness is made
up of desires, sensations, emotions, thoughts, feelings, perceptions -- any
soul quality. It is a stream of thought or current of "inner" life; man thinks
and man feels, and the result is consciousness, or the total states of mind
in the soul.
It is not possible to bring forth any demonstration without

"consciousness." Our lesson material states, "Consciousness and
demonstration are related as cause and effect. Consciousness is cause,
and demonstration is effect." The cause must have both thinking and
feeling in order to produce, or as Annotation number One states, "to point
out," "to show." Therefore, we may say that "consciousness" has a vital
place in demonstration. One may long for healing, success, prosperity,
harmony, but until he feels that these blessings are his by divine right he
has no "consciousness" of them to act as the cause that can demonstrate
or bring them forth in his life.
"If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt.
18:19).
The "two of you" may be construed as the mind and the heart -- the
thinking and the feeling abilities in man. The ideas of God must find
complete and harmonious reception in man's whole consciousness. In the
natural man the intellect (thinking faculty) decides what shall enter man's
consciousness; so it is imperative that the intellect, the thinking power,
accept Truth. It has the power to accept or to reject. But intellectual
acceptance is not sufficient, as the intellect is only part of this process.
The intellect prepares the way by affirming Truth until the heart or
subconscious phase of mind (feeling faculty) accepts the word of Truth so
that the greater One, the Christ, who is the "fire ... from heaven" (Rev.
13:13 A.V.) descends to lift the whole man into a harmonious unit. Really
to know is to have blended these two processes of mind, thinking and
feeling. It is this, plus the divine fire of the Christ zeal, that leads to
demonstration of all the desired blessings of life -- the ultimate of which is
demonstration of eternal life.
What is the Absolute?

4. The Absolute is God, fundamental Principle, Spirit, from which
everything emanates or proceeds.
The Absolute is that which is complete in itself, perfect, not dependent

on anything else for support. It is ultimate, immutable; nothing can be
added to it, nothing taken from it. The Absolute is infinite and eternal, the
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It is Truth that cannot be
altered or twisted to coincide with the limited opinions, beliefs, or desires
of mankind.
How is sin the cause of what is called death?

5. The cause of death is belief in separation from life. This belief is sin
for it falls short of God's plan of life for man. "The wages of sin is death;
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom.
6:23). Jehovah God (the Lord God) formed man and when He breathed
into him the breath of life He gave man unlimited freedom to exercise the
spiritual powers and capacities of his own being as he chose. The only
mandate was that man should not take into his developing consciousness
a belief in both good and evil for in so doing he would separate his
consciousness from the Life Principle. This belief in separation would
result in death or nonrecognitlon of the omnipotence of God, the Good.
The will, plan or intention of God is that man should maintain a

perpetual, conscious connection between himself and Jehovah God,
allowing the life current to move through him in an uninterrupted flow. Too
often unenlightened man allows the limited desires and impulses of his
feeling nature to sway him and he willfully disobeys the law. In so doing,
man becomes separated in his consciousness from the life idea and
accepts the belief in mortality. Man fails to realize his divine origin; fails to
cooperate with the Author of his being. He uses his mental powers to
build up a limited personal or sense consciousness, which is the cause of
all the inharmony in the world today.
Jesus came to awaken the dead consciousness in man and through

regeneration to redeem the whole man, to quicken man's consciousness
of the life principle and to restore him to consciousness of his divine
origin.
What is sin?
6. Sin is man's falling short in demonstrating the image and likeness
of God, the I AM, the spiritual law of life that is immanent in every human
soul. "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). "All have sinned, and
fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Sin is not the mere doing of
wrong acts that do not conform to the moral law or the committing of
offenses against others. Sin is a failure to recognize and apply spiritual
principles despite the fact that we have an inner knowledge that may be
drawn on at will. Sin is a failure to acknowledge the Christ, I AM, within
ourselves and others. We sin daily in our lack of trust in the Father; in our
failure to live as becomes children of God; in our dependence on people
and on so-called material things for our sustenance and happiness. Many
who truly desire to live a righteous life sin because of ignorance. But
when we pray to be delivered from such ignorance and to be illumined by
Spirit within, we come to realize what sin really means, and then we seek
to know and demonstrate the true Christ righteousness.
What is the meaning of "the Devil"? What other names are given to
him? Is there a personal devil?
7. Devil is a generic term for all beliefs opposed to God's perfect law
of life, the law of universal good. What is termed "the Devil" is the
accumulated evil-thought force of the world seeking expression in
humanity and deceiving all men. The statement contained in John 3:43-44
means that men (mankind) are children of the devil in that they are born
under the delusion, the one great paramount lie, that the physical body
with its sensations and desires, together with material existence, is the
great reality. Man must come to know instead that the personal self, the
outer consciousness, is the vehicle through which the individuality, or
Christ self, is given expression.
The word devil means the synthetic embodiment of all man's

concepts, beliefs, and notions of a personal devil: the selfishness that
takes hold of man's nature through the unrighteous use of his will. "Devil"
is the total of man's perverse and degrading beliefs and practices in
connection with the physical life force -- all that is in opposition to God's
will or perfect law of life. Other names are Satan, Belial, the Adversary,
the Old Serpent, liar, and the Father of Lies, the Evil One. There is no
personal devil, no personality known as "the Devil." God is the one
Presence and one Power, the one Creator so He could not have created
a being called "the Devil" as opposed to His own nature of Absolute
Good.
Explain where the Adversary gets its power.

8. The "Adversary" derives its seeming power from man. Through a
belief in a power opposed to God, man has in ignorance given power to
the Evil One by incorporating thoughts of fear, hate, envy, injustice, and
lack in his subconscious phase of mind or feeling nature. These have
formed specters that appear to him to have power to harm and destroy.
Working in an ignorant, selfish way instead of a universal way, man
defeats the very freedom and mastery for which he strives.
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion" (Gen. 1:26).
"Thou hast made him but little lower than God, and hast crownest him
with glory and honor. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works
of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet ... Whatsoever
passeth through the paths of the seas" (Psalms 8:5,6,8). "The paths of
the seas" represent the thought currents in the ocean of mind. In reality,
man has power and authority not only over manifested creation but also
over the thoughts, beliefs, and images that pass through the paths of his
mind. Every thought, belief, and word of man has mental power within it to
produce according to its kind. Through mind action man also has the
capacity to sustain all thoughts, beliefs, and concepts, whether they are
good or whether they are contrary to God's standard of Absolute Good.
How may one overcome adverse states of consciousness called "the

Devil," "the Adversary," or the Accuser?
9. The "Accuser" is that in man which gives him a sense or feeling of
guilt or remorse for his shortcomings; that which convicts him of sin. He
feels obligated to do that which is good, but not knowing the saving power
of the Christ within, he feels his inability to gain mastery. This hopeless
feeling causes him to give way to self-pity and condemnation, two of the
worst states of mind that man can have.
Who is it that has power or authority to accuse man? God is the one
and only Power in the universe. But God never accuses His dearly
beloved son of sin and evil. Anything that is unlike God and seems to
have power is fraudulent. We need to make a distinction here between
the voice of God within us and what is termed "conscience." When our
conscience accuses us of sin and evil it is not the voice of God but of the
"Accuser." (See Annotations for Lessons Six and Seven, Lessons in Truth
on "conscience.") The overcomer must be steadfast in the knowledge that
in his true nature he is the sinless offspring of a perfect Father. In the
name of Jesus Christ he must deny both the accuser and the accusation.
He must affirm that he does not believe in a mixture of good and evil, but
has faith in good only. Thus he casts out the "Accuser" and then proves
his divinity in thought, feeling, word, and deed.
"This is the at-one-ment -- 'I am in the Father, and the Father in me' --
and the apprehension of that at-one-ment dissolves forever that inner
monitor called accusing conscience" (Keep a True Lent 53).

10. The Christ righteousness is the sinless condition that is the primal
and natural state of man; it is every man's divinity or true pattern. Christ
righteousness is right feeling, right desires, right thought, right speech,
right conduct. It is thinking, feeling, and living in accordance with the
divine law of life, I AM or Christ in man.
The Christ righteousness is the expressing of divine ideas freely,

harmoniously, wisely, and in their right relation. It is the will of God lovingly
expressed in our mind, body, and affairs. Through holding to our Christ
identity and refusing to recognize mental beliefs or outer appearances to
the contrary, we bring forth the spiritual body, for death can be manifested
only through sin, which is based on false imaging. Unless man lives the
true life he will never really understand Truth. Real knowledge of Truth
comes from experiencing Truth. This practice incarnates Truth into every
cell of the body; incorporates it in every atom of one's being. Then the
man himself becomes Truth in the flesh -- "the Word ... made flesh" (John
1:14 A.V.).
What deceptive thoughts concerning life does the Adversary give to

the race?
11. The Adversary, represented in Genesis by the serpent, presented
the first deceptive thought when he told the woman the first lie -- "Ye shall
not surely die (Gen. 3:4). The woman believed the lie instead of believing
Jehovah God, the law of life. Jehovah God had warned the man that "in
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17). The
"eating" of the tree represents disobedience to the law of God; thinking
thoughts that do not accord with the truth of man's being. By taking these
false beliefs and wrong concepts into his unfolding consciousness man
begins a process that is called the "fall of man," that is, he begins to form
a consciousness, a pattern of thinking and feeling, that is adulterated.
(See Annotations for Lesson Three, Lessons in Truth.) He thus "dies" or
becomes unconscious of good only as being the reality. He has a
consciousness that is filled with beliefs of both "good and evil" (Gen.
2:17).
The serpent of sense (i.e., wrong use of the five senses) tends to
encourage disobedience to spiritual law by tempting man to sin through
plausible arguments such as these: "You do not have to obey God. You
do not have to think only good thoughts. It cannot hurt you to have
sensual desires and appetites. It does not hurt you to be envious, to be
jealous, to hate, to want revenge, to be greedy, to be self-righteous. You
have done it before and you are still alive." The subconscious phase of
mind, or the feeling nature (the feminine quality of mind represented by
Eve), is not given to reasoning. It accepts whatever is given to it as Truth,
acting principally from desire and impulse, and is thus easily beguiled or
fooled. The reasoning state, the intellectual phase or thinking faculty (the
masculine quality of mind represented by Adam) is disobedient and thus
sins willfully. In such cases the mental law acts automatically and brings
negative results.
Eternal life implies an eternal, unbroken consciousness of life in the

spirit, soul, and body of man. This consciousness is attained only by
man's uniting his intellect (thinking faculty) and his feeling nature with the
Christ Mind or Superconscious. This can be done only under the
guidance of Spirit. Such true guidance enables man to incorporate into his
mind and body the life, substance, and intelligence of Spirit already a part
of his divine nature. (See Annotations for Lesson Ten, Lessons in Truth.)
He does this through the power of the creative Word of God carried
consciously into his soul (mind) and body.

of man?
12. Reincarnation is the re-embodiment of man in a physical form; the
rebirth of an individual in a new human body. Reincarnation is the mercy
of God, made possible by the love of God, as man seeks to fulfill his
divine destiny of demonstrating perfection. God's Plan is all-inclusive of
good and part of this Plan is giving man unlimited opportunities to become
conscious of who and what he is -- a spiritual being -- and to make "the
great demonstration" of Truth here and now.
Reincarnation is essentially the formation and responsibility of the

soul of man. It is a merciful provision for man that gives him other
opportunities to express life in the physical body in order that he may
learn the lessons of right thinking, right feeling, right speaking, right acting
on this plane. In order to manifest in the physical realm, the soul must
have a physical body, as a vehicle of expression, through which to prove
its birthright. "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Luke
20:33), states the Scriptures. Therefore, reincarnation is a merciful
provision for the soul, giving it unlimited opportunities to demonstrate
eternal life.
In the divine ongoing of the soul nothing is ever lost. The essence of
wisdom garnered through all experiences and incorporated in the ego
(self-consciousness) through both intuition and conscience is carried
forward to guard and guide the soul through further experiences. While
conscience prevents man from indulging in wrong ways of thinking and
feeling, it is intuition which, when heeded and followed, leads man into a
conscious realization of the love of God for man. This realization comes
from knowing "I am now the beloved son of God." Such knowledge helps
man to fulfill the purpose of life on this physical plane.
What deceptive thoughts concerning life does the Adversary give to

the race?
11. The Adversary, represented in Genesis by the serpent, presented
the first deceptive thought when he told the woman the first lie -- "Ye shall
not surely die (Gen. 3:4). The woman believed the lie instead of believing
Jehovah God, the law of life. Jehovah God had warned the man that "in
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17). The
"eating" of the tree represents disobedience to the law of God; thinking
thoughts that do not accord with the truth of man's being. By taking these
false beliefs and wrong concepts into his unfolding consciousness man
begins a process that is called the "fall of man," that is, he begins to form
a consciousness, a pattern of thinking and feeling, that is adulterated.
(See Annotations for Lesson Three, Lessons in Truth.) He thus "dies" or
becomes unconscious of good only as being the reality. He has a
consciousness that is filled with beliefs of both "good and evil" (Gen.
2:17).
The serpent of sense (i.e., wrong use of the five senses) tends to
encourage disobedience to spiritual law by tempting man to sin through
plausible arguments such as these: "You do not have to obey God. You
do not have to think only good thoughts. It cannot hurt you to have
sensual desires and appetites. It does not hurt you to be envious, to be
jealous, to hate, to want revenge, to be greedy, to be self-righteous. You
have done it before and you are still alive." The subconscious phase of
mind, or the feeling nature (the feminine quality of mind represented by
Eve), is not given to reasoning. It accepts whatever is given to it as Truth,
acting principally from desire and impulse, and is thus easily beguiled or
fooled. The reasoning state, the intellectual phase or thinking faculty (the
masculine quality of mind represented by Adam) is disobedient and thus
sins willfully. In such cases the mental law acts automatically and brings
negative results.
Eternal life implies an eternal, unbroken consciousness of life in the

spirit, soul, and body of man. This consciousness is attained only by
man's uniting his intellect (thinking faculty) and his feeling nature with the
Christ Mind or Superconscious. This can be done only under the
guidance of Spirit. Such true guidance enables man to incorporate into his
mind and body the life, substance, and intelligence of Spirit already a part
of his divine nature. (See Annotations for Lesson Ten, Lessons in Truth.)
He does this through the power of the creative Word of God carried
consciously into his soul (mind) and body.

of man?
12. Reincarnation is the re-embodiment of man in a physical form; the
rebirth of an individual in a new human body. Reincarnation is the mercy
of God, made possible by the love of God, as man seeks to fulfill his
divine destiny of demonstrating perfection. God's Plan is all-inclusive of
good and part of this Plan is giving man unlimited opportunities to become
conscious of who and what he is -- a spiritual being -- and to make "the
great demonstration" of Truth here and now.
Reincarnation is essentially the formation and responsibility of the

soul of man. It is a merciful provision for man that gives him other
opportunities to express life in the physical body in order that he may
learn the lessons of right thinking, right feeling, right speaking, right acting
on this plane. In order to manifest in the physical realm, the soul must
have a physical body, as a vehicle of expression, through which to prove
its birthright. "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Luke
20:33), states the Scriptures. Therefore, reincarnation is a merciful
provision for the soul, giving it unlimited opportunities to demonstrate
eternal life.
In the divine ongoing of the soul nothing is ever lost. The essence of
wisdom garnered through all experiences and incorporated in the ego
(self-consciousness) through both intuition and conscience is carried
forward to guard and guide the soul through further experiences. While
conscience prevents man from indulging in wrong ways of thinking and
feeling, it is intuition which, when heeded and followed, leads man into a
conscious realization of the love of God for man. This realization comes
from knowing "I am now the beloved son of God." Such knowledge helps
man to fulfill the purpose of life on this physical plane.
What is resurrection?
13. The root of the word resurrection is given in Webster's dictionary
as: re, meaning again, and surgere, to rise. It means, therefore, a rising in
consciousness from the limitations of the human to the limitlessness of
Spirit. It is the lifting up of man out of false and limited states of mind into
a higher state. Resurrection is the lifting up of man as a threefold being --
spirit, soul, body -- restoring him to his rightful place in God's Kingdom. It
is lifting man to the consciousness of the omnipresence of God.
Resurrection is raising the consciousness of life from the human

concept to the God idea; from the limited expression of life to the
unlimited expression of eternal life. It is the soul coming up out of a belief
in death to faith in life. "We all can see our body with the single eye of
which Jesus spoke, and through this faith in the reality of the invisible
body we can regenerate the flesh" (Talks on Truth 119).
Resurrection is, therefore, a constant, conscious understanding and

realization of oneself as a son of God, created in the image and after the
likeness of God, thus always one with God. Jesus expressed this
oneness when He said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
Regeneration is the process by which ideas of abundant life are
consciously incorporated into the soul and body of man. These divine
ideas begin a cleansing work in man's consciousness, freeing him from all
belief in death as being reality and establishing the truth of undying life in
every cell of his body. As this work continues in him and reaches into
every fiber of his being, all the unproductive spots are lifted up,
reanimated, and revitalized. We need to remember that all the work of
regeneration begins in our consciousness, is developed in our
consciousness, and is completed in our consciousness.
On the other hand, resurrection begins when man takes hold of the
idea of his body as being spiritual; as a body of divine ideas (light). The
belief in death and the belief that death is God-ordained have caused
man to come into a state of mind that is far below his true estate. Man
must come to recognize his body as the life, substance, and intelligence
of God in expression, and not subject to decay and death. Only then he
can start the process of resurrection of the body.
Resurrection is the ultimate fulfillment of the work of regeneration in

man's being. Since the law of manifestation for man is the law of thought,
his body begins to show forth the new patterns when he raises
(resurrects) the character of his thinking and feeling. The body is restored
to "the heavenly estate, which is substance so pure that no disintegrating
force can be found in it" (Talks on Truth 118). The body can then be seen
in its original purity, a body of light, the temple of God.
How does salvation come to men?

14. Salvation is deliverance from the consciousness of sin and death.
It is freedom from belief in bondage to the limitations of the flesh
consciousness. Salvation is an inheritance that is man's as a spiritual
being, and it is not gained through any merits of the personal man. It is
the gift of God through Jesus Christ.
"In none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name
under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved"
(Acts 4:12).
Man must be saved through Jesus Christ, and "must" signifies the
certainty of the outcome.
We may consider the names "Christ" and "Jesus" metaphysically as

follows: The Christ principle is that which contains all the principles or
powers of God as individuated in each human being. Christ is the "image"
of God or the spiritual pattern in every man including the resources or
means for bringing it into manifestation. A principle may be active or
inactive as far as the individual is concerned; it may be used or not used;
it may be alive or it may be buried.
Metaphysically, Jesus represents the understanding use of the pattern

and the resources of the principle in transforming the mind, body, and
affairs of the individual. Jesus represents that in every man which makes
the God ideas righteously active in man's mind and in his body. Jesus is
the Saviour, for man becomes conscious of salvation only through
understanding and continually proving the laws of Spirit, thus making his
claim to divinity sure and plain. Jesus is the "likeness," that which is
continually working to bring forth the perfect man, the image-likeness of
God made manifest in the flesh. (For added reference re-read
Annotations for Lesson Seven, Lessons in Truth.)
What has man to do with the working out of his own salvation?
15. Man has a great deal to do with the work of salvation for he is a
co-worker with his Father-Mother God. At first he may only be able to
acknowledge the gift in awe and reverence, but he must come to the
place of accepting it. God gives and man receives through faith. The
reception of the gift is as vital as the giving of it. The acceptance of the gift
means that man must make his mind receptive to the inflow of the
spiritual ideas that make up the gift of salvation (the indwelling Christ).
Through faith man must acknowledge the infinite grace and mercy of God
and his own relationship as a son. Then he must use the divine ideas that
come to him as his inheritance. In this way they are incorporated in his
consciousness and spontaneously and naturally bring forth good in his
body and environment.
Our environment is God. We are one with Him, and salvation is here
and now. Our responsibility is to become conscious of it. As soon as we
shake off the belief that we are only a product of the flesh and begin to
claim our divinity as a son of God, we have our first perception of
salvation. As our beliefs in separation, limitation, and difference are
dissolved from consciousness, and replaced by faith in our unity,
oneness, with God, humanity, the universe, our perception of life grows
clearer. Salvation is of the Lord, but the attaining of the consciousness of
it is dependent on man's receptivity to and use of the revelations of Spirit.
Its perpetuity is dependent on man's constant application of the spiritual
principles (divine ideas) that make up the Christ principle.
What is the first step in putting off the "old man" (Eph. 4:22)? What is
the first step in putting on the "new man" (Eph. 4:24)?
16. The first step in putting off the "old man" is denial of the reality of
all that the "old man" represents -- thoughts and feelings of separation
from God, of limitations in any form, of selfishness, greed, fear, sickness,
poverty, old age, and death. It is saying "no" to all the errors that have
appeared to bind man in limited conditions.
Through faith in God, as the Creator, man is awakened to the truth

about himself as a child or son of God and his ability to show forth his
divine nature in his daily life and affairs. He responds to the idea with a
sincere desire, then he wills to carry it out in mind, body, and affairs. With
firm denials he begins a great cleansing process within his mind and heart
-- the thinking and feeling phases of his being.
"If you have done any piece of work incorrectly, the very first step
toward getting it right is to undo the wrong, and begin again from that
point. ... We have believed that God was angry with us and that we were
sinners who ought to be afraid of Him ... All this is false, entirely false!
And the first step toward freeing ourselves from our troubles is to get rid
of our erroneous beliefs about God and about ourselves" (Emilie Cady
Lessons In Truth 4:11).
The first step in putting on the "new man" is affirmation, the "yes"
attitude of mind. By affirmation, man accepts and identifies himself with
his spiritual Self, the I AM, Christ, Image of God, Son of God. Through
affirmation he puts on a new concept of himself, one that is alive, alert,
awake, joyous, and enthusiastic about life. He affirms,
I am life, I am health, I am peace, I am joy, I am that which God is --

all good.
Such ideas held in mind manifest in the body as well as in the affairs
of one who puts on the "new man."
What is meant by the expression "the law of sin and of death" (Rom.
8:2)?
17. "The law of sin and of death" is the operation of a secondary or a
mental law that man has put into activity by the wrong use of his power to
think and feel. It is the operation of the mental law of cause and effect
based on an error belief.
Man, created in the image and after the likeness of God, has the
ability to make images through his mental processes. When man lowers
the basis of his thinking and feeling from the spiritual to the limitations of
the outer realm through believing in two powers -- good and evil -- he
places himself in bondage to the mental law of cause and effect. The
mental law must bring forth according to the beliefs held in mind. To
receive the salvation which is his by divine right a person must be
single-minded. He must live consciously in God's Presence. He must
build a spiritual consciousness of universal good in order that he may be
under the saving grace that nullifies the wrong use of the mental law of
cause and effect.
The mental law of cause and effect, while it shows the justice of God,
has no saving power of itself. If man holds the belief that he is merely a
physical being, subject to limitation, or the belief that he is a sinner, the
mental law of cause and effect holds him to such limitation and sin until
he is able to accept the Truth. Causes always start as thoughts in mind
and produce effects in the body and affairs that correspond to the
character of those thoughts.
"Ye are not under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14) means that when
man responds to the "grace of God," or the forgiving love of Jesus Christ,
the effects of the wrong use of the mental law of cause and effect are
nullified and man has no age-old Karma with which to burden himself.
The Jesus Christ principle in each human being makes him the beloved of
the Lord. If man has faith in God's love and mercy and is willing to crucify
the "old man" (Eph. 4:22), or to cross out his erroneous beliefs in regard
to God and himself, he repudiates the bad effects of the wrong use of the
mental law of cause and effect.
He then receives the spiritual results of his new consciousness -- "the

new man" (Eph. 4:24).
What is "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2)?
18. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is the law of right
thinking and feeling. It is the activity of the principle of Absolute Good in
man's consciousness. "Life in Christ Jesus" is life in accordance with
Truth, or, in obedience to God's will or plan. That is, life showing the true
relationship that exists between God and man, between man and his
fellow man, and between man and the universe. When the races begins
to live in divine order so that perfect harmony is experienced in all the
activities on earth (body) and in heaven (mind) then a new condition will
exist -- "new heavens and a new earth" (Isa. 65:17). There will be no
"time" in the sense of a limited period. All stages of growth will be
recognized instantly. The "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" active in
the hearts of men will inspire them to turn to God for guidance, so that
divine wisdom and love will be expressed in the earth. Each person will
be as conscious of all the family of God as he is of "self" and he will be
divinely alive to the purpose and needs of his fellow men. Through the
operation of the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" the purposes of
Spirit will be fulfilled, namely, coordination and cooperation throughout
creation.
How does the body benefit by salvation?

19. Salvation is the "saving power" of God as expressed through
Jesus Christ. Thus, it is the gift of God to man. Man's salvation is his own
innate divinity, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). (See Series 1
Lesson 6 Annotation 14) The body is the manifestation, or the outpicturing
of divine ideas as handled by the individual soul. The "saving power," or
man's innate divinity, works through man's entire being -- spirit, soul,
body. In man's body it works to manifest the divine pattern in every cell,
nerve, tissue, organ, and function, in order to show forth in form, the
immaculate substance of God. Salvation or the "saving power" redeems
and restores the body to its true place in the threefold being of man -- the
manifestation of the life, substance, and intelligence of God.
"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Rev.
2:11). The "first death" occurs in the soul, or mind, and is the belief in
separation from the life idea. This state of mind has been built by man
through his belief in two powers, good and evil. Through wrong thoughts
and feelings the cells of man's body are deprived of the substance that
rightfully belongs to them as manifestations of God. This depletion brings
about a separation of soul from body which is called the "second death."
To save the body from "death" man must change his wrong thinking,
feeling, speaking, acting, and reacting. He must establish a conscious
contact with God by realizing his own divinity. He must become conscious
of the life idea as his true inheritance, and know God as the one Presence
and the one Power. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service" (Rom. 12:1). Each of
us should learn to consciously take the Word of life to all parts of the
body. The I AM, or Christ, is the law of God active in man and as the law
of man's being it is his salvation. Thus, by identification through the I AM,
we are able to declare:
I AM the body of Christ, I AM living substance. Every cell of my body

is alive and alight with "the glory of the Lord.
Where is the river of life? How do we become conscious of it?

20. The river of life is the activity of the I AM, the creative power of
God in every man. It is a "stream" of pure energy that is felt within man
when he comes into the consciousness of his spiritual body, the Body of
Christ.
The words "stream," "river," "current," "pouring," and the like, used in
the Bible, are all words that can be used to describe consciousness. The
river of life starts its flow from the life idea in Divine Mind (God) and can
manifest itself in the organism only while the thoughts of man are
centered on the life of God as his divine heritage. The dynamic urge to
"reproduce" is its law. Like all the cosmic powers, it is subservient to
divine wisdom and for a perfect manifestation this life idea must be
divinely guided through the life center. It is a flood of pure, clean, sweet,
warm, "living fire" poured out in lavish abundance for the use of man. This
God-life is a holy impulse, furnishing the energy by which all things live
and move and have being. It is the active or positive energy of which
divine substance is the passive counterpart. Both life and substance are
manifestations of God's love for His creation.
To become conscious of this "stream" or river of life we must first

thoroughly purge our mind of all lust and sensuality. We must affirm our
Christ identity. When we are able to "be still, and know that I am God"
(Psalms 46:10) we may call on God's regenerative life and substance to
manifest itself in our body. We can only become conscious of it when
quickened by the Holy Spirit, the action of God in us. With the quickening
will come the guidance of how to use this life in the right way so that we
may experience the "abundant life" of which our beloved Jesus Christ
spoke.
UCS Series 2 (Advanced

Course)
Series 2 - Lesson 1 - The True

Character of God
Lesson
Explain the following aspects of the nature of God: God as Principle;
God as Law; God as Divine Mind.
The science taught in these lessons is founded on Spirit. Spiritual
science is truly eternal, unlike the everchanging facts of the intellectual
sciences, which often are based primarily on appearances. Spiritual
science is the one true science and it does not change. All who are
seeking Truth accept this premise, but before one can understand it he
must be consciously in Spirit, for the things of God are spiritually
discerned.
"There is a spirit in man. And the breath of the Almighty giveth them
understanding" (Job 32:8).
It is not necessary that one be fully aware of his spiritual nature or his
spiritual identity before he begins the study of spiritual science. One's
consciousness is quickened by Truth, and if these lessons are studied
faithfully, the living word of Truth that is in them will enter into one's
mentality, and will quicken the faculty of understanding.
The very foundation of Truth is right understanding of God. Everyone

has some idea of a Being who is supreme. This idea is often very
indefinite, and many persons would have difficulty in expressing it. Let us
ask ourself definitely what God is to us -- what our idea of Him is.
The concept of God as a large, powerful man seated on a throne far

away is erased when spiritual understanding illumines the mind. Jesus
said, "God is a Spirit." Divine Mind and Spirit are virtually the same. If we
know about Mind, we know about Spirit or God. We perceive that the
whole universe is moved by one immanent intelligence and power.
Realizing that God is the omnipotent Mind, we have a principle for a
philosophy that will answer every question that we ask.
People sometimes say: "God as Principle seems cold and abstract. Is

there no personal God?" When we understand and realize that God as
Spirit is individualized in man, the abstract concept gives way to an
indwelling, concrete identity that seems personal but has none of the
limitations of personality. God is not a personality in the sense of being in
any way apart from man's own self. Anything is personal when it is one's
own possession. God is personal to us when we become aware of Him as
the Father-Mind or Christ Mind within us and turn to it as our counselor,
guide, and friend. God is to us whatever we conceive Him to be. When we
learn the essential nature of God (Absolute Good) through becoming
acquainted with Him in our mind, when we learn that God is wisdom, love,
power, good, then we will produce experiences of wisdom, love, and
goodness. Jesus so fully recognized and acknowledged this presence
and power that He could say, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), and
"He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9).
God is individualized in each one of us as inspiration, life, strength,

wisdom, power, and love, and any good we can conceive. To know God in
this personal way, we need to get very still, to withdraw our attention from
everything in the outer and direct it within us, centering it near our heart.
Then we can repeat quietly and confidently, "Thou only," knowing that we
are speaking to the Father within us -- and we feel His loving, quickening
presence. We come to realize that we are not alone and that God is not a
cold, abstract principle too far away to have loving compassion for us. We
find that He is near us, even within us, loving more than earthly parents
love their offspring. "Closer is He than breathing, and nearer than hands
and feet" (Tennyson, "The Higher Pantheism").
The realization that God is Principle forms a sure foundation for faith.
It is the assurance that the everlasting arms of Being are ever present to
support; that perfect, unchanging law directs the whole universe. The
"Father of lights" is the steadfast Spirit "with whom can be no variation,
neither shadow that is cast by turning" (James 1:17). God as Principle is
the unchangeable life, love, substance, and intelligence of Being.
Principle does not occupy space nor has it any limitations of time or
so-called matter; it exists eternally as the one underlying source or cause
out of which all proceeds.
Divine law is without variation. It is never changed to suit the

convenience of man but is "the same yesterday and today, yea and
forever" (Heb. 13:8). When man understands this law and conforms to it,
then "all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). It will be noted from the
foregoing that there are two phases of Principle:
There is the passive phase or essence which we designate as the
"Source," from which everything proceeds. It is the great reservoir of
unexpressed good, the mind substance in which all ideas inhere.
There is also the active phase, the law, the "Cause," which is the rule
or the working power that produces the results.
A parallel may be found in the principle of mathematics or of music.
Arithmetic is probably the simplest part of mathematics. The principle or
foundation of arithmetic is the unit. All numbers proceed from the unit and
are related to it and to one another according to the value of each. The
value of a number remains forever the same, and three never can be the
same value as six nor can six ever be the same value as nine. A simple
illustration of principle, looked at as rule or law, is that two times three are
six. If we know the value of numbers, then wherever we use this rule or
law we know that the result will be the same regardless of whether it
applies to apples, horses, stars, or dollars. As an outer symbol of the
numbers, we use figures. The figures themselves have no value; they are
simply a form we use to symbolize values.
God as Principle is the one infinite Mind in which all ideas inhere, the
unit, the essence, the substance that is the beginning, the origin, the
foundation of all this is. As used in the first chapter of Genesis, "In the
beginning God" (Gen. 1:1), beginning has nothing to do with time but has
reference to the primordial substance from which everything proceeds.
Just as we study the principle of mathematics and learn the value of the
numbers, so must we study the attributes of God, those ideas that inhere
in the primordial substance, and become acquainted with their character.
All things in the universe function according to law and order. The
same is true in the spiritual realm. God as Principle is that fundamental
Truth or law from which all other laws or principles proceed and which
from the beginning is of God's very nature -- Absolute Good. God as
Principle is impersonal in His action, in producing an effect for every
cause. Man may study the principle of mathematics until, like Einstein and
others, he becomes a wizard at unfolding and solving its intricacies. The
principle of mathematics then becomes such a personal thing to him that
it reveals to him the answer to any mathematical problem.
Through meditation, concentration, prayer, and the silence, we

associate with ideas that inhere in the mind substance that we call God.
By becoming familiar with the character and value of these ideas, in our
own consciousness, we make ourselves open and receptive channels
through which God as Principle may express. When we know spiritual
values and spiritual laws, we will know just how to relate, interrelate,
apportion, and make righteous use of divine ideas. Then we are able to
work wonders in handling any situation that arises in life. Since God is
Principle, in this capacity He moves as law or the governing power in all
creation. Not until we have consciously woven divine principles into our
human consciousness can we be sure of our results. The unfolding of the
knowledge of divine principles is an individual matter.
We shall study the One Almighty God as Principle, as Mind. Different

nations and religions have different names for this One, whom they
recognize as supreme. The Christian and Jew call Him God; the Hindu,
Brahma; the Muhammedan, Allah. Metaphysical students call Him First
Cause. This sounds abstract and may be unsatisfying to some unless
they know also that this Cause is Absolute Good and that it is manifest in
the least as well as in the greatest of its creations.
What is meant by "God immanent in the universe"?

God is all-pervading Spirit, the life and intelligence permeating the
whole universe. Immanent means "indwelling." When we say that God is
immanent in the universe we mean that God dwells in and reveals
Himself through forms. We mean that God pervades every atom of the
realm of manifestation, the realm known to the five senses. God
"transcendent" is absolute, unbounded Spirit; but God "immanent" is Spirit
dwelling within the form. Every form of manifestation owes its existence to
this indwelling God, and any human form can achieve immortality only as
it is lifted up and transmuted by this saving and redeeming God that
dwells in and operates through it. Paul clearly sets forth the revelation of
God both transcendent and immanent in these words: "Over all, and
through all, and in all" (Eph. 4:6). "In him we live, and move and have our
being" (Acts 17:28).
How does God dwell in man?

We should seek earnestly to know the all-pervading, omnipresent
One. When we clearly discern the science of God-Mind, we shall
understand the mysteries of creation. If we understand that Spirit and
Mind are synonymous, we can readily see that there is no mystery about
spiritual things, for they are not far removed from our daily thoughts and
experiences. The text, "Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Cor. 3:16), simply means that God
dwells in us as our mind dwells in the body. God creates and moves
creation through the power of His Mind, and the highest manifestation of
God-Mind on this planet has built for itself "a temple of the living God" (II
Cor. 6:16). This creative idea immanent in man has built from universal
substance a form through which this individualization of God is
manifesting itself. Through our minds we shall find God and do His will,
for God dwells in man as I AM, Jehovah God, and expresses in man's
soul as the superconscious or Christ Mind -- as the cause and ruler over
the body, its earthly temple.
Is man capable of understanding God?

To know God as Principle helps us to understand many things about
Him that we cannot conceive when we think of Him as "personality." For
instance, if we know Him as Principle, we can readily understand how He
can be omnipresent. The principle of mathematics is everywhere present.
Anyone anywhere can use it, and even if millions of people are using it at
the same time, there is no lack of it, no friction, no discord because of the
many who are using it to solve problems. All receive its full benefit as
wholly and as freely as one individual would if he were the only one using
it.
To know God as Mind helps us to understand omniscience. Science

implies orderly knowledge, knowledge that is systematic and arranged
with reference to general principles that are interrelated and interactive.
Omniscience is all orderly knowledge. God, Divine Mind, embraces all
knowledge and understanding, and is the origin of all ideas, the source of
every expression of true intelligence. Mind is the essence, the substance,
in which ideas live and move and have being, just as fish live and move
and have being in water. Mind is wholly immaterial and is all-pervading.
God-Mind cannot be separated or divided; hence it is not strictly correct to
say that man's mind is a "part" of Divine Mind because this implies
separation. Man has consciousness in Divine Mind. The expressions of
mind that have consciousness in Divine Mind manifest only bits of its
knowledge so that there seems to be a myriad of minds, each with its own
knowledge. Intelligence in individuals is Mind expressing itself as
consciousness. All knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are
expressions of ideas in the one Mind, pressing forth through different
channels according to the capacity of each channel. When man thinks
that he has a mind separate from God-Mind, he builds a state of
consciousness that is adverse to Truth. The Scriptures call this adverse
state the "adversary" or "Satan."
Mental laws are being discovered and studied as never before in the
world's history, but those who are investigating nature and her laws simply
from the intellectual and physical viewpoints must fall short of complete
understanding because they fail to trace all things back to the causing
Mind. The objects we see in nature are but symbols of ideas. There is an
idea back of everything that appears.
"The material forms that we see about us are the chalk marks of a
mighty problem being outworked by the one Mind. To comprehend that
problem and to catch a slight glimpse of its meaning, we must grasp the
ideas that the chalk marks represent; this is what we mean by studying
Mind back of nature" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 12-13).
To deal with nature effectively one has to discover what particular idea
is manifesting itself, and deal with that idea.
Studying nature alone, one finds apparently contradictory laws in

operation. Studying ideas, learning their character and the right relation
between them, one finds harmony and gains true knowledge. He is able
to comprehend the creation of the Almighty by grasping the ideas in
Divine Mind. In this way we are "studying Mind back of nature."
What is man's inheritance from God? How is it brought into

manifestation?
Man is the offspring of God, Divine Mind. He is God's idea of Himself
and as such is capable of comprehending the one Mind from which he
springs; he is never for an instant separated from the ideas of Divine
Mind. He has only to open his consciousness to receive whatever
understanding he requires. Man is created in the image and after the
likeness of God. In the book Christian Healing 13, Charles Fillmore states
quite clearly the importance of ideas:
"Divine ideas are man's inheritance; they are pregnant with all
possibility, because ideas are the foundation and cause of all that man
desires. With this understanding as a foundation, we easily perceive how
'all ... mine are thine.' All the ideas contained in the one Father-Mind are
at the mental command of its offspring. Get behind a thing into the mental
realm where it exists as an inexhaustible idea, and you can draw upon it
perpetually and never deplete the Source."
Many of us do not appreciate the word idea. An idea is a live thing,

and it will express itself in some way. In order to express divine ideas it is
our part to study God-Mind, learn the right relation and order of the realm
that produces the manifest world. Divine ideas are truly expressed when
limited thoughts of self are put aside; when we are ready to acknowledge
God as all, the only Presence and the only Power.
The "kingdom of heaven" so often referred to by Jesus, the kingdom

that He prayed might be brought into reality on earth, is the realm of
harmony within that results from laying hold of the ideas of the kingdom of
God, or Divine Mind. "Thy kingdom come ... on earth" (Matt. 6:10) is a
prayer that the emanation of spiritual ideas from the kingdom of God
within, into the thoughts of men, will set up right states of consciousness
followed by harmonious conditions. Through the development of the
"kingdom of God . . . within you" (Luke 17:21) will be fulfilled the prayer,
"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth"

(Matt. 6:10).
In order to express God's kingdom on earth, man must first
comprehend and establish it in his own consciousness. He enters into
conscious unity with Divine Mind (or the kingdom of God "within you")
through coming to the realization that "I and the Father are one" (John
10:30). In other words, he eliminates from his consciousness all thoughts
that do not accord with Absolute Good, thus producing a state of harmony
(heaven) within his own mind. This elimination of untrue concepts and the
establishment of true ideas within man cause him naturally and without
effort to come into right relations with his fellow man. Thus he has allowed
the kingdom of God to come through him and enabled heaven or
harmony to be established "on earth."
Scripture asserts that "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21),
but that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). The deeper
meaning of the word heaven, from the word auranos which Jesus
probably used, is "expanding." As man's human consciousness is
developed spiritually and he becomes conscious of the kingdom of God
and its inhering ideas, his consciousness expands so that the ideas of the
kingdom of God may be expressed. The true expression of these divine
ideas produces order, peace, and harmony in the outer world.
From what source did Jesus feed the multitude?

Jesus understood the realm of ideas or, as he termed it, "the kingdom
of God ... within you" (Luke 17:21), and He drew upon it continually.
All that goes to make up the visible universe is held in the Mind of
Being as ideas of life, love, substance, and so forth. These ideas, like the
tones in music, may be combined in many ways and thus produce infinite
variety in expression. There is a right combination that constitutes the
divine order, the kingdom of heaven on earth. Jesus Christ admonished
His hearers to "seek ... first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness"
(Matt. 6:33 A.V.). We often use the quotation, "Seek ... first the kingdom,"
but do we not sometimes overlook the part of the quotation that has to do
with the right use, or knowing the law of the right relation, of all ideas?
Our real power lies in knowing how to use these powers of mind. The
right relation of ideas and the science of right thought will form an
important part of the subsequent lessons of this course.
It was from the inexhaustible idea of substance that Jesus increased

the loaves and the fishes and fed the multitude. He had faith in the
omnipresence of God, the all-providing essence that is in us all, through
us all, and around us all -- "In him we live, and move, and have our being"
(Acts 17:28). Jesus had made Himself consciously one with this
omnipresent substance through His faith, His love, and His devotion. He
knew the one Presence and the one Power so completely that He was
identified with substance. He had faith that His thought was one with the
Mind of God and could, therefore, materialize out of this substance that
which was needed to meet the need of those who hungered. It was an
opportunity for Him to help His fellow men and also to glorify God, by
putting into operation the spiritual law with which he had made Himself so
familar. His recognition, faith, and love acted as a magnet that drew into
manifestation what was needed at the time.
What idea was back of Jesus' work in healing the sick and raising the
dead?
As Jesus had familiarized Himself with the idea of substance, so also
had He become acquainted with the life idea. He understood what it is to
live abundantly, to have abundant life -- life without beginning and without
end. Because of this consciousness, He could make use of the life idea in
healing the sick and raising the dead, and His familiarity with the idea
enabled Him to overcome death in His own organism. He undoubtedly
knew that a divine idea never passes away, that life is always present in
all its purity, and that what man needs is to become conscious of the
presence and power of life.
Jesus' mighty works were done in the consciousness of oneness with

the Father. "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) was His manner of
demonstration, and it must be ours. We must follow Him, keep His
sayings, do as He did, if we expect to obtain the same results that He
obtained. We must definitely acknowledge our oneness with God as
Jesus did.
How shall we do the works that Jesus did?

We may do the works that Jesus did by coming into the
consciousness of Divine Mind (Spirit, the Father within) which Jesus
recognized as the One who did the work, and by bringing its ideas into
expression and eventual manifestation.
Mind has ideas, and ideas have the power of expression. These steps
in mental development should be well fixed in the understanding, for all
manifestation is the outer expression of ideas held in mind. In order to do
the "greater works" (John 14:12) that Jesus said we should do, we must
make conscious contact with the inspiration and the power that enabled
our Elder Brother to express God-Mind perfectly. For a musician to make
music three things are needed: (1) the idea that he is seeking to express;
(2) the ability or power to perform; (3) and the instrument on which to
make the music audible. If man would play the harmonies of heaven, he
must first establish contact with ideas in God-Mind; then he must hold to
the needed idea through all difficulties. He must have faith that the idea
needed can be manifested through him because he is a vehicle for divine
grace. His body and affairs are the instruments through which he
expresses thoughts in the personal realms of consciousness, so these
must be responsive to the keynote of love, otherwise there will be discord.
Jesus Christ said, according to the Authorized Version, "wist ye not

that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:40 A.V.). Man is "in
training" to enable him to carry on the "Father's business." In the business
world a boy may begin as a messenger and learn a business from the
ground up. He must study and engage in all phases of the work. So it is
with man in his spiritual progress; he must know what God is, what the
aim and purpose or the will of God is, and then he must seek to
accomplish that purpose. The best way to broaden our concept of God is
to study Him from the standpoint of His attributes or ideas; i.e., study Him
as life, power, love, substance, as everything that we can conceive an
belonging to His nature. If we study God as power, the one supreme force
of the universe, we will come to understand what is meant by "the
omnipotence of God."
Not only must we study the one Mind as the source of all ideas, but
we must let these ideas unfold so that they may be brought into
manifestation in our life. We must make conscious union with Divine
Mind. The point of contact is a willingness and a seeking on our part --
"Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt.
7:7). The term consciousness (as has been very evident throughout this
study) has a twofold meaning: It is direct knowledge or perception of the
presence of an object, state or sensation, and it also refers to our mind or
our soul. We frequently refer to the "human consciousness."
"Man's consciousness is the totality of his conscious states ... The

word conscious applies primarily to that which is felt as within one's self. .
. .it is made up of desires, sensations, emotions, thoughts, feelings,
perceptions, any soul quality. . . .man thinks and man feels, and the result
is consciousness" (Series 1 Lesson 6 Annotation 5).
Why are we not always conscious of our oneness with God?

Very often we find the words aware and conscious being used
synonymously, but in the strictest sense this is not accurate. The following
quotation is very clear on this point:
"Aware pertains to that which is external to oneself, to outer
impressions driven inward; conscious, to that which is internal, to the
inner feeling that may be held within or be forced out to manifest itself in
reaction of some sort."
(The above quotation is taken from a book, now out of print, by John
Opdycke.)
Consciousness is related to what a person has actually experienced,

either mentally, emotionally, or physically. Then the question may arise, "If
we are the offspring of Divine Mind, why are we not naturally conscious of
its presence and of our oneness with it?" The answer is that while we may
be aware of being sons of God through intellectual study or our religious
beliefs, we do not actually feel this to be true. Thus our belief in
separation has produced states of mind that have formed a
"consciousness of separation."
We are not always conscious of our oneness with God because of the
states of mind that have accepted belief in God as a Being apart from us,
and of our self as merely a flesh-and-blood being. Part of our divine
inheritance is free will, and this means freedom to think, feel, speak, and
act as we choose. If we believe in separation from our Creator, then our
thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting build a consciousness of
separation, and we are not conscious of our oneness with God.
How are we awakened to the knowledge of God?

No one can impart Truth to another. It must be individually
experienced, and it is experienced only as we become conscious of it.
Meditation and prayer are the processes by which we first become aware
of the truth of our relationship to God, but it is only as we enter into the
silence that we are actually awakened to His Presence and are then
conscious of our oneness with Him. The quickening of our soul to the
knowledge of God involves definite action on our part; our positive,
Truth-filled words (affirmations) become the invitation to the
God-Presence to reveal itself to our soul.
The third chapter of the Gospel of John is very enlightening with

regard to the development of divine consciousness or the awakening to
the knowledge of God (John 3). The following quotation sums up the
"True Character of God" and our relation to Him:
"The truth is then:
That God is Principle, Law, Being, Mind, Spirit, All-Good, omnipotent,

omniscient, omnipresent, unchangeable, Creator, Father, Cause, and
Source of all that is;
That God is individually formed in consciousness in each of us, and is

known to us as 'Father' when we recognize Him within as our Creator, as
our mind, as our life, as our very being;
That mind has ideas and that ideas have expression; that all
manifestation in our world is the result of the ideas that we are holding in
mind and are expressing;
That to bring forth or to manifest the harmony of Divine Mind, or the

'kingdom of heaven,' all our ideas must be one with divine ideas, and
must be expressed in the divine order of Divine Mind" (Charles Fillmore
Christian Healing 16)
S2L1 Annotations
What is God?
1. God is Spirit, Divine Mind, Father, Being, Truth, Creator, Principle
and Law, Source and Cause of all that is; All Good, Absolute Good,
omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson
1 Annotation 1.)
The Sanskrit equivalent of the word God means "shining." This

"shining" may take many forms according to the channel through which it
pours. Therefore, it may appear to man as power, love, wisdom,
goodness, law, abundance, Truth, strength, and so on. (See Chapter
One, paragraph 23, of Christian Healing 16.)
Behind the outpouring, the "shining," stands the immutable Source of
all -- eternal, creative Divine Mind, the Principle of Absolute Good which
upholds and in-forms the universe and is, therefore, Being, omnipotent,
omnipresent, and omniscient.
"Divine Mind -- God-Mind; ever-present, all-knowing Mind; the

Absolute, the unlimited, Omnipresent, all-wise, all-loving, all-powerful
Spirit.
"There is but one Mind, and that Mind cannot be separated or divided,
because, like the principle of mathematics, it is indivisible. All that we can
say of the one Mind is that it is absolute and that all its manifestations are
in essence like itself" (The Revealing Word, p. 56).
Is God a person? Explain fully.

2. God is not a person. The word person implies a human being with
desires, passions, frailties, limitations. God is changeless, limitless,
passionless. When we consider God as Principle only, He appears too
abstract, too far beyond the human conception to inspire the trusting love
of the human heart which makes the relation a personal one.
However, God as immanent Spirit individuated in man takes on a

personal character but has none of the limitations of human personality.
As immanent Spirit, God seeks to reveal Himself in an infinite creative
plan with man as a center of consciousness through which to express His
love for all creation. In this plan man is known as the Son of God, the
beloved of the Father.
God is the Absolute; man is His relative, learning to express God's

nature in its fullness. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 2 Annotation 3.)
What is God as Principle? as Law?

3. God as Principle is the Genesis and Revelation of our Bible, while
all that is contained in between is the working of the law. God as Principle
is the absolute Truth that is back of all cause, all expression, and all
manifestation. It is the passive, formless Mind substance in which all
divine ideas inhere. Principle is the total of all the fundamental elements
of Being, all the underlying truths that are classed as spiritual realities, all
the qualities (ideas) that man attributes to the eternal, self-existent One.
The character, the name that is given the ideas, designates the native
elements that are inherent within them.
"Principle -- Fundamental Truth. Divine Principle is fundamental Truth

in a universal sense, or as pertaining to God, the Divine. It is the
underlying plan by which Spirit (God) moves in expressing itself" (The
Revealing Word, p. 156).
God as Law is the dynamic, intelligent, changeless rule of action of

the underlying principles of Being (God). Law is the working power that
produces results, for God as Law is the manner in which God as Principle
expresses.
"God as law -- Principle in action" (The Revealing Word, p.84).
Law is invariable in its action, the same for everyone, in any place, at
any time, under all circumstances and conditions. Principle is always
universally in action through the law inhering within it but creation
(including man) must avail itself of the law of good in order to produce
perfect results.
What is meant by "God immanent in the universe"?

4. Immanent means indwelling. "God immanent in the universe"
means the ideals of God-Mind reproducing mental forms and then
manifesting themselves through these forms as shapes. Every
manifestation is the embodiment of an idea.
"God immanent in the universe" is Spirit dwelling within the form as

life, intelligence, and substance. God immanent is the perpetual urge
within every form of life to perfect its form and fulfill the purpose for which
it was created.
God immanent in man is the "only begotten Son" (John 3:16) that the
Father gave to the world as the inspiration of every created thing. Cradled
in substance, the creating ideas are fed by substance, and out of
substance grow the forms in and through which the ideas are manifested.
The knowledge that God dwells at the center of our being, that He is the
life, substance, and intelligence in every cell of our body, gives us the key
to all wisdom, eternal life, and unending power.
Explain omniscience
5. The word omniscience comes from two Latin words: omnis,
meaning all, and scientia, meaning infinite knowledge. Omniscience is
therefore knowledge that is infinite, unbounded, complete; intelligence
that is orderly and related to unchanging principles. It is the one science
out of which all sciences are produced.
Divine intelligence is Divine Mind in its passive, unrelated character;

knowledge is intelligence expressing itself as related ideas in the human
consciousness. Wisdom is knowledge that is shaped by divine order and
judgment; it is the righteousness (right-use-ness) of the kingdom of God,
the perfect activity and expression of the primal, passive, unrelated
intelligence of God.
Omniscience is the unrelated, the related, the expressed, all in one. It

includes all stages of the birth, growth, relation and inter-relation,
progress, expression, and manifestation of its offspring.
Explain omnipresence
6. Omnipresence, like omniscience, applies to God as the universal
Spirit of Good. It means all or everywhere present, and in its
completeness includes both omniscience and omnipotence.
Omnipresence designates the infinite, eternal, immutable,

all-pervading substance that is the source, cause, and sustenance of all
being in its absolute wholeness (holiness). Omnipresence is the
substance idea, the "body of God" (i.e., the embodiment of all good).
Omnipresence is the passive phase, the Mother aspect of Spirit. It
embraces all being in the Absolute and holds within it all intelligence, life,
purity, power, love, and joy. It is stronger than any need, greater than any
circumstance, more powerful than any personality. In it are order and
judgment and all things in their right relation.
Omnipresence includes the activity of the Holy Spirit (third phase of

the Godhead or Holy Trinity) ever seeking to have the righteousness of
God-consciousness move through man as the expresser of divine ideas.
It is the all-pervading Good in which "we live and move and have our
being" (Acts 17:28). In this all-satisfying Presence there can be no
loneliness, no lack, no suffering, no separation.
Explain omnipotence
7. The true meaning of the word omnipotence is all-power. It is also a
name for God as the only Power in the universe. Omnipotence is the
creative action of the Holy (whole) Trinity. It is also the power back of the
creative Word, the authority and rulershlp of the absolute, dynamic
principle of Being (God). As the power back of the Holy Spirit, it is the
divine breath moving upon the face of the waters at creation, the same
creative breath that made man "a living soul." Omnipotence is the
dominion and authority idea, the active phase, the Father aspect of Spirit.
Omnipotence is also the will of God expressed in man through

definite, purposeful ideas; it is the creative life within these ideas. It is the
urge of the indwelling Christ seeking always to manifest its likeness. Man
may at will draw upon this power in direct ratio to his faith in it. Man is
often awed by the majesty of God as omnipotence and thinks that in
comparison his own powers are exceedingly limited. It is man himself who
limits the power of God in him. There is an inexhaustible and equal
distribution of power throughout the universe, and man may have
whatever degree of it his consciousness is ready to appropriate.
How does God dwell in man?

8. God as Spirit dwells in man as the life principle; as an offspring of
God, man is a spiritual being, and his spiritual heritage is no less than the
attributes (ideas) of God. God dwells in man even as man dwells in God.
Man is a center of consciousness through which God-Mind expresses.

"Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?" (I Cor. 3:16). God created man out of Himself; that is,
He created man out of Mind substance as a perfect image of Himself.
Man was thus endowed with the holy (whole) majesty and immaculate
purity of God, the transcendent One, who alone is all good, and the
source of all creation.
God dwells in man as the I AM, the Christ, Jehovah, Superconscious

(or Christ Mind) in the same way that life and intelligence dwell within a
seed. This indwelling image is God-Mind taking form in human
consciousness and seeking perfect expression as man. In this center of
consciousness the ideal lives and ever seeks to manifest the likeness of
itself.
Explain God as the one Mind

9. God as the one Mind is the originating source of all that is, acting
through the movement of the ideas that make up Mind. Life is animation.
The word animation came into our language from the Latin animus,
meaning mind. The word spirit came from the Latin spiritus, meaning to
breathe, to live. In this sense spirit and mind are synonymous terms.
In Gen. 1:1 we read, "In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth." God ideated, imaged the heavens (the ideal) and the earth
(the mental picture of the ideal). Then in a definite plan for the universe
and man, Genesis gives us the other steps, all of which are to be taken
through thought.
God, the Principle of Absolute Good is alive, active as the universal

Mind substance -- omnipresence -- creates and sustains good in an
orderly way in man and in the universe. Substance is the totality of God
and life is the action, the expression of this completeness working out a
definite plan. God inspirits (inspires) all of His creations with
consciousness. All being, all living, all doing, all interest, all exertion, all
movement is the expression of the life idea as it works in and through the
passive substance or "body of God," making it active and productive.
Mind and thought are one and are inseparable. They are Principle and
its way of expression. The perfection or imperfection of the manifestation
is due to the character of the thought, the mental picture, that man
conceives in interpreting the ideal.
What is meant by studying Mind back of nature?

10. Nature is considered in this question as the system of all
phenomena, the physical universe. Mind is also considered in its
philosophical meaning as the conscious element or factor in the universe,
the underlying Spirit or Intelligence or Mind contrasted with matter.
Seeking the origin, the creative cause (the idea back of the form) of
mental and physical phenomena is the meaning of "studying Mind back of
nature."
A fundamental premise of the Unity teaching is the equation of God

with Mind, in which is involved the essence of all ideas or archetypes of
natural phenomena. The ideas are conceived to be complete or perfect.
Natural phenomena are in the process of evolving, unfolding, or fulfilling
these inherent ideas corresponding to the degree of consciousness of the
particular phenomenon.
Man alone among known phenomena has evolved the capacity to

think and to reason with his mind beyond the physical, to seek underlying
causes and operative laws (ideas) that natural phenomena might be more
nearly like their spiritual patterns (ideas). Studying the Mind back of
nature is the effort to know God that He might be expressed and
experienced with increasing adequacy in and through His channels of
expression. It is the search for Truth.
Is man capable of understanding God?

11. Yes, man is capable of understanding God because, created by
and of God, he is of the same nature as God. As the image of God with
the power to bring forth His likeness, man is capable of understanding
God, for there is no limit set to his consciousness, his understanding.
God as Absolute, formless Being, through the fusion of wisdom and

love, conceived in substance the image of Himself that was to grow and
develop into His likeness, into His same transcendent nature. One can no
more think of God without thinking of good than he can think of a singer
without a song, mind without ideas, or ideas without life, activity,
expression.
Spiritual man is infinite in nature and as a living soul, a self-conscious

being, is capable of understanding infinity even though as manifest man
he may seem finite. That man is self-conscious as well as spiritual is
evident. Spiritual man is related to the living God as His son; the concrete
expression or manifestation of that son is manifest man. Jehovah God (or
the Lord) represents the development of wisdom, and Jesus Christ
finishes the development of man through love.
What is man's inheritance from God?

12. Divine ideas inherent in the nature of God are man's inheritance
from God, but in order to come into this inheritance man must be ready to
receive it as well as to claim it. Infinite Mind or God cannot inspire man
with divine ideas before his human consciousness is ready to receive
them. Until that time, the ideas are of no practical use to him because
they pass him by through his nonrecognition. They fall by the wayside, fall
on stony ground, fall where the weeds of error-thought choke them out.
Our part is to prepare our human consciousness, through denial, for

the reception of divine ideas, as carefully as the agriculturist prepares the
soil for the planting to be done in its season. Too often human beings fill
their consciousness with thoughts of crime, disease, war, and poverty. We
often cultivate these unconsciously through conversation about them, and
through fear, instead of by clearing and preparing our "earth" -- the human
consciousness -- for the seeds of divine ideas. Hence, our limited beliefs
prevent our coming into our "real" estate, the Jesus Christ consciousness.
How are divine ideas brought into manifestation?

13. Divine ideas are brought into expression through the divine Logos,
the Word of God, (the "God said" of Genesis) which is the creative power
of Divine Mind. As the Word moves through man and all creation, the
ideas are made manifest according to the need of the species.
So far as man is concerned, he brings divine ideas into manifestation

through his thinking and feeling. The lesson material quotes from
Christian Healing 13, in which the following sentence appears:
"All the ideas contained in the one Father-Mind are at the mental
command of its offspring."
Though ideas are brought into expression through the Word of God,
man as a free will being must make the claim mentally in order for them to
manifest in his life as the fulfillment of his needs. In Lessons in Truth
Lesson 10 Annotation 3 we find reference to the incorporation of life and
love into soul, body, and affairs and as this annotation covers some of the
points pertinent to the present question, we quote:
"In our true nature, our spiritual self, the Christ in us, we already have
life and love and all the other divine ideas, but it is only as we consciously
accept them by our thinking and feeling that they become active in our
own consciousness. These qualities are then worked out in body and
affairs as actual experiences."
From what source did Jesus feed the multitude?

14. Jesus fed the multitude from the substance idea in Divine Mind.
The multitude numbered five thousand plus. The visible resources were
five small loaves and two little fishes. Andrew said, "What are these
among so many?" (John 6:9). Jesus recognized the loaves and fishes as
symbols of the abundance of omnipresence, the unfailing substance and
rich ideas of increase. He did not allow the inadequate outer supply to
blind His vision to the reality of God's all-providing essence everywhere
present and instantly available as man's all sufficiency in all things.
Looking up, He spoke words of thanksgiving. He looked above the
seeming outer supply to the real source of all manifestation. He kept His
entire attention on substance -- not on the symbols. He had faith in this
all-providing resource, as well as faith that His thought and spoken word
could accomplish what was necessary to feed the multitude.
In giving thanks, Jesus made use of the spoken Word of God, which
fulfills the divine law of creation and increase when it is spoken with
conviction. At this high level of knowing, the idea within Jesus released
the Word of God into action.
The "breaking of bread" signifies constant prayer and affirmation.

Jesus' keeping His attention on God as the source of the supply implies
constant blessing. This account shows us the fertility of substance when
the Word of God is projected into it.
What idea was back of Jesus' work in healing the sick and raising the
dead?
15. The idea of life, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, was back of
Jesus' work in healing the sick and raising the dead. Jesus knew God as
the one Mind. He also knew that Mind has ideas through which it
expresses its ideals. He knew that ideas are living, eternal principles that
can produce the manifestations of good when they are rightly used.
Since Mind is everywhere present and perfect, this same

omnipresence and perfection must apply to the "life idea." Jesus taught,
and He proved in His own body, that death of the physical form, the body,
can be overcome through contact with the life idea, which in the ideal is
indestructible and abundant. Having contacted the life idea, we must
make ourself consciously one with it. We must hold the idea of life in our
mind and in our heart until it is accepted and becomes the ruling power in
our consciousness. When the thinking faculty and the feeling nature are in
perfect agreement with the Superconscious (realm of God ideas) the life
idea and any of the divine ideas that make up our inheritance are free to
express themselves in perfection. Finally, we must be responsive to divine
love, for the love of life brings its manifestation that much more quickly.
Like all divine ideas, the life idea is not for the benefit of the individual
alone but for the benefit of humanity as a whole. The more unselfish the
expression of life to all creation, the more the individual will be perfected
and blessed as a channel.
How shall we do the works that Jesus did?

16. Jesus knew that He must be the embodiment of the one Mind, one
substance, one Source, one Presence, one Power. "Wist ye not that I
must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49). Jesus recognized and
claimed God as the creative power that did the work. Note His words:
"I can of myself do nothing" (John 5:30).

"The Father [the ideal, the perfect idea] abiding in me doeth his works
(John 14:10).
"All power is given unto me [the ideal] in heaven and in earth" (Matt.
28:18 A.V.).
To do the works that Jesus did, we need to
(1) seek to understand God Mind and to identify ourself with the
source of our being, God as divine substance;
(2) know and recognize that substance is expressed through ideas

that at their center are endowed with the power of the cosmic ideal;
(3) learn to be still and let this perfect Mind which Jesus had, and
which is ours to claim, do its perfect work in and through our whole being;
(4) have faith in its power to express its likeness through us as

channels for its expression;
(5) seek to unify ourself with the divine ideals of wisdom and love --
for without a union of these two qualities of Being there can be no perfect
creation;
(6) hold to these ideals or ideas through all difficulties until they so
completely dominate our human consciousness that we do indeed "have
this mind . . . which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).
What and where is the kingdom of heaven?

17. The kingdom of heaven is man's ever-expanding consciousness
of the Kingdom of God within him. The kingdom of heaven does not
depend on location in space but is a state of consciousness that may be
attained in any place. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"
(Matt. 3:2). This same reference is found also in Matt. 4:17 and Matt.
10:7. The kingdom of heaven is recognized first within the soul of each
human being, but each one must seek the Kingdom of God and begin to
build his own kingdom of heaven or harmony within before he can
experience it in the outer world. We are told to "seek . . . first his kingdom"
(Matt. 6:33) and our "seeking" is done through contemplation on divine
ideas, through meditation, prayer, and the Silence.
To attain the kingdom of heaven, it is necessary to unfold one's

understanding of the power of Truth to dispel all beliefs in the reality of
sin, disease, poverty, and death. The kingdom of heaven is relative,
individual Truth, a consciousness that is subject to the will of the
individual depending on how much of the Kingdom of God the individual
has awakened to. The kingdom of heaven is that realm within the soul
where movement is taking place onward and upward, according to the
highest ideals of the Kingdom of God of which the individual has become
conscious. At any period in our life we may experience the kingdom of
heaven, if we have so opened ourself to the Kingdom of God that God's
blessings (ideas) are made manifest in mind, body, or affairs.
How does man enlarge his concept of God?

18. Man enlarges his concept of God by studying God as creative,
Divine Mind from every angle. There must first be a deep desire to know
God as well as to know about Him. Each one, feeling this desire for God,
will begin his search; he may be guided to books, teachers, classes, but
his safe plan will always be to pray, to ask God to reveal Himself. If man
knows God as Mind, in which inhere all divine ideas, study and prayer
given to the ideas of life, love, power, faith and so forth will result in
illumination on the character of God. It is not enough just to study God as
Mind only through ideas; these ideas must be rightly used, for they are
alive and dynamic with creative power. Knowing God as Absolute Good
requires that we relate the ideas that make up this good to our own life.
"Man has the ability to discern and understand the various factors
entering into the creative processes of mind, and he is, through the study
of mental laws, perceiving and accepting the science of ideas, thoughts,
and words. ... he is capable of comprehending the plan and the detailed
ideas of the supreme Mind" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 12, 13).
Why are we not always conscious of our oneness with God?

19. We are not always conscious of our oneness with God because
somewhere in the history of the human family we have built a
consciousness of separation. A writer has said that if two gateways were
set before mankind, one labeled "To Heaven" and the other "To Lectures
about Heaven," a large majority of persons would instinctively choose the
second.
At the present state of development of the human family, the

intellectual consciousness appears to be of prime importance. In
developing this consciousness, many do not see the difference between
intellectual awareness and spiritual consciousness. They think that to
know about God and to know God are one and the same thing. For this
reason, they are not conscious of their oneness with, their sameness to,
God. To them God is a Being, a Father in heaven, separate and apart
from themselves. God is always close; He is within us, but we do not
always realize His presence because our interest is centered largely in
outer things. The fact of God's being close does not help us unless we
are conscious of it. So by effort we must build up this feeling of God within
us, of our oneness with Him. In doing this, we are helped by considering
right values in life, placing outer conditions and things in their right relation
to spiritual realities. Inherently we know the value of spiritual truths, but
we need to keep reminding ourself. This is not to imply that the intellect
does not have its place, for it has -- but not as a master. Charles Fillmore
has this to say in Keep a True Lent 155:
"Intellectual understanding comes first in the soul's development, then

a deeper understanding of principle follows, until the whole man ripens
into wisdom."
How are we awakened to the knowledge of God?

20. We are awakened to the knowledge of God by the I AM in us
seeking to express itself. We may remain unaware of our spiritual nature
for a very long period, but the I AM within us (God's Presence) is
nevertheless ever urging us to become conscious of our oneness with
Spirit. Just as the life principle within the seed is constantly urging it to
develop into plant or tree to fulfill its own plan, so the I AM, or life principle
within us, is urging us to develop into the manifest son of God in order to
fulfill His plan for us. As the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit, moves in us
we gradually become conscious of the inner prompting. At first we may
recognize it only as a feeling of dissatisfaction with life as we are living it
in a limited way, and the desire for a new and higher way of living
becomes our goal.
As brought out in the quotation from Keep a True Lent in the

preceding annotation, our intellect is the forerunner of spiritual
understanding. Literature, teachers, and best of all the examples of those
who are alive in Truth catch the attention of the intellect. We begin to see
something better than we have known before. This causes a desire to
investigate and find out what others have that we have not, what
transforms their lives and gives them joy instead of sorrow, health instead
of sickness, peace instead of worry. Seeing a better way awakens a
desire to realize it, and the earnest desire opens the way for revelation
and guidance in the achieving of this better way. Too often individuals get
a glimpse of that which they would like to have in their life experiences but
without understanding and guidance they seek in ways that are not good,
often taking from others rather than seeking God and allowing His laws to
bring their own to them.
We need always to remember that knowledge of God comes to each
soul only through the revelation of Spirit within -- it cannot be imparted by
others though much inspiration may come through the example and
teachings of others. Of one thing we may be sure; revelation of the truth
about God and our relation to Him will come when we desire it deeply
enough and are willing to seek it through contemplation of the qualities
(ideas) that make up His true character or nature, and then allow divine
ideas to come alive in us through meditation, prayer, and the Silence.
Series 2 - Lesson 2 - Christ, The Only

Begotten of the Father
Lesson
Give both the religious and the metaphysical terms for the Holy Trinity.
In our first lesson we learned that there is One Mind. This Mind teems
with ideas and these ideas have expression. Mind, idea, and expression
form a trinity which is the metaphysical interpretation of the religious
terms known as the "Holy Trinity": Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These
three are one, and if we study them as Mind, Idea, and Expression we
can better understand how they are one.
Man is created in the image and after the likeness of God, the One
Mind. Man forms states of consciousness in this One Mind by his thinking
and feeling. By studying the activity of his own mind (his consciousness)
he can find out how the One Mind creates.
Explain how mind, idea, and expression are in all that appears
(manifestation).
Everything that we see with our physical eyes was first an idea, and
back of the idea is Mind. No house is built, no garment made, that was
not first an idea in someone's mind. After the idea is expressed — acted
upon in mind, worked out in consciousness we have the manifestation,
that which is cognized by one or more of the five senses.
Ideas are begotten or generated in the One Mind, eternal

Omniscience, becoming causes from which all that is, is produced. Mind
is the matrix of all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Out of the One
Mind, ideas arise and are born in consciousness, asking for expression,
asking to be recognized and accepted. When an idea comes into
consciousness it is filled with creative power, and is on its way into
manifestation, which it attains if given consent by the will of the individual.
What is meant by the term "the first-born of all creation"?

Before there could be a man, there had to be an idea of man. God,
the Father, Divine Mind, created the idea of man, and this idea is His Son,
the offspring of His Mind, the perfect-man idea. The Son is the I AM,
Christ, the Word, Jehovah, the only begotten of the Father; the name
"Son of God" was given to this idea because it proceeded from the
Father, God, and was God-created. The Son, being the expressed
image-likeness of the Father, is perfect, even as the Father is perfect. All
that we find in Divine Mind, we find in the idea, in the offspring, in the Son,
"who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation" (Col.
1:15). "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col.
2:9).
Explain the meaning of the names Christ, Jesus, and Jesus Christ,
from the historical and the metaphysical standpoint
All that Divine Mind, the Father, ever begets or impregnates in
consciousness is the idea, and this idea is the cosmic creative power that
is active in Omnipresence. It is the image or seed-idea that is hidden in all
forms of life and which causes the expression in the invisible and the
manifestation in the visible realms. In its various forms of activity in man it
is known as Christ, Jesus, and Jesus Christ.
From the historical standpoint the terms, Christ, Jesus, and Jesus
Christ, are names or titles that are applied to the man of Nazareth who
was the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy of a Messiah (Isa. 9:6-7). the
man born in Bethlehem of Judea of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18-25, Matt.
2:1), who grew up in the city of Nazareth (Matt. 2:23); who performed all
manner of miracles (Matt. 11:1-5); who taught a relationship between God
and man as Father and Son (John 10:30, John 17:1, 21); who is our Elder
Brother (Matt. 6:9, Matt. 23:9); who was the Great Physician (Matt. 12:15,
Matt. 14:14); who was our Friend (John 15:14; our Way-Shower (John
14:6, Luke 9:59); the Great Overcomer (John 16:33); who was crucified in
Jerusalem (John 19:16); was resurrected from the dead (John 20:1-31),
and ascended into heaven (Mark 16:19); was the inspiration of and the
chief character in the Four Gospels of the New Testament (Matt., Mark,
Luke and John); the guiding Light to Paul in his great missionary journeys
(Acts 9:10, 20, Romans 1:1, I Cor. 1:1, Eph. 1:1); and the voice of
revelation heard by John, the writer of the Book of Revelation.
From the metaphysical or the spiritual standpoint, the terms Christ,

Jesus, and Jesus Christ, represent spiritual principles and laws that are
eternal and omnipresent. They were active and they found fulfillment in
the man, Jesus of Nazareth. They are in every human being and will find
fulfillment in everyone, when the same spirit of devotion and obedience is
cultivated in the mind and heart of each individual.
Christ is the image of God, the Word, the Son, the Law, the pattern of
perfection in each person.
Christ is the composite idea that contains all the divine ideas that are
necessary in the unfoldment, development, evolution and expression of a
self-conscious spiritual man. Christ is the "seed of God" that is able to
reproduce itself out of the substance inhering within it. Christ is spiritual
man, I AM, Jehovah God, the Lord God.
Jesus is the understanding use of the Christ principle, the

understanding use of the pattern of perfection.
Jesus is the energy and the understanding to bring forth in the visible
realm all that is in the "seed," the Christ. Jesus is the growth of the seed.
Jesus is the unfolding and the developing of all the qualities or ideas of
Christ. One might have the pattern and all the necessary substance to
make something, but unless there were an understanding and use of
both, nothing would be produced. There could be a perfect seed, but
unless that seed was planted and given an opportunity to grow, it would
never produce fruit. Jesus is the name of the principle in man that ever
works to bring forth the perfection of man that is contained in the spiritual
principle as a Son of God, the Christ. Jesus is the perfect response and
obedience to the law of life, the law of growth and unfoldment. Jesus is
the individual unfoldment and evolution of the Christ, the "seed of God."
Jesus Christ is "the Word [which] became flesh" (John 1:14). Jesus
Christ is the perfect manifestation of the "seed of God," or the seed
bearing fruit.
Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfillment in man that is manifested as the

result of the conscious union of the Christ idea and the Jesus principle in
the human consciousness. In other words, it is the manifestation of the
Christ idea that has been understood and intelligently used by the thinking
and feeling phases of man's being. Jesus Christ is the ideal man in
God-Mind who is expressed and manifested in the flesh. This Jesus
Christ principle in its activity unfolds all that has been infolded as God's
idea of Himself. It evolves all that has been involved as perfect man.
Jesus Christ is the Omnipresent Principle, present with us as the
fulfillment of the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway" (Matt. 28:20).
God is Eternal, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and so also is

His Son, Jesus Christ. We do not always readily grasp this because we
have been accustomed to think of the ministry of the Son as limited to the
few years during which the Christ was manifested in the physical form of
the man that walked by Galilee. As an idea of God, or as the creative
power in the Father-Mind, the Son, or Christ, has always existed. We
think of the birth and the crucifixion of Jesus as the beginning and the end
of the life of Jesus Christ on earth, notwithstanding He stated, "Before
Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58); "Lo, I am with you alway" (Matt. 28:20);
"And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I
had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5). The Son has always
existed in the Father-Mind as the universal principle of God individualized,
and so He always will.
From John's Gospel, we learn that "In the beginning was the Word
[Logos — thought expressed], and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made
through him [thought]; and without him [thought] was not anything made
that hath been made" (John 1:1-3).
Divine Mind creates by thought. "Logos means thought expressed,

either as an idea in mind, or as vocal speech" (Eadie's Biblical
Encyclopedia). Logos is the Christ, the Son, the living Word, the creative
or working power of God. By Him were all things made. Ideas are the
cause, the beginning of everything — all states of mind, all conditions, all
beliefs, all things. The law of creation is the law of thought, of mind activity
(expression), and the words and forms in the physical world are the
product of the idea, the manifestation.
"In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). Instead of using the word
beginning we might truly say, "At the source is the Word." The "beginning"
is always now, for it has to do with things eternal, and not with time. As
ideas inhere in Mind and Mind is one with its ideas, so the Father and the
Son are coeval and there are continual interaction and intercommunion in
will and purpose. This Word, this Son, this Christ of God is eternally
associated with the Father in the glory of creating, "that all may honor the
Son even as they honor the Father" (John 5:23), for Father and Son are
one, as Jesus taught. "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30), "I am in the
Father, and the Father in me" (John 14:10). The Father-Mind is in its
Son-idea, and the idea is always in the Parent Mind. These are one, and
yet the Father is greater than the Son, as that which begets is greater
than that which is begotten.
Jesus continually identified Himself with and as the Son, and not with
the limitations of personality. "For he said, I am the Son of God" (Matt.
27:43). This constant identification with the Father was the secret of His
power and of His success in overcoming all adverse conditions, including
death, for He thus appropriated in His own consciousness, the Presence,
Power, and Light of the Father-Mind. He demonstrated the highest type of
embodiment. He is the normal standard for every individual to follow. If
one's life does not show forth harmony and wholeness he can, by
appropriating the Christ ideas in his thoughts and feelings, build a new
consciousness that will produce desirable results according to the high
standard of Jesus Christ.
For ages, the Hebrew prophets had predicted the coming of the
Messiah, yet when He came they knew Him not, because they lacked
understanding of His real nature. In their opinion, the Messiah was to be a
king and ruler of David's house, who should come to reform and restore
the Jewish nation, and as High Priest purify the church. The lineage of
David suggested to the mind of the people the pomp and glory of
Solomon's reign restored in a temporal kingdom on earth. Although the
great majority of the Hebrews did not recognize Him as the Messiah,
there were some who did. They became the founders of the Christian
religion.
When one is quickened to spiritual understanding and knows the

Father, or Christ (Son, I AM) within, what will be the result?
When quickened in spiritual understanding, we know both the Father
and the Son, not only as abstract principles but as our own indwelling life,
substance, and intelligence. We know that since we are the off-spring of
God, made in His image and after His likeness, we are the sons of God,
and that Jesus is our Elder Brother. He came and taught us of the Father
and of our true relation to Him as sons of God. He came and by His living
words and example made it possible for us to be quickened to a
consciousness of the Christ in us, the hope of glory. This Christ in us, or
the spiritual consciousness in us, is "even the light which lighteth every
man, coming into the world" (John 1:9). Jesus came to open the minds
that are blind with ignorance and in bondage to the belief in materiality,
that we might behold the glory of our own indwelling Christ. The
statement "Now ye are the body of Christ" (I Cor. 12:27), promises the
possibility of a universal incarnation of the Christ in every individual. This
manifestation of perfection is not limited to Jesus. Paul's words to the
Corinthians, "Glorify God therefore in your body" (I Cor. 6:20), proclaim
the fact that the God-nature may become manifest in every person.
How do we "abide" in Christ and manifest the Christ nature?

The Word is the seed which is planted in the consciousness of man
and here it germinates and takes root. The Word, the Christ, the divine
idea of perfect man, is received into consciousness by faith and there it
begets a new creature. Just as the rain waters the little seed planted in
the earth, so does the act of thinking upon an idea nourish it and cause it
to grow, and if, like the seed in the earth, the Word is kept in the mind
long enough to become established, then does it grow and produce "after
its kind." We know that if we remove a seed from the earth after it has
begun to germinate it will wither; so a young idea, an immature thought,
will wither if it be dropped from or abandoned in mind before it has
become strongly established in consciousness. "Wherefore if any man is
in Christ, he is a new creature" (II Cor. 5:17). He is begotten by the Word,
and since every seed brings forth "after its kind," the perfect idea of man
will bring forth the perfect expression of man and the manifestation of
perfect man.
The result of this perfect expression and manifestation of man will be
felt in every phase of his being. His mind will become more alert and more
efficient; his body will become healthier and more radiant; his human
relationships happier; his affairs will become more harmonious and
prosperous. Everything that concerns him will be perfected. "Jehovah will
perfect that which concerneth me" (Psalms 138:8).
Through whom are the divine attributes, or ideas, brought into

expression and manifestation?
God's idea of man is that man shall express the life, love, substance,
intelligence, power, and strength of Divine Mind. Jesus realized this when
He said to Pilate, "To this end have I been born, and to this end am I
come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth" (John
18:37). Divine Mind seeks to interact and intercommune with man's mind
through the perfect idea, the Christ, to the end that man shall be
consciously one with God in actuality as well as in ideality. It is through
manifest man or human beings that the attributes or ideas of Being (God)
are brought into manifestation, and in order to manifest Christ (man's
innate perfection), man must consciously identify himself with that
perfection (the Father in him) in the same way that Jesus did. "I and my
Father are one" (John 10:30). Man identifies himself with the Father as
Jesus did, by recognizing his spiritual nature as the Son of God, the
image of God, and by knowing that he has within him as potentialities all
the qualities of God. Through the wise and loving use of these God
qualities or ideas, he brings forth the likeness of God in the flesh; he
proves his oneness with God in every thought, feeling, word, action and
reaction.
What was Jesus' realization of oneness with the Father, and what was
His custom in the matter of self-identification?
Man is to abide or dwell continuously in the same spiritual
consciousness in which Jesus dwelt and to let His teachings abide in him.
"Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). Jesus
was always conscious of the omnipresent life, the enduring strength, the
unfailing love, the eternal substance, the perfect wisdom, and the
omnipotence of God. He realized His oneness with the Father in this way.
His words were expressions of living ideas and these ideas must abide in
man's consciousness, where, as seed, they shall spring up and bear
much fruit. When we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask in the
nature of His divine Presence and in the name or nature of the
image-likeness within each one of us, and in a spirit of willingness to
submit our unfolding consciousness to the guidance, direction, and
teaching of the Holy Spirit. In this phase of spiritual attainment. "Ask
whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7), because to
ask in this consciousness is to ask in His nature or name, which is I AM.
When we seek and find and enter into and abide in this Son-of-God
consciousness, we shall experience the more abundant life. "And the
witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God
hath not the life" (I John 5:11-12). Abiding in this consciousness we are
free from sin and the effects of sin. "In him is no sin. Whosoever abideth
in him sinneth not" (I John 3:5-6). In the Jesus Christ consciousness is all
power. "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven (mind) and on
earth [body]" (Matt. 28:18).
In this Jesus Christ consciousness, we find that perfect love fulfills the
law. "God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God
abideth in him" (I John 4:16).
Jesus Christ is our wisdom. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who
was made unto us wisdom from God" (I Cor. 1:30).
In Jesus Christ we lay hold of and become consciously one with the
very life, substance, and intelligence of Spirit. Man is in Truth the Son of
God, the expresser of divine ideas, and his business is to establish God
activity on this planet. Until he consciously recognizes his relationship and
establishes his conscious connection with the Father, he is not a free
channel through which God (Good) may flow. This God-activity in man
begins with the celebration of a holy communion with Divine Mind in
man's consciousness. Man must take his attention from outer, temporary
things and through aspiration open his mind toward the divine, and
consciously claim and assimilate living, radiant substance. "I am the living
bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he
shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the
life of the world" (John 6:51). This is the "bread" which Jesus meant when
He said later, "Take ye: this is my body" (Mark 14:22). The body which
Jesus bids us appropriate in consciousness, is a body of spiritual ideas.
"He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in
him" (John 6:56). "Blood" is a symbol of life; "body" is a symbol of
substance. "Eating and drinking" symbolize an appropriation in
consciousness. Just as we breathe air substance so that the blood or life
stream of the physical body may be purified and may carry to the several
parts of that organism the elements necessary to strengthen it and give it
more physical life, so do we also appropriate Spirit substance through the
breath of the Almighty. "But there is a spirit in man and the breath of the
Almighty giveth them understanding" (Job 32:8). This is done in order that
the living Word may carry divine ideas into our consciousness, letting
them circulate freely and purify the thought current, thus giving our body
of ideas more abundant life.
It is not sufficient to train the conscious phase of mind (thinking) only;

we must take Truth into the body by the power of the Word. The
subconscious phase of mind (feeling) is that phase of mind which works
in, or operates the body in its subliminal functioning, and this must be
deeply impressed with divine ideas. We have so long left our body out of
the plan of salvation that we shall find it well to say to it, "Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). At the close of the passover feast,
Jesus "took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye
all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many
unto the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:27-28). What is the "cup"? The "cup"
is the consciousness of eternal life; it is the chalice that holds the wine of
life; it is the body that must bring forth the fruit of the living Word, and that
must thrill with the joy and harmony of living. To drink of the cup means to
take in faith the ideas of life, substance and intelligence, knowing they are
the Truth or Reality of the body temple. By affirming Truth in faith the
conscious phase of mind "eats," or appropriates from the Superconscious
or Christ Mind, and then passes its consciousness of Truth on to the
subconscious phase of mind, for there must be complete assimilation. We
must become consciously one with these ideas. They must be woven into
the flesh, must be felt in every fiber of being, poured into the body
consciousness for the remission of sins against the body. So man should
affirm;
Christ in me is my eternal life. Christ in me is the substance of my
body. Christ in me is the intelligence of my being. Christ in me is my
wisdom. All power is given to me through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus
Christ I express and manifest eternal life here and now.
This appropriation of divine ideas renews the mind and transforms the
body so that it shows forth the pure, immortal, incorruptible body of Jesus
Christ. "This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man
may eat thereof, and not die" (John 6:50).
Jesus also said, "This do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). Have

we grasped the true meaning of these words? He meant that this spiritual
appropriation was to be done by everyone, in order that the "body of
Christ," the body of divine ideas, might be remembered and every cell
and organ made alive with the life, substance and intelligence of Christ,
the image of God.
Through the appropriation and the assimilation (thinking and feeling)

of living, radiant life, substance, and intelligence in our consciousness, we
blend our consciousness with the Father-Mind and our heart with the
Mother-heart of God and there is a harmonizing of every part of our being
— spirit, soul, body — with the Jesus Christ principle. As our mind
(conscious phase or intellect) and our heart (subconscious phase or
feeling nature) are cleansed of untrue thoughts and feelings, our body will
take on the life and light of our innate divinity and show forth or manifest
the living light, as was shown in the body of Jesus at the time of the
transfiguration. "And as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance
was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling" (Luke 9:29).
S2L2 Annotations
Give both the religious and the metaphysical terms for the Holy Trinity.
1. The religious terms for the Holy Trinity are:
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
The metaphysical terms are:
Mind
Idea
Expression
Father is the source, origin, essence, root, creator of all; Son is that
which proceeds from, is begotten of the Father; like Him in nature and
essentially all that the Father is. Holy Spirit is "the whole Spirit of God in
action" (Jesus Christ Heals 182); the working, moving, breathing,
brooding of Spirit, made known to man through revelation, inspiration, and
guidance.
Holy Spirit is the creative principle (communicated as the life and

energy of creation) which animates the universe and finds a special
sphere of activity in man. By its operation, man becomes not only "a living
soul" but a rational being created in the image of God. The Holy Spirit is
the source of the higher qualities which man develops: the indwelling
Counselor, Advocate, Comforter, Spirit of Truth.
Metaphysically interpreted, the one Mind is the source, origin, cause,

substance in which all good (as ideas) inheres. Idea is that which
emanates, springs forth from the one Mind; the only begotten of the one
Mind, perfect as the source from which it springs. Expression is the
working of the one Mind through the action of creative power moving
through the Idea (Son) to develop the ideas of that Mind. (Restudy
Lessons In Truth Lesson 11 Annotation 7 and How I Used Truth Lesson 7
Annotation 9).
What will aid us in understanding how the one Mind creates?

2. An understanding of our own mind and how it operates will aid us in
understanding how the one Mind, Spirit, creates. What we term our mind
is not a mental sphere that is separate from and independent of the one
Creative Mind; it is the consciousness each person makes for himself,
through using the one Mind essence (ideas) and the God-power, inherent
in him. This one Mind essence is omnipresent and links all together as
one life, one Mind, one Spirit, causing vitality and consciousness through
the universe at the level of each species of creation.
The Christ Mind inherent in each and every one of us is our portion of
the God substance that is for our own use. Out of this Christ Mind
(Superconscious), which is ours to bring forth, we are to develop a
supermental consciousness termed the individual Christ consciousness.
We are able to transform our personal mental sphere by prayer, by
keeping in contact with God Mind in order to receive revelation,
inspiration, and the guidance necessary to keep our life harmonious.
The human consciousness — the consciousness of humanity as a

whole, of mankind as a species — may be likened to the strata of the
earth. It ranges from the shifting, unstable sensations of the sensual,
instinctive, intellectual, intuitional, psychical, emotional formations of
personal man's thought, to the stratum of abstract ideals. Philosophers
have been prone to regard these ideals as too high for the ordinary man
to reach in his daily living.
Explain how mind, idea, and expression are in all that appears
(manifestation).
3. All that appears (manifests) in the external world is a symbol, an
appearance resembling a causative idea. The cause of the concept of the
original divine idea is found in the consciousness from which the concept
or the idea comes forth. Nothing could appear externally that was not first
an idea, planned and worked out in detail in consciousness. The one
Creative Mind (Divine Mind) is the source, the origin, of all perfect ideas
which act as first causes or spiritual patterns, ever seeking to come into
manifestation through man.
A perfect idea (ideal) born in the consciousness of manifest man is

like a seed. This seed grows, is developed, and mentally expressed in its
fullness. The last step of the process of its development is the visible
manifestation. The original cause of the perfect idea (ideal) was the Christ
Mind (Superconscious) in which it was first ideated.
The individual's consciousness (thinking and feeling), his mental
sphere, may have in it a variety of groupings, each characterized by what
he regards as worthy and clings to. These groupings are states of mind,
or states of consciousness. But the one universal consciousness, Divine
Mind, contains all the ideas that manifest man has idealized as perfect; as
God consciousness, this universal consciousness contains the substance
and the spiritual ideals that are the perfect patterns for all that men shall
ever know.
From what source did the idea-man spring? What other names are
given to this idea?
4. The term "idea-man" as used in this lesson refers to God's idea of
Himself as perfect man operating in the earthly sphere of Being. The
standard set for this perfect idea-man is that of a "god," an exact
reproduction of the principle of perfect good which is in operation in the
heavenly sphere of Being. "In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).
The source of this perfect idea-man is the one creative Mind the
Father, the origin of every created thing. God, the Father, imaged Himself
as a perfect man with dominion over the earth and everything in it,
bringing into manifestation every needed good for "abundant living."
Perfect idea-man must form a mental concept of the nature of the

earth and its inhabitants, so that he may understand the elements with
which he will have to work in order to attain this mastery. The primal
qualities of the God nature are wisdom and love, with which man must be
acquainted in order to govern the birds of the air, the beasts of the field,
the fishes of the sea, and the creeping things of the earth that God has
created. Wisdom and love, which imbue man with Godlikeness, will guide
him in handling this mastery aright.
According to Biblical terminology, other names given to this perfect

idea-man are: Jehovah God; the Lord God; the Christ; the only begotten
of the Father; the Son of God. This perfect idea-man can be called the
Son of God for he is created by God in His image, and after His likeness.
What is meant by the term "the first-born of all creation" (Col. 1:15)?
5. First means not only that which precedes all others in the system of
numbering, but also the highest, the foremost, as regards character.
First-born is the "first brought forth; preeminent." According to the ancient
Hebrew custom the first-born in a family was the highest, the chief, the
leader. As such he inherited as a birthright his father's authority and a
double portion of the father's possessions. He also succeeded to the
priesthood provided he had no physical blemish.
The "first-born of all creation" is the God-idea originating in Divine

Mind. However, the reference in the Scriptures to the "firstborn of all
creation" is to the idea-man, the image of God, regarded as the beloved
Son in whom the Father is well pleased. This idea-man is imbued with the
power to develop a consciousness of the nature of God. His "double
portion" is the Presence of God and the power to form divine substance
into thoughts, things, circumstances, and conditions. Man is the only part
of creation that can separate the elements (ideas) of God and view each
one by itself.
Mind, idea, and expression in Truth are one, but in the process of
producing a supermental consciousness composed of ideas, they function
separately, in a sense. The perfect man as the Idea of God is the
"first-born"; then there is the mental concept of this man-idea which is
expressed in manifest man's consciousness by Godlike thoughts,
feelings, and words which are consciously carried into the body by the
creative Word. In due season, this mind activity results in eternal life in
the biological or physical body. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us" (John 1:14).
Explain the meaning of the names Christ, Jesus, and Jesus Christ
from the historical and metaphysical standpoint.
6. From the historical standpoint the terms Christ, Jesus, and Jesus
Christ are names or titles applied to the Man of Nazareth, the great
Healer, Teacher, Overcomer, and resurrected Lord, who according to
Christian belief is the Savior of mankind. "You shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).
As brought out in the lesson material, from the metaphysical

standpoint Christ is the image of God, the Word, the Son, the Law, the
pattern of perfection in each person. Christ is the I AM identity; the perfect
Self of every person; the divine pattern in every man; a name for the first
phase of every man's threefold nature (spirit, soul, body).
Jesus (metaphysically) is the likeness of God; the understanding use

of the Christ pattern. (This is covered comprehensively on page 2 of the
lesson material.)
Jesus Christ (metaphysically) is the radiant, living Presence, the

perfected consciousness that is carrying out God's plan in every man.
(Covered more fully in the lesson material.)
When one is quickened to spiritual understanding and knows the

Father or Christ (the Son, or I AM) within, what will be the result?
7. When one is quickened to spiritual understanding and knows the
Father or Christ (the Son or I AM) within, he will be perfect both in
expression and in manifestation. "I in them and thou in me, that they may
become perfectly one" (John 17:23).
We will know the one Mind as the Source from which we spring and
the nature of Absolute Good which we inherit as the son of God. We will
know the ideal image or the divine pattern which we, as manifest man,
are seeking to unfold. We will know that we do have the faith, the ability,
and the energy to express this ideal with its correlated divine ideas.
As the result of all this "knowing," we will be conscious of all the good
that is within us and will bring it forth into expression and manifestation.
"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:32).
Because our unfoldment is from within outward, when we know Christ as
our indwelling life and light, we begin to think, feel, speak, act, and react
in a Christlike manner.
In a way that men could understand, Jesus taught them what had
been "lost" to their consciousness through the ages — that man is God's
son, created in His image with the ability to express His likeness. We
have not only the example and inspiration of the life of the Nazarene
among men, but His doctrine has become living words that, when rooted
in our consciousness, will grow and bear the fruit of God consciousness.
This "fruit" is health of body, peace of mind, harmonious human relations,
and prosperity in all of our affairs.
Is the Son limited by time, or in knowledge and power? How can we

overcome belief in these limitations?
8. The Son is not limited in time. His throne, like the throne of God, is
"for ever and ever" (Heb. 1:8). The Son is not limited in knowledge
because the entire God nature is inherent in Him. Manifest man may use
the light of intelligence inherent in his real Self, the Son of God, for
whatever he needs to know in order to express himself in any state of
being. In referring to the Son, Scripture says: "He reflects the glory of God
and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his
word of power" (Heb. 1:3). The Son is therefore stamped with the seal of
the Almighty.
If we have accepted falsities, limitations, in our mental processes we

do not need to harbor them indefinitely. Through the power of the I AM
(another name for the Son) we are able to erase, by denial, all false
beliefs. Then by affirmation we are able to take on the life, light, love, and
liberty that are ours as heirs of God. We learn to "walk as children of light"
(Eph. 5:8).
What is the meaning of the word Logos?

9. The word logos comes to us from the Greek language. In that
language it means the word or form that contains and expresses a
thought, also the thought itself. As used in this lesson (written with a
capital "L") it means the Word of God, the Seed of God that He created
out of His own substance as "that I AM"; the image of Himself as Creator
and First Cause of all that is. The Logos includes all the underlying
principles or ideas of Being (God). In the Holy Trinity, the Logos belongs
to the second phase, the Son.
The Logos, as the creative power of the one Mind, is called also the
Christ, "the only begotten of the Father" (John 1:14 A.V.). The work of the
Logos is to reproduce the God nature: "And the Word became flesh"
(John 1:14). (How I Used Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 1 goes more
comprehensively into the subject of Logos or Word.)
Explain how the Father can be in the Son, and the Son in the Father.
10. The word Father is used here as a symboi of the one Creative
Mind, everywhere present in its absolute purity and perfection. The word
Son is used here as a symbol of the Idea of the one Mind bringing forth
the entire nature of God (comprising all divine ideas). Thus the Son is
both the "image" and the "likeness" of the Father. God's creative power
moves through the Son, the Word (or as Charles Fillmore calls it in Talks
on Truth 68, "the working power of God") to create life and consciousness
in all creation. The creative power of God, broadly interpreted, may be
termed "thought"; however, this includes the whole gamut of life, feelings,
desires, sense perceptions, scholarly intellections of self-conscious
entities, to the abstract visions of the philosophers; also the life and
intelligence of all creations below man, in the animal, vegetable, and
mineral kingdoms.
As "thought essence" is the unformed substance of the one Creative

Mind, and as this substance encompasses and supports all of its ideas
("sons"), governing all their activity, then the Father as the one Creative
Mind is in all His ideas.
The Father is the one living Mind; the Son is the one living Idea (ideal)
or Word, "living" together, working together, acting together. There can be
no separation between the Father and the Son, for they are one in nature,
in will, and in purpose.
Let us think of the relation of the Father and the Son in reference to
our own mentality. We cannot separate an idea from the unformed mind
substance — the idea is always in our mind, and our mind is always in the
idea.
What was Jesus' realization of oneness with the Father?

11. Jesus declared, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). When
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied," Jesus'
reply was, "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:8, 9).
Jesus was keenly conscious of the character of God and of His
relationship to Him. He knew that His character was one with that of God;
that His identity was divine.
Jesus knew God as unlimited love, as ever-present, abundant life. He

knew God as infinite wisdom and supply. He knew God as the Father,
who is ever ready and willing to supply every need of the human heart.
Jesus knew that as a son of God He had access to every blessing of God
the Father. Jesus did not simply believe that the words He spoke were
true — He knew they were true. His words had deep meaning, for they
were vital, living words that carried conviction, and more important, they
produced immediate results.
What was Jesus' custom in the matter of self-identification?

12. Jesus recognized Himself as God's "image" and knew that God's
"likeness" was in the process of being brought forth, yet He continually
affirmed that the Father within did the work.
It is a law that we manifest as that with which we identify ourself.

Jesus' custom was to identify Himself with His real or Christ self, the Son
of God, the Word, the I AM, the Logos. If we would identify ourself with
God as Jesus did, then the errors of human consciousness, built up
through acceptance of the concept of man as merely a biological
organism, must be denied. We must refuse to use the powers of the I AM
to produce conditions in mind, body, and affairs based on false
conceptions.
"Man can use I AM power to restore health and bring increased
happiness ... some people are using this power in a material way,
neglecting soul culture, building up the external without taking the
intermediate step between the supreme Mind and its manifestation in the
outer" (Jesus Christ Heals 124).
Why did many of the Jews not recognize Jesus as the Son of God?
13. Many of the ancient Hebrews failed to recognize Jesus as the Son
of God because they were expecting a Messiah who would come among
them and reign like a king on an earthly throne. They were looking for a
great personality to come and lead them into racial and religious
supremacy.
Since the true Messiah was then as now primarily an ideal in

God-Mind, the worldly-minded people of Jesus' time were unable to
discern the Christ Spirit as revealed by the Nazarene. This does not mean
that these people did not have the capacity to know the indwelling Christ.
It means that they had misinterpreted the Scriptures and centered their
attention on the "letter" instead of the "spirit" of their own sacred writings.
Many people today do not recognize the Son of God as He stands
knocking at the door of their soul. Human beings are often too busily
engaged in the hustle and bustle of the outer world to acquaint
themselves with this Presence and Power that is within their own being —
"Christ in you" (Col. 1:27) — or they are ignorant of its reality.
Then there are those who yearn desperately for the coming of the
Savior but who "crucify" Him daily through putting Him outside of
themselves — waiting for and expecting an outer personality just as did
the ancient Hebrews. The Messiah was there in the Nazarene's day Just
as He is here today — as the real nature of every man waiting to come
forth. If we would know the glory of the Christ or Son-of-God presence,
we need only recognize Him within and let Him come forth in our
everyday life in our thoughts, words, and deeds. "Observe all that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age"
(Matt. 28:20).

How are we begotten by the Word?
14. We understand "the Word" (John 1:1) to be the activity of God in
every man; God's creative power; the divine essence that is immanent in
every living creation, including man. Since the Word is the begetting,
creating, generating factor in all creation — the impulse of life seeking
expression and fulfillment — man was "begotten by the Word" when God
"breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
being" (Gen. 2:7). The Authorized Version reads, "and man became a
living soul."
There is also a "begetting by the Word" in the individual

consciousness of every man. We read in I Peter 1:2: "You have been born
anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and
abiding word of God." This is a quickening and rebirth into spiritual
consciousness when one becomes keenly cognizant of the qualities
(attributes or ideas) of God within him.
Realization of the inherent creative capacities of life, love, wisdom,

power, and faith, and giving expression to these capacities in experience,
represent a "begetting by the Word."
How do we manifest Christ?

15. Manifest is the word commonly used to refer to that which stands
forth in the outer where it is perceived by the senses. We "manifest"
Christ by setting up Christ, the indwelling, the Anointed, as a standard for
ourself to live by in our every thought, word, action, and reaction. We
"manifest Christ" by identifying ourself with God-Mind, the Father — that
is, by making ourself consciously one with God-Mind. This causes us to
grow spiritually in purpose, interest, use, and effect.
Identification with God takes place in our own consciousness, our

mind, through the divine ideal, the I AM, and is carried out in desire,
thought, word, and deed. It is God's will that man express Him in His
fullness. To do this we must know ourself to be the offspring of God,
inheritor of His eternal life, love, wisdom, power (i.e., all divine ideas). We
must know also that we are possessed of the ability and the
understanding to bring forth these ideas.
"Divine ideas are man's inheritance ... All the ideas contained in the
one Father-Mind are at "the mental command of its offspring" (Charles
Fillmore Christian Healing 13).
"Manifesting Christ" is bringing into visibility that which, sown as

seed-ideas, has taken root in the "soil" of the human consciousness, to be
unfolded in all areas of an individual's life. The visible manifestation in the
flesh is the final step, the result of the "new nature" (Eph. 4:24).
How do we abide in Christ?

16. We "abide in Christ" when we dwell consciously and continuously
in the realization of the one Presence and one Power, God, the good
omnipotent, active in and through us. As we carry this consciousness out
into our every day human experiences, we shall show forth or
demonstrate the "fruits" of the kingdom of God. "He who abides in me,
and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do
nothing" (John 15:5).
When we abide consciously in the Christ, our salvation is complete.

We are saved from belief in ignorance and sin, and all their effects. This is
the true "atonement," the at-one-ment or redeeming of our entire
consciousness that it may function as one complete spiritual unit. Jesus
said, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I
have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love" (John
15:10). In a true sense, if one abides (dwells consciously and
continuously) in the living Word of God, Christ Jesus, then all things are
already provided lavishly for him.
Through whom are the divine attributes, or ideas, brought into

expression and manifestation?
17. The divine attributes, or ideas, are brought into expression and
manifestation by manifest man. Primarily "expression" is the inner working
of manifest man's mental sphere to unfold or form a concept of the God
ideas contained in his spiritual Self, "that I AM," the image of God. Man
possesses the entire God nature in an undeveloped state. The elements
(ideas) that make up this nature are to be released as manifest man gains
a consciousness of them through prayer and experience. They are not to
remain latent but are man's to use for the unfoldment of the Godlikeness
in manifestation.
God's work of creating the spiritual patterns (ideas) and providing the
substance as the resource for man to use is finished. It is manifest man's
part to get in touch with the indwelling Lord, his Christ self. Through
prayer he gains knowledge of the essential nature of each quality or idea
and learns how to co-ordinate all in an orderly way. Thus he may
satisfactorily manifest these ideas to take care of the problems that
confront him in daily living. Manifest man is the channel through which
God-Mind flows. Man may receive all that God-Mind is and give forth as
fully as he receives. This constitutes obedience to the law of giving and
receiving.
What is meant by "asking in His name"?

18. "Asking in His name" is asking in the nature of the indwelling
Christ, the I AM identity. It is asking in the consciousness of the power
that the name Jesus Christ carries. It is asking in the "fulness of the
Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9 A.V.). It is asking in the consciousness that all
that is in Jesus Christ is in us, awaiting our recognition and acceptance.
"We ask 'in His name' by asking for that which is divinely right and
good. We ask 'in His name' when we ask in our own God nature, or in the
consciousness of our own Christ self, the I AM within. ...
"The name Jesus Christ has come to represent all that God is,
expressed in and through man. However, speaking the name is more than
the use of just two words — it is the actual expression of the I AM (or Son
of God) nature which Jesus manifested" (How I Used Truth Lesson 3
Annotation 6).
"Asking in His name" makes us conscious of the power of the spoken
word to give definite form to ideas. Ideas that remain unexpressed in the
invisible are not of much value as blessings for manifest man on earth.
"Asking in His name," speaking the word, clothes an idea in form and
enables the blessings to come from the unformed into the formed realm. It
opens the door between our soul and our spirit, and good flows into our
life in the form required to fill any need. "Behold, I stand at the door and
knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him"
(Rev. 3:20).
Explain how our bodies are transformed.

19. First we relieve the body of our former beliefs that it is merely of
fleshly origin, that it is limited in any sense of the word. Study of spiritual
principles reveals the body to be in reality the temple of God — God's life,
substance, and intelligence in manifestation.
"The body is the meeting place of the life and substance attributes of
Being, consequently body is an important factor in consciousness. Body
is not matter; it is substance and life in expression" (TALKS ON TRUTH
158).
When denial has erased our misconception about the body, then we
can accept the truth about it, namely that it is an instrument of Spirit, an
ideal form based on a divine body-idea in Divine Mind. We perceive the
body to be the manifestation of the God nature in the exterior world. We
come to know it as an expression of the organizing power of divine love
(the attracting, unifying power) united with wisdom. This revelation or
vision of the body will redeem it from the belief that it is of animal origin,
giving it its rightful place as a vehicle for God's life, light, and love.
Affirmation, silent or audible, of the truth about the body gives us a more
reverent regard for it and the bodies of all persons. "Be transformed by
the renewal of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
It is through our affirmation of the living Word of Truth that thoughts of

life, light, and love are impressed on every cell of our body, and it is thus
"saved" from corruption and death and transformed into the "body of
Christ." In the work that is done regarding transformation of the body, both
the conscious and subconscious phases of mind must be trained, as the
lesson material points out.
Give in your own words five affirmations for the realization of the
indwelling Christ.
20. Examples:
"Father, I give thanks for Thy presence in me as the indwelling Christ."
"Through prayer I come into a realization of the indwelling Christ, my

hope of glory."
"As I abide in Truth, I come to know the Christ indwelling me."
"O Christ within me, I know Thee as my life, intelligence, supply, and
support."
"Father, reveal Thyself to me and through me as the living Christ."
(Note: Two of these affirmations are written in third person (about the
Christ); the other three are written in second person (speaking directly to
the indwelling Spirit).
Series 2 - Lesson 3 - Man, The Image

and Likeness of God
Lesson
I AM PERFECT
By Alva Romanes
At the dawn of the world's foundation

I was wrought for Your purpose, O Lord;
And perfection was mine in that morning divine
When I woke by the power of Your word.
With the ages my stature has risen,
As through forms without number I've ranged;
And though countless the creeds I have made for my needs,
I am perfect, and ever unchanged.
In the fires of a thousand aeons

I was tempered with woe and weal,
As the ore dull and crude, by the furnace subdued,
Grows at last to the burnished steel.
And today, through the mist of my senses,
I can vision the truth sublime:
With a faith sure and calm stands the man that I am,
As I was in the morning of time.
Through the indwelling Christ I am perfect;

For the years cannot change or mar
The immaculate man who was shaped in the plan
That makes perfect all things that are.
From the fetters of time's limitations,
From the seeming and false made free,
I go on unafraid, in perfection arrayed,
To the tasks of eternity.
What phase of creation is described in the first chapter of Genesis?

All religions have their scriptures or sacred writings. In the Christian
religion we call these sacred writings the "Bible." The Bible came out of
religion, not religion out of the Bible; it is the product of religion, not the
beginning of it.
Man has ever been searching for the origin of himself; seeking to
know why he is here and how he came to be here. In this search some
men have gone beyond the field of human knowledge and have sought
information in the realm of ideas. All that is known as religion is the work
of the imaging faculty of man working in the realm of ideas. No man has
ever seen God with his physical eyes, nor has he ever seen a soul or a
spirit. The imaging faculty reads the symbols which are everywhere
evident and interprets them as the outpicturing of ideas.
Our Scriptures came out of the East and reflect the literary customs
and habits of Eastern people who are accustomed to parables and
allegory. Men have gone into this unlimited realm of ideas and have
brought back with them wonderful revelations, mysterious thoughts; and
in the expression of these thoughts they have found it more convenient to
use the symbology by means of which these ideas were communicated to
them. From this it is evident that it is not the words that are inspired but
the men who received the ideas and put them into words.
In transmitting these messages to the world it was necessary to use

symbology. The intellect or reasoning mind (conscious phase of mind) in
an unenlightened state can comprehand only the relative. So when the
men who received the revelations undertook to interpret them, they
couched them in a language that would show to what they might be
likened, to what they might relate. The transmitters of the message knew
that those who were seers would catch the idea that was back of the
symbol, while those who were not so enlightened might get another
meaning — a meaning that would fit in with their degree of knowledge;
but Truth would remain undefiled.
Our Scriptures contain in symbols a most wonderful description of the

creative action of Divine Mind. One who studies the Bible merely as an
historical record or as an ethical guide fails to sound the depths of these
ancient writings.
Paul was a Hebrew and a scholar, learned in the Scriptures, and he

understood their allegorical character and value. Speaking of Abraham
and his two sons, one born of a bondmaid and the other of a freewoman,
Paul says, "Which things contain an allegory" (Gal. 4:24 A.V.). He
explains that these two sons are symbolical of two covenants. Then he
opens up a teaching rich in spiritual import, which is entirely lost on one
who reads the story of Abraham merely as an historical narrative. Read
carefully the 4th chapter of Galatians and see the spiritual import or idea
that is back of the story as told in the Old Testament.
All Christians recognize, in a measure, that Bible history is something

more than just history. They may see in the journey of the Israelites to the
Promised Land a picture of man's progress from sense consciousness to
spiritual consciousness or, as sometimes expressed, from earth to
heaven. (It must, however, be kept in mind that "the kingdom of God is
within you" (Luke 17:21 A.V.).
We should seek to get back of the letter of the Scriptures and to

discern the spiritual meaning of every passage we consider. In
symbology, in allegory, in parable was the word transmitted, and in like
manner must it be translated. The visions of the prophets were plainly
allegorical. Jesus throughout His ministry taught in parables and
allegories, reserving for His immediate followers the inner ideas or "spirit"
of the teaching instead of just the "letter" of it.
If we study the 1st chapter of Genesis in the light of Spirit, we find that
it describes in symbol the creative action of universal Mind in the realm of
ideas, and does not pertain to the manifest world any more than the
inventor's idea pertains to the machine which he afterwards builds.
Keeping in mind the trinity of mind, idea, and expression we know that
creation takes place in the realm of mind and that we can understand the
story of creation given in Genesis only by applying it to the realm in which
it belongs.
All creation starts first with an idea. The idea is in Divine Mind. The
idea begins to "press out" or "express" itself in mind; that is, it begins its
development by drawing to itself from the mind substance thoughts that
assist it in its growth toward its own completion or fulfillment in mind. The
final step will be manifestation as mentioned in the second paragraph
below.
The six days of creation described in the 1st chapter of Genesis

represent six great, ideal projections from Divine Mind, six steps that are
necessary in the working out in mind of any ideal. The starting point is like
a seed, and this seed idea must unfold in all its details in mind, in much
the same way as the details of his plan unfold in the inventor's or the
architect's mind before he makes the drawing or blueprint. The
assembling together of these ideal projections is climaxed in the creation
of "ideal man." This ideal man is created in the image and after the
likeness of God, and he is the lord of creation. To him is given dominion
over every created thing. Dominion belongs to every man, but only he
exercises it properly who understands himself to be essentially this "ideal
man." So man is to take dominion and have authority over all the ideas
that are included in his own divine nature, "ideal man," the image of God
— God's idea of Himself. Man's dominion begins in the realm of ideas,
and through inspiration from his source, Divine Mind, he is to familiarize
himself with and learn the character and nature of all the ideas that make
up the nature of God (which is his own true nature).
What evidence does the Bible give that this is an ideal and not a
manifest creation?
That the creation outlined in the 1st chapter of Genesis is in the realm
of ideas is shown in the 5th verse of the 2d chapter, where it is written that
"no plant ... was yet in the earth and no herb of the field ... for the Lord
God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till
the ground" (Gen. 2:5). This statement is made after creation is described
as complete. "Manifestation" is the result of the expression of ideas in
mind. We may say that the inventor's machine that appears in physical
form, or the house of brick and stone that the builder sets up, is the
"manifestation" of ideas first expressed in the mind of these persons.
What is Jehovah, the Lord God of the Scriptures?

In the 1st chapter it is God Elohim who creates. God is the one source
from which the character of everything proceeds; He is inwrapped in
every living creature as its life and primal idea. In the 2d chapter, after the
work of God is said to be finished, it is the Lord God (or Jehovah) who is
named as Creator. This Lord God (or Jehovah) is the Christ, spiritual
man; God immanent as the law of one's being; the divine idea as the
creative power in all living forms.
Ideal man is I AM; manifest man is "I will." I AM is the Lord God
(Jehovah) of the Scriptures, and "I will" is the Adam man. One represents
the inner man, and the other the outer, or formed man. It is the I AM that
forms and breathes into the "I will" man "the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). In
the realm of the ideal, we are I AM; when we are expressing and
interpreting the ideas of Divine Mind in our thoughts and in our acts, we
are "I will." The I AM is the archetype, the perfect pattern, the
reproduction of God. It is that Spirit which is implanted in each human
being and which is to unfold into the likeness of all that is God's nature. I
AM is pure Being. (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 33-34). Manifest
man is in a state of becoming; he is unfolding according to his stage of
enlightenment. Just to the extent that he awakens, or to the extent that he
wills to receive these divine ideas, they are revealed or "breathed" into
him. Man's part is to form them, or make them manifest in the physical
realm.
I AM is the pre-existent spiritual idea of God in man; it is that which

holds man together as an entity. The body is held together as an
aggregation of ideas and forces by the power of the central I AM. I AM in
expression is the will of man, and everything centers about the will. I AM
moves itself forth into the "I will" through its innate power to express itself.
Thoughts of life vitalize and energize both mind and body. Thoughts of
power give mastery and dominion. Thoughts of intelligence impart the
knowing quality. Thoughts of abundant substance give the consciousness
of plenty. Thoughts of love and peace unify and harmonize all the forces
of man and his relations to his fellows.
Thought is a magnet working in accordance with the law of attraction,

so that each idea, desire, or feeling exerts its attractive power to draw to
itself everything of its own nature or character in order to develop itself. All
thoughts of strength are attracted to one another, and make in
consciousness a strength center which builds cells of like character in the
body, and we say the man is strong and muscular.
An aggregation of ideas in mind is metaphysically termed a "thought

center." The center of anything is the point in the middle or at the core of
it. A "thought center" is the nucleus or central idea around which revolve
or cluster other thoughts, which cause desires and feelings and make
states of mind corresponding to the central idea. As the thought centers
group ideas of a kindred nature, they build up cells in the body by which
the ideas may become manifest; the cells in turn group themselves
together and thus organs are formed in the body for the purpose of
bringing into manifestation the particular idea that is at the center. We
think of love as expressing itself through a center in the body that we call
"the heart." The head is symbolic of the intelligence center, the back
represents the strength center, and the throat is thought of as the center
of the expression of power. We manifest in our body and affairs all the
dominant states of mind that we have built up in consciousness through
acceptance, consciously or unconsciously. Should we at any time
manifest a lack of any of the qualities of Divine Mind in our body, we can
build them into our consciousness through our affirmations until they
come into manifestation in the physical body. I AM is the creative power
and "I will" is the executive power that brings these divine qualities into
manifestation.
How does man lose his consciousness of divine harmony?

When the will gets so absorbed in the realm of manifestation (or the
effect side of life) that it loses sight of the ideal and centers its attention
wholly upon the external, it is Adam (unenlightened) listening to the voice
of the serpent and hiding from the Lord God. This breaks, in
consciousness, the connection between Spirit and manifestation, and
thus man fails to experience the harmony which is his under divine law.
To maintain conscious contact with the physical (the manifest), man

has developed the organs of sense, so that he may be able to function in
the realm of manifestation. When not functioning consciously under the
direction of the I AM, the "will" may be led away from a consciousness of
the spiritual. In this state of mind, man is no longer consciously in touch
with the source of wisdom and power, the Lord God. In Mysteries of
Genesis 57, Charles Fillmore interprets Gen. 3:22-24 as follows: "Will
became independent of wisdom, and an unbalanced condition in both
mind and body was set up." We find man in this adverse state of mind
being temporarily cut off in his thoughts and feelings from the real source
of his supply, the life principle, the "tree of life." Man is thus described as
being driven from the Garden of Eden, or paradise.
This is what man has termed the "fall of man." It means that man has
separated himself in his own consciousness from the "tree of life," from I
AM, Lord God, the divine in man. This leaves man with only a knowledge
of the manifest realm. Because man believes that he is separated from
the unlimited source of divine ideas, he may misinterpret the evidence of
his senses. When man lets his senses rule him and indulges their
demands, he is misusing his powers, thus limiting the expression of his
life substance. This reacts on his consciousness in the form of pain, fear
infests his mind, and inharmony results in all phases of his existence.
When man leaves God out of his calculation, when he feels that he is
quite sufficient in himself and does not need any divine help or guidance,
he naturally loses his conscious connection with infinite and eternal life
and depends on what he thinks is his own power. Man must draw from
Divine Mind day by day, through prayer, the ideas that will enable him to
live abundantly.
Adam is the name we give to the "type man."
"Adam is perfectly legitimate in his right place, and that place is the
consciousness of the omnipresence of the Father; here he is back again
in the Garden of Eden" (Talks on Truth 15).
What and where is the "tree of life" as spoken of in the Scriptures?

Man's real problem is to become aware that he belongs in the
"Garden of Eden" (Gen. 2:8). The "garden" represents mind substance,
which man is to cultivate as he would a garden. It has in it infinite
possibilities, and it is the true sphere of man. Through this "Garden of
Eden" (harmony) man is to live in the consciousness of universal Spirit or
Mind, in which there are unlimited ideas. He is to carefully plant and care
for these ideas in his consciousness, so that he may eternally progress to
greater and greater satisfaction. The "way back" in consciousness is
through the knowledge of Truth.
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth ...
He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you"
(John 16:13, 14).
Man must know the truth about himself and not rest in the false belief
that he is only what he appears to be. He must consciously know himself
as he is in Divine Mind. As he discovers the truth of his being, he will in
like degree throw off the limitations that he has accumulated through
turning his attention away from his true source.
How is man restored to divine harmony?

There is but one man, one divine Idea: the only begotten, the Christ;
the real of every man which is to come forth through "manifest man" in his
thinking, feeling, speaking, acting, and reacting. When we understand this
truth and conform all our thinking to it, order and harmony will
characterize all our manifestations in mind, body, and affairs. Through
man God is bringing into outward manifestation that which exists in the
ideal. To measure up to his possibilities, man must understand divine law
and his relation to it.
Jesus Christ understood God and man. He not only recognized man's
relation to God as son but He knew what man's true work is in expressing
that sonship. When "manifest man" looks at the universe in which he
lives, he often discounts his own value to the Creator. He thinks he is only
here for a brief span in which time he must strive for material
possessions, must "make a living." When enlightenment comes, man
sees that life is eternal; that he need not strive for material possessions
and position for they are the "added things" that come from seeking God's
kingdom (realm of divine ideas) and His righteousness (right use of the
ideas). He realizes that he is not here to "make a living"; as Charles
Fillmore once expressed it, "Man is here to live his making and his
making will make his living."
Having established the truth that divine ideas are his inheritance, man
comes to appreciate material things as the manifest forms of those ideas.
Only as he takes hold of the ideas that are the spiritual patterns for all
form will man find the satisfaction he sought in the search for things of
themselves.
With the new viewpoint of his own purpose in life, man sees other
people in a new light. Especially does he see children as belonging to
God, and not personal possessions. He no longer makes idols of his
children or of his possessions.
What is the object of man's existence?

Jesus taught that man is here to express God. The spiritual
conception, then, is regeneration, which is the reproduction of God's
perfect ideas, the making of God manifest. Regeneration also includes
the restoration of the earth to the glory that it has as a creation of the one
perfect Mind, that God may be known in the manifest as well as in the
ideal realm. All men should be about the Father's business even as was
Jesus, and they will be when they realize Truth. All work for personal gain
alone becomes meaningless beside the great universal work of bringing
about the restoration of all things "that God spoke by the mouth of his
holy prophets from of old" (Acts 3:21).
Give the phases of man as a threefold being

This work of restoration must be done by each individual; that is, each
one must first awaken to the knowledge that he is a spiritual being.
Studying the complete, perfect man that is the real of each individual we
find that man is a trinity, a triune being: spirit, soul, body (Lessons In Truth
Man's spirit is God immanent in him; the Seed of God, the Word
(Logos) of God, the image of God, Christ, the Son of God, Lord God
(Jehovah), law of God, I AM, spiritual man. Man's spirit is Divine Mind
individuated as spiritual man, unchangeable, eternal, infinite, without
limitation of any kind. It is the composite Idea of Divine Mind, in which are
infolded all the ideas of God Mind awaiting conscious recognition and use
by each person. It is the Superconscious or Christ Mind.
Man's soul is his self-consciousness, that phase of his being in which

he thinks and feels and knows himself to be I am I or I will, the individual,
thus producing a consciousness of himself as a spiritual being. Man's soul
is the second emanation of the creative law of God, the second
movement toward expression and manifestation of the life, substance,
and intelligence of Divine Mind. In man's soul are the conscious phase of
mind, where thinking and reasoning are done, and the subconscious
phase of mind, or realm of feeling.
Man's body is primarily the "temple of God" (I Cor. 3:16). It is life,

substance, and intelligence in form and shape. It is formed spiritual
substance, but in its appearance it manifests or shows forth in the visible
realm as a physical body according to the stage of consciousness that the
soul has reached.
Explain the result if he fails to recognize this unity of his being

As the soul of man develops a consciousness of the powers and
abilities that are within it, and unfolds in the understanding and use of
them, his body or physical organism shows forth this development in
health and wholeness. If man in his soul nature (i.e., his mind) fails to
recognize and accept the Truth about himself as a spiritual being and lets
his thinking (conscious phase of mind) and feeling (subconscious phase
of mind) be governed by appearances of lack and limitation, then his
physical organism will fail to show forth the health and wholeness that are
really his by divine right as a son of God. The body of man is the obedient
servant of the soul and it takes the form or appearance that the soul
images for it. It shows forth in manifestation whatever state of
consciousness the soul forms through thinking, feeling, speaking, and
acting.
The consciousness of this trinity of man's being should never be

broken in his thinking, feeling, word, action or reaction. Man should
consciously hold fast to the spiritual ideal of himself. By recognizing the
spirit within as the Real, the unchanging, eternal Self, he will live in a
constant and continuous realization of the Source of his good and of his
oneness with it. By recognizing the soul as an integral phase of his
threefold nature (life, substance, and intelligence in expression) he grows
more refined in his thinking and feeling, thus bringing forth the "likeness"
of the perfect image within. By recognizing the body as the "temple of
God" as life, substance, and intelligence in manifestation, or form, he no
longer thinks of the body as separate from its source. He consciously
identifies it with Spirit, by which it is sustained with spiritual food (divine
ideas) in a condition of health and wholeness in the manifest realm.
What is the way to build a consciousness of life eternal?

Salvation (the innate divinity within each of us) makes us safe and
sound in both soul and body when we believe ourself to be the son of
God and respond to the activity of the Spirit within us. (Lesons in Truth
Lesson 9 Annotation 10 and How I Used Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 10 on
"salvation.") We must believe in God's indwelling Presence and Power
and in our oneness (sameness) with Him; that is, we must understand
that the real and eternal Self of each of us is the Christ, the Son, the I AM,
the image-likeness of God, and we must continually identify ourself with
this eternal Self, our only salvation. To "identify" is to make to be the
same, to coalesce or grow together in interest, purpose, use, effect. We
consciously identify ourself with the I AM, our own spiritual nature, as we
use the power of I AM to direct our thoughts, feelings, words, based on
the divine ideas inhering in Christ (I AM).
When the human consciousness is unenlightened we take on limited

beliefs of what we really are. There is a great truth in the scriptural
statement of Jesus: "For by your words you will be justified, and by your
words you will be condemned." (Matt. 12:37). We condemn ourself to
sickness, weakness, and poverty when we speak such words as "I am
sick," "I am weak," "I am poor," because we identify ourself with the
beliefs that produce these adverse conditions. What we believe acts as a
mental law for us, a law that we make for ourself only. The law is that
whatever the belief may be with which we identify ourself, we will manifest
in mind, body, and affairs a like condition either "condemned" or
"justified." This is the mental law of cause and effect at work.
The privilege and responsibility of consciously establishing this

at-one-ment and right identification rests with each of us. If we would
manifest divine perfection, we must affirm and accept the Truth embodied
in the following statements:
I am the offspring of God.

I am the Son of God.
I am perfect even as my Father in heaven is perfect.
I have the Christ Mind.
I am one with the Father.
I am life.
I am intelligence.
I am power.
I am substance.
I am love.
I am strength.
What is Christ? Explain fully how Christ is man's salvation. (See
Colossians 1:27)
This is recognizing the Son, the perfect-man ideal, Christ 'the hope of
glory" (Col. 1:27). We further acknowledge this Son of God by acting on
the faith that these affirmations are true; by manifesting our divine nature
in all departments of our being. There is no purpose in affirming our
strength and then being weak and fearful when a seemingly hard task
confronts us; no use in declaring that we are substance, and then feeling
limited in our consciousness. Whoever really acknowledges the Son will
be acknowledged by the Father. Man will come into his divine inheritance
only by laying hold of his heritage (divine ideas) in thought, in word, and in
deed.
In the Scriptures the word man is used sometimes to refer to him in

his true state as a spiritual being, the "Son of God," and sometimes it
refers to him as the "son of man," the unfolding and growing man that is
known as a human being. Paul charged Timothy in this wise: "Do your
best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no
need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15).
When we read such passages as "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly
upward" (Job 5:7) and "As for man, his days are like grass" (Psalms
103:15), we need to follow Paul's counsel and "divide" and apply
Scripture texts aright, thus avoiding the confusion that arises from
apparent contradictions in the Bible.
This "rightly handling" is important, because many read passages

about man as a sinner condemned to die for his sin, and overlook the
passages that call man righteous and heir to eternal life through the
indwelling Christ. Their way of "rightly handling" (or "rightly dividing" as
the Authorized Version reads) the word of Truth is to see man helplessly
and hopelessly a sinner until he dies, and then perfect and eternal after
death.
This "division" will not hold good, as we shall find when we follow the
revelations of the spirit of Truth. Here and now is salvation, but we must
believe in it, accept it, lay hold of it. Death is the wages of sin, the result of
sin, and cannot open the way to glory and to eternal life.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
"For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and
believes him should have eternal life" (John 6:40).
"He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not
life" (I John 5:12).
"For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also
to have life in himself" (John 5:26).
Man must consciously abide in the knowledge that he is a spiritual
being, that there is but one life, and that through his Christ self he is that
eternal life. This consciousness can only be attained by €Fe practice of
withdrawing oneself from externalities and by frequent periods of
meditation and prayer in which one fixes one's attention on this divine
Indweller until the Christ becomes an actuality as well as an ideal.
Ability to discern the Son, the indwelling Christ, comes from God,
Spirit. When Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God" (Matt. 16:16), Jesus answered "Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah!
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in
heaven" (Matt. 16:17).
In seeking to bring forth the perfect man, "the Christ of God" (Luke
9:20), we must keep before us the true standard, the one ideal man, the
image of God, the Divine Indweller that was created "In the beginning"
(Gen. 1:1). We are not to look to anything outside of ourself as our guide
but to take the same image that Jesus took. By constantly beholding this
indwelling pattern, God's idea of Himself, we identify ourself with it until
we become in manifestation that which God is. We will grow in
consciousness until, like Jesus, we can say, "He who has seen me has
seen the Father" (John 14:9); "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). It is
this Christ within us that is to be brought forth into the flesh, and nothing
outside our own consciousness can do this.
In reading the Scriptures we find the expression "Son of man." In the

Old Testament it occurs in the prophecies of Ezekiel some eighty-nine
times; it also appears in the Book of Daniel. In the New Testament we find
the same expression used in connection with Jesus some eighty times. In
some instances the Old Testament, in writing the phrase "son of man,"
used a small "s". In the New Testament we find it written "Son of man,"
the capital letter being used invariably in the word "Son". "The son of
man" indicates that which is essentially human in man's character or
consciousness.
To whom do we refer when we say: "Son of God"; "Son of man"; "son

of man"?
The "Son of God is spiritual man, the Spirit, I AM, Christ, the image of
God, God immanent.
The "Son of man" is the soul of man as a human being awakened and
illumined to the divine nature andxf character of man, consciously
showing forth the "likeness" of God, by seeking to conform his thinking,
feeling, speaking, and acting to the divine standard. It is the highest
concept of the human or moral man blending into the divine by expressing
the divine nature in thought, word, deed.
The "son of man" is also the soul or the human being, but one who is
not awakened and illumined to his innate divinity and is not yet conscious
of the powers and abilities within him. It is to such a soul that Paul said,
"Awake O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you
light" (Eph. 5:14).
We need to bear in mind that even though each individual may not
always be aware of it, it is the aim and purpose of the son of man to be
awakened to Truth; Paul knew this when he said "Awake, O sleeper";
when awakened the son of man (the soul or human mind) begins to learn
and live the Truth and in the unfolding becomes the Son of man, seeking
to express consciously the divine ideal or Son of God so that He may
come forth in manifestation -— "the Word made flesh."
"HIS LIKENESS"
How does God look?" said my little lass.

At her questions I often smiled;
But this time I offered a prayer, instead,
For guidance to help my child.
"God's face is seen in the heart of a rose,

In the bud of a lily white,
In the brightness of sunshine after rain,
And the charm of a moonlight night;
In the beauty of everlasting hills,
The trees with their leafy shade,
In the sky above and the earth beneath,
And all things He has made.
But the dearest picture I ever saw,
The clearest and finest too.
Is His likeness in hearts that hallow His name
And seek His works to do."
"Now I know how God looks," said my little lass—

Her sweet words dropped like dew,
And left a song in my weary heart—"I think God looks like you."
Nettie Cole King.
S2L3 Annotations
Give reasons for considering the Scriptures allegorical.

1. An allegory is a description of one thing or event, under the image
of another which resembles it in properties and circumstances. In the
Bible an allegory is the presentation of abstract principles under the guise
of concrete forms.
A symbol is a visible sign, one that is conventional or traditional, of

something invisible — as an idea, a quality, or an inner spiritual ideal that
may not be adequately expressed in language or form. For example, the
lion symbolizes courage; a nimbus enclosing a cross symbolizes Christ.
Philosophers considered the ideal as being so perfect that they deemed it
impossible to reproduce or duplicate the ideal in the exterior.
"What is stated in the Book of Genesis in the form of allegory can be

reduced to ideas, and these ideas can be worked out by the guidance of
mental laws" (Mysteries Of Genesis 9).
The word scriptures has come to mean any sacred writings. Before
these sacred subjects were writings, they were handed down by word of
mouth from one generation to another, especially in the East. The
symbols used became confused with traditions. The result is symbolical
allegories in which original ideas that were revealed to inspired men are
mixed with events, characters, and cities. These finally became
"scriptures." In these allegories and symbols there is given a plan for man
to follow in order that he may live an enriched life religiously,
economically, politically, and socially.
In Lesson 6, Part 1, of Unity's New Testament Bible course we read:
A parable is a short story dealing with familiar subjects or situations,

and is told for the purpose of illustrating or making clear some important
truth or phase of teaching. Thus, the value of the parable is to be found
not in the actual story, but in the truth or teaching which it pictorially
presents. A popular definition is: "A parable is an earthly story with a
heavenly meaning."
In interpreting the allegories, symbols, and metaphors given in our

Scriptures, many have done so from an undeveloped state of
consciousness. They have accepted and insisted on the "letter" of the
word instead of the spiritual meaning that it is intended to convey. The
meaning was "veiled" behind forms, rites, ceremonies, and creeds, and
was not deduced from the story that was told.
What phase of creation is described in the first chapter of Genesis?

2. The first chapter of Genesis is considered to be an allegorical
description of the ideal or spiritual phase of creation—the blueprint stage.
It is a record of the creation of spiritual man (the Jehovah, the I AM, the
Christ, the Lord God, the only-begotten Son, the man created in God's
image and after His likeness, the direct offspring of Divine Mind). It is
considered to be a statement of the ideas upon which evolution is based.
This description does not include manifest, objective, or evolutional man,
the human being. Rather it deals with involution—ideas involved in
creation. This creation takes place in the one creative Mind, Spirit, where
God (Elohim) acts in His capacity as creative power.
We are to understand that God (Elohim) created the substance that

produces the appearance (matter). God (Elohim), Spirit, creates the
spiritual idea which is afterward made manifest through Jehovah God,
spiritual man, the created. God created the ideas that produced creation,
including ideal man, and He pronounced this creation "good" and "very
good." That perfect or ideal man is the essential spiritual image in every
individual, with the potential to come forth into manifestation in
compliance with spiritual law.
What evidence have we in the Bible that this is an ideal and not a
manifest creation?
3. The first chapter of Genesis describes the ideal creation of man
and states that God "finished" His work in the ideal or planning stage. The
second chapter makes the announcement that "there was not a man to till
the ground" (Gen. 2:5). This shows that while spiritual man had been
created as the image of God, he had not yet been manifested; he had not
yet evolved as a human being, as man living in a three-dimensional form
or body who could "till the ground" so that it might yield its increase.
Often words are regarded as synonymous that, strictly speaking, are

not. The words expression and manifestation are examples. Expression
means the pressing out or fulfilling of an idea in all its details in
consciousness. It is the process of the formative power of thought, the
making of an image of what is expected to be brought forth later on.
Manifestation is result, the fulfillment of expression, the formed word, the
living object that appears in the sphere of the senses.
"A man to till the ground" (Gen. 2:5) would necessarily be a manifest
man. It would take a natural man to work in the natural sphere of
creation—a man equipped with a body or form that would make
connection with and have somewhat of an understanding of nature.
This is the evidence that the Bible presents to us that there is first the
ideal creation (expression in mind of the plan), and later on the
manifestation makes its appearance.
Who or what is Jehovah, the Lord God of the Scriptures?

4. Jehovah, the Lord God of the Scriptures, is the name that is given
to spiritual man, the image of God. "Then God said, Let us make man in
our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). The Lord God, or Jehovah, is
God individuated in man as the creative power of God, the law of man's
being. The Lord God, or Jehovah, is the creative life principle that
originates and sustains all life, all consciousness, from the highest to the
lowest levels of intelligence. The Lord God, or Jehovah, is the one
Presence and one Power individuated in man as his spiritual nature, his
power to express and manifest his perfection as the image of God.
The man that God created in His own image and likeness and
promounced good and very good is spiritual man. This man is the direct
offspring of Divine Mind, God's idea of perfect man. This is the
only-begotten Son, the Christ, the Lord God, the Jehovah, the I AM. In the
2d chapter this Jehovah or divine idea of perfect man forms the manifest
man and calls his name Adam (Mysteries Of Genesis 12).
In the Scofield Reference Bible, page 6, we find this definition of

Jehovah or Lord God:
The primary meaning of the name Lord (Jehovah) is "the self-existent

One" ... But Havah, from which Jehovah, or Yahwe, is formed, signifies
also "to become," that is, to become known, thus pointing to a continuous
and increasing self-revelation. Combining these meanings of Havah, we
arrive at the meaning of the name Jehovah. He is "the self-revealing One"
who reveals Himself.
The people of the Old Testament times did not recognize Jehovah, the
Lord God, as the creative, executive, and causative power, the law of their
being. They did not recognize this very Presence and Power of God
working in and through them to bring to them the very highest good that
was possible for them to have at their level of consciousness. They
thought of Jehovah as their special tribal God, somewhere apart from
them. They attributed to Him the power to bless and to curse, to send
happiness, peace, and prosperity, and also to send floods, fires, and other
forms of destruction. Sometimes we find Him pictured as a God of
vengeance, visiting His wrath upon mankind; sometimes we find Him
pictured as a God of lovingkindness. Sometimes He is pictured as a
punisher, sometimes as a deliverer. This same concept is prevalent
among many people today.
Unity's explanation of these varied concepts of the Lord God, or

Jehovah, is that in the evolving soul of man, the human being, the
creative power of God becomes a causative power as it works in man's
mental realm, the realm of cause and effect (the realm of man's thinking
and feeling). It produces for man that which accords with his thoughts,
feelings, and words. "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he" (Prov. 23:7
A.V.) in manifestation, or in other words, as he thinks and feels so is he in
his everyday experiences.
The writers of the New Testament had evolved in soul growth and had
come to the place in consciousness where they caught a glimpse of the
perfect working of this causative power in man, and they called it the
Christ.
The Christ is the name of the perfect working of the creative and
causative power of God in man's spirit, soul, body, producing only good.
The Christ is this self-revealing One, revealing Himself to man in all His
power, in all His fullness, working and producing the image of God in the
likeness of God.
Explain the difference between ideal man and manifest man.

5. "Ideal man" is a spiritual creation of God, the man God created in
His own "image" (Gen. 1:27). Since God creates in ideas, ideal man is
non-physical, an idea involved or enveloped in God Mind, a pattern, an
archetype, a creation coexistent and coterminus with God. "Ideal man" is
the Lord God, or the Christ, the I AM.
"Manifest man" is the human being, the physical man, the man
evolving, expressing, reproducing, and developing according to his
individual understanding the pattern of the ideal man implanted within
him.
"Ideal man" dwells eternally in manifest man as the God-created

"image" whose "likeness" manifest man is continuously unfolding and
evolving. The "ideal man" is an impression of God; "manifest man" is an
expression of God at the level of unfoldment of the individual soul. "Ideal
man" embraces all the spiritual attributes or ideas; "manifest man" is an
expresser of these attributes or ideas. "Ideal man" is the source of God
ideas in man; "manifest man" is the user of the ideas. "Ideal man" is
eternal, infinite, universal, changeless; "manifest man" is in the process of
change, evolving and unfolding his consciousness of his divine nature as
a self-conscious entity.

What is a "thought center"?
6. A thought center is an idea or an aggregation of ideas, beliefs, or
concepts that is the nucleus around which substance (mind essence)
gathers to form a mental structure. Thought is the act or process
prompted by the one creative Mind. It does not relate alone to thinking as
done by a self-conscious entity. It is any movement in the one creative
Mind working toward consciousness. The essential principles of the Christ
Mind, inherent in manifest man and the universe, become consciousness
through these mind processes.
A center is that point within a sphere which is equally distant from

every other point of its circumference, a focal point from which radiate the
life and light that animate all parts of the sphere of its activity.
The primal "thought center" is spiritual man, the image-likeness of

God. In the Old Testament he is named Lord God, or Jehovah God; in the
New Testament he is named Jesus Christ. The Lord, or Jehovah God,
functions as the "beginning" of God's ideal of man working in wisdom.
Jesus Christ functions as the "fulfillment" of God's ideal of man working in
love.
God's sphere of activity is man and the universe. The ideal is the
pattern that is centered in God consciousness as I AM, the focal point.
This pattern is to be expressed in the soul of man and manifested in his
body and affairs.
How are thought centers formed?

7. Thought centers are formed by the creative power of God moving
ideas toward expression through man's consciousness for manifestation
in the realm of form. What are called "thought centers" in the body are
formed because of the experiences through which the body has passed,
in its long evolutionary journey toward expression and manifestation, from
a single cell to its present complex organism, man learns much through
experience, and he knows for himself only that which he experiences.
Before man had the power to reason, which is a mark of
self-consciousness, his body had a feeling nature led by desire. As the
biological body evolved, desire was the chief characteristic and ruled its
life. In order to grow, the body desired food, so the biological cell wrapped
itself around what would sustain it and cause it to expand. A repetition of
this process, through countless ages, resulted in the formation of a
stomach. Other organs were formed through similar processes until an
organism was evolved with a highly developed nervous system and brain.
Need to function preceded organization.
In the early stages of man's unfoldment on this earth his reasoning

consciousness was expressing but dimly. The senses were paramount
and instinct was the highest degree of intelligence functioning through the
body. When the body was bruised or wounded, it experienced a sensation
of "not good." When it found a choice morsel of food that satisfied hunger,
it experienced a "good" and "very good" sensation. There was no
reasoning done about it, just the establishing of reactions to sensation
experienced. The cells and organs of the body were formed through these
instinctive experiences, not through selfconscious thinking, as we
understand thinking today, but as desires and feelings.
Manifest man feels, desires, thinks, speaks, acts, and evolves

because of the movement of the creative I AM, Jehovah, or Lord God, the
Son of God, spiritual man within seeking expression.
How does man lose his consciousness of divine harmony?

8. Man does not manifest harmony in his life when he fails to think on
divine ideas only, when he does not keep consciously in touch with I AM
as the life and light of his being.
Divine harmony is the result of a consciousness that is united

individually and collectively with the life principle in all creation.
Consciousness is the direct knowing of each one for himself, attained
through thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting according to his beliefs.
Very often a young person reaches a time when he thinks the rules of
his father's house place too many restraints on him. He feels that he
knows more than his father does. Therefore, he leaves his father's house
to seek his fortune. So it is sometimes with man in relation to his heavenly
Father. As a self-conscious entity he is in an adolescent stage of
development spiritually. He depends on his own present consciousness,
acquired through what he has experienced, and does not turn to the Lord
of life, the I AM. He goes out from his Father's house (God
consciousness) into a "far country" to make his own laws and to reap the
results of a consciousness apart from the Lord. He loses conscious
contact with the I AM and forgets his own innate divinity by keeping his
attention and interest on the external; thus he loses consciousness of the
harmony that is his divine inheritance.
What and where is the "tree of life" as spoken of in the Scriptures?

9. The "tree of life" (Gen. 2:9) is a figurative expression denoting God
immanent (indwelling) as the Creator and Sustainer of life in all living
forms; it is the inherent life of all organisms. We also refer to it as the life
principle, the I AM, the spiritual center in every man.
The "tree of life also in the midst of the garden" represents the
absolute life principle established in man consciousness by Divine Mind
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary 663).
Life is a continuous stream of energy, and emanation of God,

energizing all the forms that have evolved that they may live and fulfill the
purpose for which they have come forth. Inherent in the "tree of life" is the
intelligence that reveals to each manifestation or form the way of life and
growth and the capacity to fulfill this way. Also inherent in the "tree of life"
is the law of each species by which it lives, evolves, and reproduces
according to the type or pattern of its kind.
Life in its branching—as a tree—in the threefold nature of man, is in

man's spiritual nature termed the I AM, the Christ, the life principle; in his
soul nature (his mind, conscious and subconscious) it is the assimilation
he makes of the life principle and which he expresses psychologically; in
his body nature, life is physiologically manifested and neurologically
expressed in man's nervous system.
How is man restored to divine harmony?

10. Man is restored to divine harmony through returning in
consciousness (thinking and feeling) to God and learning the right use of
his creative and causative power. When man gets an understanding of his
own threefold nature (spirit, soul, body) and his relation to his
Father-Mother God, then he becomes reestablished in his thinking,
feeling, and acting to a state of agreement with the rhythm of iife. He
becomes an integrated and harmonious being; he lives in the Garden of
Eden (harmony).
The Hebrew "Gan-heden" commonly rendered Garden of Eden is a

compound of surpassing greatness. The word Gan means any organized
sphere of activity, a garden, a body, a world, a universe. The word Heden,
Eden, means a time, a season, an age, an eternity, as well as beauty,
pleasure, an ornament, a witness ... When man is bringing forth the
qualities of Being in divine order, he dwells in Eden, or in a state of bliss in
a harmonious body ... The Garden of Eden is the divine consciousness"
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary 181).
The Scriptural promise reads, "you will seek me and find me; when
you seek me with all your heart" and the endeavor of man to search for
God within himself, with steadfastness, results in the restoration of
harmony in all areas of his life.
What is the object of man's existence?

11. The true object of man's existence is to express all that God is in
mind, body, and affairs here and now. The average person's conception of
this object is that man is to be successful in material ways, to acquire
prestige and position. Cognizance is not taken of the fact that a person
achieving these things may still not be finding any real satisfaction for
himself.
The object of man's existence is to demonstrate the Truth of Being

(Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 55).
The spiritual conception of existence is that man is to fulfill himself by

expressing the divine attributes (ideas) that are an inherent part of his
nature—the qualities of life, love, power, intelligence, and so forth. In the
process of this fulfillment, position and possessions may very well come
as a by-product (they frequently do), because the true meaning of
existence is found in the inner values such as security, comfort, love, life.
These values must in turn bring forth manifest results.
"Creation is not complete until it becomes manifest in the outer"

(Addenda to Metaphysical Bible Dictionary 1).
One conception of the object of man's existence is to impress the

world in a superficial way. The approach from a deeper standpoint is that
man is to express his spiritual resources (divine ideas) that are his
inheritance from God in ways that make a contribution to mankind as well
as to the individual. In the first viewpoint, the aim of man is determined
only by outer results; in the other, by inner results, the "fruit of the Spirit"
(Gal. 5:22).
Jesus states as the object of His existence: "I came that they may
have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). We may express
abundant life by coming into understanding of our true purpose in life. In
expressing the true object of our existence, we become wiser, happier,
more loving and positive in our approaches to life.
What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou
dost care for him? Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost
crown him with glory and honor. Thou hast given him dominion over the
works of thy hands (Psalms 8:4-6).
Give the phases of man as a threefold being, and explain the result if
he fails to recognize this unity of his being.
12. As brought out in the lesson material (page 6) the threefold nature
of man is expressed as: spirit, soul, body. The lesson gives each phase
very clearly, and suggests that Lessons In Truth Lesson 3 Annotation 4 be
studied for more expansion on this part of the question.

What is the result if man fails to recognize the unity of his being, as
spirit, soul, body?
13. Failure to recognize the oneness of man's being as spirit, soul,
body (and the place of each phase in making up the whole man) causes
us to experience a sense of lack, separation, and unfulfillment. Then, as
the lesson points out, our physical organism (body) will fail to manifest the
health that is ours as a son of God.
A feeling of separateness reveals itself to us in many ways. At one

extreme, it may take the direction of an attempt to retire within the self, to
become an introvert. The first phase, or spirit, is thought to be found
entirely here, and soul and body phases are left undeveloped. A person
becomes thus an introvert often seeks to escape from participation in life;
he may become a recluse.
At the other extreme, through our non-recognition of our triunity of

spirit, soul, body we may give ourself over to the view that the gratification
and comfort of the body is our paramount interest; we would then become
an extrovert. Or there may be a search for soul satisfaction by the
intellectual pursuit of knowledge, thus developing the intellect (thinking
faculty) to such an extent that anything of the spiritual side of life is
ignored or counted of little value.
We need to know that the essence of our being is the Spirit of God,
the source of the life, substance, and intelligence that permeates our soul
and body. It is in recognizing the values of spirit, the pursuits of the soul
(mind), and the development of the body that we find integration, the unity
of our threefold nature bringing harmony into all levels of life.
What is meant by believing on Christ unto salvation?

14. Believing on Christ unto salvation is believing so firmly in the
spiritual principles, ideas, that make up our Christ nature that they
become the motivation of our thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting. The
freedom we find in expressing these principles is our salvation.
Wrong attitudes and limiting concepts about man bind us and keep us
from experiencing the spiritual mastery we seek. Our faith is not being
placed on the life, love, and intelligence constituting our Christ nature, nor
on the potential of these ideals and ideas to become actual in experience.
Conversely, right attitudes, the conviction that the latent good can become
manifest, redeem us from limitations.
"He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (I John 4:4)
was an insight of John. The greater "he" is the Christ. This realization will
meet any issue that has to be met. This is "believing on Christ unto
salvation."
Explain why we should be wise in the use of the term I AM.

15. This lesson has brought out that I AM is the name for ideal man,
the Christ, the creative power of God in man (the first phase of man's
threefold nature). Thus, to use the powers of the I AM in an unwise way is
to bring into our life experiences that which we do not want, Charles
Fillmore emphasizes:
It is possible for man to take I AM power and apply it in external ways

and leave out the true spiritual law. In our day we are proclaiming that
man can use I AM power to restore health and bring increased happiness
... But some people are using this power in a material way, neglecting
soul culture, building up the external without taking the intermediate step
between the supreme Mind an its manifestation in the outer. Jesus Christ
Heals 123-124
As sons of God we were given the I AM powers as our spiritual

heritage. With this heritage goes the responsibility of administering it
wisely. It is vital, therefore, that we use the I AM powers wisely,
righteously, and constructively, for that which we experience in our
everyday life is the result of our use or misuse of spiritual powers. We
come to see the reason for the almost magical results from sincere
affirmation when we realize our responsibility in the use of our I AM
powers. We say for our body: "I AM God's life, substance, and intelligence
in form." For our affairs we might affirm: "I AM prosperous, successful,
harmonious." If we are desirous of having God's revelations of Truth, we
might declare: "I AM one with God's light, life, and understanding." In
such statements there is no thought of powers outside of ourself, but
rather the present tense acceptance of them as available now. (A review
of Lesson Three of How I Used Truth 41-46 would be very enlightening
here.)
How does man identify himself with the Absolute? How and what is it
to acknowledge the Son?
16. We establish first that the Absolute is God. Webster says of the
word absolute: "Not dependent on anything else; not determined by or
effected by anything outside itself; fundamental; ultimate; intrinsic;
unqualified; self-contained and self-sufficient." Through our studies we
have come to see that this definition applies to God as the Absolute of all
existence, the self-existent One. How then do we identify ourselves with
the Absolute? We are always so identified, but if we are not conscious of
this oneness with God, then we need to seek quickening through prayer.
We need to become alive and alert to this relationship we have with our
Father-Mother God; then we are truly "identified with the Absolute."
The Son is a term for our own divine nature, our God-Self, the divine
pattern in us; but only as we become consciously identified with God (the
Absolute) can we express and manifest this nature.
To "acknowledge the Son" requires that we first identify ourself

consciously with God (the Absolute), then proceed to manifest our
sonship in thought, word, and deed. Acknowledgment, so far as spiritual
growth is concerned, is never merely in words, but must be the actual
living of that which we would acknowledge. Thus to truly "acknowledge
the Son" we must be living according to the divine pattern in all phases of
our life, our business relationships, our human relationships, our social
relationships.
What is the way to build a consciousness of eternal life?

17. Life eternal, everlasting, timeless is God, the one life without
beginning and without ending. This source of life is within man as the
Christ, the I AM, the life principle. Here within our own being we
appropriate the life idea moving from the Source, God, the one creative
Mind, into expression and manifestation. "I write this to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life"
(I John 5:13).
God "moves" through creation as the eternal movement of His nature

as life to find expression. This movement is spoken of as the Spirit of
God. Every form of creation is expressing and manifesting life, the Spirit
of God, according to its degree of development.
Consciousness is the direct knowing of each one for himself, attained

through thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting according to his beliefs. A
consciousness of anything, be it of life, of health, of peace, of prosperity,
or of a negative nature such as sickness, lack, and limitation, is
developed by using the tools of thinking, feeling, speaking, and acting.
The difference lies in the mold or the pattern that man uses as a standard
for these activities. The I AM, the creative power of God, is the power that
enables men to build all states of consciousness according to the
thoughts provided by man. We need to remember that consciousness is
never just thinking alone, but feeling must be added.
The building of a consciousness of eternal life must be dene in the

same orderly way in which our consciousness deals with any qualities we
wish to manifest. Through study, meditation, entering the Silence, we
become acquainted with tie life idea. We see its source in the Christ, or I
AM, within us. We may need to use denial to erase any misconceptions
we might have had about life being limited. As we use our affirmations of
the eternalness of life, that is, life without beginning or ending, we begin to
take on conviction that life is ours by divine right. Our whole
consciousness changes; we begin to see the truth of Paul's statement in
Rom. 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind." When we are
faced in our outer life with challenges that seem to belie the eternalness
of life, our expanded consciousness of the truth of life sustains us. We are
no longer tossed by uncertainty; we have built a consciousness of eternal
life as being ours now, not at some time in the future.
How should the Scriptures be "divided" in interpreting the use of the

term man?
18. The term man is used in the Scriptures with two references. In
some instances the reference is made to manifest man, the human being,
the evolutionary man, the outpicturing of the unfolding soul of man. In
other instances, it is made to the unmanifest man, the spirit of man, the
Christ, the involutionary image. Statements that otherwise appear
contradictory are reconcilable in this framework of reference.
As an example of this, "man" is sometimes referred to as being of the

earth, earthy, no health in him. Again he is referred to as the
image-likeness of God, alive forevermore as the Son of God. Jesus
sometimes referred to Himself from the two levels of His nature, the
human and the divine. John 5:30 records His saying, "I can do nothing on
my own authority." But Matt. 28:18 quotes His stating, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me."
The Scriptural references to man that proclaim his limitations are

made from the human viewpoint without consideration of spiritual
possibilities. The references that proclaim his divine potentialities are
made from the viewpoint that sees man as primarily a spiritual being,
expressing and manifesting through a soul and body.
What is Christ? Explain fully how Christ is man's salvation. (See Col.
1:27.)
19. "Christ" is the "anointed" one, a name translated from the Greek
with this meaning. The Hebrew word is Messiah, the expected king,
deliverer, and savior. John identified Christ with the Logos, The Word.
Simon Peter identified the Christ as the "Son of the living God" (Matt.
16:16). Paul wrote of "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (I
Cor. 1:24). In modern usage the name is often used synonymously with
Jesus.
The Unity teachings identify "Christ" as spiritual man, the man created
in the image and after the likeness of God. "Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). "Christ" is the primal man Idea, the
pattern, the archetype, the ideal, the I AM. As the spiritual essence of all
mankind, the indwelling "Christ" becomes to each individual king,
deliverer, and savior.
When God is defined as Divine Mind, "Christ" can be understood as
the Idea, the Logos, the Word, or Divine Mind as it expresses in each
man. When God is defined as Father, "Christ" is the offspring, or the Son
of God.
To man in his relationship to God, "Christ" is the divinity of his nature,

the power, the life and the wisdom indwelling. In Christian thought, the
man Jesus most fully identified Himself with the "Christ." The two terms,
as a result, have come to be often used interchangeably as referring to
Jesus.
"Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). "Christ" represents all the
principles or powers of God as individuated in each human being, the
image or spiritual pattern and the resources or means for developing it
into manifestation, for producing only good. This is man's salvation, and it
comes to man as a gift from God. This is God's will or plan for man by
which man is to evolve, grow, and unfold into the very likeness of God. It
is available to man at all times when man is ready to accept it as his way
of life.
The "Christ," in the truest sense, is the only true model that man can
take. "Christ" is implanted within the heart of mankind as the pattern of
the design to be worked out, as the source of ideals and the promoter of
aspirations. It is man's work to attain a consciousness of, accept, and
make use of all the spiritual powers and qualities that are in the "Christ,"
so that he may live to the honor of man and to the glory of God. Points
covering this question are also found in other Annotations of this Lesson.
To whom do we refer when we say: "Son of God"; "Son of man"; "son

of man"?
20. The "Son of God" is Jehovah God, Christ, I AM, the composite
Idea of God, the image of God, the Word of God, spiritual man, the ideal
pattern of man in the Mind of God. This ideal is inherent in every man as
his spiritual nature.
The "Son of man" is the human being or manifest man quickened in
awareness to the divinity of himself. He is becoming conscious of himself
as a "Son of God," and is gradually expressing and manifesting his real
nature. This state of becoming conscious of himself as a "Son of God" is
metaphorically referred to as the "new birth," "rebirth," being "born again,"
being "born anew."
The "son of man" is the human being, the manifest man not yet fully
awakened to his spiritual nature. It is man often binding himself by human
limitations rather than freeing himself by spiritual possibilities. The "son of
man" conceives of himself as a species, as an object in nature, without
adequate understanding of the latent inner power and character of the
species to lift it to increasingly greater expression. He may be very moral
in his actions, yet still he holds a belief in God as apart from himself.
The "son of man" becomes the "Son of man" when he is "renewed in

the spirit" (Eph. 4:23) of his mind and puts on the "new nature, created
after the likeness of God" (Eph. 4:24). That is, he comes to realize who he
is and begins manifesting the Truth in mind, body, and affairs.
Awareness, awakening, glimpsing the spiritual possibilities of himself

in his evolutionary progress, is not by itself enough to lift the "son of man"
to new levels of expression, although this insight is a fundamental step.
The insight necessarily is to be carried into fulfillment by active pursuit of
the spiritual ideal envisioned. A characteristic of God is movement.
Consider the attributes equated with God, those of life, love, intelligence,
power—all are suggestive of activity. A concept of the ideal of love without
loving, of life without expanded living, of intelligence and power without
exercising them, makes these attributes only abstract principles and not
actual experiences. The "son of man" must awaken to his true
relationship to God and begin to use the life, love, intelligence, and power
that are his divine heritage; then he is "Son of man," having
acknowledged the Son of God as his true source and guide.
Series 2 - Lesson 4 - The Formative
Power of Thought
Lesson
AS HE THINKETH
Think good and goodness shall belong

Within the temple of your heart;
Think joy and every robin's song
Shall be your spirit's counterpart;
Think peace and the exquisite swing
Of ordered stars shall steady you;
Think love and every living thing
In beauty shall be born anew.
Think Truth and the eternal law
Your never failing guide shall be;
Think life and every breath you draw
Shall add a prayer of ecstasy;
Think hope and buried seeds shall lift
Rich harvests from the willing sod;
Think praise and it shall be your gift
To share with men the grace of God.
—Vivian Yeiser Laramore
1. What is thinking? What is a structure? What builds all structures?

The revelation, "As he thinketh within himself, so is he" (Prov. 23:7),
was given to Solomon long ago, but even now men only realize its truth
when they open their minds to the Spirit of wisdom which inspired the
statement.
That there is a force called "thought power"—consciousness—is

universally admitted. Hypnotism, mesmerism, thought transference,
mental suggestion, and various other well-known evidences of this
invisible force prove it. Years ago, Franz Mesmer demonstrated that
under certain conditions one mentality could control another. In all living
forms there is a mental force moving from one consciousness to another
consciousness, and from mind to body.
Advanced scientists have demonstrated that this mental force, which

is really the action of Spirit (Divine Mind) working as the creative power of
God, builds organic structures in animals and in men. In men, this
movement of Ideas In mind is known as "thinking." While Divine Mind
provides the power and substance that builds, man as a self-conscious
being uses his thought to direct the power to shape and form substance.
Biologists (including Lamarck and Darwin) called attention to the

constructive power of desire. The protoplasmic cell desires the light and it
sends forth its impulse. This impulse gradually builds an eye. A species of
deer feeds in a country where the leaves it likes grow on the high
branches of the trees and the constant reaching for its favorite food builds
cell by cell the neck of the giraffe. Fishes desired to fly in the air above the
water and they developed wings and became birds.
That the brain cells are directly affected by mental pictures was
proved by Professor Elmer Gates in the Smithsonian Institution at
Washington, D. C. Guinea pigs were kept for a time in enclosures where
certain colors predominated; later, dissection of their brains showed a
large increase in the size of the color area of the brain compared with that
of the same class of guinea pigs kept in other enclosures. When desire
attaches to man or animal to a sufficient extent, the impulses, emotions,
and thoughts attendant on such desire are mighty and constructive
enough to rearrange and rebuild brain cells in preparation for the
reception of the coming fulfillment of the desire. Bodily construction is
brought in this way, cell by cell, into a state of manifestation. At the
Smithsonian Institution the perspiration of men in various mental moods
was analyzed and experiments were made with the resultant salts. The
perspiration of a man in an angry state was analyzed, and the salts were
of an unusual color. A small portion was put on the tongue of a dog; rigors
and other evidence of poisoning resulted.
At Harvard University experiments were made with a student who was

stretched perfectly balanced on a horizontal board. When the student was
told to imagine that he was running a foot race, the board sank down at
the feet, and when a problem in mathematics was being worked, the
balanced board sank down at his head. This proved that the thought force
greatly influenced the flow of blood.
2. What is the Super-conscious phase of mind?

All these facts prove not only that thought flashes between mind and
mind, but also that Spiritual Mind—builds the structures through which it
operates.
There is only the one Mind, but we find three distinct ways in which
this Mind functions in man. For convenience, we may speak of them as
(a) the Superconscious or Christ Mind.

(b) the conscious phase of mind
(c) the subconscious phase of mind.
In man are all the ideas of Divine Mind, and this realm of divine ideas
functioning in man is called the Superconscious or Christ Mind. It is the
realm from which man draws the ideas that enable him to do abstract
thinking, and as the realm of perfect Cod ideas it remains unaffected by
the mental activities directed toward external objects. It is through the
Superconscious or Christ consciousness that man is able to respond to
the ideals in God consciousness, as ideas of Divine Mind. Through
meditation and prayer divine ideas are transmitted from the
Superconscious to the conscious phase of mind and thus man becomes
aware of them.
3. What is the conscious phase of mind? What other names are given
to the conscious phase of mind?
Through the conscious, phase of mind (intellect or thinking faculty) we
know ourselves as individuals and take cognizance of the world about us.
Through this phase of mind we keep in contact with physical
manifestations. The conscious phase of mind absorbs the life of the
senses, works both inductively and deductively; reasons and analyzes on
the mental plane (intellect); wills or chooses what it will make a part of the
individual consciousness. It is called the "objective mind" because it is
largely concerned with the outer world, the world of objects, but we may
receive into this conscious phase of mind the inspirations (ideas) and
revelations of Spirit, and the choice lies with us to make this knowledge
practical, habitual.
The subconscious phase of mind is often termed the "subjective
mind," because it functions as instinctive desire, as habit, and is the
storehouse of memory; it is the feeling faculty often referred to as "the
heart." The subconscious controls the vital physical functions; never
sleeps or rests; never tires. It reaches infallible conclusions from given
premises, but since it works deductively, It Is incapable of testing the
validity of these premises. It has no power of choice. All our past
conscious thoughts are stored up in this great submerged mind, and are
organized into faculties, habits, states of mind, dispositions, kindred
thoughts clustering together and forming moods and temperaments. Its
functioning is not confined to the brain but extends to every cell of the
body. It stores not only the total of each individuals thought, but the
inherited race thoughts and beliefs that the individual soul has accepted.
The subconscious phase of. mind is a channel for the activity of the
creative power of God. Our bodies and our environment are built
according to the thoughts, suggestions, and impressions given to the
subconscious, whether these patterns are perfect or Imperfect, according
to Truth or based on error.
4. What is the subconscious phase of mind? What other names are

given to the subconscious phase of mind?
The subconscious phase of mind is like a treat army of well-trained
soldiers; the conscious phase of mind is like the general in command who
gives to the army the plans to be carried out. We can also understand to
some extent the actions of the conscious and sub-conscious phases of
mind by observing the process by which a child learns to play the piano.
He is taught how to hold his hands and how to strike the keys, but at first,
he finds it somewhat difficult to control the movements of his fingers. He
must practice daily. What is the reason for this practice? Simply that he
learns to concentrate his thoughts on his fingers, consciously making right
movements. These thoughts in time become subconscious, and in
playing, the fingers come to be directed and controlled by the
subconscious. In his first months, and possibly in his first years of
practice, the pupil can perform only by keeping his conscious phase of
mind centered on the work; but later he can play with ease and at the
same time carry on a conversation with those about him. This is possible
be-cause the subconscious has become so thoroughly imbued with the
idea of right movements that it can direct them without demanding the
whole attention of the conscious phase of mind.
The subconscious phase of mind cannot take the initiative; it depends

on the conscious phase of mind for all its impulses. It carries out only
what is suggested to it by the conscious phase of mind, but these
suggestions it carries out faithfully. The conscious phase of mind could
not exist without the help of the subconscious; although the former might
be sound asleep, deranged, or hypnotized, the sub-conscious can and
does carry on the bodily functions. The subconscious also readily takes
suggestions from other sources than its own conscious phase of mind
when the conscious phase surrenders to another mind or is not on guard.
It is the close relation between the conscious and the subconscious which
makes right thinking so important.
Man's organism is controlled mainly by the subconscious. Circulation,

breathing, digestion, assimilation, heartbeat are all involuntary activities
controlled by the subconscious, However, these are not out of reach of
the conscious phase of mind, as is commonly supposed. The
subconscious continually receives new impulses from the conscious
phase, thus we have only to change the character of the conscious
thought to effect a corresponding change in the subconscious feeling.
If we have been following a certain line of thought and action until it

has become a strong current flowing deep in the subconscious, we should
not be discouraged if we are not able to change it at once. Some of these
deep thought currents have entered the consciousness from the general
race thought; some have come in directly through the belief in flesh
inheritance. The statement with which this lesson opened, "As he thinketh
within himself, so is he" (Prov. 23:7) means that as a person thinks down
in the very depth of his subconscious, so will he experience or manifest in
his life. This is the reason why we do not always seem to manifest what
our thoughts seem to be. We consciously think one thing and manifest
another because the sub-conscious has not yet received the new Impulse
from the thinking faculty (conscious) but is carrying out the old impulse,
the new one not yet being strong enough to change the present thought
currently working within . 5. Why do we sometimes think one thing and
manifest another?
This Is where the life work of Jesus Christ for the human race proves
its worth. Man had believed in error, given much attention to it, built the
belief of it into his subconscious, until he had set going adversely the
force of his subconscious thought with such power that he was unable to
change the direction of this force and to right himself. Jesus came and
introduced into the race consciousness an intelligence and a power that
were sufficient to change the thought currents of man so that
righteousness and Truth might be established in place of error and
ignorance.
If man had always kept the connection between his consciousness

and the Superconscious or Christ Mind, he would never have been lost in
ignorance. He always had had the formative power of thought to shape
and form substance. If all his thinking and feeling had been based on the
perfect ideas in Divine Mind, he would have kept his first estate of
perfection. It would have been impossible for him to fall into sin. "Sin" is
missing the mark of perfection, falling short of the standard of the perfect
idea of man as imaged by God. "As he thinketh within himself, so is he,"
and if man had always thought Truth, his expression would have been
perfect.
6. What is the atonement?

Jesus came, a light in the world, to reveal the way back to the Father
through the Son, or the Indwelling Christ, which is the Super-conscious in
every man—"Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). For the true
atonement (at-one-ment), the conscious thinking and sub-conscious
feeling must be consciously one with the Superconscious or the divine
ideas that make up the Superconscious; this is the only true salvation for
man. When the conscious thinking and the sub-conscious feeling are
functioning in harmony with the Superconscious, all ideas are used in
right relation and the results are always good.
7. Why should the thoughts about ourselves and others be held in the
one, all-knowing Mind?
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the race because the principle He
represents unfolds the whole consciousness as perfectly united, and as
perfectly attuned to the Universal Mind, the Father-Mind. Jesus Christ
restored to mankind the awareness of God's perfect ideas which man had
forgotten. His teaching shows how to transform, or redeem, man's
thoughts from belief in sin, evil, and death as realities and direct them
toward righteousness and life. This positive doctrine causes men to think
for themselves, and in right thought lies saving power. Jesus was the
greatest teacher because He proved His teachings; He made them more
than theory. As Ignorance was the cause of the "fall of man," the obvious
remedy is knowledge of Truth and the practical application of this
knowledge which alone can set man free. What is impossible to man in
the gross darkness of ignorance becomes a possibility in the light of the
understanding that Jesus brought to men. He showed the way into the
realm of perfect ideas, and when man thinks in this realm, all the results
of his shaping and forming of substance will be perfect.
8. How does man demonstrate mastery and dominion (referred to in

Genesis 1:26) in his soul, body, and affairs?
When the quickening power of Spirit comes upon us, it reaches to the
depths of our subconscious and sets free the energies which were bound
in error thought. Then we can readily reach and mold with our conscious
thinking all the conditions which have hitherto seemed beyond our power.
Many of the subconscious thought currents have come from race
beliefs—the average, commonly accepted thoughts of our fellow men.
Things that most persons take for granted, that are commonly accepted
without question, the subconscious acts upon, thus causing, them to
become manifest and increasing our belief that they are true.
The belief in flesh inheritance, accented by the "objective mind,"

becomes Impressed on the "subjective mind" and becomes a fact of our
outer life. The subconscious phase of mind, working deductively, draws
conclusions that the "objective mind" (conscious phase) may have failed
to deduce from the acceptance of the idea, and thus effects are produced.
In like manner, other inferences are drawn and effects produced from
accepted beliefs which are perfectly logical, but which we are not
conscious of because we have not reasoned out logically the result or
deduction from the belief.
The conscious phase of mind acts, the subconscious phase reacts;

the conscious phase makes the impression on the subconscious which in
turn produces the manifestation; the conscious phase of mind decides
what is to be done, and the subconscious does it. When the conscious
phase of mind learns to listen to the Superconscious and then feeds the
subconscious phase divine ideas in right relation, the subconscious
reproduces them and a harmonious life results.
9. What place has order in Divine Mind and in man's thinking?

Ideas in Divine Mind must be brought out in the consciousness of
each individual through the power of his thought. The "image" or Christ
man is the perfect-man idea, the composite of all divine ideas such as life,
substance, intelligence, faith, love, power, strength, and order. Jesus, the
expression of that perfect-man idea, is an organized entity in which are
brought forth in mind and in form, all the ideas existing in the Father-Mind.
Then man, created in the image of God, shows forth the nature of God,
and thus God's likeness appears in actuality as well as in the ideal or
reality.
Man "builds" his manifest body by thinking about life in all its
essentials. If we think about life, from a limited point of view our body will
express the limitations. The subconscious controls the body
manifestations, and this "subjective mind" is very sensitive and very
fertile. Every thought that is accepted and believed takes root like a seed
and brings forth "after its kind." If true thoughts of life are the seeds sown
in its fertile soil, the results will accord with Truth; but if thoughts of death
or lack of life are held, the latter will be brought into manifestation. We
must know that life is omnipresent; that It does not "come and go." There
is no such thing as life's passing, or its growing less. Life is here in all its
fullness, but we can manifest only as much of it as we are conscious of,
and the extent of our consciousness depends on the ideas, thoughts, and
beliefs we hold about life. Since we manifest according to the character of
our thoughts, it is very important that we think only Truth about life.
The substance idea should be well established in our consciousness

by true thoughts about substance. From the wrong or limited concept of
substance arises the mistaken belief concerning the material universe. It
would seem that one of the hardest things for us to grasp is the idea of
God as the one substance of all creation. Because of our limited thoughts
we have drawn a sharp line between so-called "matter" and Spirit. Not
discerning the one pure, spiritual substance that penetrates and
permeates all things, we think we see lack of intelligence and life in many
things — the things we call "matter." We think of our body as only
material, because we do not really under-stand the one substance out of
which all things are created. The human mind conceives that substance is
something that can be seen only with the physical eyes, touched by
human hands, cognized by the five senses, and terms this substance
"material." From this belief of substance as being something solid and
tangible to the senses—from this limited concept of the nature of
substance—has arisen the belief in materiality, form, as being the "real."
Spirit is invisible to physical eyes, and intangible to the senses;

substance is the underlying essence of Spirit or Truth; it is the great,
undifferentiated whole, the "principle of good" which is lasting and
enduring, and in which "we live, and move and have our being" (Acts
17:23). Substance is the spiritual medium or Mind essence through which
all the ideas of Divine Mind are expressed and brought into visible form; it
has been termed "the body of God" which we, as individualization:, of
God or Mind, are to appropriate through our own mind and on which we
are to "feed" in thought in order to satisfy our every need, regardless of
what the need may be.
Substance is the passive or Mother side of Principle, the very essence

of Being, while the "God said"—the movement of substance into
expression—is the active or Father side. In us, substance Is still passive
while the movement of our consciousness through thinking and feeling is
the active phase which handles substance. When substance is viewed by
the five-sense man as "matter," it has been differentiated and made into
specialized forms through concepts that have been projected into it by
man. Through meditation and prayer on what we term the attributes
(ideas) or qualities of God, the ideas of Divine Mind are breathed into our
human consciousness. We train our individual mind to recognize the
omnipresence of substance and are thus purged of a concept of "matter"
as being something apart from substance. To further overcome the wrong
belief in what is called "materiality," all our thinking should conform to the
truth that there is no absence anywhere of life, substance, and
intelligence. The belief in poverty is overcome by the understanding of
omnipresent, spiritual substance as available to all.
God is omnipresent, therefore intelligence is omnipresent. In all our

thinking, the one all-knowing Mind should be recognized. When we fail in
this recognition, and think of our self or of others as ignorant, separate
beings, we are using our subconscious thought power to bring ignorance
on the earth. We must stop believing in and thinking about ignorance, and
Instead put into all our thoughts the idea of intelligence. All men and all
women are the offspring of the one Mind and are intelligent with the
intelligence of Spirit.
The idea of love, when introduced into consciousness and established

there by persistent thought, will overcome all tendencies of an opposite
character. It will also free us from the selfishness and bondage of a
limited, personal expression of love. The love that is so mighty in its
transforming power is the universal Christ love, which extends beyond the
limitations of human relationship and recognizes the Fatherhood of God
and the brotherhood of man. The idea of love toward all beings, love of
the Lord or law, of the universe, Jehovah of the divine order of things that
protect us, makes us divine beings and brings our thoughts into divine
order. When we look on the law as something to be obeyed, something
that is to make us do something that we do not want to do—something
that takes away all our pleasure—we are "missing the mark" and thinking
error thoughts. When we look on the law as our divine opportunity, our
privilege, our freedom, our entrance into all that is good, we are thinking
in harmony with Truth.
Thoughts of power and of strength build us up in the conscious-ness

of might, mastery, authority, and dominion. When we realize our birthright
through the Christ Spirit, we no longer feel helpless, a victim of
circumstance, but take our stand as the master of our fate. Order, which
begins as an idea in Divine Mind, adjusts all things in harmony. One
definition of order is "system; a plan or method by which things or ideas
are interrelated."
Order is that faculty of mind which relates ideas to one another,

putting them in their proper place and in right relation, so that the
operation of all ideas is governed by the law of the good of the whole.
When order has its rightful place in our consciousness, our mind, our
body, and our affairs come into the divine harmony which prevails
throughout God's universe.
10. Why is it necessary to "be still" in order to come into a realization

of Truth?
"Search me, 0 God, and know my heart:
Try me, and know my thoughts" (Psalms 139:23).
The heart is the storehouse of all that man has ever experienced; it is
his subconscious. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10).
When we are still, we have power to plant the ideas from the
Super-conscious or Christ Mind in the conscious phase of our mind and
then into the subconscious phase of mind. Only in the silence can we still
the clamoring’s of the five senses and connect the phases of our mind
(conscious and subconscious) with the Superconscious, the source of all
God-ideas.
The "objective mind" is a name used for the conscious phase of mind
or thinking faculty. It is the medium of expression, giving forth that which it
receives either from £he interior (Superconscious) or the exterior (world of
form). It is only by stilling this phase of mind to the outer world, bringing it
into submission, that we are able to hear the "voice" from within, able to
establish contact with the Superconscious or Christ Mind. The divine
ideas of the Super-conscious are then transmitted by the conscious or
thinking phase of mind to the subconscious or "habit mind"; in this way,
divine ideas become a definite conscious part of our mind or
consciousness and ultimately are manifested in the outer world.
All constructive thought takes place in the silence, when we lay aside
the confusion, the conflict, the distractions of life and listen to the "still
small voice" (I Kings 19:12) that guides us into the true way of living. By
putting aside the noisy, persistent objectives of persons and things, and in
the silence coming into the very presence of God (Truth), we can get a
true realization of what Truth is. In this place of stillness or communion
with God, we can say with the astronomer Kepler, "0 God, I am thinking
Thy thoughts [ideas] after Thee"; and with the Psalmist, "In the multitude
of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul" (Psalms 9*1:19).
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me" (Psalms 139:17). When we
think from the standard of divine Ideas, we think the "thoughts" of God,
and vain, Ignorant thoughts'? no longer lodge within us. "Let the wicked
forsake their way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts" (Isa. 55:7). We
accomplish this by being still, and consciously entering into the one pure
Mind and drawing on its ideas for all our conscious thinking. These right
thoughts then become subconscious, and the whole mentality is
established in righteousness.
In prayer, in silence, we write upon the tablet of our heart the divine
law. That is, we give to the subconscious phase of mind the word of Truth,
and since it carries out with unfailing certainty what-ever ideas or
concepts are given to it, its cooperation in the demonstration of Truth is
assured. This is what the prophet Jeremiah fore-told when he said, "I will
put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will
be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jer. 31:33). In Proverbs 16:3
we see the injunction given as, "Commit thy works unto Jehovah, and thy
purposes shall be established." Thought initiates the action, and the
action in turn establishes the thought. This we have seen in the illustration
of the child learning to play the piano. The right thought is first given to the
fingers, and by right action this thought is fixed in the sub-conscious. So if
we commit our works to the Lord (law of our being); if we persistently do
the right thing, carry out the right thought, the thoughts will by actual doing
become established in the subconscious, and we shall do easily and
naturally what we know is right. In this way we may be assured that we
are "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (II
Cor. 10:5).
***
THOUGHTS
Thoughts of God, so splendid, high!

Thoughts of good that satisfy,
Thoughts of Truth, enduring still,
Thoughts of light set on a hill inspiration's height,
Thoughts of peace both day and night,
Thoughts of love that cast out fear,
Thoughts of life right now and here,
Thoughts of strength and thoughts of health,
Thoughts of plenty and of wealth---
May Such thoughts fill all my mind---
Thought for self and all mankind.
--Frank B. Whitney
S2L4 Annotations
What is thinking? What is a structure, and what builds all structures?

1. Thinking is a process by which the human soul (i.e., the mind or
consciousness) is able to handle abstract ideas so as to form a mental
"picture" or pattern. Once solidified in man's mind (subconscious as well
as conscious) this pattern becomes a magnet or a "mental equivalent"
that is the nucleus for the outer structure. The structure will bear the
character of the mind pattern of the individual doing the thinking.
"Thought is the process in mind by which substance is acted on by

energy, directed by intelligence. Thought is the movement of ideas in
mind" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 654).
(Note: Added reference of value is Lessons in Truth Lesson 3

Annotation 3.)
The creative power of God (Spirit, Divine Mind) in its action builds all
structures, whether they be structures of consciousness, living organic
structures of men and animals, structures of plant life, structures in the
mineral kingdom, or structures "made" by man using spiritual substance
in various forms. The power that provides for the building of any structure
comes from God. In the first chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1) we find an
allegorical description of the great creative Mind at work. Charles Fillmore
in Mysteries of Genesis 12 states:
"The record portrays just how divine ideas were brought into
expression. As man must have an idea before he can bring an idea into
manifestation, so it is with the creations of God. When a man builds a
house he builds it first in his mind. He has the idea of a house, he
completes the plan in his mind, and then he works it out in manifestation.
Thus God created the universe. The 1st chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1)
describes the ideal creation."
The process of building all structures, whether they be on the spiritual,

mental, or physical planes, follows the pattern of the Holy Trinity —
Father, Son, Holy Spirit — or Mind, Idea, Expression — producing
manifestation. The Word of God is the composite idea of all the elements
of divinity and creation. This Word is the active agent of Spirit, guiding
and directing the action so that the consciousness on earth may be the
same as it is in heaven; that the abstract may be made concrete. "Thy
kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).
The resources used in the building of any structure are life, substance,
and intelligence. Life (movement, animation) and substance (unformed
essence containing the idea of the form) work with intelligence (light,
understanding, wisdom, the knowing quality of the species) to bring forth
divine ideas into form.
"Since man is the offspring of God, made in the image and likeness of
Divine Mind, he must express himself under the laws of this great creative
Mind. The law of manifestation for man is the law of thought. God ideates:
man thinks. One is the completion of the other in mind" (Mysteries of
Genesis 12).
The creative power of God moves ideas into expression and

manifestation as consciousness, things, conditions, and circumstances. In
the structure of human consciousness, the active agent of man is thought
(thinking and feeling) and the spoken word of human beings.
When manifest man (a human being) desires a certain condition in his

body or in his world, he consciously directs his attention toward it; he
thinks about it with the conscious phase of his mind; he feels with his
emotional nature (subconscious phase of mind); he speaks the word,
silently or audibly, and the manifestation comes forth. Spirit is the power
that does all things; but man by his thinking, feeling, spoken word (the
formative power of thought) directs the creative power of God (the Word
of God) to build structures, thereby producing conditions, circumstances,
and things in his world according to his own beliefs and level of soul
unfoldment. "All structures are thought concentrations" (The Twelve
Powers of Man 24).
What is the Superconscious phase of mind?

2. The Superconscious is the Christ Mind; the I AM; the God
Presence in every man.
We refer to man's threefold nature as spirit, soul, body. The first phase
— spirit — is called by many names—Christ, I AM, divine center, the
"Father within," Lord, law of our being, and Super-conconsciousness.
While Divine Mind is the realm of divine ideas for all creation, this Mind
indwells us as the Superconscious or Christ Mind, and is thus the realm of
divine ideas for us individually. The Superconscious is the realm of pure
knowing.
The term "superconscious" indicates that the Superconscious Mind is

above our conscious phase of mind (thinking, reasoning, or intellect) and
our subconscious phase of mind (feeling, emotion, or the heart). These
two activities of our soul or mind are the users of the ideas of the
Superconscious or Christ Mind.
Man responds to the ideals of God by turning to the Superconscious

or Christ Mind and laying hold of the ideas that make up his divine
inheritance. Without movement of ideas in mind there could be no
consciousness. The use of the ideas by our thinking and feeling will be
determined by our stage of soul unfoldment, and by the needs of mind,
body, and affairs.
What is the conscious phase of mind? What other names are given to
this phase of mind?
3. The conscious phase of mind is the thinking faculty, the reasoning
phase, the realm of conscious knowing in the individual soul. It is often
termed "the intellect." In this phase, man chooses, examines, judges,
analyzes, wills, selects, decides, forms, deducts, rejects, accepts, and
concludes, as he deals with the ideas received from the Superconscious.
As the realm of choice, the conscious phase of mind declares "I am I"
and "You are you"; "I will" or "I will not." It is in this phase of
consciousness that man may be conscious of himself as an individual
identity, even thinking himself to be separate from God, from other human
beings, and from other forms of life. But quite the reverse of this belief in
separation is also possible, for the conscious phase of mind is capable of
realizing that although man is a unit in himself, he is always one with his
Creator, God, Divine Mind. Thus, he comes to the realization that he is
also one with all human beings as his spiritual brothers, and one with all
other forms of life. "One God and Father of all, who is over all, and
through all, and in all" (Eph. 4:6).
It is the function of the conscious phase of mind, or intellect, to

discriminate between the general and the specific; to note differences as
well as similarities in persons, religions, sciences, things, circumstances,
and conditions. This phase of mind makes man a rational human being,
enabling him to do rational thinking. It is this phase that allows man
ultimately to know himself to be the son of God. Through this function
man may look out on the world of appearances, but he may also focus his
attention on the divine Presence, Spirit, within himself. As he consciously
handles the ideas to which he is heir, he may examine the how and why
of life.
It is in this realm that concrete thinking is done, based upon the

abstract ideas of the Superconscious. The conscious phase deals mostly
with the present outlook, and because of free choice very often its judging
is done from appearances instead of "righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
What is the subconscious phase of mind? What other names are

given to this phase of mind?
4. The subconscious phase of mind is the feeling nature of each
individual, as well as the receptacle of mental images (patterns) stored "in
the beginning" (Gen. 1:1). Thus we term it the seat of memory. The
concrete result of our subconscious records shows forth as the physical
or human body. As the lesson has already emphasized, the subconscious
phase of mind handles the involuntary activities of the organism.
The subconscious is the secondary cause, the reactive phase of mind

in the individual. We call its action "the formative power of thought" as it
works in substance to bring forth conditions in man's body and affairs
according to the suggestions given it by the conscious phase of mind.
Charles Fillmore refers to this activity of the subconscious as "secondary
thinking"; when feeling takes over, there is a type of instinctive "thinking"
that is the movement of ideas held in the feeling phase of the mind
(subconscious).
How are the conscious and subconscious phases of mind related?

5. The conscious phase of mind (objective) and the subconscious
phase of mind (subjective) are related in much the same way as the
master is related to the servant. The conscious phase takes the initiative,
and impresses the subconscious with divine ideas, right thoughts, or the
reverse, and the subconscious will carry out the suggestions faithfully.
The conscious phase sends its directives to the subconscious which must
accept them and carry them out, because the subconscious has no power
of its own to do its own selecting.
The conscious phase acts, but the subconscious reacts; the

conscious phase makes the impression, but the subconscious produces
the manifestation; the conscious phase decides what to do, and the
subconscious phase does it.
Often man is pulled up short by some condition which has become

unbearable. Then he may learn through study and inspiration that he has
been sending wrong directives into his feeling nature, the subconscious
phase of mind. If he so chooses, he may use denials to cleanse the
subconscious of the erroneous beliefs that have lodged there. Then he
may use affirmations of Truth to refill the subconscious with true ideas
from the Superconscious or Christ Mind. The conscious phase of mind
records its directives, as sound is recorded on a tape; the subconscious
faithfully "plays back" exactly what has been recorded.
Name some of the functions of the body carried on by the

subconscious phase of mind.
6. The so-called involuntary actions are those that are controlled by
the subconscious; such actions as raising and lowering the temperature
of the body, making cell changes, looking after the action of the heart, the
circulation of the blood, taking care of the salivary and gastric juices,
superintending the breathing, digestion, assimilation, and elimination of
food.
As the lesson material has already stated, the subconscious cannot

take the initiative, but it carries out faithfully the plan back of every cell of
the body, the true functioning of every organ, nerve, tissue unless
interfered with by the conscious phase through fear or ignorance. When
the conscious phase of mind interferes with the normal functioning of the
body, then the subconscious must compensate in an instinctive way and
this often results in disease or illness. When the conscious phase accepts
the guidance of the Superconscious or Christ Mind, then it can give right
directions to the subconscious. This allows the involuntary functions to
carry on their normal work of sustaining and maintaining the body in
health.
How may one take conscious control of the involuntary functions?

7. One may take conscious control of the involuntary functions of the
biological, fleshly body through the conscious phase of mind to the extent
of correcting any bad habits or inharmony which may be manifesting.
When the Superconscious Mind guides the conscious thinking, it does not
in any way interfere with the normal work of the subconscious. This
conscious control by the conscious phase of mind, through retraining of
the subconscious sphere, is the true way to healing, and much of this
work can be done by affirmations. As we come more fully under the
dominion of the Superconscious, the conscious phase gains
understanding as to how to direct the Inner functions of the body. Under
spiritual guidance, the conscious phase of mind can impress the
subconscious with new habits.
It is important that we remember that man is a focal point in Universal

Mind. Therefore, each of us must seek divine guidance to find the true
pattern for bodily operations. When we know our body to be primarily the
"temple of God" we can, through the process of denial, erase the
imperfect concepts and beliefs held in the subconscious, replacing them
through affirmations with the truth about the body.
When something comes to our attention that is not measuring up to
the proper standard of living, our business is to make the correction, to
take conscious charge of the thought currents and direct them in the way
they should go to produce that which is higher and better than the present
mode in which they are functioning. This means giving the subconscious
better patterns from which to work.
What does the "heart," as the term is used in the Scriptures,

represent?
8. The "heart," as used here, represents the subconscious phase of
mind, the feeling nature, the storehouse of memory and experience. The
heart of anything is the part nearest the center, the more essential part of
any body system — the place where life activity is carried on. "As he
thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7 A.V.) may be interpreted, "As a
man believes in his heart or subconscious, so does he live or
experience." The subconscious holds the memory of the sensations and
the responses made as feelings, to conditions that were presented and
through which the body passed as experiences on the evolutionary path.
The sum of man's feelings in regard to these experiences constitutes his
emotional nature. If the heart is filled with unhappy memories of lack, sin,
sickness, sorrow, and death that he has passed through in connection
with those near and dear to him, these beliefs harbored in the
subconscious will act as causes to reproduce like experiences again and
again until they are cleansed from consciousness.
From what source have many of the subconscious thought currents

come?
9. As the lesson brings out, many of the subconscious thought
currents have come into the individual's subconscious phase of mind
through the race thought. Man has viewed himself as a separate,
independent entity; he has looked at his environment with its thunderings,
lightnings, solid earth, seas, wild animals, forests, and the like, and he
has been overwhelmed by the stupendous proposition that he faced.
The desire to live is incorporated in every cell of our fleshly, biological
body by God, our Creator. However, until we discover the presence and
power of God in us as the same life that is immanent in all living things,
even in all inanimate things, we feel ourself to be a separate entity. Then
comes the feeling that we must cope, mostly by struggle, with our
environment in order to make it yield to us that which is necessary for the
sustenance of our body.
As men (mankind as a species) increased in numbers, they pooled

their interests, learned a method of communication with each other
(speech), and formed judgments based on the physical senses and past
experiences. Thus the race consciousness (subconscious of mankind as
a whole) is impressed with the commonly accepted beliefs about what is
necessary for man in order to live. Negative beliefs from the race
consciousness accepted by the individual become "mental equivalents" in
his subconscious that produce similar living conditions, until they are
superseded by better and higher ideas.
Why do we sometimes think one thing and manifest another?

10. We sometimes think one thing but manifest something different
because the outpicturing in our body, life, and affairs is the result of the
sum of all our thinking, feeling, acting (present and past, conscious and
subconscious, good or bad). The thinking of the moment has not had
sufficient time and spiritual impetus to work through the subconscious
(feeling nature) into the manifest realm.
The conscious phase of mind (intellect) and the heart (subconscious

phase) must work together in order to bring forth a harmonious
manifestation. "Realization precedes manifestation" (Jesus Christ Heals
39). Usually some time is required for an idea to work itself into the
subconscious. Realization is not possible until the two phases of mind
agree and accept the idea, so that it may blossom into the desired
manifestation. Many instantaneous answers to prayer have been
reported, but in such cases the work has already taken place in the mind
so that realization is ready to bring forth the manifestation.
We need to remember that the conscious thought is not the sole
determining factor in producing, changing, and improving manifestation;
the entire consciousness must be taken into account through a process of
growth, unfoldment, and development. No conscious thought is ever
wasted, however, even though it may not appear to produce an
instantaneous manifestation.
"The fulfillment ... in the world of activities may take moments, hours,
days, years, centuries ... Do not think because you do not get an instant
response to your prayers that they are not answered. Every sincere
desire and every effectual prayer . . is fulfilled, and will be made manifest
whenever material limitations permit!l (Jesus Christ Heals 7).
When the conscious and subconscious phases of mind are in

harmony with the Superconscious or Christ Mind (divine ideas), we will no
longer think one thing and manifest another.
How is Jesus Christ the Saviour of mankind?

11. Jesus Christ can be said to be the Saviour of mankind because He
sought in His ministry to draw every man's attention to his own divine
creation, and to the "saving grace" or love of God. As WayShower, Jesus
pointed the way for every man to seek within for the "Father who is in
secret" (Matt. 6:6). Jesus became the manifestation of the principle that
combines the Son of God (Christ) and Son of man (Jesus). Paul refers to
this as "the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). The Jesus Christ
principle unites the Superconscious, the conscious, and the subconscious
spheres of man's being, making them one. This is the true "atonement."
Christ, I AM, is the seed idea or divine pattern of God which is

implanted in every man, and contains all the elements of the God nature.
Jesus represents the understanding use of this pattern; thus the Jesus
Christ principle is the combination of the pattern and its application.
Jesus, the Man of Nazareth, is the Way-Shower; He showed mankind the
way to the understanding of man's relation to God, and the manner in
which each man must unfold the Christ pattern within himself. Jesus
taught God's Ideals which man in his belief in separation had forgotten.
When put into action, Jesus' teaching transforms and redeems man's
consciousness from all belief in the reality of sin, evil, poverty, and death,
directing his thought current to righteousness. It is this "tuning in" with the
Almighty One that "saves" man. Thus it is not difficult for us to understand
why Jesus Christ is the Saviour of mankind, both in a general way as the
Teacher who pointed the way, and in an individual way as the indwelling
principle in every man.
What is the atonement?

12. The original root meaning of the verb atone was "to make at one,"
by reconciling differences between those who had been at variance.
Metaphysically, the "atonement" is the blending and harmonious
functioning of the Superconscious (realm of divine ideas in man, the
realm of pure knowing), the conscious (thinking, reasoning faculty, the
intellect), and the subconscious (realm of feeling, emotions, the heart).
Men in an unenlightened state of knowing have felt themselves

separated from goodness by looking upon God as "a holy Being"
separate from them; feeling their iniquity (inequality) in not being able to
measure up to His standard of holiness. However, Jesus of Nazareth
taught at-one-ment. "I and the Father are one," He said (John 10:30). In
spite of what man thinks, feels, does with his inheritance of good, the
important Truth taught in these lessons is that God and man are one.
Jesus, the Man, taught the relationship of God and man as Father and
son. He showed men their likeness to God, emphasizing their inherent
God nature. He encouraged them to claim and prove this oneness
(at-one-ment) as He had done. He instructed them how to put away all
their limited beliefs in sin and lack by the use of denials and to claim their
divinity, their oneness, by affirming it to be true.
Jesus did not make the atonement for us — He showed us how to

reestablish the ideal in which we were created. Each of us must therefore
put into action the mental laws that can bring about the atonement
through working out his own salvation.
"If man is the son of God, he must be that son right now; sonship must
be just as real, just as omnipresent, as the health that God has revealed
through His Word. How shall man reveal his sonship to himself and to
others except by claiming it; by declaring that he is not a son of mortality,
but a son of God" (Talks on Truth 143).
Why is it so important to think the Truth about life?

13. It is very important to think the Truth about life, "For as he thinketh
in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7 A.V.). The "heart" refers to the
subconscious, as explained in Annotation Eight of this lesson.
As we interpret life consciously and subconsciously, so we shall live

life each day. If we interpret life positively, then the results in our daily
living will be harmonious and will move in divine order; if we interpret life
negatively, we will bring like conditions into our daily experiences.
Because of ingrained limited beliefs in the race consciousness that life

begins with birth in a form and ends with the death of that form, we need
to know and think the Truth about life. There are too many mistaken
beliefs in regard to "the other side," too many delusions that the body is
an "obstruction" and that life out of the body, in an "unobstructed
universe," is where man learns the way to live. There are too many who
believe that the body is like an old coat that must be discarded, instead of
seeing it as the "seamless robe" of righteousness that we are to wear
"forever more."
No one can attain a consciousness of eternal life for the whole man so
long as he clings to the belief that the immortality of the soul is made
possible by "sacrificing" the body, thus attempting to separate man's trinity
of spirit, soul, body.
Another teaching that needs to be cleared away is the belief that

being a Christian (that is, seeking to live the Christ life) inevitably ends in
martyrdom.
Until such time as we prepare the way for eternal life by getting rid of
hampering beliefs in the subconscious, we are still imprisoned. As we
believe in our heart, so we will interpret life, and the wrong approach to
life causes us to experience confusion, frustration, sickness, poverty, and
failure.
What line of thinking will overcome the belief in materiality?

14. Materiality has reference to corporeal existence in
contradistinction to the spiritual; this does not mean that which is wrong,
but rather that which is formed, visible, or cognizant to any of the five
senses. It is when we accept the belief that only the material is real that
we need to "overcome the belief in materiality."
Many persons believe that the biological, fleshly body of man is the
man. They believe that each corporeal or flesh body has a separate mind
of its own, due to the action of the five physical senses in bringing
information to the brain, where it is stored up for use. This belief is due to
the teaching of primitive fleshly ancestors who had no higher knowing.
Those who have such beliefs give their attention and interest largely to
gratifying the appetites, passions, desires, and comforts that the fleshly
body demands; therefore they are ruled by unenlightened sensation.
Mind and brain are not synonymous. God as the Life Principle
activates all corporeal forms. Manifest man as a self-conscious entity has
as the center of his being the life, intelligence, and substance of Spirit,
which are his to use. Thinking is the process by which the ideas inherent
in Mind substance are made active and released into daily living. All true
thinking is for the purpose of knowing Truth in order that we may interpret
life correctly. We then come to experience the eternal good which the one
creative Mind or Spirit planned or willed for the entire universe, man
included.
A materialistic conception of life can never truly interpret it. To realize

the Truth is to be in harmony with the one creative Mind. If we would live
a wholesome, happy life, the work that confronts us is to correct the
misconceptions held in the subconscious. Through spiritual discernment
we are able to perceive, receive, and conceive our true being or nature. It
is only through spiritual insight and spiritual thinking that we can see
ourself and the universe as God expressing Himself, and thus overcome
the belief in materiality as being the real.
Why should we hold ourself and others, in the one all-knowing Mind?
15. It is vital that we hold ourself and others as being in the one
all-knowing Mind, for that is our true place as sons of God, and the only
way in which we are able to claim our inheritance of good. "In him we live
and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).
"Hold" as used here means to judge or consider ourself and others as

being expressions of the one creative Mind which is the source and cause
of all that appears in the manifest sphere of action. There is no other
source that can inspire and guide each individuated unit except Spirit or
Divine Mind. Through "that I AM" each human being is identified with the
one creative Mind. A conscious recognition of this enables us to unite
ourself in consciousness with all other human beings and know that each
one is a focal point expressing God Mind to the extent of his present
ability to interpret life.
When we know that we are projections of Divine Mind, we are

allowing this one creative Mind to express itself through creation
according to its perfect plan.
How may all thought be brought into harmony with divine law?
16. All thought may be brought into harmony with divine law — the
law of absolute good — through the unifying power of divine love.
"Thought" as used here means all the desires, sense perceptions,

feelings, concepts, beliefs, Ideas and associations of ideas, judgments,
and opinions.
"Love, in Divine Mind, is the idea of universal unity. In expression, love

is the power that joins and binds in divine harmony the universe and
everything in it" (Christian Healing 130).
As the quality or idea that joins, love attracts all that is needed to bring
about harmony between people and in all situations. Love, as a law itself,
fulfills all the divine laws (Rom. 13:8), because love is the great
harmonizer. If one's thoughts are confused, chaotic, unhappy, fearful, love
can change them to harmony, happiness, faith, courage, and
understanding. When one has sought for an answer to his prayers, or a
way out of his problems, and he discovers the Truth, it is only the quality
of love for Truth, for God, that can enable him to harmonize his thinking
and feeling. If you want to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind,"
you will need love to give the strength and courage needed to make the
change from limited, materialistic thinking to spiritual thinking.
How does man demonstrate the mastery and dominion which are his
as mentioned in Genesis 1:26?
17. Mastery and dominion are part of man's divine inheritance as a
son of God, belonging to him as the image-likeness of God. Mastery and
dominion are exercised as we lay hold of the power of God. "Ye shall
receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8).
Dominion over the earth is not something that is to be acquired

through physical evolution. Man is created with dominion over the earth
and told to subdue it. Man's "earth" is primarily the human consciousness
wherein he has established beliefs in "good" and "not good." Man is to
accept his dominion through knowing that he is God's representative on
earth, the very image of God. Then he must claim his divine mastery by
taking control of his own consciousness, and showing forth the likeness of
God.
Jesus said, "But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all
the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory ... he shall
set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left" (Matt. 25:31,33).
Every human being has within his consciousness the "sheep" and the
"goats" which represent two types of thoughts. The thoughts, desires, and
feelings that are on the positive, spiritual side are the "sheep," while the
stubborn, selfish, resistant, fearful, anxious, and greedy thoughts,
feelings, and desires are the "goats." These latter are to be denied or
crossed out of the human consciousness where they are causing friction.
When man becomes master over his own thinking and feeling, he comes
into the glory of the Father.
We learn to demonstrate mastery and dominion when we are able to
discern between the earth (consciousness) and the world (appearances),
and consciously separate the "sheep" and the "goats" within ourself by
our spoken word of authority. We learn to deny the "not good" and affirm
the "good," thus freeing ourself from belief in the reality of evil and its
power over us.
What place has order in Divine Mind and in man's consciousness?

18. "Order is Heaven's first law," said Alexander Pope. The kingdom
of heaven is consciousness being carried forward and upward according
to the highest ideas of which humanity as a whole is conscious. This
consciousness is termed "Christ consciousness" because it implies a
state of peace and security in each individual who has so controlled and
systematized his mental sphere that he has dominion over it.
Order is that faculty in man's consciousness that adjusts each idea in

its proper place, relating ideas to each other and relating them to the
whole so that there is no friction, all working happily and joyously together
for the good of the whole. Thus we may say that order is made up of right
relationships — order is that which produces balance.
Order, then, must have first place in Divine Mind as well as in man's
consciousness, for only as ideas, persons, events move in an orderly way
will the harmony or "heaven" come forth into manifestation. The first
movement of order in man's consciousness must be to relate himself to
God, to "seek ... first his kingdom" so that man may, in an orderly way, lay
hold of the ideas that are his divine inheritance.
Why is it necessary to be still in order to come into a realization of

Truth?
19. The realization of Truth cannot come to a mind that is not still, but
is concerned with the exterior world. A divided mind cannot receive the
revelations of God; these come only to a mind that is still, that is alert and
concentrated on the "still small voice" (I Kings 19:12). Truth is the vision,
the ideal we perceive through soul insight, and if the "sight" is turned
outward it is not insight. When the soul is still, we are offering God a
listening and a heeding attitude. We will then receive the true guidance
that can help us to go about our business in the outer world.
Prayer is the line of conscious communion between us and our

Creator. In the "Secret place of the Most High" (Psalms 91:1) within our
own being, we appropriate the divine ideas that belong to God
consciousness. It is in this "secret place" of prayer that we learn that the
will of our Father is for our highest good. Only in the stillness can the full
revelation come to our soul. For prayer to be effectual, we need to abide
in the realization that our true place is in the one creative Mind, where all
is peace and harmony. Therefore, we must learn to keep silence before
God; to still the false reports of the senses that impinge on our
consciousness, so that we may listen to the "still small voice" that will
teach us all things — even the deep things of God.
What is meant by the statement, "I will put my law in their inward
parts, and in their heart will I write it" (Jer. 31:33)?
20. Every atom of our being has within it God's law of life. Even
doctors are astonished at the marvelous way in which the various parts of
the body function and are renewed; God's law is indeed in our "inward
parts." Because the involuntary functions of the body are carried on by
the subconscious, that phase of mind has to have the intelligence to
handle bodily functions. God has "written" or inscribed His intelligent laws
of life upon our heart or subconscious so that it may carry out its work. If
the thinking or conscious phase does not give true patterns to the
subconscious (heart), then by the law of mind action the subconscious will
manifest the untrue patterns — until such time as the conscious phase of
soul turns to the Superconscious for right directions to pass on to the
subconscious. Then we are "transformed by the renewing of [our] mind"
(Rom. 12:2), for we have become obedient to the inspirations of the
Superconsclous and have impressed spiritual ideals upon the
subconscious. The heart will then faithfully carry out the true law inscribed
upon it.
Series 2 - Lesson 5 - Denials and
Affirmations
Lesson
1. How is thought controlled and why must man be in conscious
control of his thinking faculty?
Every thought of the mind becomes a center around which a state of
consciousness or state of mind is built. If a right thought has been dwelt
on regarding, say, life, the Individual has a right outlook on life; a right
state of mind or consciousness concerning life. On the other hand, if a
limited thought of life has been held in mind, the Individual has a limited
state of mind or consciousness.
Our power to "think" is a gift of God, but how we use this power is
determined by our understanding and use of it. Once we have thought
about any subject, we have, in a sense, put ourselves into it and endowed
it with power. There is, therefore, a "secondary power of thinking" given to
our thoughts in that they have to express "after their kind." Charles
Fillmore states on page 50 of Christian Healing:
"There is, however, a difference between the original thinking and the
secondary thought. One has its animating center in Spirit; the other, In
thought."
First, we think consciously through the thinking faculty or the

conscious phase of our mind (also termed the "intellect"). This thinking
then is taken up by the subconscious phase of mind or the feeling nature
(often termed "the heart") and becomes a "secondary power of thinking"
in that thoughts carry out according to their own character. The body and
affairs are both influenced by whatever predominant thoughts are held in
the mind, for they can only express at their own level of activity. If we do
not rightly use the power of our I Am (Son of God) dominion and allow
discordant thoughts in the subconscious to rule us, a multitude of discords
in mind, body, and affairs will result. Then an appeal to a higher
understanding to set right this "wilderness" of mind must be made. "Then
was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil" (Matt. 4:1). The "devil" here would refer to any false states of mind
that we are holding which can tempt us to believe that we are separated
from God, or that the only way we can have the good we desire is by our
own human power.
"It is possible for man to take I AM power and apply it in external ways
and leave out the true spiritual law" (Jesus Christ Heals, p. 123-4).
The joy of living is manifest in the body as sensation, which is

experienced through our senses. If, however, the senses are allowed free
rein without spiritual education, without the guidance of Spirit, then Adam,
the intellect or thinking faculty, is represented as listening to the serpent
(sensation). He eats "of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden" (Gen. 3:3); that is, he takes into his unfolding consciousness a
belief in two powers, "good and evil" (Gen. 2:9).
We read these words in Mysteries of Genesis, page 24:
"Underlying all these ideas related to sensation, which in their original

purity are simply ideas of life functioning in substance, is the divine idea of
life. When life is expressed in divine order it is pronounced good. What is
termed 'sense consciousness' in man is not to be condemned but lifted up
to its rightful place."
Every bodily act should be under divine guidance. A yielding to

uncontrolled appetites and emotions will produce a slackness of mind
which permits some false thought-habit to take control of the
consciousness to the exclusion of every other thought. This results in
"obsession." Obsession is giving undue attention to certain beliefs,
usually of a negative nature. This means that there is an imbalance in the
mind. If the conscious phase of mind (intellect) has accepted some belief
that has taken the whole attention and passed this on to the realm of
feeling (the subconscious), then the belief becomes "fixed" in the
subconscious as an obsession. Because the subconscious is endowed
with "secondary power of thinking," the obsession or error belief can
influence a person's whole life. The word obsess comes from a root word
meaning "to sit before"; thus, in a sense the mind "sits before" some belief
to the exclusion of other thoughts. A yielding to uncontrolled appetites,
desires, or emotions produces a slackening of the functions of the mind
so that one thought is allowed to take possession of the mind, and thus to
gain control.
Obsession must be "unreality" because only what God created can

have reality. That an "obsession" is unreal may be observed by the ease
with which it is cast off when the mind really wants to let go, or gets so
clear a realization of its unreality that it can release the thought that some
evil spirit or "demon" could gain possession of a person. Now we are
coming to the understanding that the "demons" that have so obsessed the
minds of men are the unbalanced thoughts produced in their own minds.
Ill-health, the distress of poverty, unhappy human relations, a guilt
complex, tyranny, theft, perversion, can all become "obsessions" so that
our mind is closed to the truth of our spiritual nature and our divine
heritage.
The thoughts that we are thinking constantly fill our mind with some
type of belief—pure or impure. In both the conscious and subconscious
phases of mind we are continually building thought-structures and our
body and affairs will show forth the projection of these thought-structures.
The body Is the burden bearer for it is influenced by our thoughts and it
will manifest imperfection, disease, if the thoughts are not true. On the
other hand, it will manifest health, vitality, strength if our thinking and
feeling are based on Truth. Our affairs, too, will show forth results of our
negative or our positive thoughts. As an example of negative thought
action and its results, we only need to observe those who constantly dwell
in an atmosphere of material thought. Their souls are as heavy as their
bodies with earthliness. Where is there room for the entry of spiritual
thoughts? They need to have the excess of materiality washed away.
2. Explain in detail the process of denial and affirmation.

The function of denial is to disintegrate materiality and wash it away.
We must be willing to deny that our sins and shortcomings have reality.
Truth is not substance for us until we make room for it in the very
character of our mind and body. The first step is to unload, to let go, to
give up—this is termed "denial." If we were just beginning to build a new
body, had new material, and understood how to build, the construction of
a perfect body would be easy. However, we have erected our body
without understanding and so we find that it is faulty in appearance. The
plan for the body is held in Divine Mind as a perfect body-idea. Through
ignorance we have failed to build according to the divine plan, so it
becomes necessary to reconstruct. By denials we remove our faulty
mental and physical construction, and by affirmations we build anew so
that the outer appearance of the body is like the new mental picture we
are holding. (See annotations for Lesson 4, Lessons in Truth,)
Though we might desire to do so, we could not erase all error states
of consciousness at once without putting a heavy burden on the body.
Little by little under the guidance of Spirit, we can tear down (deny) and
build (affirm) again until the whole structure Is in accord with the divine
plan.
3. Describe in your own words how the body is reconstructed by

affirmation and by denial.
All this work is carried on under a law of mind. The mind has the
ability to reject what it does not desire—this Is "denial." The mind also has
power to receive or accept what it desires—this activity we call
"affirmation." Every time we say "yes," we accept; when we say "no," we
reject. In this ability to accept or reject lies the power to thought control,
and it is necessary that we assume and exercise this control before we
can build in accordance with Truth principles. (See Annotations for
Lesson 5, Lessons in Truth.) In substance, or Mind essence, "we live and
move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). This substance fills all space and
is free to all. By our thoughts we produce mental patterns, and it is the
nature of substance to pour in, to fulfill (or till full) the pattern offered. It is,
however, very necessary that we release the old pattern and produce a
new one in mind before there can be any change in the outer
manifestation, in the appearance. As this lesson has already brought out,
the beliefs that one entertains are the thought-structures that sustain
manifestation; the error beliefs must be removed, by denial, if the
manifestations are undesirable.
"Denials may be made in many ways. It is not al-ways necessary to

say specifically, 'I deny so and so.' The conscious acknowledgment that
you have been Incorrect In your conclusion is denial." (Keep a True Lent,
p. 64).
Denials and affirmations, therefore, are a necessary factor in the

spiritual growth of man. Mind must have expression through thinking,
feeling, speaking, in either denial or affirmation. Every thought denies or
affirms something. Through ignorance, man has fallen into the habit of
denying Truth and affirming error. His mind must be trained on new lines,
and the process of denial and affirmation is vital in this training. Through
understanding, man can take advantage of the love of mental action and
turn it to good account, instead of allowing it to work out on the error side.
We do need to remember that denials and affirmations are primarily

attitudes of mind. The spoken word may be silent or audible. There are
times when our silent denial (or affirmation) is more an attitude than
actual words, yet it is a "spoken word" from a meta-physical standpoint in
that it conveys some idea and is therefore more than random thinking.
(See annotation one of Lesson Nine, How I Used Truth.) Entering the
Jesus Christ consciousness is in itself" an affirmation, the mightiest one
that we could make. Jesus lifted Himself into the high consciousness of
divinity by His use of the spoken word. He continually made the highest
affirmations for Himself:
"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
"All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth" (Matt.
28:18).
He uttered other statements equally strong and positive, and we know

that during His ministry His silent "spoken word" must have been just as
strong and positive for "he went out into the mountain to pray; and he
continued all night in prayer to God." When we analyze our mental states,
we see that every upward step in spiritual consciousness is an
"affirmation," whether or not it is expressed in audible words, whether it
comes to our recognition in a flash, or dawns on us gradually.
4. What is the one true standard of thinking?

There is a standard of thinking to which all the thoughts of man should
conform. This standard is Truth, the Absolute—the Jesus Christ standard.
In the first three lessons of this series we learned the truth about Divine
Mind, about the Son, the Idea or offspring of Divine Mind, and about
manifest man, the expression and manifestation of that Idea. All thinking
must harmonize with this Truth, or the thought-structure in manifest man
will not be perfect, and what he builds (mind, body, affairs) will also be
imperfect.
Students sometimes listen to remarks about right thinking and accept

them because they appeal to their reason, but they go no further. They do
not use the law to change thought-structures that have been built into the
organism through ignorance. The ability to make and to unmake
thought-forms is within every individual, and all those who desire to follow
Jesus in the regeneration must begin the work and complete It as He did.
The mind should set right every function of the body, and not allow error
thoughts to rule in circulation, in digestion, in assimilation, or in any other
process or organ of the body. Every error should be cast out of both the
conscious and subconscious phases of mind.
Denial is the cleansing of the human consciousness of belief in evil,

but the effect of denial is only temporary.
"But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth
through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. Then he saith, I
will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he
findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with
himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and
dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first"
(Matt. 12: 43-45).
A denial should always be followed by an affirmation so that the mind

will be filled with Truth and not be subject to the return of the error beliefs
that were denied. The quick way is to deny reality to the ~ false belief,
leaving the mind cleared for a realization of Truth to be received through
affirmation. Right affirmation heals the mind because it is the right use of
the creative process of Being (God). God said, "Let there be light" (Gen.
1:3). This creative law at the center of man's being, when allowed free
rein, raises both soul (mind) and body to the Christ standard. This "lifting
up" is accomplished by the process of affirmation bringing one to the
realization of Truth.
Some persons have said that they do not believe in denials— that
affirmations are sufficient. It is true that every affirmation contains an
implied denial, but usually we can get better results if we make specific
denials to prepare the way. If the mind is full, it must be emptied before it
can take in anymore. We read in the Scriptures that John the Baptist
prepared the way for Jesus. Denials wash away or cleanse the mind of
erroneous beliefs so that there may be a place in which to plant Truth.
The thinking phase of the mind cannot hold or consider two thoughts at
the same time; one must make way for the other. Man cannot expect to
establish a consciousness of Truth in his mind when he believes in evil as
having reality. Denial is the cleansing, freeing process which we may use
to purify our thinking faculty and to cleanse the subconscious or feeling
nature of untrue beliefs that have been allowed to become established
there. Limited or error beliefs must be uprooted If man would put on the
consciousness of immortality or eternal life. So, we let go, by denial, of
what we consider to be error; then by affirmation we may lay hold of that
which we perceive to be true. A simple denial will remove mountains of
limited thought.
"Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast
into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what
he saith cometh to pass; he shall have It" (Mark 11;23).
Denials become obsolete, so far as actual statements are concerned,

as the soul goes forward to perfection. When we have attained the Christ
Consciousness, we shall joyously realize that "I and the Father are one"
(John 10:30).
To say, "I believe in the power of Jesus Christ," because we have truly
accepted the Truth, will produce a substantial state of mind that will lead
to a great unfoldment of faith. Faith is primarily a spiritual principle, but a
consciousness of faith is the accumulation of many affirmations. Not until
an idea is firmly fixed in the subconscious does it become a habit of mind,
a producing mental law for us. Only by repeated affirmations of it, by
persistence in thinking about it, does the idea become so firmly fixed as to
become an activity of faith. Error race thoughts are not displaced
Immediately when the conscious phase of mind accepts a new thought of
Truth, even though the new thought seems to be fully accepted by the
reasoning mind. How-ever, any negative belief in the subconscious can
be changed through steadfast denial and affirmation.
It would be a fine thing if one could instantly enter into a full realization
of the Absolute, but as yet no one has done it. Only a few have ever
known what it is to take even some of their steps in sudden flashes of
inspiration and demonstration. Probably these steps were the result of
faithful affirmations of Truth, perceived and declared with such
wholehearted conviction that instantaneously the living word of Truth shed
its blaze of glory throughout the conscious-ness. Undoubtedly this had
been preceded by much building of Truth Into the consciousness, which
was then released by the affirmation. We should not wait to declare Truth
until It comes to us in sudden inspiration. It would never come to one thus
waiting, because the mind is constantly expressing itself in denials or in
affirmations of some kind—if not of Truth, then of error—and the
manifestations will be of like nature.
Affirmations do not have to be made in set terms. For instance, men

seldom say, "I affirm my body to be merely flesh and blood," but the
general trend of their thought, their mental attitudes, affirms their belief.
Continued thinking on the lines of such an affirmation of error fixes the
thought of limitation or error in the subconscious, the thought then
becomes a state of mind or mental picture and crystallizes into cells,
which eventually merge into the body form. In this way the appearance of
imperfection manifests in the body, even though it is primarily the temple
of the Holy Spirit. The first step in doing away with this appearance of
error is to deny the belief in Its reality. This denial, made in the
understanding of the truth that the body is essentially spiritual, will reach
the subconscious, break up the error states of mind, and make way for
the new state of consciousness which is to be built by affirming that the
entire man— spirit, soul, body—is spiritual.
The process of denial and affirmation is vital if we are to overcome the

wrong beliefs held in race consciousness. In many instances we may find
that each error belief needs to be taken up specifically. Among these race
beliefs are belief in the reality and power of evil, belief in sickness and
disease, belief in old age.
A dominating personal will (i.e., use of the will faculty in a limited way)
is a form of negative affirmation, producing in mind and body a tense,
rigid condition. Where the "no" phase of mind is too much in evidence, the
consciousness becomes negative and relaxes to such an extent that
weakness and ills of a "letting go" and wasting character result.
5. Explain the Scripture, "If any man would come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).
Jesus Christ thoroughly understood the law of thought back of
affirmation and denial. He said, "If any man would come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). The
"self" which Is to be denied is the aggregation of false, limiting beliefs that
we have had about ourselves, resulting in a thought-structure or
self-linage that does not measure up to the God standard of man as a
spiritual being. The "me" that is to be followed is the Christ, the I pi, the
real Self of each of us. We must deny reality to all false beliefs and wrong
feelings If we would come into the Christ consciousness.
6. What is "the world"?

Jesus overcame "the world, the flesh, and the devil," as mentioned in
Matthew 4:1-11. We also find reference to the temptations of Jesus in
Mark 1:12, 13, and Luke 4:1-13.
The "world" that God created is a good world for
"We are cited to the trees, flowers, suns, and stars, as the work of
God; we are told that it is God who sustains and governs, controls and
directs them in every minutia" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 563).
There must, then, be some inner meaning to the belief that one is to
"overcome the world." When we look more deeply into the subject, we
find that "the world" thus viewed is the state of consciousness in us that
has been built upon a wrong concept of God's creation. When one has
such a state of consciousness, he has not come to know the reality back
of all creation; so he looks to the forms he sees as being the real, rather
than seeing them as the visible expression of the real, or divine ideas.
By consciously or unconsciously ignoring the Truth (idea) back of all

things, a person becomes bound by the limiting traditions of men; too
much emphasis is given to custom so that a person is bound by custom
rather than finding through it an avenue of expression for the real, or
some divine idea or principle. By this we do not mean to imply that either
tradition or custom have no part in our life, for they have, but they are
symbolic of the Truth back of them. The days in the year that are honored
(many called "holy days") bring to our remembrance the ideals that lie
back of them—i.e., Christmas Day, New Year's Day, days honoring the
freedom of a nation, important events in a city or state, days that honor
great people in government, education, religion. When we come into an
understanding of what lies back of all life, then the freedom we seek for
ourselves we desire for all men. This is freedom from the foolish, ignorant,
limiting standards of living that have been set up in "the world" through
lack of understanding. Because we desire this freedom for our self, we
may need to make a sweeping denial on this order:
I am no longer in bondage to limited beliefs.
I am free to think, to speak, to dress, to eat, and to live in all ways

according to my highest spiritual understanding.
By such a denial, there is no condemnation of the world in which we

live, but rather a clearing of our own consciousness about the world, so
that we become more worthy to be citizens of God's world.
When a person speaks of "the world" in a disparaging way we may be

sure that he refers not to the world we see about us, which shows
evidence of being the handiwork of God, but to the errors that spring from
the unenlightened consciousness of man. In The Revealing Word, page
214, we find this consciousness referred to:
"The world—A state of consciousness formed through the belief in the

reality of things external. It leads one to follow standards of living based
on man's opinions rather than on Truth. The world is overcome by — our
denying that it has any power over us and affirming freedom in Christ."
7. What Is "the flesh"?

The next temptation all of us must meet is termed "the flesh." This is
symbolized by Jesus' temptation to turn stones into bread. As with "the
world" we must come to see that this is a state of consciousness formed
by man's wrong concept of substance that clothes the soul, that forms the
outer visible structure of man we call the "body." If there is but one
substance out of which all creation is formed, then what we term "the
flesh" must be this same substance.
However, when we connect "the flesh" with the thought of temptation

we know that it is not the flesh as we see it, but the error beliefs about it
that we are dealing with. When a person suffers imperfection, disease,
illness in his flesh body, he feels bound and he may think that he desires
release from the body itself. With under-standing he finds that it is not
release from the body he desires, but release from the limitations he has
imposed on the flesh. It seems to man, in unenlightened consciousness,
that the appetites of the body are his master; but once illumined to the
truth that his body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor. 6:19), or as we
often term it "the temple of God," he realizes that appetite is not really
physical but spiritual. The desire for physical food has back of it the urge
of God to give man spiritual food, the "bread of life." When first tempted,
Jesus said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4)
If a man seems to be in subjection to wrong appetites or habits of the

body, it is because he has not been spiritually educated to understand
and control these appetites. When the soul is not given opportunity for
legitimate expression, then the body finds wrong ways of expressing the
misunderstood appetites. Medical science has found evidence that a child
or an adult who has an uncontrollable desire for food actually feels
rejected, unhappy, or frustrated. There can, therefore, be no
condemnation of one who seems not to be able to control appetite for
food, but rather a prayer for enlightenment so that balance may be
restored. Even insatiable desire for intellectual knowledge can be a type
of "mental appetite" that Is indicative of the soul's desire for the spiritual
food that alone can satisfy. Any imbalance in the body can be traced to
imbalance in the mind. So, the overcoming of "the flesh" must be
recognized from its meta-physical symbolism, and the true overcoming
thus takes place in the mind with the raising of the consciousness to the
Truth that we are spiritual beings.
8. What is "the devil"?

The third temptation Is "the devil." What is "the devil" which Jesus
overcame, and which all men must overcome? The Greek and the Latin
words from which the word devil came into our language meant the
slanderer, the original or root significance of which is "to throw or let fall
across," indicating delusion, a veiling. As with "the world" and "the flesh,"
we find that "the devil" Is also a state of consciousness built by man when
he has forgotten that he is a child of the living God. This state of mind is
built because a person is ignorant of the true use of divine laws (ideas),
and when he reaps the unhappy result of misapplied law, he thinks there
is something outside of himself causing him unhappiness. The state of
consciousness that is "the devil" functions contrary to divine good; thus, it
has accepted belief in separation, belief in the power of the outer world to
harm him, and so it ignorantly rejects God. When man is lost in this
"wilderness" of his own thoughts he is tempted to bow down to this
seemingly powerful "devil," giving it control over his faculties.
The forces personified as "the devil" are not real or reality, for they are
man's own formations of wrong beliefs. Our Father-Mother God gave to
each of us freedom of will, so that we may use our God-powers as we
choose. When we are guilty of unrighteous use of the will faculty, we bring
into our life by the mental law of cause and effect results that cause pain
and distress. The many perverse and degrading practices that have
grown up with mankind in the childhood of the race have all come through
the ignorance that has been carried on from generation to generation.
When the light dawns and parents begin to educate children to spiritual
truths, all of the accumulated error beliefs that make up "the devil" will be
erased from the world consciousness (race consciousness).
In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we find the Hebrew
word Abaddon, the Greek form for which is Apollyon. Both of these words
mean destroyer. In II Corinthians 6:15 we find "the devil" called Belial,
meaning worthlessness, lawlessness. In Matthew, "the devil" is
designated as Beelzebub, meaning lord of the flies. We find the word
Satan, another word used for "the devil," „ occurring in both the Old and
the New Testaments, meaning adversary.
In Genesis the "adversary" is described as a serpent, representing a

subtle state of consciousness that uses the life force with-out wisdom and
through ignorance refuses to obey God's laws. This adverse state of
consciousness in man stands aloof from God, desiring to be independent,
believing in its own sufficiency. Even after Spirit begins its quickening
work in the consciousness, the adverse state of mind or "the devil" is in
evidence. As a matter of fact, it often seems more active than it was
before, seeming to rise in rebellion against Truth. It has its own ways and
does not want to be disturbed. This state of mind comprises all forms of
fear, selfish-ness, ignorance, and must be denied, while the Christ love is
affirmed. When a "housecleaning" takes place there is to all appearances
an upset until the house is cleansed, and everything put in order. When
Spirit begins its redemptive work in our consciousness there seems an
upset while the cleansing (denial) goes on, but when this is accomplished
the consciousness is put in order by affirmation which replaces limited
beliefs with eternal truths.
9. What is the basis of universal unity and cooperation?

Since man has shown that he can be a producer of conditions that he
terms evil, it is time for him to realize this fact; time to recognize what his
freedom of will means; time to recognize his power to determine to
produce only good instead of appearances of evil. On man, created in the
Image and after the likeness of God, has been conferred the power of
choice, and he must choose to be selfless and universal instead of selfish
and personal; must choose to live by knowledge of wisdom and love
instead of by undisciplined sensations.
There is no personal devil any more than there is a personal God, in

the sense of a personality separate and apart from one's self. Just as
"Lord God" means an embodiment of law, order, and justice in man, so
"the devil" represents an embodiment of anarchy, evil, and injustice in
man.
10. Explain how one overcomes wrong beliefs of "the world," "the
flesh," and "the devil" as mentioned in the temptation of Jesus recorded in
Matthew 4:1-11. (Also recorded in Mark 1:12, 13 and Luke 4:1-13).
All efforts at social cooperation, such as have been tried in colonies of
various kinds, will prove a failure until the law of Jesus Christ is put into
operation and selfishness is eliminated. Many times, as is proved by
history, men or groups of men have come to the realization that more
good can come into the lives of individuals and nations through social
unity and cooperation. This is very good. Every step in progress has
begun with the nucleus of someone's thought of service. Sometimes,
however, the outer organization of such social reform has not lasted or
has not been as effective as it should have been, for the reason that no
true unity is possible until God’s laws, as taught by Jesus Christ, are
made the foundation of any such organization. This means, of course,
that love must be predominant for love precludes selfishness. "Love ... is
the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10). Jesus Himself emphasized love
as the basis of universal unity when He gave as the first commandment
our love for God, and as the second commandment our love for our
neighbor.
Jesus went into the "wilderness" of His own mind, and there met and
overcame the Adversary. So must each evolving soul meet within himself
this "wilderness" or undeveloped state of mind. The answers which Jesus
gave to the "adversary" or adverse state of mind indicate the nature of the
error thought that is to be met and overcome. We are not very familiar
with this "wilderness" or undeveloped realm into which Spirit drives us.
The untried powers of this realm await our directive hand. In the visible
world we see all about us opportunities to make profit, and the adverse
state of mind, the devil, suggests that we use the divine law for material
gain - "Command that these stones become bread" (Matt. 4:2). The
higher understanding declares the necessity of affirming the Word as the
real life-giving substance—"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). We must
speak words of Truth every day about the wonderful possibilities of God
as our supply and power, and we will prove the law of abundant supply in
our affairs.
An exalted consciousness lifts us up to the very pinnacle of the

"temple" in the "holy city" (Matt. 4:5). Unillumined personality says that we
are so high in our spiritual perception of divine law that we are not subject
to natural law; that we can—right now, without further experience with our
untried forces—do marvelous things to astonish men. The possibility of
using divine power in sense ways is the temptation. This is tempting the
Lord (the Christ or I AM) or seeking to bring into manifestation the divine
law before we know how to handle it.
"As soon as a person attains a certain degree of intellectual

understanding of Truth he becomes self-righteous ... he is inclined to think
that he has all of the fullness of the kingdom in his outer life. However, he
must learn to use aright the beginning of Truth that has been revealed to
him, that he may become worthy of a place in the kingdom" (Metaphysical
Bible Dictionary, p. 523).
When unenlightened by Truth, the personality says that we can trust

to angels, or to forces outside ourself, to guard us and protect us from the
results of our ignorance. Spiritual man (Christ, I AM, Lord) says that it is
not wise to attempt to do marvelous things before understanding the law;
when we understand, then the ideas of God (angels) will minister to us
and become our servants. "Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God"
(Matt. 4:7).
The "high mountain" referred to in this lesson is the exaltation of the

outer man or personality, in the belief that through such exaltation
dominion can be attained. A person with a strong desire to rule the minds
of men can take advantage of the power that lies in spiritual thought (in
the basic desire of all men to worship) and by exploiting it gradually build
up a system of beliefs not based on spiritual principles. This state of mind
might find expression through governments, educational systems,
religious organizations. It is through this misapplication of spiritual power
that dictators and tyrants are produced. History proves that attempts have
been made to exalt personality in the name of God, and rulers and their
people have been made to pay homage to personality under the delusion
that they were worshipping God.
Man must continually recognize and work in harmony with Divine

Mind through the Christ consciousness within himself. The man of
spiritual understanding says to the Tempter: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it
is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve" (Matt. 4:10).
*****
Advancement
Life is a constant learning,

Never the lessons end;
And the more we learn, the further
The bounds of our life extend.
Life is a constant journey.
Never we reach the goal;
But the higher we go the greater
Is the reach of the living soul.
Life is a constant growing
Up from the nourishing sod
Into the better living,
Nearer the fullness of God!
--Claude Weimer
S2L5 Annotations
Explain why man should be in conscious control of all his thoughts.

1. Man should be in conscious control of all his thoughts because
what he has in his experiences depends upon this control. Man thinks,
also his thoughts have, as the lesson brings out, "secondary power of
thinking." The predominant thought becomes a nucleus around which
other thoughts of like nature revolve, and the final thought pattern
continues to work in the subconscious phase of mind. If we have our
conscious thinking under control and are inspired and governed by the
higher Power within us, then the "secondary thinking" (the activity of our
subconscious phase of mind) will be governed by the conscious phase of
mind inspired by the Superconscious or Christ Mind. The result will be
good in all areas of our life.
Thought can reproduce itself along the general line with which the
chief thought has identified itself. Consciously or unconsciously this
thought goes on reproducing in its own image and affecting the general
body of thought on all subjects.
Thought can be positive or negative, constructive or destructive. The

first thought is conscious, but then it may become unconscious and
influence action and bring about unforeseen results. One hears a person
say in apology, "I never thought for a moment"; "I did it without thinking."
This is not strictly true because the action of the subconscious phase of
mind is spontaneous; what a person means by such statements is that he
acted without conscious thought. The subconscious thought, or feeling, is
reactive; sometime, somewhere, a conscious action of the mind took
place In order to set the "mental equivalent" in the subconscious.
If we do not take control of our thinking (conscious phase of mind) and

our feeling (subconscious phase of mind), we are actually giving the
control of our formative power of thought to something less than that
which we are — a son of God! The mind (conscious and subconscious) is
our instrument of expression — not our master. It is necessary to keep
our thought power strictly under control in order that the ensuing
subconscious thought or mental habit may be established In an upward or
positive direction.
Explain in detail the process of denial and affirmation.

2. Denial is the attitude of mind which says "no" to that which is
undesirable and unwanted, first in our consciousness to error beliefs, then
to the manifestations that resulted from those beliefs. It clears from mind
the wrong mental pattern, and the undesirable condition, having nothing
to sustain it, is dissolved.
"Denial is the erasing, cleansing, or releasing from our consciousness

all beliefs, thoughts, and concepts that are contrary to Truth" (Lessons in
Truth Lesson 4 Annotation 1 on "Denials" ).
Affirmation is primarily the attitude of mind which says "yes" with both
our thinking and our feeling to the good and desirable. It establishes
realization of this good in our consciousness; then the good is made
actual in every phase of our life.
"An affirmation is a statement of Truth by which we establish in our

consciousness the truth about God, the universe, ourselves, others, or
about a condition or thing" (Lessons in Truth Lesson 5 Annotation 1 on
"Affirmations").
Both of these processes, which actually form one process related to

the cleansing and rebuilding of consciousness, may be in the form of
audible statements or silent assertions. We see Jesus' use of these
processes in these three verses of Scripture: "Let your communication be,
Yea, yea; nay, nay" (Matt. 5:37); "Get thee behind me, Satan" (Matt.
16:23); "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"
(Matt. 5:48).
In the Scriptures the act of "fasting" represents denial — the emptying

out of depleted or inadequate states of mind (and abstaining from their
return) in preparation for the laying hold in consciousness of the ideals
that make up our divine inheritance. John the Baptist advocated "water
baptism" as symbolic of the washing away of sins. Even Jesus Christ
submitted to this baptism of John in order that He might observe the
"letter" of the law, having already observed the "spirit" of God's law
through His own realization of and consecration to His mission.
"Water baptism indicates a letting-go attitude of thought, denial.

Spiritual baptism is positive, a taking on, an affirmation. All growth takes
place through these two attitudes — a letting go and a taking hold, or
denial and affirmation" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 96).
Describe In your own words how the body is reconstructed by

affirmation and by denial.
3. In order to reconstruct the body by affirmation and denial, man must
first reconstruct his consciousness by affirmation and denial. The body is
composed of pure spiritual substance, for it is "the temple of the living
God" (II Cor. 6:16). However, its appearance is subject to the thoughts,
feelings, concepts, beliefs, and acts of man. The body may be influenced
also by the race consciousness, the total of mankind's thoughts, both
good and bad.
Included in the divine plan for man is the idea of a perfect physical
body, but man has interfered with the perfect manifestation of that
body-idea by wrong thinking and wrong living. Thus, our body often
outpictures inharmony in the form of sickness or malformation. By denial,
the false beliefs about our body are dissolved, and eventually the
negative condition in the body is erased.
By affirmation of the truth about our body, we lay hold consciously of

the ideas of life, strength, health, order, and perfection that are our divine
birthright. Then the power back of these Godideas begins to reconstruct
the physical body so that it may manifest as the perfect likeness of the
inner body-idea.
"When man realizes that there is but one body-idea and that the
conditions in his body express the character of his thought, he has the
key to bodily perfection and immortality in the flesh" (Christian Healing
30).
How is thought controlled?

4. The process of thinking is controlled by the conscious phase of
mind (thinking, reasoning realm), and the process of denial and
affirmation becomes a vital factor in exercising this control. In one sense,
we can think of the conscious phase of mind (thinking) as the "control
knob" for it is here that the decision is made either to change established
thoughts in the subconscious (feeling) or to allow them to continue to
bring forth "after their kind." It is through our power to reject (denial) or
accept (affirmation) that we have control of thought.
If the subconscious phase of mind (realm of feeling or "secondary

thinking") is holding thoughts that are not consistent with the image God
created for our mind, body, or affairs, it is the conscious phase of mind
that can (by exercise of the will faculty) produce a new pattern. To control
thought, then, is to fill the mind with an idea, an inspiration, and
concentrate our whole attention upon it. Before this can be done there is
often much mental work to be done in cleansing (by denial) the
consciousness of the old negative concepts that would be obstacles to
the new inspiration. When the denial (spoken silently or audibly) has done
its work, the next step is also through the conscious phase of mind — it is
the work of affirmation, or "planting" of the seed-ideas of Truth that we
wish to replace the wrong concepts. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 7
Annotation 7)
What is the one true standard of thinking?

5. The one true standard of thinking is the Jesus Christ standard
based on absolute Truth. The Jesus Christ standard of thinking is thought
that is unclouded by doubt, fear, or distrust, but is luminous with love,
faith, and understanding.
The Christ pattern is the one true, perfect man — spiritual man —
created in the image of God, and is the real Self of every man. For us to
observe and practice the one true standard of thinking is to know that we
have in us the same Mind which was in Jesus Christ, so that we may
express and manifest outwardly the likeness of God's image.
The daily prayer of everyone who would conform his thought patterns
to the one true standard of thinking should be in the words of the
Psalmist:
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be

acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalms
19:14 A.V.).
Are specific denials always necessary?

6. Specific denials are not always necessary, because at times man
may not be aware of the line of thinking that has brought him to the error
state of mind and the undesirable manifestation that he is faced with at
that particular moment. In such cases, the prayer of the Psalmist,
"Cleanse thou me from secret faults" (Psalms 19:12 A.V.), serves as an
effective, sweeping denial.
John the Baptist came before Jesus Christ and prepared the way for
His coming. Since the work of John is symbolic of denial, we can see that
denials are frequently necessary to prepare the way for the infilling of the
good we are seeking. The ministry of Jesus represents affirmation or
appropriation of the God-ideas that we must use in order to unfold
spiritually and grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and
men" (Luke 2:52) even as the child Jesus did.
Even to turn one's thought away from an erroneous belief or condition
constitutes a denial (without a specific word of denial being spoken), for
denial, like affirmation, is primarily an attitude of mind.
We do not plant a new garden over the rubbish of last year's growth,
neither do we keep our outgrown garments in a closet and continue to
add new clothing. Often the four denials learned in Lessons in Truth are
all that is necessary to cleanse the mind of erroneous or limited beliefs, in
preparation for the infilling of new ideas. However, in cases where specific
denials seem necessary in order to handle such beliefs and the resultant
appearances of illness, poverty, or inharmony of any kind, we should be
all means use specific denials, spoken either silently or audibly according
to the need or circumstance.
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good
work" (II Tim. 2:21).
Why is it Important to make the right use of the power of the mind to
deny and to affirm?
7. It is important that we make the right use of our power to affirm and
to deny because the results that we will experience in our life depend on
this.
Essentially man is all that God is, and has the same freedom. We
have Scriptural authority that man is created in the image and after the
likeness of God. All the God qualities are ours to use; there is nothing but
God, so we have only God-substance as the material with which to work
or build. This substance is perfect, but we have been given freedom in the
way we combine the ideas that mold substance. We may use ideas in any
way we choose. However, it is the wrong use, or our inability to rightly
combine the God-ideas, that brings forth imperfect or inharmonious
results. Charles Fillmore has this to say:
"Man cannot corrupt the inherent purity of any of God's attributes, but
he can unwisely combine them in states of consciousness that bring
dissatisfaction and incompleteness to him" (The Twelve Powers of Man
131-32).
In order to make the right use of our power to deny and to affirm, we
must understand what qualities or ideas we desire to make active; how to
combine them in right relation, and thus express them righteously.
Heretofore, we have thoughtlessly denied our divinity, our Godlikeness,
our good, and have ignorantly affirmed weakness, poverty, ignorance,
limitation of various kinds. Now this must be changed. We must deny or
disclaim that which we do not wish to manifest, and claim or affirm that
which we wish to demonstrate in our life. In this way we are being wise in
the right use of the creative power that is within us as our formative power
of thought.
What have affirmations to do with making thoughts substantial

(establishing faith) in consciousness?
8. Affirmations have a great deal to do with making our thoughts
substantial. It is only by repeated affirmations (spoken silently or audibly)
that we can by faith establish thoughts of health, prosperity, harmony,
peace in our subconscious so that these positive thoughts may become a
habit of mind. When thus established, the reaction of the subconscious
will always be one of faith in the good.
Error thoughts are not always immediately displaced when the

thinking faculty (conscious phase of mind) has accepted a new thought.
This subject was clearly covered in Annotation 10 of Lesson Four of this
Series (Series 2 Lesson 4 Annotation 10). No one phase of mind stands
by itself; the entire consciousness has to go through a process of
unfoldment. Even though the thinking faculty has accepted the Truth,
often it takes some time before the subconscious has been cleansed
sufficiently to accept the new thought. It takes much faith to persist in the
work of cleansing (denial) the subconscious of unwanted beliefs and
impressing it (affirmation) with the Truth.
No matter how strong a hold a negative thought may appear to have

in the consciousness, we are able, by clear-cut denials, and by
affirmations spoken in understanding faith, to build substantial thought
patterns in the mind.
Explain the Scripture, "If any man would come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).
9. As the lesson material brings out, when Jesus said these words He
was speaking from His Christ or I AM Self. He meant that if anyone
desires to come into the understanding, freedom, and abundance of life
which the Christ consciousness affords, he must drop from
consciousness ("deny himself") all error beliefs and accept the truth of
himself as the beloved son of God with a divine inheritance.
Because "deny" also means, according to Webster's dictionary, "to

disclaim connection with" [something] we realize that the denial to which
Jesus is referring is our "disclaiming connection" with anything less than
God's plan of perfection for us in mind, body, and affairs. We fulfill Jesus'
command to "follow me" when we raise our consciousness to that of the
Christ standard; when we are willing, if need be, to pray as Jesus did "all
night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12).
To "follow me" is to live the laws of God in every phase of our

experience. We seek to know God as the source of life, so that health,
vitality, strength, wholeness may manifest in our body. As we recognize
God as the source of abundance, we are able to manifest prosperity in
our affairs according to our special needs. Jesus saw God, the Father of
us all, as the source to which every man must turn for fulfillment in his life.
By following Jesus' injunction, we are not denying good; we are

refusing or erasing error concepts so that we are able to open our life to a
greater inflow of God's good. So long as we are bound by misconceptions
of ourself, other people, God's world, we cannot follow Jesus on the path
of overcoming and freedom. We can discover the method that is best for
us individually to follow only as we turn in prayer to our own Christ
presence — God in us. The Christ within is the "me" to which Jesus
refers, as the lesson material pointed out.

What is "the world"?
10. The lesson material has already stated that "the world" — when
referred to in connection with the temptation of Jesus — is the state of
consciousness in us that has a wrong concept of God's creation. This
state of mind builds up many beliefs and habits of thought that bind us to
outer forms and customs so that we cannot claim our true freedom. Jesus
knew how to meet this temptation because of His consciousness of God
as the source of His life.
Each man actually forms his own "world." If it is based upon the truth
of God as the creator of all, then he finds fulfillment in life. Every moment
becomes to him an adventure in living. He sees his world peopled with
others having the same goal he has: seeking to unfold the divine nature
within. On the other hand, if a person does not have the right concept of
life, then his "world" will be one of limitation, hardship, unfulfillment. Such
a belief gives attention to poverty, — unhappiness, war, sickness, old age,
and death rather than to realities such as abundance, happiness, peace,
health. It is the temptation of this latter "world" that we are to overcome,
and this can be done only by understanding God and our relation to Him.
What is "the flesh"?

11. What is termed "the flesh" is also an error state of consciousness
which has been formed because of the wrong thought about the
substance that clothes the soul — that which forms manifest man. If there
is but one substance out of which all creation has come forth, then what is
termed "flesh" must be this same substance in the form of the physical
body. However, men have tried to blame things outside of themselves for
their failures, for their inability to meet many temptations, and it has been
easier to blame "the flesh" for their own shortcomings. As the "temple of
the living God" our body could not possibly tempt us to do wrong. With
understanding we are able to correct the state of mind that prompted the
body into wrong habits.
When we suffer imperfection in body through illness or false habits,

we cannot blame "the flesh" for the condition. With the wrong attitude
about "the flesh" we may become negligent in the care of the body, even
to the point of the self-mortification of the ascetic. With the right attitude
toward the body, we make the changes in consciousness that will enable
It to manifest as the temple of God rather than something to be denied
and looked down on. We are able to overcome our wrong concept of "the
flesh" only as we seek for understanding of the relationship of the phases
of our threefold nature — spirit, soul, body.
What is "the devil"?

12. The lesson material has brought out that "the devil" is a state of
consciousness built by man when he has no explanation for the negative
experiences in his life, and when he feels that there must be something
outside of himself that caused them. In such a state of consciousness we
are apt to view "the world" and "the flesh" as part of the outside forces
that are causing us unhappiness.
"The devil" in our life is the will faculty being used in the wrong
direction, resulting in adverse states of consciousness that in turn
produce inharmonies in our manifest life. Jesus' command was to "resist
not evil" (Matt. 5:39 A.V.), but we also read in James 4:7, "resist the devil,
and he will flee from you." If we attempt to fight conditions that are not
good, we only succeed in binding them closer to us. On the other hand, if
we do not do positive mental work to handle the adverse states of
consciousness ("the devil") we will find ourself letting them rule our life.
The "resistance" referred to in the quotation from James is the firm stand
that we take in refusing to allow wrong beliefs to become our master.
Through denial of them we prepare the way for the Truth in the same way
that Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan [our adverse thought] ... Thou
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt.
4:10). Overcoming "the devil" is only possible through understanding that
the only presence and power in our life is God. "To this end was the Son
of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (I John
3:8). Only as we show forth (manifest) our Son-of-God self, the Christ, are
we able to remove the error conditions that have been set up by our own
adverse states of consciousness ("the devil").
The lesson material states, "There is no personal devil" and we find

these enlightening words in The Revealing Word, page 54:
"God is the one omnipresent Principle of the universe, and there is no
room for any principle of evil, personified or otherwise."
What is the basis of universal unity and cooperation?

13. The basis of universal unity and cooperation is love founded on
the understanding of God as the one Source of all life, as the Father of
every man. No matter how man may strive in the outer to build
organizations for unity and peace, these cannot stand unless they are
based on the premise of the one Presence and the one Power. With this
understanding comes the love that eliminates selfishness. "For other
foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I
Cor. 3:11). All of Jesus' teaching and ministry was pointed Godward, and
this is the only safe foundation on which mankind can build the
organizations of peace and service that are part of God's kingdom — "in
earth as it is in heaven" (the Lord's Prayer).
Love has to be the basis of universal unity and cooperation by its very
nature for "Love ... is the fulfilment of the law" (Rom. 13:10). Love is the
unifying, harmonizing, attracting, cementing quality or idea of Spirit that
holds all things together in right relationship. As the attracting idea, love,
draws all mankind together, making us realize that we are all one in Spirit,
yet it gives individuals freedom to act according to their own inner leading
and convictions.
Unity is oneness, and universal unity is the oneness of Spirit based on

a common Father, the one Mind, the one substance, the one love, the one
life, inherent in all, governing all, sustaining all. Cooperation implies
working with someone or something. If man's standard of living is
governed by the Jesus Christ standard of loving, man works harmoniously
with God, with himself, and with his fellowmen, thereby establishing the
"kingdom of heaven" here and now.
What is the place of man's overcoming?

14. The "place" of man's overcoming is in his own individual
consciousness or soul (i.e., the conscious thinking and subconscious
feeling phases of mind). Our consciousness has within it a "wilderness,"
or states of mind as yet unknown, and it is only as the Spirit guides us
that we are able to handle the mass of subconscious thoughts that must
be erased or put in order. There are in this "wilderness" beliefs that do not
accord with the Truth standard, so it is in the consciousness that the work
of erasing these beliefs and replacing them with Truth is to be done. Our
consciousness is the "garden" that we are to tend, or as Gen. 2:5 puts it,
"to dress it and to keep it."
Overcoming is the "coming up over" into the Christ consciousness, or

into Truth. From this vantage point we are able to view all false beliefs
that have been harbored in the subconscious and to deny them, at the
same time affirming that which is true. The overcoming is done first in
consciousness (mind); then a change takes place in our outer affairs, and
the undesirable conditions brought about by adverse states of mind ("the
devil") are dissolved.
After denial of error thoughts, affirmation of the truth that we are

spiritual beings with a heritage of good becomes a vital process in
overcoming. In reality, overcoming is the exercise of our Christ mastery in
thinking (conscious phase of mind) and feeling (subconscious phase of
mind), so that the ideas of the Superconscious or Christ Mind are handled
in the right way. When this is accomplished we have the true "atonement."
Charles Fillmore says of "atonement" in The Revealing Word, page 18:
"Reconciliation between God and man through Christ; the uniting of

our consciousness with the higher consciousness."
Explain how one overcomes wrong beliefs of "the world," "the flesh,"
and "the devil" as mentioned in the temptation of Jesus recorded in Matt.
4:1-11. (Also recorded in Mark 1:12,13 and Luke 4:1-13).
15. There are three beliefs that must be overcome — "the world," "the
flesh," and "the devil." The lure of these is shown in the temptation of
Jesus in the wilderness, which represents the untrained, uncultivated
states of mind in each person who has not come into spiritual
understanding.
Jesus was physically hungry; so He was presented with the thought

that He could turn the stones into bread and thus satisfy appetite, the call
of the body. This temptation is symbolic of the attempt to use God-power
for a selfish purpose. However, Jesus' response was to the effect that the
body and its appetites should not rule — that there are other things
essential to life. This is not to say that the body should not be fed, but that
uncontrolled appetite is not to dominate. One can spend too much time
and effort in catering to the appetite, the feeding of the physical, as if it
were the most important part of man. Sometimes we forget that time must
be spent in quietness and prayer to feed the soul with spiritual food
(God-ideas). The false beliefs and undisciplined thoughts and emotions in
the consciousness of man must be overcome, just as we cleanse the
body so that good food will fulfill its purpose.
Jesus was then presented with the thought that if He would

deliberately cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple, no harm
would befall Him. In other words, the temptation was to make a show of
power and ability; to prove what can be done through spiritual powers to
win the world's acclaim; to succumb to the love of applause; to cater to
the opinions of others; to attempt to get the world's approval. The answer
was, "Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God" (Matt. 4:7). This is
"overcoming the world" or ceasing to base one's standard of thoughts and
feelings upon the world's approval or disapproval.
Next came the temptation on the mountain, that exalted state of

consciousness when one feels that he has all the power and ability of
God, that anything and everything can be accomplished. Then came "the
devil" saying, "All these things will I give thee, if thou shalt fall down and
worship me" (Matt. 4:9). In other words, we seek to use the power of
Divine Mind (God) to bring to ourself worship and dominion in the outer
realm; we can use it to exalt the human self instead of exalting God and
serving our fellowman. The "devil" (false beliefs) has to be overcome, so
that God-consciousness may predominate.
At each stage of our unfoldment we must meet and overcome

temptations. We then stand forth as victorious, triumphant sons of God!
"Stamped on my heart is the impress
Of heaven — shall I aim at less?"
—Be! by James Dillet Freeman
Series 2 - Lesson 6 - The Word

Lesson
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God;
all things were made through him,
and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14).
“But the word is very near you;

it is in your mouth and in your heart,
so that you can do it” (Deut. 30:14).
“The grass withers, the flower fades;

but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa. 40:8).
“So faith comes from what is heard,

and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.’

He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True. ...
He is clad in a robe dipped in blood,
and the name by which he is called
is The Word of God” (Rev. 19:11, 13).
1. What is the Word of God, or the Logos?

All Unity students are familiar with the expression “The Word of God”
and should understand that it means not the Bible, as we have been
taught in the past, but the living Word which in the be-ginning was with
God and was God. The Bible is the outer testimony of men who have
discerned to a degree this eternal Word of God.
John’s Gospel explains that all things were made by the Logos— the
Word of God-~and “without him was not anything made that was made,
(John 1:3). Since the things of Spirit are eternal and omni-present, they
belong always in present time; thus it is proper to say, “without him is not
anything made that is made.” This brings directly to man’s understanding
the formative power of the Word as a present active agent in the world.
The word Logos comes to us from the Greek language, and in that
language means “the word or form which expresses a thought; also the
thought.” The early Greek philosophers regarded the Logos as the
rational principle of the universe. When this term was introduced into the
principles of the Christian religion it had reference to the second person of
the Holy Trinity, considered as the ex-pression or incarnation of divine
reason. Divine reasoning, or reasoning from the premise “in the beginning
God” (Gen. 1:1), puts man’s mind in an orderly way of working. Therefore,
the Lord is the mediator between man and God, or between the human
conscious-ness and the universal God consciousness (Divine Mind)
which Jesus always spoke of as the Father, the Origin and Source of all
ideas.
The divine Logos, which is God in His capacity of creative power,

includes all the essential characteristics of Being, with the potential power
to express them; it is the thought-word; the power to produce itself out of
what is inhering within it. The Word, inhering in God, is the urge or desire
for a full, free expression of All-Good”,, Perhaps one of the simplest and
clearest definitions of the Word is to be found in Talks On TrutH, by
Charles Fillmore, page 68:
To produce works, there must be a working power. This is exactly

what the Word is—the working power of God.”
Thus we come to realize that as the second aspect of the Holy Trinity
or the Godhead (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit), the
Word is also the creative Idea of God Mind or Divine Mind, the Son of
God, spiritual man, termed also the Christ, the I AM. So each human
being may say of his spiritual nature: “I am the Word of God spoken forth
in perfection.”
“This Word is a generative center with all the possibilities of God ... It
is the idea of God, the image and likeness ... So the ‘seed,’ that is, ‘the
word of God,’ is man; not the external thinking personality that has a
consciousness of separation, but the internal spiritual germ”
(Atom-Smashing Power Of Mind. p. 135).
2. How was the universe created?

People are curious to know how the manifest universe was created.
From ignorant man who merely wonders to the man of science who seeks
to inquire into the mysteries of creation, there is a reaching out after
knowledge concerning the creative process. There is both an
“involutionary” and an “evolutionary” creation. The first chapter of Genesis
relates the creation by involution. It shows how the divine qualities (ideas)
are spoken forth by God’s Word “let there be.” Then on the sixth day of
creation God’s Idea, in which is wrapped all the God nature, comes forth
as spiritual man or God’s Word. This man, the image-likeness of God, the
Son, the Christ, has “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9),
therefore has all the essence or nature of all that is God. The next step
will be the “evolutionary” phase of creation when manifest man makes his
advent upon the visible plane.
We might liken the “involutionary” and “evolutionary” aspects of

creation to the process through which the oak tree passes. There is
enwrapped (or folded into) the acorn—its expression or fruit—all the
nature and characteristics of the oak tree. The acorn is right there all
through the process and participating in it. In the acorn is embodied all
that the oak tree is, even to the image of the parent tree.
The man we are referring to here is the Word of God, the epitome of
Being, termed also spiritual man, the Christ. God “spoke” His word which
came forth as spiritual man when He said, “Let us make man in our image
[the active and passive phases of God’s nature], after our likeness.” The
mission of this “man” is to evolve or unfold in the manifest world all of the
nature or image of God before creation can be said to be complete. This
fulfills the “evolutionary” side of creation.
In the first chapter of Genesis it is related that God created by His

word. When the power of the Word is understood, there is no mystery
concerning the work of creation.
“God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen. 1:3).
“God said, ‘Let there be a firmament’ . . . And it was so” (Gen. 1:6-7).
“God said, Let the earth bring forth’ . . . And it was so” (Gen. 1:24).
These commands were spoken into expression by the creative power

of His Word (the Word of life, power, love, faith, et cetera), for when God
“speaks” it is done in the realm of the ideal.
“By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of
God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear”
(Heb. 11:3). “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all
their host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalms 33:6).
The creative process then, whether it is the breathing into the soul of
man or the uttering or growing forth from spiritual man into manifest or
outer form, is all accomplished through the Word, the creative power of
God, the divine essence that is immanent in every living creation. We see
then the twofold nature of the Word, first the creative power of God
“speaking forth” as the divine fiat—”Let there be”—-and then all the
qualities or nature of God finalizing in His Word as “spiritual man.”
“In pure metaphysics there is but one word, the Word of God... it is
God as creative power. . . . The perfect Word of God is spiritual man”
(Christian Healing, p.61).
3. How does man “make” his world? Show how a perfect body and a
perfect world may be “made” by him.
Everything in God is in man. The whole universe is in man. He is the
Word made flesh. It should be remembered that this refers to spiritual
man, the real man. Every individual “makes” his own world, and he does
this through his word, the activity of ideas in his consciousness. Only to
the extent that he knows the qualities (ideas or attributes) of Being, such
as life, love, wisdom, power, faith, order, and so forth, does he use them
righteously to “make” his body and his world. Man, in his unfolding human
consciousness only partly realizes the wisdom, substance, life, and power
of God, and therefore does not actually create? he merely “forms,” and
his work is not always enduring because it is not always based on Truth.
(See pages 93-94 Atom-Smashing Power Of Mind.)
If a builder should lay bricks without mortar, his masonry would be

faulty. The same is true of man’s use of words; if some of the elements
that should enter into the perfect creative Word are lacking, man merely
forms. “All words are formative but not all words are creative” (Twelve
Powers Of Man, page 29). All the substance or essence of God is in the
creative Word and no element can be lacking if man would have
satisfaction. If man leaves out of his thought-word the consciousness of
divine life, of divine love, of divine wisdom, of divine substance, he
“makes” or forms a perishable body and world. But when he is quickened
or made alive to the Christ consciousness, he “makes” an imperishable,
incorruptible body and world of pure Spirit substance.
“Every idea is a seed, and will bring forth according to its character,
modified somewhat by the kind of mind soil in which it is planted. There is
a lax-/ of growth in mind parallel with that of earth. A thistle seed will
al-ways produce thistles, regardless of the character of the soil”
(Atom-Smashing Power Of Mind, page 139).
Men are begotten - quickened, and born into spiritual conscious-ness

by the Word of Truth. “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of
truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures” (Jas. 1:18).
“You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding word of God” (I Pet. 1:23). Peter here goes
on to say: “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides
forever” (I Pet. 1J24-25). When man is begotten by and born of the Word
of God, he is no longer flesh “like grass,” but is enduring and abiding, not
subject to death and corruption. The body becomes a member of the
body of Christ, redeemed, glorified by the Word. To “make” a perfect
body, man must consciously understand and use the fullness of the Word
of God, all that is included in the original Greek Logos, and come to know
himself as the very Word spoken forth by God.
4. What is the “new birth” and how does it take place?

Jesus told Nicodemus that it was necessary for men to be born anew
(experience the “new birth”). “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The being “born of water
and the Spirit” signifies the same sort of creation as shown in the first
chapter of Genesis; namely, that there has first to be an instilling of the
spiritual principles in the soul of mars, so that the soul would send them
forth into the body in-stead of building a body that is perishable; for “that
which is born of the flesh is flesh.” The “new birth” is a complete change
in consciousness from the limited beliefs of the human consciousness to
acceptance of the Truth. It is birth into the realization of oneself as the son
and heir of God.
5. What changes follow man’s new birth?

“The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the
Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does like-wise” (John
5s19). Let us then see what the Father does that we may do likewise. As
recorded in Genesis, the first fiat of creation is “Let there be light” (Gen,
1:12). “Light” means intelligence. “Dark-ness’8 is ignorance, Man’s first
word in bringing forth his world should be “Let there be light.” Instead of
saying, “I don’t know,” thus producing darkness, man needs to say, “I am
illumined with divine intelligence,” or words to that effect. By your word
your world will be lighted with divine understanding. Every true word that
you speak lives, no matter what the appearance may be. “The words that
I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). “So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not re-turn to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose” (Isa. 55:11), Suppose we are not wholly
illumined at once; suppose the darkness does not at once comprehend
the light; we need to be sincere, patient, and persistent in declaring, “I am
the light of the world,” and have faith that our word, being Truth, is spirit
and life, and shall bring forth its fruit.
When Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and
life’8 (John 6^63), He knew that His words of Truth contained the life, the
power, the substance of God. Understanding the power of His words, we
realize the force of His counsel: “If you abide in me, and my words abide
in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
And again, “If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (John
8:51). Our part in “abiding” and “keeping” is to understand His words. The
only way this can be done is to so write them in our heart (subconscious)
that they become embodied in the flesh and in every area of our life. We
do not “keep” His words by merely giving intellectual assent that they are
true, or by just committing the words to memory. We must consciously live
the ideas back of the words by adding feeling until they are established in
consciousness. Then the words of Truth manifest in our daily life
spontaneously. Clarity and efficiency in the conscious phase of mind
(intellect) are produced. Love, compassion, and understanding in the
heart (subconscious feelings) are experienced. Health and vitality in the
body are realized. Harmony, abundance, and success in the affairs are
made manifest. These changes that take place following the “new birth”
are actually the restoration of man to his true estate as son and heir of
God.
6. Explain fully how this promise is fulfilled: “He shall have whatsoever
he saith” (Mark 11:23 A.V.).
“He shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:2 3 A.V.) is one of the
most wonderful statements in the Bible, and has summed up in it the
whole understanding of man’s power and privilege in using the powers of
the creative Word through his word. Nothing is of more practical value to
man than the understanding that he “makes” his own body and all the
conditions in his life by the use of his word. By his word, good or not
good, he makes his heaven and his earth. What he binds on earth (form)
is bound in heaven (mind); what he looses on earth (form) is loosed in
heaven (mind). By the power of his word he can bind his organs, or he
can set them free; he can bind his muscles and his brain cells, or he can
set them free.
When ignorant of the power of the Word each person makes many
conditions in mind, body, and affairs that are not in harmony with Truth,
and it is in such conditions that he often cries out against God as the
cause of his troubles, or gives up negatively in what he calls meekness
and submission to the will of God. Man was taught in the past that God
was a supreme and arbitrary ruler who brought un-happy conditions on
man to punish him for his sins. Neither the attitude of rebelling against
God nor that of giving up submissively to conditions alters the situation.
Harmony and rightful conditions are restored only by an awakening to
Truth and by putting Truth into expression by the Word. When a person
arrives at that state in consciousness where he knows that he is the Son
of God, the heir to all that God is; when he becomes possessed of all
these qualities in his own mind, he realizes that he is here to give
expression to the Word (his own divine nature, as well as God’s creative
power). If he would manifest perfection, he must express the Word in its
fullness. The Word contains the very substance of God, or all that God is.
Man must become familiar with the nature of each and all of the God
qualities (divine ideas) that make up the Word in order to express God
fully. Every word that has in it no consciousness of divine love makes
discord, because love is the great attracting, harmonizing power, and the
Word of God is not expressed in its fullness through man’s word so long
as this unifying power of Being (God) is omitted. This understanding will
do away with the use of all condemnatory, critical, faultfinding, and angry
words.
7. What kind of words must be used in restoring the soul and body to
health? Show how the Word is carried to all phases of man’s soul, body,
and affairs.
All words that man uses carelessly in regard to life, words that do not.
carry the realization of divine life, fail to bring forth the manifestation of
perfect life and health, and this “falling short” makes many of the
conditions called sickness and disease. Man can-rot bring into expression
divine, unlimited qualities of Being until he first becomes conscious of the
Christ Spirit within himself. He cannot manifest that which he does not
consciously possess in some degree in his own mind.
Words that do not carry the consciousness of divine power, Christ

power„ produce negative conditions. The result of their use is failure to
manifest the Christ dominion and mastery.
Words lacking the substance of Spirit are “empty words” and pro-duce
conditions of hunger, lack, and poverty. Much of what is called sickness
and disease in the world comes from feeding on “empty words” — words
that are devoid of Truth,, Such words leave a vacuum in the mind, and the
sensation of emptiness is expressed in the body and the affairs. The soul
needs to be fed with the very substance of Spirit {in the form of divine
ideas) in order to satisfy its longings and desires, “Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”
(Matt. 4s4). We must realize that words of Truth have power to nourish
the soul, the body, and the affairs because they are expressing divine
ideas. “Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to
me a joy and the de-light of my heart” (Jer. 15:16).
The use of words without wisdom makes and keeps ignorance in the
world. We find it literally true that “on the day of judgment men will render
account for every careless word they utter” (Matt. 12:36). Idle words are
words that do not measure up to the standard of the Word of God. This
warning of Jesus would be better heeded if man realized that every day is
a day of judgment; that every day some of the “word seeds” come to
fruition as pain and suffering in some form or other, for every word of
ignorance makes its mark in the body. Ignorant words cast a shadow over
man’s path, and he cannot see the way* They dull his 6ars until he cannot
hear the counsel and guidance of Spirit. He knows not what causes him
to stumble, but it is his own “empty words.”
8. What kind of words must one use to build a consciousness of

abundance?
All of us realize to some degree the effect of words. Every word has a
threefold power: first, the force of the primal idea; second what has been
put into the word by the race use; and third, the intelligence and feeling
given to it by the speaker. We must analyze our words, because every
word produces a result. Jesus Christ had a consciousness of the power of
words far beyond that of the average roan. He proved that His words had
life by healing the blind, the paralyzed, the leper, the woman who had an
issue of blood. How did He generate a healing energy so great that it filled
His garments? It was not done apart from the law. There must have been
a cause. The cause was His realization of the infinite substance and life of
God. His understanding came through His mastery of the flesh and His
conscious union with Divine Mind, Spirit. Creative, enduring words are
spoken out of the Christ consciousness and not out of the limitations of
personal consciousness. The unenlightened personal consciousness is
barren of life-giving substance. The Word is the indwelling Christ, spiritual
man, the immanent or personal God of each individual. The “lost word” is
but one way of saying that man has so dulled his consciousness of his
spiritual nature that he has lost the power to consciously hear the “still
small voice” of the indwelling Christ.
When one wishes to speak the word of power one should become
vary still and make conscious union with the Christ power within through
realizing “I AM power.” Thus, the student consciously unites himself with
the source of power; he has made himself consciously one with the divine
idea of power. When through this communion with his source he is filled
with the consciousness of power, he can speak the word that will have in
it the very power of God.
When one wishes to speak life-giving words, one should first enter
into the consciousness of omnipresent life; make his conscious union with
it through realizing that “I am life—abundant, limitless, eternal life*”
Whatever God is. His Son, spiritual man, the Christ must be. The aim of
manifest man is to be consciously one with the Christ of God, not a
separate personality. When man thinks and feels this union with the one
life, he will be able to speak healing, life-giving words.
One of the ideas in Divine Mind is substance, and its Scriptural name
is “the earth.” “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was without form and void” (Gen. 1:1-2). The substance idea
must be formed in the mind of man and established through faith. This
forming of substance is symbolized by the appearance of “dry land” as
recorded in Genesis 1:9. Out of the substance idea the personal ego has
conceived forms (matter) which are the structures that man has formed.
The substance idea in Divine Mind is expressed in what science called at
one time the “universal ether,” and now refers to as space-time or energy.
Man has God’s creative power as his formative power of thought which he
uses to make substance into form. Every thought and every word works in
the universal substance and out of it man “makes” his body and his
environment. The unenlightened man believes in ignorance, death, and
impermanence; thus, he impresses his beliefs on all that he shapes. As a
result, the forms that he molds by his thoughts carry out his concepts,
change, and disappear. The substance or mind essence of which the
forms were made is resolved back into its original substance and is again
subject to the thought of man to shape it into something else. The form, or
what man calls “matter,” is not lasting, but the substance back of matter
endures forever.
One can overcome belief in poverty by entering into a realization of
the omnipresent substance of Spirit and man as heir to it. From this
realization we speak the word of abundance. First, we are to make
conscious union in mind with the substance idea by claiming, “I am
Substance,” and then become conscious of our identity as one and the
same substance as God. We are each the substance of all that we can
ask or think. What men call “matter” is formed substance—formed in the
individual life according to each man’s thought-word, thus manifesting in
various forms. All belief in matter and material conditions as being the
source of man’s good will be eliminated from man’s mind when he
understands the true nature of the substance that lies back of all form and
appearance.
Men have discerned that there is a “fourth dimension” in which forms

lose their separateness, and the primal elements become
inter-penetrating. This is a concept of spiritual substance and under the
divine law, man’s body and all things in the universe come into divine
unity. Realization of oneness of Spirit substance eliminates all resistance,
opposition, and friction. The bodies of all persons who enter into this
consciousness will be translated into spiritual ideas; wherever the thought
is, instantly there the body will be. Jesus illustrated this when He passed
into a room while the doors were closed. This is the realm of pure Being.
In Atom-Smashing Power Of Mind, by Charles Fillmore, on page 62,
reference is made to this fourth dimension as the “kingdom of God.” Note
also the following:
“The fourth dimension is that which embraces and encompasses the

other three; it is realization ... It is the process in which forms lose their
apartness and be-come one under divine law. The human mind, with its
limited reasoning faculties, is bound by time, space, and conditions. By
itself it can get no further into the spiritual realm than reason will take it;
but when we invoke the aid of the Christ in us we go beyond reason into
the realm of pure realization; then we have attained the consciousness of
pure being, the fourth dimension of the being” (Keep A True Lent, page
170).
This “realization” is knowing and feeling the Presence of God active in

us. As Mind is free and unlimited, all of Mind’s creations should be free
and unlimited, but the human consciousness, reasoning from outer
appearances, allows itself to be bound by time and space.
This does not mean that men are not to have bodies, nor that they
come into spiritual consciousness by the separation of spirit, soul, body.
Man, as a trinity is spirit, soul, body; in his present state of consciousness
he functions in a three-dimensional world as idea, expression, and
manifestation. In man’s trinity or threefold nature of spirit, soul, body, his
spirit is the God-Idea of man; his soul is his expression or unfolding of the
God-Idea through his consciousness; and his body is the manifestation of
what his soul has thus conceived. (See Annotation 4, Lesson 3, Lessons
In Truth.)
It is the divine intention that man shall manifest God. All that is in Mind
must be expressed and manifested by Mind’s perfect Idea (man). In order
to do this man must consciously unite his spirit, soul, body and keep them
together. His physical body must be trans-muted by the power of the
Word and moved by the action of the Holy Spirit. The soul is no longer to
give the body a “bill of divorcement,” for the body must become the
manifestation of the Divine (Holy) Trinity or Godhead. As perfect ideas of
life and substance are realized in consciousness, they will be expressed,
and the same spiritual conditions will exist in manifestation (body and
affairs) that are found in mind. This is the redemption of the body, raising
it beyond the three-dimensional realm where it functions under the
physical laws into the “fourth dimension,” namely, realization, or realm of
Divine Mind.
9. What does it mean to “keep my word” (John 14:23), as in-structed

by Jesus?
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you
have no life in you” (John 6:53) seems to the human being a hard
statement, but to the one whose spiritual understanding has been
quickened it is no mystery. The “blood of Christ” is life, and His body is
pure Spirit substance. Man appropriates (“eats” and “drinks”) this
substance in the form of the Word. “So, he who eats me will live because
of me” (John 6:57). (See Annotation 15, Lesson 4, Series I.)
It has been stated that man makes a new body at least once a year.
This being true, it seems strange that there should be, year after year, an
appearance of increasing age. The reason is found in man’s ignorance of
himself as the Word of God, and his ignorant use of the Word. When he
builds ne\^ cells, instead of building them in the under-standing of
substance and life and all that he is in Christ, he builds them in the
ignorant belief of the world, after the pattern established in the race mind
in its ignorance of Truth concerning the body. When he awakens to
spiritual understanding he builds anew and becomes a “new creature” (II
Cor. 5:17). “We are members of his body” (Eph. 5:30)
In his preaching and missionary journeys, Paul represents the

spiritualized will carrying the Word through the body, building in
righteousness and order the various centers of the organism. We too
must carry the Word into the uttermost parts of the earth (body).
10. What is the result when spiritual law is given unlimited expression
in man’s thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and reactions?
We must consciously free the life center from all the ignorant thoughts
that have been stored there. We are to tell it that it is not limited to
threescore years and ten of imperfect manifestation, but is one with
universal, omnipresent, unchanging, perfect, eternal life. We must tell it
that it is not carnal and evil, but pure with the purity of Spirit. It must be
told that it is not material, but that it is the pure substance of Spirit in form.
The Word (of life, strength, vitality) will set it free, quicken it to activity, and
promote an inflow of the pure, rich, spiritual substance of life.
We need to speak to the power center at the root of the tongue, to

deny all inefficiency and declare, “All power is given unto me in mind and
in body.”
We must go in consciousness to the love center near the heart and

tell it the Truth. We must deny that it is filled with selfishness and affirm
that it is filled with the substance of divine love, pure universal love.
Then we need to quicken the substance center, back of the pit of the
stomach, with the word that there is one pure, spiritual substance, and
that out of it the body is formed in perfection.
In the strength center, at the small of the back, we should speak
words of strength—words of courage, steadfastness of mind that cause
the body to stand upright.
We are to think of the intelligence manifest in every organ and in

every function of the body. Whether we are awake or asleep, the blood is
busy, carrying on a work that requires intelligence greater than man has
yet consciously understood. If man’s ignorance did not interfere with
these processes, they would build a perfect body and keep it in perfect
order. This they will do when, by the power of the Word, the old error
conditions, that are established in the subconscious are dissolved and
perfect union is made between the conscious and the subconscious
phases of mind with the Superconscious or Christ Mind (realm of divine
ideas).
S2L6 Annotations
What is the Word of God, or the Logos?

1. The Word of God is Divine Mind in action. It is God in His capacity
as creative power. God, Spirit, Being, I AM, the original Cause, said "Let
there be ..." (Gen. 1:3), thus speaking Himself into expression. God,
Divine Mind, from Himself creatively produced or brought forth that which
He is. The Word of God is the expression of God's idea of Himself; it is
simultaneously the idea and the expression of the idea. It is the rational
thought which in its perfection (for God is perfect) is a creative idea. That
is, it contains or has inherent in itself the ability to produce from itself.
Spirit knows itself: God is, I AM eternally Being.
In his Gospel, John used the phrase "Word of God" for the "Logos,"
and through this medium we reach the understanding of God's perfection
incarnated in the man Jesus. "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among
us" (John 1:14), Jesus manifested God's creative power in all its fullness.
The word Logos in the original writings means all the inherent
qualities inherent and active in Being (God); the creative power, the ability
to reproduce out of itself that which it is. The Logos is the Word, the
thought-word, the creative idea, the total of all the God qualities (ideas,
principles, or laws of God). The Logos is the rational principle of the
universe; it is both reason and speech. In man, the Word is called: I AM,
Jehovah God, Lord God, Christ, spiritual man, image of God, composite
idea, only begotten, Son of God, Seed of God. Thus the Word, as spiritual
man, belongs to the second phase of the Holy Trinity.
Perhaps an important function to remember about the Word is that

mentioned by Charles Fillmore in Talks on Truth 68:
"To produce works, there must be a working power. This is exactly

what the Word is — the working power of God."
The office or function of the Word of God (Logos) in man is to build

states of consciousness; to reveal to man's human consciousness the
inner workings of his spirit, soul, and body; to reveal to man the powers
and possibilities of his own being; to light the way; to give man
understanding and inspiration.
The relation of the Word of God (Logos) to man as a human being is

that of Father of his human consciousness. It is that in man which will
enable him to produce or bring forth all that has been infolded within him
(Involution). It is the plan, the purpose, the image, the choice, the will and
intention of God for man as a human being that will enable him to unfold
(evolution) and to manifest or show forth the "likeness" of God. It provider
the power that we use as our formative power of thought, in our thinking,
feeling, speaking, and acting. It also provides the power that we use to
form the substance of God into things, circumstances, events, and
conditions in our everyday life.
"With the early Fathers of the Greek Church the divine Logos had a
peculiar significance which only those who had delved into the innermost
of existence could comprehend.
"Philo made the divine Logos the embodiment of all divine powers and
ideas. He distinguished between the Logos Inherent in God,
corresponding to reason in man, and the Logos emanating from God,
corresponding to the spoken word that reveals the thought. The former
contains the ideal world; the latter is the first-begotten Son of God, the
image of God" (Teach Us to Pray 167).
How was the universe created?

2. The universe, the aggregate of all that is, was created by the Word
of God ("God said"), the creative power of God moving ideas into
expression or activity. This process is described in the first chapter of
Genesis as taking place in a step-by-step activity as "God said ... and it
was so" (Gen. 1:6,7). The character of God's creation is "good" and "very
good." Essentially, man and the universe are perfect. The expression and
manifestation of the perfect ideal creation is left to man as a co-worker
with God.
"God creates through the action of His mind, and all things rest on
ideas" (Mysteries of Genesis 14).
Charles Fillmore says further in the same book, on pages 26 and 27:
"God does not create the visible universe directly, as a man makes
concrete pavement, but He creates the ideas that are used by His
intelligent 'image and likeness' to make the universe. Thus God's
creations are always spiritual" (Mysteries of Genesis 26).
How does man "make" his world?

3. God "created" man's world in the ideal but man "makes" his world
through the activity of ideas in his consciousness — ideas of wisdom,
power, intelligence, substance, and love. The real man is the embodiment
of God, and all of the God substance is within man, as well as the power
to make this substance active. However, in human consciousness, man
only partly realizes the power and wisdom that belong to his real Self, and
he uses God substance by separating it into parts in his thinking instead
of using it in its wholeness, or "righteously." He falls short of the perfection
which is his as a son of God because he "makes" his world according to
his own limited concept rather than according to the divine plan.
Through the Christ, or true Self, we all have the power to bring into
manifestation whatever we hold in the ideal. However, unless we are
consciously unified with this Christ principle within ourself, and guided by
it in our thinking, then our forms (formationn) are not permanent. "All
words are formative but not all words are creative" (Twelve Powers of
Man 29). When man glimpses the Truth, then it is his privilege to make
the change in consciousness so that the use of his formative power of
thought is based in God and his words then begin to "make" a new world
for him, to conform to the plan created by God.
Show how a perfect body and a perfect world may be "made" by each
man.
4. Man may have a perfect body and a perfect world when he
understands and makes the right use of the Word of God — the creative
power of God, which operates through his formative power of thought.
The Word contains all the attributes (ideas) of God. When the thoughts,
feelings, and words of man are charged with a full understanding of
Divine Mind and its inhering ideas, and this knowledge is consciously
applied in all functions of his life, then he will be able to show forth a
perfect body and a perfect world.
What is the new birth? How does it take place?

5. A birth is coming into a state of existence. As Charles Fillmore
explains it:
"The first birth is the human — the self-consciousness of man as an

intellectual and physical being; the second birth, the being 'born anew,' is
the transformation and translation of the human to a higher plane of
consciousness as the son of God" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing
26).
When he is born into the human realm, man's desires and interests
have to do with the satisfaction of bodily appetites and the required
routines of life. The second birth is when man awakens to the truth of his
real nature.
Jesus said, "Ye must be born anew" (John 3:7). This being "born
anew," or coming into a new birth is an experience that takes place in
man's soul (his thinking and feeling). Charles Fillmore says further in
Christian Healing 26, on the subject of the new birth:
"The second birth is that in which we 'put on Christ.' It is a process of

mental adjustment and body transmutation that takes place right here on
earth ...
"This being 'born anew,' or 'born from above,' is not a miraculous

change that takes place in man; it is the establishment in his
consciousness of that which has always existed as the perfect-man idea
in Divine Mind."
The Holy Spirit, God in action, is ever moving in man, urging him to
recognize and become conscious of himself as a spiritual being, a son of
God, ever one with God. When man responds to thins inner urge, he
experiences the "new birth." He experiences a spiritual conception, a
divine seed-idea of himself, in his feeling nature. When he nurtures this
seed-idea by his loving interest and attention, it germinates. Through
continued attention, this new concept grows and grows until it fills the
whole consciousness with a realization of man as the perfect son of God,
created in the image and after the likeness of God. A seed germinates,
grows, bears fruit as the sun and rain work upon it, and so the seed-idea
of spiritual man grows and bears fruit in man's soul (mind), body, and
affairs. This growth is called the "new birth" or being "born anew."
What changes follow man's new birth?

6. When we have been "born from above," born into spiritual
consciousness, we leave behind the thought that power lies in our human
consciousness, our human "self," and we look to the intelligence of the
Word (the indwelling Christ) for guidance. The first "God said" (Gen. 1:3)
was for light, intelligence, understanding, and this should be our first
"word." Every word carries with it the power of some type of fulfillment,
and when our word is based on Truth, it will not return to us void.
"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not
return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:11).
When the new birth takes place in one's mind and heart, that one
becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. There is an influx of new ideas,
new concepts, new feelings, and new experiences. There is an
outpouring of the Holy Spirit as new light, new life, new substance. The
results that corne from the new birth are beautifully expressed in Lessons
in Truth 86:
"You will no longer dwell in darkness, for the light will be within your
own heart; and the word will be made flesh to you; that is, you will be
conscious of a new and diviner life in your body, a new and diviner love
for all people, a new and diviner power to accomplish."
But we must ever bear in mind that the results are very practical. The
Annotations covering Lessons in Truth Lesson 8 Annotation 1 and the
following Annotations make this very clear, by outlining the improvements
in mind, body, and affairs. Good outer results must follow the change in
consciousness as a result of the new birth; by the law of mind action, our
body and world of affairs become orderly and in keeping with the divine
plan revealed through the new birth, so that we actually experience
heaven here and now.
Explain fully how this promise is fulfilled: "He shall have whatsoever
he saith" (Mark 11:23 A.V.).
7. Man has "whatsoever he saith" regardless of whether he thinks and
expresses from the human consciousness or from the Christ
consciousness. In reality man is the Word of God made flesh. God
creates by means of His Word. Man being like God also forms or
produces by the power of his thought-word.
Through ignorance of the Truth, our thoughts and words have very
often lacked the realization of the attributes (Ideas) of God, and we have
thus made conditions that are not in harmony with God's plan of good.
Functioning in human consciousness only, we "form" or "make" structures
that have no real foundation, but fortunately these manifestations of
inharmony and discord may be taken apart (denial) and reproduced
(affirmation) in a higher ideal when we become conscious of the true
spiritual pattern upon which to build. Then what man "saith" of the good,
he has in manifestation. We must, however, bear in mind that whatever
we claim — good, bad, indifferent — by the law of mind action must come
into our life. Therefore, all of our Truth study is to train the consciousness
to release (denial) that which is less than good, and lay hold of
(affirmation) that which is true and good.
Why is it necessary for man to express divine love in all his words?
8. The very nature of love as the attracting, harmonizing, equalizing,
binding (or cementing) idea of Divine Mind requires its inclusion in man's
words if he would hope to have them effective. Ignorant use of words
makes conditions which are not in harmony with Truth, and body and
affairs suffer. When our words do not express love they are incomplete,
for the Word of God includes all the attributes of God. In Annotation 3 of
this lesson (Series 2 Lesson 6 Annotation 3) the quotation from Twelve
Powers of Man 29 referred to all words as being formative, but not
necessarily creative. To be creative, all words must include love; then the
otherwise perishable human construction becomes an enduring, spiritual,
immortal structure. When love is included in our thought-word, it heals,
constructs, blesses, and uplifts all to which it is applied. Lack of love In
our words means confusion and corruption.
What heals a rebellious state of mind?

9. Spiritual understanding begins the healing of a rebellious state of
mind because it makes us open, receptive, teachable to the guidance of
God. Rebellion is open defiance and resistance toward an authority to
which one owes allegiance. One rebels because he believes he is not
being rightly governed, and his conditions are not satisfactory. Man has
been taught in the past that God caused sickness, poverty, and
inharmony; that these negative conditions were the will of God for him.
Though man recognized a being he called God, as the supreme ruler and
governor of all things, he rebelled at such conditions being imposed on
him.
As we come into the understanding that our own thoughts and words
are the cause of the undesirable conditions in our life, we no longer rebel
and blame God. Understanding the law of mind action, that mental
causes produce manifest effects of like nature, we begin the renewal of
our own mind. When we realize that the Word of God is God's creative
power at our disposal as our formative power of thought, we become
victorious in the governing of our own mental sphere.
What kind of words must be used in restoring the soul and body to
health? Show how the Word is carried to man's soul, body, and affairs.
10. Words which express the ideas of life, health, vitality, strength, joy,
order, purity, perfection must be used in restoring the soul and body to
health. Such ideas are imbued with the power of God, and the soul and
body respond as we recognize and claim our heritage of perfection as a
son of God. However, in order to maintain the health consciousness thus
established, we must seek to keep all our thoughts, feelings, and words
constructive and harmonious.
In considering how the Word is carried into all phases of our being, we
need first of all to remember that the Word is spiritual man, the spiritual
phase of every man's being. We sometimes term this phase the Christ,
the I AM, the Seed of God, every man's divine nature or pattern at the
center of his being. When we become conscious of this phase of our
nature, we are able to use our formative power of thought to direct the
Word (God's creative power) into soul, body, and affairs. The spiritualized
will (See Series 2 Lesson 6 Annotation 18) has to be called into action as
words of Truth are spoken to the various centers of consciousness, thus
blessing the different parts of the body organism. Through the right action
of the will faculty, the intellect (conscious phase of mind) speaks positive,
constructive words to the subconscious phase of mind — "the letter"; then
the Superconscious (Christ Mind) illumines the words and "the spirit
giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6).
We can think of the Word as being carried to all parts of the body by
the life essence, symbolized by the "blood." The body is nourished by
spiritual substance, symbolized by the "bread." The life currents in the
body are accelerated by the positive words that we speak when we affirm
the truth of our being — the Word. When we speak thus we are not trying
to change anything, but to realize that which is eternally true. As our
thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and reactions are charged with the
spiritual power that is ours, in the realization of our divine sonship as the
Word of God, our blessing is mighty to accomplish God's good purposes.
This is true communion. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and
thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart" (Jer. 15:16).
When we recognize words of Truth, we respond to them in thought,

we realize them in the feeling nature, and they become manifest in the
world of form.
What kind of words make for power and cast out negative conditions?
11. Words of power, dominion, authority cast out negative beliefs from
the consciousness and erase the undesirable conditions produced by
these negative words in body and affairs. We must declare positive words
in the faith that the qualities they represent are ours to use by the
authority of the Lord Jesus Christ; that the ideas back of the words — the
Truth underlying them — is mighty to make them manifest. Denial of that
which is unlike God or good is necessary to erase the negative beliefs
held In the consciousness and the negative conditions in the body and the
affairs. We must never lose sight of the fact that we have been given (as
a tool of our mind) the power of denial, which can sweep out of mind and
outer life all that does not belong to a child of God. As we use this
process effectively, we are able to take control of our thoughts and thus of
our experiences.
What kind of words must one use to build a consciousness of

abundance?
12. To build a consciousness of abundance, we need to use words of
faith, substance, love, service, joy, prosperity, opulence, plenty, gratitude,
fulfillment. These words have as their sustaining power the God-ideas
which enrich our consciousness and replace beliefs of lack, poverty,
failure, and so forth. Whenever a thought of insufficiency enters into our
mind (consciousness) we should immediately deny it as having reality and
replace it with an idea of the bounty of our loving Father. Repeatedly
doing this, using the power of the Word, we build a consciousness of
abundance which in turn fills our life and affairs with all good.
How may one attain the consciousness necessary to speak real

creative words?
13. Consciousness is direct knowledge, knowing for one's self, a
constant habit of thought. We attain the high state of consciousness
which enables us to speak real creative words by a process of mental
development, growth, unfoldment of the divine attributes (ideas) latent
within us.
To attain the desired consciousness, we must learn to discipline our

thinking and our feeling; learn to take our attention away from persons
and things in the outer. Then in the stillness of our own soul we are able
to think and feel the essence of the ideas of God, rather than have our
attention on the imperfect and limited beliefs that we hold when we are
not enlightened as to the truth of our being.
Through meditation and prayer on that which is divine and perfect, we

attain an understanding of our divinity. "Whatsoever things are true ...
think on these things" (Phil. 4:8). When this knowledge is really ours, we
may speak our word and "it is so."
Explain the difference between substance and what man calls matter.
14. Substance is the idea of perfect form or body in Divine Mind, but is
itself without form or shape; it is the Mind essence out of which everything
both visible and invisible is formed.
"Substance has its source in a mental idea of form and shape. ...
Substance in Divine Mind is an idea of perfection in form, but man's
thought usually caricatures it" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 44).
Substance can be termed "the body of God" (i.e., the embodiment of

all good). It is omnipresence — that is, it is omnipresent and formless until
by the action of our word and the molding effect of our thinking and
feeling it is formed into tangible or visible forms and shapes. So far as the
rest of creation is concerned, substance takes the forms and shapes to fit
the needs of the particular species under consideration.
When substance is recognizable by the senses, we have what we

term "matter," which is formed substance. The perfection of the form
depends, in man's cases upon the degree of man's understanding and
use of substance and how he has applied his spoken word to mold
substance.
Substance, being a spiritual idea, does not change; matter, being

formed in the world of visibility, is subject to change; and so far as man is
concerned, his thought action can influence matter. Substance is
constant; matter is the variable manifestation of substance.
"God substance lies back of matter and form. It is the basis of all form
yet does not enter into any form as a finality. Substance cannot be seen,
touched, tasted, or smelled, yet it is more substantial than matter, for it is
the only substantiality in the universe. Its nature is to 'sub-stand' or 'stand
under' or behind matter as its support and only reality" (Charles Fillmore
Prosperity 14).
What is the fourth dimension?

15. The fourth dimension is the realm of divine ideas — the kingdom
of the heavens. This is explained clearly by Charles Fillmore in Keep a
True Lent 170:
"The fourth dimension is that which embraces and encompasses the

other three; it is realization, the doing away with time and space and all
conditions. It is the process in which forms lose their apartness and
become one under divine law. ... when we invoke the aid of the Christ in
us we go beyond reason into the realm of pure realization ...
"The one way to enter the realm of the fourth dimension, or of

realization, is through scientific prayer, commonly named 'the silence.'"
How is the physical body redeemed?

16. The physical body can be redeemed only by raising the mind to
the fourth dimension, by taking the mind beyond the three dimensions of
the earthly realm to the realm of divine ideas where the body-idea is
recognized.
The earthly body is substance in visible form and as such is still

subject to the physical laws which operate in substance. But when ideas
of life and substance are perceived in consciousness, then the three
dimensions of idea, expression, manifestation will be embraced in the
fourth dimension of realization, or the realm of Divine Mind. Then the
same spiritual conditions will be found in the manifestation as are in Spirit
or Divine Mind.
The process of body redemption requires that we first of all unburden

the body from the belief that it is only flesh. Through understanding we
come to recognize the body as primarily the temple of God. We need to
bear in mind that there is but one Principle, God, the one substance from
which all must emanate. There is but one law or activity of that Principle
on all three planes of consciousness — the immutable law of God. When
we can view life in this way, we are able to perceive chat the body is an
instrument of God, a spiritual form, an expression and manifestation of
the organizing power of God.
"The body is the meeting place of the life and substance attributes of
Being, consequently body is an important factor in consciousness. Body
is not matter; it in substance and life in expression" (Talks on Truth 158).
This concept or vision will redeem the body and raise it to its rightful
place as the perfect channel for the unfolding of life and love. Such
thoughts give us a reverent regard for the body, and a desire to have
every body manifest the beauty and perfection of the ideal body held in
God-Mind as a body-idea. Through the action of the Word, we impress
thoughts of light, life, and love on every cell of the organism. Our reward
is a hearty response of wholeness, and the body is thus redeemed to
health and strength.
What does it mean to "keep my word" (John 14:23), as instructed by

Jesus?
17. To "keep" the word of Jesus is to hold in our conscious phase of
mind the truths that He enunciated, until they settle down into our
subconscious or feeling nature, becoming living, acting realities within us.
It is the work of the subconscious to bring forth or manifest our body and
affairs. Just to read over the words of Jesus or to commit them to memory
does not "keep" them — that is only the "letter." We are to live them
consciously, so that the divine ideas back of them are made active in the
subconscious, which in turn can bring them forth as good results in our
life. Such results do not come at once, for the old error thoughts built into
mind and body have to be erased by denial and the truths of God built in
(affirmation) by the activity of the Word — "the spirit [that] giveth life."
In the Scriptures what does the apostle Paul represent?

18. As the lesson material points out, Paul represents the spiritualized
will carrying to the different thought centers ("assemblies," "churches") or
mind faculties the Word of Truth, and building them up into a knowledge
of their perfection in nature and function through spiritual thinking.
Paul was a missionary to the early churches. The word church means
a religious assembly, or the Lord's house. The individual1s consciousness
is the "Lord's house," and assembled within it are groups or aggregations
of ideas as thought centers. It is the Truth that makes us free, but we do
not manifest our freedom unless we will to do so. Thus we can see the
wisdom of calling the will the executive power of the mind, represented
metaphysically by the apostle Paul.

Describe how you would carry the Word (Logos) to all parts of your
body.
19. We carry the Word (Logos) to all parts of the body through the
movement of consciousness by our thinking and feeling. We bring to
every part of the body the Word of life, the Word of strength, the Word of
energy, the Word of vitality, the Word of wholeness, by consciously
speaking these qualities (silently or audibly) with deep feeling as a
blessing to the various organs and functions of the body.
Our times of silence — the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion — will

reveal the truths we are to speak, for we will "eat" of the substance of God
and "drink" of the life of God. As mind and heart are cleansed of untrue
thoughts and beliefs, our body is free to take on the life and light that
belong to it as part of our divine inheritance. As we feed the mind
consciously with God-ideas, wo are carrying the Word to the various parts
of the body.
"It is your duty as expresser of the divine law to speak forth the Logos,
the very Word of God, and cause the Garden of Eden, the everywhere
present Mind-Substance, to manifest for you and in you in its innate
perfection" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 70).
What is the result when spiritual law is given unlimited expression in

man's thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and reactions?
20. When spiritual law has unlimited expression through man, the
result is that man stands forth a victorious master to whom all good things
are possible. We act in a Godlike manner when we are consciously one
with God. All the so-called miracles are performed with ease and freedom
because we understand our divine nature. These things are perfectly
natural then, just as natural as breathing.
When spiritual law is given unlimited expression in our thinking,

feeling, speaking, acting, and reacting the result is joy, peace, health,
plenty, and happiness, as well as harmony in all the relationships of life. It
brings about the restoration of that which the prophets have spoken,
when
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall
rejoice, and blossom as the rose" (Isa. 35:1).
***
Peace, power, and plenty,

Words that are heaven-born.
Say them, ye hearts that are weary,
Till hope in your soul is born.
For words are things that lift on wings
The one that believes them true,
And whatever you will when the mind is still,
You may call to the soul of you.
— Henry Victor Morgan
TruthUnity Note: this poem by Henry Victor Morgan was also quoted
by Frances Foulks in Effectual Prayer. Henry Victor Morgan was born in
1865. Henry Morgan was widely known as a metaphysical preacher of the
early 20th century. Henry Morgan and his wife published "The Master
Christian" from the early 1920s until his wife's death in 1931. After that it
was published only intermittently. He was minister to the Church of the
Healing Christ in Tacoma, Washington, until 1952. He died in 1952.
Series 2 - Lesson 7 - Spirituality, or

Prayer and Praise
Lesson
WITH THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE
How many things there are to praise

In this glad world of ours!
The strength and beauty of old trees,
The gaiety of flowers;
The lovely songs that rivers sing
For those attuned to hear,
And birds that chirp on winter boughs
With courage and good cheer.
How many things there are to praise
Around us where we are!
The gentle joys of commonplace,
The challenge of a star;
A window with a changing view,
A quiet road to walk,
And simple rooms that kindred souls
Enrich with friendly talk.
Oh, let mine eyes be opened wide
That I may clearly see
How often, in another’s guise,
God walks the road with me,
And, seeing with how great a good
He glorifies my days,
Acknowledge His eternal love
With thankfulness and praise.
—R. H. Grenville
In our previous lessons we have been considering man as mind. Our

greatest physical scientists say that evolution is mind action and the
embodiment of ideas is its goal. We study ideas in the absolute and in the
concrete. Man is the embodiment of God ideas. That which man has
named “body” is the temple of the living God and this temple is produced
by the action of mind, which always builds under a definite law. Blind
people develop in the ends of their fingers cells similar to those that are
found in the brain, indicating that the mind makes its own center, or
nucleus, and this central point or idea builds its form in correspondence to
Its functioning or action.
1. What is the significance of the number twelve as used in the

Scriptures?
There are certain numbers that run through all the Scriptures, yet
there has been little special significance attached to them in general Bible
interpretations. The number twelve is one of these mystical symbols.
In Revelation we read of the twelve tribes and the twelve foundation
stones. There were twelve loaves of shewbread on the table sanctuary.
Twelve stones were set up as a memorial of the crossing of the Jordan
river. There were twelve sons of Jacob, and Jesus Christ had twelve
disciples: the tree of life bears twelve manner of fruits. The number twelve
refers symbolically to spiritual fulfillment.
There are twelve spiritual powers, twelve mental faculties expressed

in twelve centers of consciousness, and these powers or faculties have
avenues of expression in the physical body of man. With this as a starting
point, much of the symbology of the Scriptures is made plain. Twelve, the
multiple of three and four—three symbolizing the Deity, the Holy Trinity,
and four symbolizing the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical phases
of man’s being—is a covenant number; it marks the agreement between
God and man.
Man, a spiritual being, is free spirit, unfettered and unbound. In

spiritual consciousness he discerns this Truth and knows no limitation.
“The fault ... is not in our stars,

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
—Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar,” Act I, Sc. 2
When man learns that he is essentially a spiritual being having all

power and all dominion, he is freed from the belief in bondage to
anything. But when man believes himself to be only of the earth, he holds
himself to earthly conditions. All Is Mind, and the belief in any other power
controlling man is to be overcome by understanding of the truth: that man
in his real nature is the son of God, limitless and free.
Our goal is to bring into manifestation the man created in the image of
God, and when this likeness is made actual, we have dominion over all.
Man is to sit on the thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. These
are the twelve mind centers in the conscious-ness of each of us. The
ideas that we have in mind have a certain attraction for one another
according to their character, just as people who are intellectual have their
societies, and people who are spiritual have theirs. They are drawn
together by ideas in mind; ideas dominate; ideas make conditions through
the power of thought.
“The idea is the directing and controlling power. Every Idea has a
specific function to perform” (Mysteries of Genesis p. 2l).
The Hebrew word that is translated throne is generally thought to

have as its meaning the idea of “covering,” the covering being a mark of
honor. Hence when man sits on his throne, we may say that he is covered
or overshadowed by the Holy Spirit in his action of judging. A throne is the
emblem of regal or absolute authority, complete dominion. The seat is
raised higher than an ordinary chair, re-quiring a footstool to support the
feet. Man is exalted; that is, he steps up to a greater power and authority
than he previously had. This seat is also ornamented, adorned; the
structure that he occupies to direct proceedings is embellished, for before
he can have this place of power and honor man must add to himself, to
his consciousness, that which has integral beauty and grace.
In what is called his natural state, man thinks at random, but the time
has come when he is beginning to ask for details, and he is learning to
arrange his thoughts in an orderly way. The ideas that make up God’s
nature of absolute good are in divine order, and if we would work
intelligently with the Father we must analyze our thoughts and put them in
their right relation, i.e., in divine order to the ideas of God Mind. Instead of
being subjects, we are to be sovereigns in our individual thought world.
Palestine represents man’s body. As Jesus went up and down that

land preaching the Gospel, casting out devils, healing the sick, and
raising the dead, so each of us must be about the Father’s business and
do this same work in our body temple, cleansing and purifying it, raising it
to the divine consciousness.
The Bible is a textbook on physiology, but not as physiology is taught

in our schools where blood and bones are studied as material things.
Jesus Christ represents spiritual man, and His disciples, those under
spiritual discipline, are the twelve faculties of this man. Christ or. I AM, our
spiritual identity, is higher than limited personality. Christ is the source of
abundant life in man; He is the light of the world; and a new race Is to
come into expression through the releasing, unfolding, or developing of
the Christ Mind, the Superconscious of every man.
2. What is meant by the promise, “And Jesus said unto them, verily I
say unto you, that ye who have followed me in the regeneration when the
Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28)?
Jesus Christ sought to make all people understand that they had the
same powers He had. He said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12);
“Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14); “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do” (John 14:12) The failure to recognize the
Christ in man has held the race in littleness and limitation. We must renew
our mind by entertaining new ideas in regard to God and to man (God’s
idea). New thoughts will be followed by new words, which will take the
place of old, limited beliefs, and the new understanding must become a
matter of conscious knowledge. We are “joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom.
8:17), but we must be “born anew”: we must consciously develop this new
state of consciousness. The more divine ideas we hold in mind, the more
we expand our consciousness; the more steadfastly we cling to the truth
of the un-limited nature of man, the more quickly will our mind and our
body be brought into right relation.
We must call our “disciples” (our faculties), and train them in the work
of the Lord. Heretofore these faculties have worked sub-consciously in
the personal consciousness. Now man is to consciously direct these
faculties so that rather than be bound by limited personal expression, they
will be free to function true to divine principle. Man has a multitude of
ideas, desires, thoughts, Impulses, and he must be diligent in “casting
down imaginations . . . and bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).
The faculties must have avenues of expression in the body of man.

Among these we have certain aggregations of mind force, of thought
force, which are manifest in what physiology calls nerve centers, or
ganglia. The solar plexus, located in the abdominal cavity, may be termed
the “great body brain.” Another center: or ganglion, is called the cardiac
plexus. This is located in the thoracic cavity, in front of the spine. Nerve
fibers run from one to the other of these, and there is a close relationship
physically and metaphysically. The cardiac center or “heart” is the
ganglion through which love is ex-pressed in the body, and we term it the
“love center.” Regeneration of the body is not possible without the
functioning of the love faculty. The solar plexus lies back of the pit of the
stomach and forms what we term the “substance center.” In Scripture, the
love center is Jerusalem, “city of peace,” where all the Jews went to
worship God. Bethlehem, six miles below Jerusalem, is the “house of
bread,” the substance center.
We get ideas from the Absolute—Spirit or Divine Mind, which is the

source or origin of all ideas. Man has the privilege of laying hold of these
ideas that are in the Father-Mind, the universal Mind substance, bringing
them consciously into his own mind, and in the chemistry of mind a new
body is built up, the Jesus Christ body. Primarily this body is the soul of
man as a “body-idea,” a body composed or built up from spiritual
thoughts, aspiration, impulses, which start as divine ideas and later fill the
whole consciousness and are pictured forth in man’s physical body.
“Every idea projects form. The physical body is the projection of man’s
idea; we carry the body in mind. . . . If the body-idea is grounded and
rooted in Divine Mind, the body will be filled with a perpetual life flow that
will repair all its imperfect parts and heal all its diseases.
“When man realizes that there is but one body-idea and that the
conditions in his body express the character of his thought, he has the
key to bodily perfection and immortality in the flesh” (Christian Healing, p.
34).
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the substance center. The new body
must have a substance form. David was also born in Bethlehem. The
substance of the new mind and the new body must be spiritual in
character in order that it may be enduring. At Bethlehem, the sub-stance
center in man, a union of love and wisdom takes place, and thus the
Christ is brought forth in substance, and an abiding consciousness of life
is realized and made manifest. The crown of the head symbolizes the
center through which spirituality or reverence is expressed in the body,
the “land of Judah.” Judah means “praise Jehovah.” Through this
consciousness, the Christ Mind makes its presence known in man’s mind,
and from this point distributes itself all through the consciousness. It is
here that positive, enduring life is generated. By learning the nature of
divine ideas and how to use them, the individual makes them a part of his
organic structure, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Such
organization and use of these ideas enables man to turn away from
limitations and to center his thoughts on God, absolute good.
Enlightened man goes through the various centers and rebuilds them
with the word of Truth. The cellular structures are changed and manifest
man is entirely transformed. First, the mind is renewed; second, through
this renewal the body is transformed. Instead of the cells going the way of
all flesh there is a quickening and a right understanding of spiritual
substance that gives a new concept to the appearance called “matter.”
The abiding consciousness of life—pure, spiritual, omnipresent,
eternal—keeps every cell alive and alight. In this way the physical body is
transmuted and becomes incorruptible, immortal. “Be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 2:2). This identification of manifest man
with the spiritual man, or Christ, leads always to a greater expression and
manifestation of divine power.
The reason men “look up” in prayer is that the consciousness

naturally turns to the center at the top of the head where the individual
mind comes in touch with the Father-Mind, the “secret place of the Most
High” (Psalms 91:1). This Superconscious phase of mind is above or
higher than all the various states of mind in man but is not separate from
them. It pervades every phase of thought as an elevating, inspiring
quality. All lofty ideals come from this Judah faculty whose office is to pray
and praise; it is the inspiration of everything that elevates and idealizes in
religion, poetry, art, in all things that are real and eternal.
3. What does the gathering of the disciples in the upper chamber

symbolize? Name these disciples, and the spiritual faculty each one
represents.
The gathering of the apostles in the “upper room” symbolizes the
gathering of all the mind faculties at the center of spirituality, until all are
baptized or imbued with the consciousness of spiritual reality through
conscious communion with the Father-Mind. Jesus in-structed His
disciples to gather in the upper chamber at Jerusalem and there to await
the coming of the Holy Spirit. They were aspiring, expecting, looking for
the Holy Spirit, and it descended from the Most High and filled all those
who were aspiring and looking for its manifestation. Thus the Holy Spirit
descends into the mind (conscious phase) and the heart (subconscious
phase) of man, then to his body to make it alive and luminous—an
electrical body, a glorified body filled and aglow with Spirit.
The twelve apostles symbolize twelve thought agents in man. An

apostle is “one sent.” These twelve thought agents preside over and
direct the work of the human consciousness. It is well to bear in mind that
they are primarily “centers of consciousness” and do not have physical
location9 yet they do express their attributes physically:
PETER: represents faith. His center of expression in the body is in the

pineal gland, center of the brain. Faith is the “perceiving power of the
mind” (Prosperity, p. 43).
ANDREW: representing strength; comes into expression in the lower
back, at the loins. Strength is the sustaining, enduring idea or power.
JAMES, son of Zebedee: represents judgment. This center has to do
with discrimination, evaluation, choice. “James is the faculty in man that
wisely chooses and determines” (The Twelve Powers of Man, p. 21).
JOHN: symbolizes love; the center for the expression of love is the
heart. “Love is the attracting, harmonizing, unifying, equalizing, binding
idea In Divine Mind” (Annotations for Lesson One, Lessons in Truth).
PHILIP: representing power; expresses through the body at the root of
the tongue. It is the idea of dominion and authority. Its root meaning is “to
be able,” thus it is “the ability to do, to perform, to accomplish, to produce
and effect, to make a change, to master a situation” (Annotations for
Lesson Two, Lessons in Truth). The power center in the throat controls
“all the vibratory energies of the organism” (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary,
p. 524).
BARTHOLOMEW: represents the function of imagination; has its
center of expression in the brain between the eyes. Fulfilling its true
purpose, imagination makes no false Images.
THOMAS: represents understanding, the knowing idea ex-pressing
through the front brain. Thomas is “called the doubter because he wants
to know about everything” (The Twelve Powers of Man, p. 21).
MATTHEW: represents will, the ability to act upon a choice made by
the judgment faculty, expressing through the same brain area as
understanding—the front brain. Understanding and will are very closely
related in their functioning; understanding provides the vision and the will
provides the motive power to act.
JAMES, son of Alphaeus: represents order, his center of expression
being in the region of the navel. “Order is heaven’s first law” (Alexander
Pope, “Essay on Man,” p. 4 line 1) comes to have meaning when we
study the necessity for right relationships (order) of all things, if we would
produce harmony.
SIMON, the Canaanite: functions as zeal, and his center of
expression is the medulla oblongata. Zeal is the affirmative impulse of
existence . . . the mighty force that incites all things to action” (Keep a
True Lent, p. 159).
THADDAEUS: represents renunciation or elimination functioning in
the abdominal region of the body. “The denial apostle is Thaddaeus . . .
the great renunciator of the mind and the body” (The Twelve Powers of
Man, p. 21). Elimination of error thoughts is as important to the mind as
the elimination of waste from the body.
JUDAS: represents life, his center of expression being in the
generative functions. As Judas betrayed Jesus, so life seems to betray us
when this power is not rightly used. “We need life, but life must be guided
in divine ways” (The Twelve Powers of Man, p. 22). Righteously
expressed, Judas becomes Judah.
Prayer develops the consciousness of the Absolute, which also
means guidance in the development of the faculties that will enable the
twelve powers to be used in the right way. Jesus Christ re-presents God
in “man, the universal Presence individuated in the human. Thus, the
twelve foundation ideas (powers) in Divine Mind were and are brought
into unity and manifested as Jesus Christ.
4. How is death of the physical body to be done away with?

The Man who walked by Galilee and first completely manifested God
was a forerunner of the new race of men. His statement that we should be
saved through His flesh and blood has a scientific basis. When man
consciously understands and then applies his understanding that his life
is Christ life, that his body is the body of Christ, composed of eternal
divine substance, death will be done away with. Death of the body is no
part of the divine plan; it is missing the mark of manifestation of the life
idea. The belief in death as reality will be wiped out of consciousness
when we lay hold of substance, the “body” of God, and begin to use the
powers of mind and body in the right way. To do this we must overcome
by denial the errors held in the mind and begin to affirm the Truth. The
conscious realization of substance and life carried into the body by
thoughts and words of Truth will continuously renew and sustain the
“body of Christ” in consciousness, atom by atom, cell by cell; and our
so-called physical body of flesh and blood will be transmuted into a
glorious, radiant body of life and light.
“When thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut
thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in
secret shall recompense thee” (Matt. 6:6).
We must pray to the Father within. If we have been in the habit of

praying to a God outside of us, we must change our method of prayer. We
go consciously into the upper chamber, get still, and wait for the
realization of the presence and power of the Father-Mind. When we do
this, we are consciously enlightened, our mind is made alive and aglow
with spiritual realities. We must not forget to praise, for prayer and praise
go hand in hand.
5. What is the true method of prayer?

All modes of worship have the creative law as their foundation. We
find in the Psalms, and among the works of many of the poets, that the
idea of praise is a form of worship. The question naturally arises, “Why
should a great Being who has everything and is everything want
admiration and praise?” The object of praise is not to satisfy some kind of
personal God who requires that men praise Him, but to carry out a divine
law that will add, not to God, but to man. We sing praises in order to
arouse enthusiasm in our self. Through singing and praising we free
energy within, letting out or expressing the inner feeling of joy and
thankfulness, of grateful love and reverence pent up within us. We realize
that God is constantly pouring in-creasing blessings on us because we
are His beloved children. What-ever we set free should be given the right
method of expression. The law is exact. A mournful dirge makes a
mournful thought atmosphere and sets man and his world working in a
consciousness that tends to tear down rather than to build up. If the music
changes and becomes a song of joy and praise, the keynote is changed,
and man builds into his consciousness strength and stability. We must
first recognize that there is but one Mind and that we are free agents who
may use the ideas of that Mind as we will. We may praise or not as we
choose —we have free will. Praise is the divine Self-expressing itself
through man; it is the bursting forth of holy, healthy joy; it is the
expression of the indwelling spirit of joy and good will, bursting into song
and hymns.
7. What is the effect of praise on man’s body? What is the effect of

praise on the earth?
In Christian Healing, pages 78 and 80, we read:
“Through an inherent law of mind, we increase whatever we praise.

The whole creation responds to praise and is glad. Animal trainers pet
and reward their charges with delicacies for acts of obedience; children
glow with joy and gladness when they are praised. Even vegetation grows
best for those who praise it. We can praise our own abilities and our very
brain cells will expand and increase in capacity and Intelligence when we
speak words of encouragement and appreciation to them. . . .
“Turn the power of praise upon whatever you wish to increase. Give
thanks that it is now fulfilling your Ideal. The faithful law, faithfully
observed, will re-ward you. You can praise yourself from weakness to
strength, from Ignorance to intelligence, from poverty to affluence, from
sickness to health.”
Persons who go to mediums and fortunetellers for Information and

guidance limit their own power and place themselves in bondage. By
knowing that we are free and that by the power of our thought we can
produce any condition we desire, we keep our self from falling into the
delusion that something outside of us has fixed our present or future
condition. No one can tell definitely what is to come to pass in the future,
for in Spirit—and man is a spiritual being—there is no time; there is only
the eternal now. Each of us has the choice and can be what he wants to
be. Conditions, circum-stances are in man’s making, for every thought
and word of man is invested with creative power and seeks to come into
manifestation.
“It has come to be recognized as a law of mind action that men

become like that which they behold; they manifest that which they
mentally see. One who knew this law wrote, ‘Nothing foretells futurity like
the thoughts over which we brood’” (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, under
Law, p. 396).
God as the Father-Mind is the one Source of wisdom, and man’s help
comes from the Lord, the Christ Mind or law within him. As we trust
completely in this Christ Mind, our steps are guided in a plain path. By
consulting outsiders, we often lose conscious touch with God, and as we
go hither and thither for help, we descend to a lower level of
consciousness. It is God who inspires and illumines man. By the law of
thought, if man believes a medium, he will bring to pass what the medium
tells him about some coming event in his life. When he believes the
medium, he gives assent, and the uniting of his thought force with that of
the medium or fortuneteller starts the formative action on its way to
manifestation.
8. What is the true and sure way for man to bring good to himself?
The way to bring about the good that we desire is by applying the law.
Praise. Praise God. Praise yourself. Praise others. Praise your wisdom
and your ability. We must say, “I can, and I will.” This self that we are to
praise is of course our real Self, the Christ. Good comes to us when we
believe absolutely in God, In His rule, in our oneness with Him. If we
would be prosperous and successful, we must not enter into the thought
atmosphere of pessimistic persons. Let us talk about prosperity; let us
associate with those who believe in success and prosperity, who talk on
the positive side. We need to remember that praise of substance and
abundance brings increased manifestations of good.
9. What is joy? Where is the source of joy? Why have so many

persons been disappointed in their search for joy?
Sing! Pray I Rejoice! Let us make union with the great joy and bliss of
universal Mind. Let us not wait for joy to come to us from without. If we
wait for it, we will be disappointed, for joy originates in the Spirit of joy, in
Divine Mind where it is waiting as an idea, eager to be made manifest.
We are surrounded by a pulsating, energizing substance which

physical scientists call the universal energy or light. Jesus called it the
kingdom of the heavens. Out of this energy we can make what-ever we
want. Before Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fishes, He gave thanks,
and at the grave of Lazarus He said, “Father, I thank thee that thou
heardest me” (John 11:41). Man uses this universal etheric substance
continually. Often his thoughts are unworthy, so the results that follow are
disappointing. Man must choose to have thoughts that are spiritual; he
must have an inner knowing that nothing has reality except God, the great
pulsating, radiant substance.
Every word and every attitude of mind has its effect on our life. Every
time we sing or pray or praise, we are carrying out the creative law of our
being. If we would succeed, we should be very careful how we talk of
failure. If we want health, then we should praise health and bless it until it
becomes manifest in our body. We need to talk about health to the
children in the home. We should teach them the Truth, and health laws in
the care of the body.
The more we study the Bible, the more we see that it is based on
universal Truth. The Psalmist sang:
“Let the peoples praise thee, 0 God;

Let all the peoples praise the. . . .
The earth hath yielded its increase:
God, even our God, will bless us” (Psalms 67:3, 6).
No clearer statement of the power of praise with its law of increase

could be given. It is by man’s word of praise and blessing that the earth is
to be restored to perfection, and the desert made to rejoice and blossom
as the rose. “Thy kingdom come ... on earth” (Matt. 6:10).
The Israelites were shown that their sufferings and afflictions came
not because God willed it but because they were disobedient to the law of
praise. “All these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee,
and overtake thee . . . Because thou servest not Jehovah thy God with
joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all
things” (Deut. 28:45, 47).
Divine Mind does its work in the realm of ideas. In our communion
with the Father-Mind we should not be ignorant of divine law that moves
ideas into expression and manifestation. By understanding it we make our
thoughts and words correspond with divine ideas and the law of their
righteous expression.
10. Explain the meaning of the Scripture, “And all things, whatsoever
ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matt. 21:22)
In Spirit or Truth every demand is instantly granted, hence Jesus
could say, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”
(Matt. 21:22). In this promise of Jesus, we find again the truth that “use is
the law of increase.” The key word is believing. In believing, one is using
the law of faith, that is, he is perceiving the good and is molding and
shaping it in his imagination before there is any evidence of it in the outer.
The full knowledge of any principle, and an understanding of the laws that
govern its use, inevitablv open the way for the increase of its “fruits.”
If we think that our prayers are to be answered in some future time,

we place mental barriers in the way of our acceptance of Omnipresence.
God is Spirit, Divine Mind, and is not limited to time or space, for He is_
Omnipresence. When we abide or dwell in spiritual consciousness, we
may speak creative words with power, and there is instant compliance.
Jesus realized this when He said: “Father, I thank thee that thou hearest
me. And I knew that thou hearest me always” (John 11:41). We are to
learn to translate our prayers into action and bring the ideas into
manifestation. While we “live and move and have our being” in God, we
must learn to abide consciously in His presence and power. We open our
soul so that Spirit may fill us and move through us as energy. Praise,
being acknowledgment of God, is the great releaser of spiritual force or
energy.
S2L7 Annotations
Explain the significance of the number twelve as used in the

Scriptures.
1. The number twelve as used in the Scriptures represents spiritual
fulfillment, completion, wholeness. Man has twelve spiritual faculties,
twelve centers of consciousness. When these faculties are fully
expressed, man is in conscious at-one-ment with God, his source, and
the resultant manifestation is fulfillment—completion, wholeness,
perfection in all areas of his life.
What is meant by the promise that the overcomer shall sit on thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel? (See Matt. 19:28.)
2. One sitting on a throne and judging suggests the thought of one in
absolute authority or complete dominion. It means that I AM gives
complete control and mastery of the twelve mind faculties and their
channels of expression in the body. The I AM stands as supreme director
and in consequence the only manifestations that can follow are those of
harmony, satisfaction, and deep delight. This throne is in the kingdom of
heaven where I AM is enthroned.
Man's mind is his "kingdom." A "throne" is a seat of power and

dominion, a place of absolute authority. When one is awakened to the
power of thought, one at once seeks to know how to use that power
rightly. The twelve faculties of mind function through twelve centers of
consciousness in the organism. When those centers are quickened by the
word of Truth, man through the power of the I AM will rule his world,
exercising dominion which is his inheritance from the beginning. Instead
of being a subject, he will become sovereign.
How is a new state of consciousness developed in man?

3. The mind is renewed by the entertaining of new ideas and
thoughts. These lead to the speaking of new words, and the combined
result is a new state of consciousness. Since the body is the product of
thought, it changes in conformity to the new mental state. As the
circumstances of one's life are also produced by thought, these too
change to conform to the new way of thinking.
One develops any state of consciousness by thinking and feeling on

some idea. In many cases it may require denial to cleanse the old
thoughts, with affirmation on the new ideas that are to be the nucleus of
the new state of mind. Sometimes much repetition of both denials and
affirmations is necessary but the individual, the need, and the
circumstances will determine how much of this mental work is required.

Name two of the "thought centers" mentioned in the lesson, giving the
location of their expression in the body.
4. Two of the "thought centers" which manifest in the body as ganglia
or plexuses are:
the solar plexus behind the stomach and in front of the aorta, called
also "coeliac plexus," of the "pit of the stomach." As the lesson says, it
has been referred to as "the great body brain." Because it is related to the
emotions, it thus has an influence upon the stomach. Metaphysically it
has been termed "the substance center."
the cardiac plexus, situated near (or acting on) the heart. This is the
ganglion through which love is expressed, and thus metaphysically it has
been termed "the love center."
There is a close connection between these two centers and it is
interesting to note that in the Scriptures the "love center" is represented
by Jerusalem or "city of peace" which the Jews felt was their special place
to worship God. Bethlehem, near Jerusalem, means metaphysically "the
house of bread" or the "substance center." "It indicates the nerve center at
the pit of the stomach, through which universal substance joins the
refined or spiritualized chemical products of the body substance"
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 119)
What does the gathering of the disciples in the upper chamber

symbolize? Name these disciples, and the spiritual faculty each
represents.
5. It symbolizes the gathering of all the mind faculties at the center of
spirituality until all are baptized or imbued with the consciousness of
spiritual reality. Jesus instructed His disciples to gather in the "upper
room" at Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit. At the day of
Pentecost a radical change came over those in the upper room, so much
so that the manifest results were a mystery to the onlookers. So it is with
us when the mind faculties are gathered at the center of spirituality: until
all are impregnated with spiritual consciousness, the manifest results of
harmony and peace are a puzzle to those who are still holding to untrue
beliefs. (The disciples are named on pages five and six of the lesson,
along with the faculty each disciple represents.)
It is not difficult to understand why the three disciples Peter, John, and
Andrew were among the first called by Jesus, because they were so
closely related in the process of spiritual unfoldment and development.
Whenever we embark on any project, we are moving in faith, and the first
faculty we should call forth is faith. We broaden our faith faculty by uniting
it, ourself, and all creation in the lifting power of love. Having the two
faculties of faith and love, we bring forth strength to carry us to completion
of the appointed task. The three faculties represented by Peter, John, and
Andrew really form a type of trinity that is the basic foundation for all nine
of the other faculties. James, son of Zebedee, representing discrimination
or judgment, was the third disciple to be called, but Peter, John, and
Andrew are often thought of as the basic three.
How is death of the physical body to be done away with?

6. When man consciously understands and applies his understanding
that his life is God life, that his body is God's body and is composed of
eternal, divine substance, death will be done away with. This conscious
realization of substance and life carried into the body by words and
thoughts of Truth will continuously renew, sustain, and reproduce the
perfect body created by God, and our body will manifest as the glorious,
radiant body of light ideated by our Creator.
What is the true method of prayer?

7. The true method of prayer is to "enter into thine inner chamber"
which means to turn consciously within to God, closing our mind to all
outside distractions so that we may commune with our own indwelling
Lord. We speak of this contact as "the Silence" for it is here that we open
ourself to the inflow of the attributes (ideas) of God. Preceding this period
we may have had to do much meditating on Truth, on our relation to God,
and undoubtedly we have brought into play the processes of denial and
affirmation to make our consciousness fertile ground for the "planting" of
God ideas. No method of prayer can be a true one unless both praise and
thanksgiving become a part of it.
What place in man's body symbolizes the point at which man first
makes conscious unity with God?
8. The top of the head (the I AM center) is symbolical of the place in
consciousness where man makes his first conscious unity with God.
Looking up in prayer, entering the "inner chamber," going up "into the
mountain," the gathering of the disciples in the upper room, rising
mentally into the spiritual realm, dwelling "in the secret place of the Most
High" — these all testify in symbolism to the highest place in
consciousness — the Christ consciousness — which man can conceive
and to which he can ascend.
"I will lift up mine eyes (vision, perception of the things of Spirit) unto
the hills" (the high place of spiritual understanding), for it is from this high
consciousness that comes our help, our power and ability to overcome
limitation, to rise triumphantly over every adverse condition and situation.
"My help cometh from the Lord" (Psalms 121:2).
Define praise and show why it must be active in the life of every man.
9. Praise and gratitude make us receptive to blessings; praise brings
us consciously in tune with Divine Mind; praise opens the mind and heart
to higher aspirations, wipes out fear and doubt from our consciousness,
enlarges or magnifies our good, and increases our capacity to enjoy more
of God's love, wisdom, joy, and presence. Praise multiples and glorifies
substance and is the acknowledgment that we have already received. Our
holding the attitude of continual praise for God's goodness and love
makes us more conscious of His presence and power.
The object of praise is to let out or express the inner feeling of joy and
thankfulness, grateful love and reverence "pent up" within man, as he
realizes that God, Absolute Good, is constantly pouring increasing
blessings on him. Praise is worship in expression, based on the
knowledge of man's inherent power and resource, the one God.
Praise kindles enthusiasm and engenders life, sets energy free, and
builds for youth and beauty. The object of praise is the joyful acclamation
of fulfilled prayer. It is the celebration of victory before and after the
appearance of answers. Praise is homage to the Creator of all blessings.
What is the effect of praise on man's body? What is the effect on the
earth?
10. The effect of praise on man's body is a response from every cell.
In the atmosphere of praise each cell builds for youth, strength, and
beauty. Back of every cell is the unlimited power of divine intelligence;
thus when praised as perfect, the cell responds by getting rid of all that is
foreign and imperfect and building according to the divine plan for
permanence and eternity. Praise increases the flow of life and energy and
makes for perfect bodily functioning. Praise of the body as the "temple of
the living God" produces a smooth-running organism.
Praise has a wonderful effect on the earth and on the plants, minerals,
animals, birds (even on so-called inanimate objects). The earth and all in
it has come forth from and is composed of God life, substance, and
intelligence. Praise acknowledges these qualities and speaks to the
intelligence in every atom, causing either growth in living things or the
needed response from other forms of creation. Machinery has been
known to respond instantly to a word (silent or audible) of praise. Praise
does away with impatience with tools, with instruments of any kind, so
more skill is exercised by the operator. As the artisan lovingly handles
tools and materials (gold, silver, cloth, clay, marble, and so forth), he is in
effect using the power of praise, and the result is a thing of beauty and
precision.
Praise is voicing the all-powerful Word: it calls out of man, out of all
creation, the inherent God qualities.
Why is it unwise to seek light and help from mediums or fortune

tellers?
11. God created man and gave him free will. His birthright from Divine
Mind is the power and ability to produce the conditions he desires by his
thought-word, so it is unwise to seek another person's aid to know what
lies in the future. Each person's circumstances and conditions are the
result of his own use of the formative power of his thought. Every thought
and word of man makes its mark on divine substance and seeks
expression and manifestation.
Divine (Creative) Mind is the one source of wisdom, and man's help
comes from his own indwelling Lord (law of his being). Man always has
access to the Christ Mind. As he trusts completely the wisdom of the
Christ Mind, his steps are guided in a plain path. There must be the
"waiting" in the silence for the ideas of Absolute Truth. The wise man will
have a "single eye" of faith which will be directed toward his Creator, the
Father Mind, from which he inherits his ability to produce by thought and
word. Anchored there, he abides in God consciousness, which in turn
inspires and illumines him.
Why do the predictions of mediums or fortune-tellers sometimes come

to pass?
12. Their predictions sometimes come to pass because of the working
out of the mental law of cause and effect, or sowing and reaping — that
movement of the formative power of man's thought-word. When man
believes the predictions, he assents to them. Thus he thinks and speaks
into existence or manifestation the very thing predicted, unless there are
stronger mental pictures established within that can erase the picture
presented by the fortune-teller or medium.
What is the true and sure way for man to bring good to himself?
13. The true and sure way for man to bring good to himself is by
praise, which is acknowledgment of God and His good in some form or
other. "All things respond to the call of rejoicing, and all things gather
where life is a song." It is equally true that the wail of complaint,
condemnation, faultfinding, and gloom will hide the harmony desired and
bring about discord.
Man learns to praise God as the presence and power of Absolute

Good, from which come forth blessings for man and all creation. Praise of
God is acknowledgment of His life in every cell of our body; the
intelligence and understanding that move through our mind; the love and
compassion that fill our heart. True praise is more than mere lip-service.
What the lips utter must be the deep feelings of the heart that enable us
to look upon God's world and praise the good we see, as well as the good
that is waiting to come forth into barren lives, sick bodies, twisted minds,
poverty-stricken circumstances. Praise, like love, does much to erase the
error beliefs held in the mind of man that have produced unhappy
conditions.
Man makes practical application of the law of praise by realization that

the law of Divine Mind is growth, progress, perfection for all. By watching,
expecting, and praising every little sign of the Godnature in himself, in
others, in animals and plants, man can educate himself to sing, laugh,
praise, and expect blessings; he can talk, think, praise, and bless the
Creator.
Through being able to vision the inner reality of all manifestations as

divine and perfect, man will pour forth praise with feeling; he will deny
negative appearances, and then practical results will follow as perfect
manifestations.
Man should cultivate an optimistic outlook, should praise the Creator

and His creation (that is, the innate perfection), and should praise the
successful work of the Divine Mind indwelling all. Praise God, His rule,
His will, His purpose, His plan of perfection for all life. Praise the Father
abiding in man, the silent Force moving in and around all creation. Praise
the divine inner Worker: "The Father who dwells in me does his works"
(John 14:10).
What is joy? Where is the source of joy? Why have so many persons
been disappointed in their search for joy?
14. According to Webster's dictionary, joy is "the emotion evoked by
well-being; a state of happiness or felicity." Metaphysically, joy can be
said to be the universal idea of exultation. It is a spiritual quality
expressed through man as an attitude of mind and a buoyant feeling of
the heart. Joy is the welling-up and bubblingover feeling that man
experiences when he is in rapport in all ways with life, his fellow man, and
his God. There is an inner joy that is not expressed in emotionalism, the
joy that Jesus Christ spoke of when He prayed "that my joy may be in you
and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).
The true source of joy is God, and only as we enter into the
consciousness of our oneness with the Father can we find real joy. True
joy takes hold of man's consciousness when he awakens to the
realization of his divine nature and the blessings that accompany that
realization.
Many persons have been disappointed in their search for joy because
they have looked outside themselves for happiness, not realizing that
spiritual fulfillment can come only from the God Presence within. This is
not to imply that the things of the outer do not contribute to our joy and
well-being! They do, but they take second place, and we are not
dependent on them for true and lasting joy. Joy cannot be found without
but comes from within, even though it will express itself through things
and circumstances in the outer. The joy of the artist seeks expression on
canvas, on marble, in music or dance, The joy of the parent expresses in
loving acts to the children. Yet in each the joy is not found by searching
for it in the painting, the sculpture, the marble, the music, the dance, or in
the children, but by allowing the inner emotion of the individual to come
forth through these avenues.
What is the universal substance?

15. That which some scientists of the past termed the "universal
ether" (called by present-day scientists light, energy) is known to the
spiritually-minded as Omnipresence, God substance, Spirit substance,
Mind Essence, the "body of God" (the embodiment of divine ideas).
[TruthUnity note: see "The Ether Concept" in Metaphysics 2 (Blue
version).
Mind essence, or divine substance, is that from which all things are
seen and formed. There is no lack of this substance, nor is the supply
lessened by use. It is inexhaustible and at the disposal of our every
thought and word. Jesus Christ understood perfectly this ethereal realm,
and used its substance to form and mold into manifestation that which
was desired to fulfill any need.
This universal, invisible, spiritual substance in which we are immersed

(and which permeates us) is very sensitive. Every thought that man thinks
causes it to pulsate, making its atoms change their positions and come
together to form conditions in man's body and environment, according to
the character and strength of the thought. Therefore if man takes control
of his thoughts, instead of thinking at random, he can use his creative
power (his formative power of thought) together with praise and
thanksgiving to mold and bring into manifestation from this substance
whatever he needs for his use.
Is it God's will for man to suffer?

16. God's will is His "plan of Absolute Good for man and all creation"
(How I Used Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 9), thus it cannot be God's will for
man to suffer. Any suffering that comes to man is the result of lack of
understanding of God's laws, which has caused man to separate himself
in consciousness from God.
"Many have believed, and some still believe, that God's will must
involve suffering or experiencing unpleasant conditions. This is far from
the teaching of Jesus, who brought to mankind the message of a God of
love. 'I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee' (Jer. 31:3 A.V.). If we are not aware
that God's will or plan is within us we will live our life without any definite
direction or meaningful purpose. If through ignorance we do not seek
God's guidance, then results in our life will not be according to God's will"
(How I Used Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 9).
Very often, through pain and suffering caused by his ignorance of

God's laws, man does turn to God and finds that his loving Father's plan
is for good in his life. He begins to see himself as a spiritual being, a son
of God, and his heart is lifted in praise to his Creator. Praise then stirs up
his inner resources and man begins to build a new life in accord with
God's plan.
Explain the truth back of Jesus' saying, "And all things whatsoever ye
shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matt. 21:22 A.V.).
17. All good is man's now and always has been, just as all air is man's
to breathe. There is a step that all of us take in order to benefit from the
good to which we are heir; we must appropriate our good in
consciousness first. The mental attitude of faith or expectant belief seems
to correspond to the physical action of drawing air into the lungs, and faith
seems to be as essential in bringing the desired good into manifestation
as the physical action is in bringing air into the lungs. The act of breathing
creates a vacuum which compels air to rush in. The act of faith sets up a
condition, a "mental vacuum," so to speak, which compels the desired
good to rush in.
The word shall is not used here in the future tense, but rather is the
expression of a command which indicates conviction and certainty. In
Spirit there is no time. Unrelated and unlimited ideas are conceived in
spiritual consciousness, and their demand is instantly fulfilled. The
conception of an idea and its birth occur simultaneously. Jesus revealed
this fact in the statement, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in
prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will" (Mark 11:24). Thinking of
a future time is a mark of limitation, and is nonexistent in Spirit. Man,
dwelling in spiritual consciousness, delares the absolute good, and it is at
once established. Jesus realized this and said: "Father, I thank thee that
thou has heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always" (John 11:41-42).
He translated His prayers into actual fulfillment. Man is here to learn to
translate his prayers into manifestation. To do this he adds praise to
prayer, knowing that praise is the great releaser of spiritual energy and
power.
We must learn to abide consciously in the Father, to live in the very

heart of the one Presence and Power in order to make conscious contact
with this all-knowing, all-loving Father Mind. We must learn to let Spirit fill
us, direct us, and express in and through us with divine intelligence and
power. When we pray without ceasing, praise without ceasing, we will
know instantaneous fulfillment of our own needs, for omnipresence,
omnipotence, omniscience will manifest through us.
Series 2 - Lesson 8 - Faith
Lesson
1. What is faith as related to God? Show how faith functions as a
faculty in man.
God is Divine Mind, which teems with ideas. Faith is an idea in Mind.
Faith is one of man's twelve spiritual powers, one of his twelve mental
faculties. Faith is man's spiritual eye. "Faith is the perceiving power of the
mind, linked with a power to shape substance" (Prosperity, page 43). This
"perceiving power," functioning as a faculty in man's consciousness,
"sees" and "hears" the possibility, the potential, when there is no visible
evidence of it in the manifest realm.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things

not seen. ... . By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by
the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things
which appear" (Heb. 11:1, 3).
This statement clearly shows us that faith is not something that has to
do merely with what is considered religious, although it has come to be
associated with and limited to religion. Neither is the action of faith
confined to spiritual realities. Faith operates in different degrees in all
states of man's being, physical, mental, moral, and spiritual. It sets a law
into operation for man that brings into actuality that upon which man has
fixed his expectations. Ferrar Fenton's translation reads:
"But we shall not recoil with loss, but keep our lives by Faith; for Faith
is that standing-ground of the hopeful, the conviction of unseen facts; and
our fathers proved it."
Anything hoped for may become a definite substance, that is, it may
become the pattern or mold that substance fills in order to satisfy the
human need. Men live every day by faith; but it makes a great difference
whether faith is centered in something external or in the omnipotent
indwelling God. Faith has no opposite. That which men call "fear" is not
the opposite of faith; it is simply the power of faith placed in evil, or in that
which is not good. Jesus said to His disciples, "Have faith in God" (Mark
11:22). In using the word faith, we need to be specific in stating what we
are placing our faith in. Faith as a faculty of man's mind, like all other
faculties, must be redeemed and trained to do its true spiritual work. (See
Annotations for Lesson Six of Lessons in Truth.)
Faith lays hold on the good of which it is assured and brings it into
manifestation. Faith is both vision and the power to manifest the vision.
Faith is the faculty of mind "standing under" formed substance and is the
formative as well as the sustaining element in all organized life. Faith
gives men the endurance that makes them successful.
2. Show how faith is the second step (day) in the creative process.
In the first day's creation light was brought into expression. On the
second day the firmament was made. Faith is the "firmament." There
must be a firm place, a starting point, a mental perception established in
consciousness. Originally firmament meant a prop; support;
strengthening; literally, something solid, a foundation. After man has
spoken "light"—conscious intelligence—into expression, his next step is
to have faith in what he desires. What is perceived in the first movement
of mind as an idea must be given substance in the second movement; it
must become a firm or fixed pattern of thought, else there will be that
wavering state which James likens to the "surge of the sea driven by the
wind and tossed" (Jas. 1:6). Our desire is the nucleus around which
substance gathers. As we form a thought or a desire, the invisible
"feelers" of faith are sent out into the omnipresent substance to contact
just the elements or ideas necessary to materialize the desire—it is like
attracting like and drawing it to itself. It is somewhat like the way the
rootlets of a tree or plant reach out into the earth to draw sustenance that
the plant needs for growth.
The office of faith is to give substance, body, or form to abstract ideas.

Ideas remain abstract and formless until they become concrete through
our faith. The greatest work of faith is to establish spiritual realities as
concrete truths in man's consciousness and in his world by the use of the
faith faculty. It is possible to have a reality and yet neither touch it, nor
smell it, nor taste it, nor see it, nor in any way come into awareness of it in
the outer realms. Faith is the wonderful faculty of mind that through use
arouses and builds these eternally real, substantial, enduring spiritual
qualities or ideas into the consciousness of man so that he really knows
their source, feels their activity in and through him, and expresses and
manifests them in all his thinking, feeling, speaking, acting, and reacting,
in every phase of his daily life.
When the power of man's faith is centered in God as life, he feels

healthy, he feels renewed in mind and body, he is energetic, enthusiastic,
vitally alive and alert, he radiates health and wholeness. When his faith is
centered In God as love, all inharmony in mind, body, and affairs is
dissolved. The mighty magnetic power of love becomes active in him and
draws to him all that is needed to satisfy every need. Peace and
prosperity are established in his consciousness and he is blessed in every
department of his life. To release and express the qualities of which our
spiritual nature is composed, we must first have faith in them, we must
have faith in our godly nature that we have inherited from the Father. "For
he that cometh to God must believe that he Is, and that he is a rewarder
of them that seek after him" (Heb. 11:6).
Peter represents faith in its development in man's consciousness. At

first Peter was changeable. We have learned that faith is the perceiving
faculty of the mind, the "single eye." Peter was the first to perceive Jesus
Christ to be the Son of God and later to understand Christ in all men as
the Son of God. The true character of faith was not yet formed in Peter's
consciousness when he tried to walk on the water. Peter was impulsive;
he started out on a blind use of faith. He had an instinctive trust In Jesus
and a love for what Jesus taught and the example that He set the
disciples. But Peter had not as yet established faith in God in himself as a
concrete idea. Peter could perceive the possibility of his walking on the
water; he had the expanding vision. But the expanding vision of the idea
had not yet been given substance, body or form; it was not yet
established in his own consciousness. He sank in the waves of doubt
because his dependence for dominion and authority over the water was
on the man, Jesus, on something outside of his own being. All power is
vested in the Page 3 mind and heart of each individual, and man must
have faith in his indwelling Christ before he can make use of it and prove
his spiritual faculties. Men have experiences similar to Peter's when
because of doubt they sink in the sea of limited thought.
3. How is one's consciousness of faith increased?

A consciousness of faith in God is developed by use, and there no
reason for neglecting this talent even though at first it may seem very
small, perhaps only an impulse. Mighty works may be done through even
a small realization of faith. "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye
shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall
remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matt. 17:20). This use
of faith must be unwavering, rooted in divine substance; it must be strong
enough to build a consciousness of the one Presence and one Power,
God, the good omnipotent.
4. What results are obtained by man when he uses faith and love
together?
If even a little faith in God is put to work, it will grow; everything that
could hinder its perfect expression would be removed. Paul gave to the
Galatians a wonderful secret of demonstration when he told them of "faith
working through love" (Gal. 5:6). Faith and love are ideas in Divine Mind.
They are "brothers"—a team that working together perceive and attract
the good. The use of the faculty of faith is developed more from the
feeling or love side of man's nature than it is from the intellectual or
reasoning side. One of the greatest obstacles with which man has to
contend in his unfoldment is placing the power of his faith in evil, or what
is commonly called fear. Fear has been built into the race consciousness;
thus, it is also inculcated early in the youthful mind. Too often man lets
this emotion of fear rule his life: fear of lack, fear of disease, fear of old
age, fear of death, and the like.
In an emergency this inherited fear or faith placed in evil may again

and again prove stronger than man's faith in God, or good, which he had
hoped might sustain him. In any case where faith in the good cannot be
put into action readily, there should be strong affirmations of divine love.
"Perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:18), There should be a letting go
of every belief or fear of evil, enmity, condemnation, resistance, and other
adverse thoughts, and a belief in the goodness of God and the goodness
of all God's offspring should be affirmed and established in
consciousness. If a person's awareness of faith is weak and wavering, he
should frequently remember God's love for each and every child of His;
remember that with God all things are possible; that God's purpose for
man is that he should express the perfect love that God is. Then faith will
work, for "love never faileth" (I Cor. 13:8).
Jesus laid great emphasis on faith. In all His ministry He declared faith
to be the means of healing: "According to your faith be it done unto you"
(Matt. 9:29). "Thy faith hath made thee whole" (Matt. 9:22). "Great is thy
faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt" (Matt. 15:28).
5. Explain the Scripture promise, "According to your faith be it done

unto you" (Matt. 9:29).
All who study faith from the standpoint of God as Divine Mind know
that "According to your faith be It done unto you" is a law of mind action.
Faith, as one of man's mental faculties, is his ability to make substance
active in his consciousness. The more active that substance is in his
mind, the greater and the more abundant are its manifestations. Those
who believe in disease as a reality receive according to their faith, for they
have lowered their consciousness from the spiritual realm to the mental,
where the law of mind is operative as cause and effect; that is, "like
begets like."
We live by faith. Manifestations in our life are produced by our manner

of thought, according to whether we center our faith in material things, in
other persons, in external means, or in the life, love, intelligence, and
substance of God. A large part of the human family has not yet heeded
the call, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ
shall shine upon thee" (Eph. 5:14). This part of the race regards material
things as the source of supply, disease as a reality, death as a certainty,
and regulates life after this plan. We let go of our faith in Christ when we
allow our attention to be fixed on negative appearances. Our use of faith
is thus perverted from its true center and cannot then do its perfect work.
It is Peter declaring, "I know not this man" (Matt. 26:74), thus denying the
Christ. Even as Peter had to be redeemed and to declare his love for the
Master and accept the commission "Tend my sheep" (John 21:16), so
must our use of the faculty of faith be redeemed and trained to do its true
spiritual work.
If a person is bound in the race belief in evil, he is set free and healed
only as he changes his faith to "There is but one Presence and one
Power in the universe, God, the good omnipotent." Man must be rooted in
the idea that God is good. Faith in the good, based on the understanding
that only the good is true, will place one in that harmonious mental state
where he can direct and order his affairs and establish them in
righteousness. The good that we desire is ours only when we lay hold of it
by faith. "All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine" (John 16:15), is
always true, but it must be brought into expression and manifestation
through faith. If we are willing to accept Jesus' teaching on faith, we can
get results even though we have not yet proved or gone through all the
steps that lead to knowledge. If a child will accept the statement that three
times three are nine, he can go ahead and work arithmetical problems to
a correct conclusion without its being necessary for him each time to
prove that this is so. An untrained person can press the button connected
with the electric current and get just as much light or power by so doing
as can the skilled electrician. He does not 'know all the steps that lead up
to the getting of light or power, but he can investigate that later; in the
meantime, he has the light or the power to use.
6. What is the distinction between "faith" and "belief"?

Jesus said to His disciples, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22), or
according to some translators, "Have the faith of God." This means more
than mere belief, more than just a mental acceptance. It is the very
substance of that which is believed. It is not sufficient just to believe: one
must act on one's belief, one must think, feel, act, and react according to
one's belief. This belief then expands into faith. One's awareness of faith
grows by living words of Truth that are received into consciousness,
where like seed in good soil they germinate, grow, and bear much fruit. Or
like the leaven placed in a mass of dough, they enliven and enlighten the
whole of man's consciousness. This is why affirmations are used. By
affirming Truth and holding steadfastly to the statement, the word or seed
idea is received into the human consciousness, which acts as soil in
which the see idea may germinate.
Jesus said:
“If you abide in me, and my words in ask what-so-ever you will and it
shall be done unto your” (John 15:7)
Jesus understood the power of affirmative thinking. John's Gospel

gives Jesus’ doctrine or teaching, and a study of it will show how Jesus
constantly and positively identified Himself with His Source. Many
persons are of the opinion that when they affirm something to be true,
they make it so by their affirming. Such is not the case. Affirming is for the
purpose of training man's mind into right habits of thought. We do not
affirm in order to be made strong, healthy, or prosperous, but rather to let
these qualities that we already have in Truth come into visibility in the
external. Unless we have faith in our affirmations, we can expect small
results from them. If we cannot have full faith in them at first, we can say
them in the assurance that because they are true of us as spiritual beings,
Spirit will quicken our faith as we continue to use them.
Our consciousness of faith (or use of the faculty of faith) is

strengthened by words that are based on Truth, and through this faith our
prayers are answered. Our faith that a statement is absolute Truth starts it
into operation for us. Often what is declared in a statement of Truth is not
completely believed by the affirmer. Anyone can repeat words in a
parrotlike manner, but that does not produce the desired results. The
affirmer must be certain that the words are true, that they are true of him
as a spiritual being, in which case he will not only think the Truth but will
also feel, speak, act and react in accord with what he affirms. "Faith is the
result of many affirmations. Each affirmation helps to build up a
substantial, firms unwavering state of mind, because it establishes Truth
in consciousness" (Keep A True Lent, page 143). Man must affirm and
reaffirm until the word or statement has been firmly established in the
mind, both consciously and subconsciously, thus becoming a part of
himself. Not before Truth is thus established in man does it become an
activity of faith; and when it is thus a part of his consciousness, nothing
can prevent what he has declared from coming into manifestation.
7. What place has faith in the ministry of healing?

In modern usage the words belief and faith differ chiefly in that belief
suggests little more than intellectual assent. Faith goes beyond
intellectual assent in that It involves a positive agreement between the
mind and the heart, the thinking and the feeling action of man's mind.
One may believe with the intellect and yet not have effective faith.
This intellectual assent is what is referred to in the story of the child that
Jesus healed of the evil spirits. When asked if he believed that the healing
could be accomplished, the father replied, "I believe; help thou mine
unbelief" (Mark 9:24), that is, "Make my belief into an active, working
faith." "Faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself" (Jas. 2:17). One may
believe intellectually yet be prey to doubts and fears. Faith is believing to
the point of action. One may accept intellectually the truth that God is
good and that good is all there Is; yet if he thinks and talks of evil as if it
were a reality and acts as if that were so, he is not made perfect in faith.
"Simple belief in or assent to the truth of a proposition never gave

understanding to anyone. There must be mental action; organic changes
in the mind are necessary before the new state of consciousness takes
up its abode in you" (Talks on Truth, pp. 143- 144).
When Peter said to Jesus, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God" (Matt. 16:16), Jesus replied saying, "And I say also unto thee, that
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matt. 16:18). The
perceiving power in Peter recognized that Jesus was the Christ, the Son
of the living God, and Jesus responded by saying that He also recognized
that same Christ, the Son of the living God in Peter. This revelation of
Truth direct from the Spirit within us that we are sons of the living God,
that we are also the Christ, is the rock, the firm place in consciousness,
from which we begin our conscious, spiritual growth and unfoldment.
Peter, representing faith, opened the door of his consciousness for this
revealment of Truth.
"It was this same Spirit of truth in Peter that perceived the Christ . . .
This revealment of Truth direct from Spirit is the rock upon which the one
and only church of Jesus Christ is built. All other authorities are spurious"
(Talks on Truth, p. 103).
Faith, active in us, opens the door for such a revelation of Truth in us.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hears my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him" (Rev. 3:20).
Peter is often pictured as carrying the keys to heaven. "I will give unto
thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:19). In other words, faith in God
opens the door for the revealing of the Christ in us, our true nature, the
rock, or the foundation upon which our spiritual consciousness is built.
Our expanding consciousness of our true nature Is heaven. Faith in God
holds the keys to this consciousness. Faith is the faculty of mind that is
the deciding factor that binds us to the formed realm (the earth) or it
looses us into the unformed, the limitless good (heaven). Faith enables us
to put all the powers of our mind and body in the right relation to one
another so that there may be a harmonious working of all powers. Faith is
the "inner eye" that enables us to look through conditions and see the
Christ shining through. Faith holds the key that unlocks that which is
bound in mind and restores body and affairs to a perfectly coordinated
whole.
8. What Is patience? How is it related to faith?

The writers of Scripture closely associated patience with faith, and the
experience of all demonstrators of Truth proves that these two qualities
belong together. There are many who confuse resignation with patience.
However, patience is not a negative, surrendering state of mind. It Is
poise, a positive, restful trust in God—a quiet waiting for what is expected
in the continuation of what has been begun. Patience is born of, or has its
foundation in, faith. "In your patience ye shall win your souls" (Luke
21:19). That Is, through steadfast faith in your indwelling Christ you shall
be victorious in unfolding the fullness of God. "In returning and rest shall
ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" (Isa.
30:15). True patience is nonresistance; it is having faith in the love of God
instead of fighting for our rights. It is the outcome of knowing that divine
justice cannot be defeated, and that no human power can keep from us
that which is truly ours. "Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may
be perfect and entire" (Jas. 1:4), is just another way of saying, "Be still,
and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10). It is the quieting of the person-
will.
Faith sees all things as already fulfilled and accepts them as desire
calls. The attunement of the consciousness of man to the Chi I Spirit
through which man receives enlightenment may be called intuition*
Intuition gives forth the inner instruction or illumination that reaches the
human consciousness as faith. Intuition awakens and makes the faith
faculty active, and faith is always active in the now. "So faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17 A.V.K Faith comes
by living so close to the indwelling Christ that we listen to the inner voice
and are obedient to its promptings, the Word. Affirmation is the act of
mentally claiming that which has been perceived and rightly desired.
Affirmation is the constant repetition of Truth to the human consciousness
until it becomes alive or takes hold of the feeling nature and becomes a
habitual activity in consciousness. When man has perceived what is his
by virtue of his divine heritage, he should strengthen his vision by
affirming until he has built a solid foundation on which his consciousness
may rest and be sustained. Faith in God as his strength and support is the
measure of man’s capacity to receive ideas from God substance. The
more of his consciousness a person puts into his affirmations—that is, the
more he feels their truth—the more fully does he experience their
quickening power.
In the King James Version of the Bible, Peter writes about the "trial of
your faith" (I Pet. 1:7), and this has been interpreted in such a way as to
give a feeling of dread. This feeling of dread has been eliminated in the
American Standard Version by the use of the word proof instead of the
word trial. "Trial" might be feared, but "proof" carries *an altogether
different suggestion. "This is the victory that hath overcome the world,
even our faith" (I John 5:4). Earnest, sincere persons often wonder why
they do not demonstrate Truth. It is because they have perception and a
certain intellectual understanding of Truth which have not as yet been
transformed into faith. Not just mental perception but faith overcomes the
"world." What is seen and believed, that is, what we perceive and give
intellectual assent' to, must become living substance. It must become a
firm state of mind in us, an organic realization, part of the feeling nature.
What we need is an understanding faith, faith based on knowledge of and
obedience to the laws of Being (God), the spiritual laws that are known as
living principles in our consciousness, and not merely faith as a religious
term.
Indefinite or, as some would say, blind use of faith produces varying
results. While it perceives, to some extent, it does not have clear
vision—it gropes its Way. Faith in God as a general proposition is all right,
but it is lacking in conviction, because it is regarded as a power that is
outside of the consciousness, and faith is then more of an instinctive trust
in a generalized God living somewhere, who is asked to bring the good
from somewhere to the one asking. Man must have faith in God within
himself or his faith in God Is not complete. In solving a problem, man may
stumble onto the correct answer without knowing how he did it. This may
satisfy for the occasion, but It is of no practical value, as the person is not
_ able to duplicate the process in solving another problem that arises. A
use of faith that does not include the key to the law of mind action cannot
solve all problems and thus it is not a substantial faith. It is an instinctive
faith that needs to be supported and sustained by its very necessary
partner, understanding.
9. Why should man have faith in his own spiritual integrity and that of
every man?
Understanding faith, as a working power, is the acceptance of, and
belief in unchanging, never-failing Principle in man. Man must have faith
in God as his Father, the source of all his good. Then he must have faith
in his own spiritual integrity as the offspring of God. This latter is a very
important requirement. Without this perception, this vision of himself as a
son of God, there would be no foundation upon which to build a
consciousness of his true nature. Without this consciousness nothing of
spiritual value can be manifested. Understanding faith appreciates the
nature and value of each and all of the underlying principles of Being
(God), and all the ideas of Divine Mind. Understanding faith knows the
action or the laws that govern the use of these principles or ideas. It
understands that "like begets like," and that only good can be produced
by God. Understanding faith does not depend on instinctive trust for
accomplishing results. This faith embraces conscious acceptance as well
as an instinctive acceptance of good only because it partakes of
reasoning as well as of feeling.
Man does not develop understanding faith quickly. It is attained

through study, knowledge gained step by step, observation of and
experience with the law, thus proving all that we have accepted. A
consciousness of understanding faith is developed through much prayer,
affirmation, and meditation. The more intelligent a grasp we have of
creative law and how it works; the better understanding we have of the
value and nature of the underlying principles of Being (God), the greater
is our power to demonstrate. The full knowledge of any principle and an
understanding of the laws that govern Its use inevitably open the way for
the increase of Its fruits. Use is the law of increase, and as man uses
divine principles (ideas) he becomes so familiar with the working of ideas
that so-called problems hold no terror for him. They are welcomed as
opportunities to prove the law of God. "If ye know these things, happy are
ye if ye do them" (John 13:17).
Man as the offspring of God is a composite idea of all that God is.
Spiritually he is the creative law of God in action. A person must have a
consciousness of his spiritual identity, a certain integrity to hold him firm
and steady amid the winds and waves of negative thought. This Is
illustrated in the case of a person who is misunderstood, as Jesus was.
When condemnation comes upon anyone from without, he is apt to be
beaten down in humiliation and grief unless he has a strong
consciousness of his own spiritual integrity. If this consciousness is very
strong, if he has great faith in his righteousness—not the righteousness of
the limited personal man, but of the Christ indwelling—he can go safely
through such an experience, often unmoved by it. This is a very practical
demonstration of faith.
Paul wrote much about "the righteousness of God through faith"

(Rom. 3:22), and a whole lesson might profitably be devoted to this phase
of faith's activity. "As through one trespass the judgment came unto all
men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free
gift came unto all men to justification of life" (Rom. 5:18). To justify Is to
vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to love. The law of God is
the orderly working out of the principles of Being (God) or the sum of
divine ideas. In man, we call this law the Christ, the Word.
Righteousness denotes the understanding and right use of the

essential principles of Being (God) that may conform man's life to spiritual
law or exhibit his likeness to God. In the story of creation as told in the
first chapter of Genesis, it is stated that God pronounced His creation
"good" and "very good." In Divine Mind all ideas of man and the universe
are perfect spiritual patterns, and partake of the nature of God; therefore
man and the universe are in essence perfect. To man, the composite
idea, was entrusted the expression and manifestation of God's ideas. As
man was created in the image of God, he has the power to make images,
power to set into operation mental laws of cause and effect that may limit
him if he lacks understanding. The mental causes that he sets into
operation produce "after their kind," good or bad. When these causes are
bad much inharmony and lack of coordination appear in man's world.
Righteousness as applied to the Christ principle or law of God means

Justice, faithfulness, and wholeness equally for all parts of His Being.
Righteousness as applied to man signifies the purity, holiness
(wholeness) that man must attain in his consciousness if he is to manifest
what God ideated him to be. In the Old Testament the word translated
holiness has reference to a state of purity or righteousness. In the New
Testament the word righteousness has reference to a right attitude of
mind, one that is poised and centered in Christ for the perfect working out
of spiritual principles. Spiritual law does not necessarily mean moral law.
'Spiritual law includes but goes beyond moral law, even as the teaching of
the New Testament includes but goes beyond the doctrines of the Old
Testament.
10. Explain the relation that faith bears to the demonstration of eternal
life.
Before Moses projected the moral law, the patriarchs lived by faith.
We read that Abraham's faith was counted to him for righteousness, and
he was called "the friend of God." So, our faith in God will also be counted
to us for righteousness until such time as we understand spiritual laws
sufficiently to work them out perfectly. Man can dispel all disharmonies
that he has brought about by denial and by having faith in his Christ
righteousness. Then he must conform all his thoughts, feelings, words,
and deeds to that standard. Through prayer man builds a consciousness
of eternal life. Through the Christ Spirit he sets into operation for himself
"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2). Man must be
thoroughly conscious of I AM or spiritual law in order that eternal life may
be manifest in him.' Jesus said, "Whosoever liveth and believeth on me [I
AM] shall-never die" (John 11:26).
The epistle to the Romans is a forcible, logical argument for the

"Christ righteousness." The teaching is that through Jesus Christ a new
race has to come that shall bring forth the fruits of righteousness. There is
no way to. bring our own "Christ righteousness" into expression and
manifestation but by having faith in It, no matter what appearances may
be. This is one of the most important teachings of the Scriptures because
the good that we so much desire to manifest depends upon realization of
our indwelling righteousness. Life never ceases; man simply loses his
conscious hold on it by losing faith in it.
When man's consciousness is filled with the realization that within him
is the individualized Christ life—life eternal—-he permits it to flow freely
through his body and to function in every part of his organism. When we
fail to exercise our ability to perceive the good that God has for us, the
plan of which our very nature Is composed; when we begin to
contemplate decline in life activity, we reverse the machinery of our being.
The law of our being is growth. f unfoldment, fulfillment in perfection, not
decline and decay. When we fall into the habit of thinking only on the
good of the past, failing to see the present and future good that is ours as
sons of God, we are letting go of faith in God indwelling. We are not
exercising our ability to perceive the good, and the idea of eternal life has
no substance in which to become rooted in our consciousness. "He that
hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the
life" (I John 5:12). As man's awareness of faith in the Christ life indwelling
grows, man is freed from disharmonies in his physical body. Faith in the
Christ life causes the subconscious functioning of the body to become
sensitive to the divine, to become less carnal in its appetites, and to show
a steady progress toward a final demonstration of eternal life. Through
faith man becomes eternally alive in God.
There should be faith in the spiritual integrity of every man, based on

the understanding that all men are the offspring of God. No man who has
true faith in his own indwelling Christ can fail to have faith in the Christ in
every man. After all, the Christ within every man is but an individualization
of the one cosmic Christ of the universe—the expressed life of God. Just
as the blood circulates throughout all parts of the physical body, so does
the life of God circulate throughout the entire body of humanity as the
Christ Spirit. To have this faith is to rest securely in the faith that we are all
one great heavenly family, and that eventually we shall all arrive at that
estate now held by Jesus Christ, "the firstborn among many brethren"
(Rom. 8:29).
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a rich study of faith. Commencing

with the definition of faith in the first verse, the writer takes his readers
from the very beginning of the history of man to his own times and shows
how faith works its wonders in every age. As the writer of Hebrews said,
so can we say today that time fails us to tell all that applied faith is
accomplishing in our everyday life.
S2L8 Annotations
Give a concise definition of faith.

1. Faith is an idea in Divine Mind; a spiritual principle; one of the
twelve powers; a faculty in man's mind; an idea that combines and
embodies belief, trust, and expectancy in a firm state of consciousness.
Faith is the divinely ordained, eternally established God quality of
assurance inherent in each soul. Faith is an attitude of mind, a confidence
of heart, a joyousness of spirit.
"Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not

seen." — Heb. 11:1.
"Faith is the perceiving power of the mind, linked with a power to

shape substance." — Charles Fillmore Prosperity 43.
Faith is an assurance, a conviction, a knowing that a desire for

something will be fulfilled at the right time, without a person having
anything visible to the five senses as to how and from where the
fulfillment is to come. It is in reality possessing the thing in consciousness
before there is any sign of it in the outer or manifest world. It is that faculty
of mind that knows, and knows that it knows. It is not something that is
confined to religion because man often has faith in and brings to himself
many things that he considers "not good" after he has them.
Faith is unwavering confidence, free from doubt. The essential part of

anything hoped for is confidence in its actual manifestation at the time
expected; it is the innate proof or testimony that though there is no visible
sign of the thing desired or hoped for, there is nevertheless an intuitive
knowing, a faith, a confidence that dispels every doubt, and we
expectantly await the fulfillment of that desire. Faith is the direct road to
manifestation, the wedge that pries open the door of promise.
Where should faith be centered?

2. Faith should be centered in the indwelling presence of God, the
all-powerful Spirit or Mind. Faith ever abides in our consciousness waiting
to be called into action. When our faith is established in our indwelling
Lord we have no fear that anything in the external can affect us. Faith in
Omnipotence overpowers all belief in any opposing power, and we finally
arrive at the place in our unfoldment where we are conscious that there
can be nothing in which to have faith except in the good, God within, and
its power to accomplish like unto itself.
In the creative process, what is the second day's work"?

3. On the second day of God's creation He said, "Let there be a
firmament." — Gen. 1:6. First, the "light" was spoken into existence. This
light is God's presence within us and throughout the universe. When we
attain the consciousness that God is within us, we have found the light
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. After our illumination
we must have a firm place established in consciousness. Faith is the
firmament of mind; it is the reality, the substance; it is that faculty of mind
which stands under formed substance and is the forming as well as the
sustaining element in all organized life.
What is the meaning of Peter's walking upon the water?

4. Peter's walking upon the water represents the human
consciousness when it takes its eyes off its spiritual center and forgets the
Christ power within each one and perfection through looking at the effect,
the appearance. We begin to doubt when we do not keep our eyes
steadily on the cause; we are lost in the winds and waves of
appearances.
How is a consciousness of faith in God, the good, developed?

5. A consciousness of faith in God, the good, is developed through
use. Man learns to use his faith rightly by disciplining his thoughts,
feelings, words, and actions to express such faith. Our consciousness of
faith is stimulated through reading of the demonstrations of others.
However we must expand our faith in God, the good, by releasing our
false beliefs about God, about ourselves and our fellowmen and
conditions as they appear to be. As one thinks on Truth and prays, uses
denials and affirmations, meditates, lives, and acts in the consciousness
of his oneness with God, the only Presence and Power, he is well on his
way to developing and establishing a consciousness of faith in God upon
which to base his life and living in all his human experiences. This
process is a constant activity, making faith in God, the good, a living
reality.
Why is it unwise to wait for a great consciousness of faith before using

faith at all?
6. It is unwise to wait for a great consciousness of faith before using
faith at all, because our faith is expanded and strengthened as we use it,
in all departments of our thinking and doing. We attain a greater
consciousness of faith as we use the faith that we are aware of at the
moment we need to exercise it. Since faith is one of man's twelve mental
faculties or spiritual powers, he has all the faith that he can possibly need
or use, but his consciousness of it needs to be expanded and
strengthened. It is through our vision and our use that our consciousness
of faith growe into a great expression of faith.
All through the Bible we find records of the great things done by the
men of God, and always we find that they used what they had in hand
and thanked God for it and it was increased. The Bible is full of God's
promises, but there is always something for man to do in order to receive
the blessings mentioned in the promises. God must work through man,
the man must develop the consciousness through which this work can be
done, and he does this with his thinking and feeling, through prayer,
affirmation and denial, meditation, and right living. Keeping his mind
stayed on God, man uses the God-powers which are his divine heritage.
One cannot gain a great consciousness of faith unless he begins to

use the small faith that he seems to be expressing at the beginning of his
awakening. We know that a grain of mustard seed is very small, but it is
also very prolific, and it can bring forth abundantly when planted under
right conditions in rich soil, because it has within it all the elements, the
God-ideas, it needs for its fulfillment.
As we recognize, accept, and begin to use the God-qualities, the

spiritual powers, the divine ideas that are ours, our consciousness of faith
grows. Our praise, our interest, and our attention, given to them, attract
the substance that causes them to become active in us, because we are
using the power that we have to bring them forth in abundant
manifestation and measure.
As an example, we can think of what an athlete has to do to his

muscles, in order for him to remain a fine, strong, capable athlete. In the
same way, we have to use our faculty of faith positively and
constructively, because it is in the constant use that our consciousness of
faith grows and grows and grows. Praise God!
What results are obtained by man when he uses faith and love
together?
7. When man uses faith and love together, he obtains notable results
in prayer, in life, in living. As he realizes the power of divine love active in
him, freedom from fear is often immediately apparent, because we are
told that "There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth our fear." — I
John 4:18. A consciousness of faith in God or good grows in man; his
emotions, his attitudes, his thoughts, his actions change for the better. He
abides in peace, knowing inwardly that "Only good can come to me."
Peter and John were the two disciples very close to Jesus Christ.
Peter represents faith, and John represents love. It takes both faith and
love to accomplish anything worthwhile.
Love is the great attracting power of the universe, and when faith is
coupled with love, that which we have faith in is drawn to us. If faith would
produce works, it must have love, because the nature of love is to attract,
unify, equalize, harmonize, bind, heal, and prosper us.
Faith works through love. The love nature is the feeling nature or
emotional nature of your being. When you feel deeply, when your feelings
run high, you liberate an enormous amount of energy which in the
Absolute is God substance. Combine deep feeling with a cheerful,
faith-filled attitude of mind and you will be invincible in producing that
which is positive, joyous, and constructive in your human experience.
Love is that great quality, that unifying idea that gives you faith, that
inspires you. You have faith in that which you love. Then love your body
temple, your business, your mission in life, your work, humanity, every
living creature.
Faith in an ideal and love of that ideal keep one unswervingly loyal to
that ideal. Faith in and love of a course of action keep one sustained in
that action, however prolonged it may be. Faith in and love of a spiritual
principle bring forth in tangible form the idea encompassed by that
principle, the reality embodied in that principle.
Faith is the intangible but very real divine power that perceives ideas,
lays hold of them, puts them into action, and brings them into expression
and visible manifestation, on whatever plane the faith is centered. Faith
and love working together will accomplish wonders, determining what
your future will be, because they glorify and increase your consciousness
of substance.
Explain: "According to your faith be it done unto you." — Matthew

9:29.
8. "According to your faith be it; done unto you" — Matt. 9:29 — is the
great law of the universe. The Hebrews were told that they might have
"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I
given it." — Josh. 1:3. All that man can have faith in is his. Man is a free
will agent, cannot be forced by Spirit against his will, cannot be given
anything except he lays hold of it through faith. All that the Father has is
man's, and still he starves because he does not believe that it belongs to
him, does not lay hold of his divine inheritance through faith.
What is the difference, if any, between faith and belief?

9. Belief is a degree of light revealing to the mind a measure of
evidence that it can accept and on which it can assume the truth of a
statement. It might be called the childhood of faith. Faith is maturity, the
child grown to manhood. What we believe may be true or it may not;
genuine mature faith is an inner knowledge. Through progress,
development, revelation and experience we acquire an understanding
that can proceed with certainty. This is real faith. It knows of the existence
and operation of the undeviating law through which all things are possible
and is able to hold steady though appearances are against it. Hope and
trust are good, but knowledge and realization are better.
What place has faith in the ministry of healing?

10. Faith has to perceive wholeness of body because it knows the
principles of life, and that by its nature of direction, it must be included in
the healing ministry in order to draw the attention of the one seeking
healing to the LIFE IDEA.
The healing principle always responds to the act of faith in the divine
completeness already within. If we would be the means of helping others
we must be conscious at all times of the Presence within ourselves and in
the one needing help. Jesus had great faith in the ability of the Father
within Himself and referred often to the works of His indwelling Father.
What is patience? How is it related to faith?

11. Patience is that phase of faith that has had its companion power of
strength added to it, for strength is endurance because it knows why it is
steadfast.
Patience is not a negative acceptance of evil conditions as is

sometimes supposed. It is a positive quality, a self-control that springs
from an inner consciousness of oneness with God, the source of good.
One who has spiritual patience does not waste his energy in quarreling
with other persons or with conditions that seem all wrong. Rather he holds
his peace and works to make things right as directed by Spirit.
Patience is born of faith. One could hardly endure certain conditions
that appear unless one had faith in the presence and power of Spirit and
knew that by working with the spiritual law the seeming evil could be
eradicated.
Explain how an affirmation of Truth is "the prayer of faith." — James

5:15.
12. Affirmation is mentally taking that which is desired. Faith intuitively
perceives all things as ours in Spirit to be taken when desired. So an
affirmation is the taking of things desired through the faith we have that all
good is now ours in Spirit.
What is meant by the "trial of ... faith"? — I Peter 1:7 (A.V.).

13. Through faith we intuitively discern the essence of the truths that
we seek, but this discernment takes place before we are able to bring it
into the fullness of expression. Faith encourages us to make trial or to
prove what we have seen intuitively as a possibility. In time we see the
reason for the faith that is in us, having proved what we foresaw. We now
have a better understanding of the law and conditions.
What is it to have faith in God?

14. To have faith in God is to have unshakable faith in the perfect
outcome of every situation in life, to have faith in the ultimate good
regardless of appearances. It is to have the faith of God, to know the
loving Father by bringing His attributes into manifestation in the outer. If
we would exercise our unlimited powers, we must have unwavering faith
in the Presence and Power within us until the very substance of Spirit
appears in consciousness as a living reality.
Why should man have faith in himself?

15. Man should have faith in himself because he is the offspring of
God and he is learning that he is the living expression of God, the Father.
The very Spirit of God expresses through man as life, substance, and
intelligence and all the other God qualities, attributes, powers, faculties, or
ideas.
Without faith in himself man could never have accomplished the

wonderful things that have already been brought into manifestation. Back
of everything that has been done by man has been the assurance, the
firm conviction, that he had the power and ability to do it. Man would not
produce along any line of endeavor unless he had faith in himself.
What is the basis for man's faith in himself?

16. The foundation principle for man and all creation is that there is
but one Presence and one Power, God, Absolute Good, in man and in all
the universe. In man this Absolute Good is the image of God, the Christ.
The basis for man's faith in himself is his divine origin. Man is made in
the image and after the likeness of God, and God has placed His Spirit
within man and given him dominion and the power and ability to express
that dominion, in order that he might consciously be God's highest
expression in all creation, the Christ, the Son, the Divine Idea, I AM, the
Word.
As man realizes who and what he is, a spiritual being having the
same character and nature as God, Absolute Good, by divine inheritance,
he establishes in his consciousness a firm foundation (understanding
faith) through which he is able to do all things.

17. The Christ righteousness is the immanent quality of divinity that
man inherits as a Son of God, it is man's true nature inherited from his
divine Father. The Christ righteousness is "inwrought righteousness." This
means that all the qualities of the Father — light, life, love, peace, joy,
plenty, purity, holiness, goodness, and so forth, are involved in the Son,
man, as his divine right, and are nothing for which he has to "work" to
attain, except that he must attain in his consciousness the purity and
holiness of this indwelling Christ if he is to become in manifestation what
God ideated him to be.
How is the Christ righteousness established in man's consciousness?

18. The Christ righteousness is established in man's consciousness
by his right use of spiritual ideas in every thought, feeling, word and
action. Being made in the image and after the likeness of the Father, the
Son is of the same character, Absolute Good, and is essentially of the
same substance, Mind Essence. Therefore the Son, in order to establish
the Christ righteousness in his consciousness must pray in faith and
understanding, must live in love, peace, and harmony, must act in joy and
with Godliness of Spirit, must abide in Christ and let the Word or Christ
dwell or abide in him. Man must have faith in the purity and perfection of
the indwelling Christ and realize his oneness with that perfection. The
ideal or perfect man was imaged by the Father, and that perfect man is
His Son, the Christ. So man in turn must image his own perfection in
order to bring it into expression, in the conscious and subconscious
phases of his mind, and into manifestation in his body temple. The Christ
righteousness or right use of all the qualities, attributes, or ideas of God is
the creative law of God in action in man. In attaining the Christ
righteousness, man recognizes this great truth, accepts it and lets it have
full sway in his mind and heart, thoughts and feelings, body and affairs.
This is what spiritually awakened man is learning — HOW to use these
IDEAS of God-Mind in right relation in his own consciousness. Prayer,
denial, and affirmation play their part.
Paul also tells us how to let the Christ righteousness be established in

consciousness:
"Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of

compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing
one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint
against any; even as the lord forgave you, so also do ye: and above all
these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the
peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one
body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all
wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. And
whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — Col. 3:12-17.
Explain the relation that faith bears to the demonstration of eternal life.
19. Jesus Christ established a new consciousness in the earth
through His demonstration of eternal life. By faith we can lay hold of this
consciousness, this direct knowing and make it ours. Faith is counted to
us as righteousness while our own righteousness is being worked out in
us, or until we are lifted up out of adverse conditions into the perfect
Christ Mind, or the consciousness of the fullness of life and righteousness
in Christ.
Why should we have faith in all men?

20. To have faith in others is to have faith in the spiritual self of each
one. Every person at some time feels the desire to help others. One may
do things for another in an outer personal way, but the real and lasting
help cornea through one's helping another to find the center of his being.
This help cannot be given until one has a living faith in the Christ within
every one.
Series 2 - Lesson 9 - Imagination

Lesson
HE IS HERE
God is afar off, do you say?
I saw Him in the fields today
Painting the leaves of the maple and oak,
Sumac and woodbine with master stroke.
So deftly still in the autumn hush
The colors flowed from His magic brush;
Orange, crimson, golden green
On each passive bough were seen.
I saw Him in the clover bloom

And the pensive lance of the willow plume
Reflected in the loitering stream
As peaceful as a vagrant dream,
And I heard His step in the winds that pass
In drowsy waves through the meadow grass;
And the flaming disc in the autumn sky
Was the glory of Him passing by.
God is afar off, do you say?

I saw Him in the fields today.
--Jocile Webb Pearson, in Unity.
1. What is imagination? Show how imagination is the third step (day)

in the creative process.
Every student of Truth should understand Spirit in all its expressions
and be able to interpret the symbolism or parables of the Scriptures. Truth
cannot be adequately conveyed by language, but the allegories written by
those who have spiritual discernment can be understood by the student
who takes the universal key of mind and applies it to these writings.
The 1st chapter of Genesis is an allegory; each day's creation

represents the expression in Divine Mind of a fundamental idea and its
associated thoughts. Seers have discerned that the universe is a
representation of a "grand man" with stars and planets as the cells of his
body. Back of this is Mind, with its faculties. This Mind— Spirit—is the
origin of everything, and it creates or expresses itself in orderly,
sequential steps (days"). These steps ("days") are not evolutionary, but
they are the involution of the mind in a thought process that afterward
comes forth in evolution.
Involution as described in this chapter of Genesis is the enfolding or

enwrapping of the divine idea, the enveloping or concealing of all the
qualities of God, all the ideas of Divine Mind in its seed idea, the Word.
Evolution is the unfolding or unrolling of a great scroll, reading what has
been written there by the hand of the Almighty, and interpreting aright
what the plan or will of God is for man and the universe. The first
movement ("day") of Mind is the expression of conscious intelligence,
described in Genesis as "light." "And God said, Let there be light: and
there was light" (Gen. 1:3) Without intelligence there is no thinking; it is
simply mind drifting. In everything that he thinks man's mind should move
in the same order as the events in the story of creation.
The second movement is faith (covered comprehensively in Lesson

Eight). Faith is a substantial, abiding confidence in innate intuition for it is
the power or faculty of perception.
The third movement is imagination. After our intelligence has grasped

a subject, and our faith perceives or shows us that the subject is worthy of
our consideration, then we turn our imagination upon it and try to see it
from all sides, from different angles.
Imagination is primarily an idea in Divine Mind; a divine principle; one

of the twelve powers of man, thus one of the twelve faculties of man's
mind.
Imagination is the mental picture-forming faculty described in Genesis

as the bringing forth of the "dry land" which God called the earth.
Imagination is the faculty that beholds." With this faculty we form first in
mind and then in substance the shape of that of which we are thinking.
Imagination is the faculty of mind which "lays hold of" spiritual ideas and
translates them into material Lesson 9 Page 2 forms, or in other words,
externalizes them. It also "beholds" material forms in their spiritual
essence, or reality; that is, as ideas in mind. Imagination is the great
symbol interpreter of the mind.
"God answers our prayers in ideas, thoughts, words; these are

translated into the outer realms, in time and condition" (Christian Healing,
page 78).
Prayer is the cumulative action of the soul. It accumulates ideas from

the One Mind, the storehouse of ideas.
The ancient Greeks took advantage of the mental law of imagination
and surrounded their prospective mothers with beautiful pictures and
statuary believing that the unborn child received from the mother's mind
the impress of beauty that she beheld in these outer forms.
Jesus Christ demonstrated the law of imagination in a higher way

because His imaging faculty was established in Truth. His mental pictures
were based on the perfection of the ideas inhering in the One perfect
Mind.
2. Where does one get the "pattern" that enables him to demonstrate
perfection in body or affairs?
A clear understanding of the imagination, the imaging faculty, is
necessary, because in order to demonstrate perfection in soul (mind),
body, or affairs, we must go to the fount of wisdom, the Father-Mind, to
receive the perfect idea of that which we desire to manifest. With a clear
understanding of the working of mind, we then proceed to carry out the
idea in thought, feeling, word, action, and reaction. The imaging must be
clear, uninfluenced by negative impressions from the senses. Our vision
must be based on Spirit, and we are to hold to it steadfastly in order to
allow the spiritual idea to come into manifestation. By this we do not imply
that all sense reactions are wrong, but to accept the edict of the senses
as final is to accept a basis that is subject to change.
"All things, including the mind, work from center to circumference. A

knowledge of this fact puts man on his guard and causes him to direct
that his imagination shall not create things in his mind that have been
impressed upon him from without. This does not imply that the outer world
is all error, or that all appearance is the creation of finite mind; it means
that the outer is not a safe pattern" (Christian Healing, page 100).
In the building and the furnishing of the tabernacle Moses was

commanded: "See that thou make them after their pattern, which hath
been showed thee in the mount" (Exodus 25:40). "The mount" represents
the high place of spiritual understanding, the realm of divine ideas, the
kingdom of God within man. God as Divine Mind contains all ideas
necessary to express His divinity perfectly in every thought, feeling, word,
and action of man. We are the image of God and through Spirit within us
we have as our foundation all divine ideas. The activity of these ideas
produces the functioning of our soul, body, and affairs.
For us to understand our spiritual foundation it is necessary for us to

focus our mind (conscious phase) and heart (subconscious Lesson 9 ,
Page 3 4 phase), in "the mount" or high place in consciousness in order
to find the source of our being. When we draw upon the spiritual realm,
instead of the realm of appearances, for the patterns of thinking, we form
in righteousness, in our faculty of imagination. Our formations are then
true and abiding. All divine ideas are in this "mount" or "secret place of the
Most High" (Psalms 91:1). We cannot get the vision of perfect ideas by
looking without. Revelation must come to us from within.
We are the Idea of God, the Son Idea. This Idea must be expressed in
the human consciousness, because we are destined to make manifest
God's image-likeness, Jesus Christ, in the flesh, here and now. The
perfect body will be demonstrated through a "beholding" of the perfect,
eternal, living, glorified Christ body. Now we are ready to externalize, or
work out, this perfect body-idea into every cell of our physical organism.
It is the privilege of everyone to choose the kind of mental pictures he

will form with his faculty of imagination. Therefore,
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable,

whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
If the blessing of plenty seems to be lacking, it is because mental

images of lack have been allowed to form until they have become
objective. You cannot change conditions by working in the external; you
must go back to the mental images from which the conditions were
produced. Put a new slide into your magic lantern and you will throw a
new picture upon the canvas.
3. How often is the physical body renewed?

Every thought is generative and produces after its kind. Erroneous
thoughts produce inharmonious conditions in the soul (mind), body, and
affairs, and true thoughts produce good conditions in these three realms.
The body is in a continual state of renewal. When the imagination is
trained continually to behold the perfect pattern of the body-idea in "the
mount" then we can say:
I am the ever-renewing, the ever-unfolding expression of infinite life,

health, youth, and beauty.
The truth is that it is the human consciousness that needs renewing

daily in order that it may be filled with ideas that will be imaged forth in
beauty and wholeness. The consciousness is renewed by thinking such
thoughts as these:
I charge my mental and physical atmosphere with life, health,

strength, energy, vitality, and power.
Man's body and his world are the result of what mankind individually
and collectively thinks, believes, and accepts. A large part of humanity
believes in old age and death, and as a result these beliefs Lesson 9
Page 4 are being worked out in the race day by day. When man changes
the trend of his thoughts, sees life as abundant, beautiful, and eternally he
will outpicture such thoughts in his human experience.
4. What effect does spiritual treatment have on mental pictures of

error?
Spiritual treatment erases inharmonious mental pictures from the
imagination. The substance of our faith which was put into these untrue
concepts must be withdrawn. We cease to feed them or nourish them by
thinking, speaking, or listening to anything that pertains to them. We deny
reality to the conditions such concepts produced. Thus, we are able to
erase from the imagination the error thought-form, the wrong belief that
we have been holding in our consciousness. The trained metaphysician
lays hold of power through meditation and prayer to enable him to erase
(deny) the wrong beliefs from his own consciousness. He affirms by
constantly beholding the perfect Christ body and thus he himself attains
spiritual understanding. Such spiritual understanding will enable him to
quicken the consciousness of faith in the mind of the one in whom the
erasure is to be made, when that one is open and receptive to the
spiritual treatment being given.
When our mind accepts a new picture, we consciously or
subconsciously let go of the wrong mental picture. The negative thought
form, obedient to the law of mind action, will disappear. We mentally see
ourselves as free from the negative condition and in divine order the
condition itself is dissolved.
It is no longer a mystery how an individual's appearance changes for

the better--sometimes miraculously--when he changes the mental
pictures he has been holding in his mind (thoughts and feelings). A new
light then shines from the eyes; a new radiance glows in the countenance;
and a "new creature in Christ comes into manifestation.
5. Explain the importance of the imagination in the forming of

character.
Man's character is the total of all that has been built into his
consciousness. Webster's Dictionary gives the root meaning of the word
character as "to engrave." Thus, whatever is "engraved" upon the
imagination by the law of mind will form the character as well as external
conditions. "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect" (Matt. 5:3). An understanding of mind and how it works reveals to
us that to realize our perfect estate we must claim it in faith and steadily
picture ourselves as the image of God becoming in actuality (outer form)
the likeness of God. The man with understanding ideates himself as the
image of God, God's perfect idea of Himself in visibility. He sees himself
as one with divine love. He beholds himself as having and exercising
divine Judgment and justice in all ways. With the faculty of imagination,
he sees himself as God's representative, one with unlimited power. He
keeps his interest and attention on the orderliness of all that he touches.
He images himself as Godlike so that he brings into expression the ideas,
qualities, or attributes of God, thus knowing himself as a true son of
God--perfect as God is perfect. By the right use of the faculty of
imagination one may form a perfect character, a perfect body, a perfect
world.
It is well for us to understand the law of mind action, for we meet its
manifestations on every hand. The imagination, which is an (Lesson 9
Page 5) integral part of this mind action, has often been belittled. Because
imagination has not been understood, it has been described as belonging
only to daydreams. Now it is known to be one of God's gifts to man, one
of the fundamental faculties in our makeup. We must learn to use the
imagination righteously if we would reap a harvest of good in mind, body,
and affairs.
6. How may anxious thoughts be overcome?

Anxiety and fear are caused by man's false belief in a power opposed
to God, the good omnipotent; by false sense perceptions of something
considered unpleasant; by conclusions based on unwise judgment; by
negative reactions. This means that man is letting his imagination run riot
or remain undisciplined. Man has the ability to direct and to control his
thinking and feeling through staying his mind on Truth. "Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isa. 26:3) Man must
use the I AM power, mastery, and dominion by centering his attention in
the I AM or Christ consciousness. Having exercised that power, man's
mind will image or picture the good and be at peace. Each person should
take possession of the "throne" and judge his twelve powers, symbolized
by the twelve tribes of Israel. He is the judge of what shall be imaged by
him and he should carry out his dominion in thinking, feeling, speaking,
acting, and reacting.
Our thinking must be positive along the lines of what we want to be

and to experience. An understanding of Divine Mind and its powers
(ideas) will help us to remain faithful to our goal--conscious oneness with
God and manifestation of our divine heritage. Our faith should be
established in God, Absolute Good, thus eliminating all negative feelings,
doubts, and beliefs. By having our vision (imagination) on the high and
the true, the one Presence and Power, by becoming consciously
established in the Spirit of Truth, our desire will be for the expression of
Truth, thus only good will come forth in our life. Man is master of every
situation when he is master of his thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and
reactions.
7. Why is it unwise for one to give himself to excessive daydreaming?

All forms in the mental or soul realm are the result of concepts and do
not of themselves have real power. Just daydreaming is not conducive to
well-being. Individuals who indulge excessively in daydreams, and are
"carried away" by beautiful visions, are often impractical. This is a misuse
of the power of imagination, through lack of discipline of the faculty of
imagination. By letting the mind run loose, control over it is weakened and
for the time being it cannot be used effectively to bring forth good
demonstrations.
Everyone has a purpose in life, whether he is aware of it or not, and it

is only by a disciplined or trained mind that this purpose can be
discovered and acted upon. One who is given to excessive daydreaming
is not inclined to make purposeful use of his imagination, or formative
power of thought. Such a one needs to develop a greater consciousness
of faith in his ability to act and to achieve that which results in his
well-being.
Man's purpose is to make his vision (imaging) of Truth actual in the

realm of manifestation. To bring forth an idea requires faith not only that
the idea is possible of accomplishment, but that within us is the power
and ability to bring it forth into manifestation. Then faith must be proved
by our acting accordingly. Our faith should be Lesson 9 Page 6 so great
that every conscious power and ability is set in full motion toward the
fulfilling of the idea. Without faith and action, the idea remains only on the
mental screen of the imagination. The practice of daydreaming carried to
excess weakens one's ability to concentrate and leaves the faculty of faith
in idleness. Man is here to release and exercise all the powers of Divine
Mind (Being) through which he attains dominion. He must keep ever
before him this one thought: The foundation of everything is mind, and
manifestation is effect. Forms are the manifestation of ideas. An important
work of the imaging faculty is the formation of clear pictures of divine
ideas in man's imagination. This is accomplished through thinking right
thoughts, assembling those thoughts in right relationship, until the divine
ideas are firmly established in the consciousness as productive principles.
All power is given to him who understands the imagination, or formative
power of thought. He makes his understanding substantial with faith and
feeling and is thereby master of ideas and of his own destiny.
8. Is there any power outside of man to harm him?

There is only one Presence and Power in the universe, God, the good
omnipotent. This one Presence and Power is omnipresent Absolute
Good, therefore there is no power outside of man to harm him. However,
man has been given the freedom to think, feel, and form mental images
as he chooses. If he is not in spiritual understanding and if he does not
use his powers and abilities according to divine law, he may have dreams
that frighten him and cause him to believe that there is a power outside of
him that is working against him. But such thoughts, feelings, and mental
images are not true. They have their origin in man's limited
understanding. Man has the power to choose the kind of thoughts and
feelings that he desires. Therefore, he harms himself by giving power to
pictures of imperfection. Every mental picture represents a thought, a
concept, or a belief that is based upon man's understanding (be it great or
small) and his use of divine ideas. To interpret dreams correctly one must
have clear understanding of divine ideas and their relation to the symbols
in the dream.
Joseph of the Old Testament represents the faculty of imagination

active down in Egypt, the subconscious. Joseph did not interpret dreams
literally but showed that they are symbolical and represent certain ideas,
thoughts, beliefs, concepts, at work in the consciousness either of the
individual, the nation, or the race. Each person has the ability to get the
meaning and truth of his own dreams. Identical dreams may have entirely
different meanings for different persons. Only Spirit can reveal the import
of the dream to the individual. When the imaging faculty is developed
under divine law and is in harmony with Spirit, we shall get true pictures in
our consciousness. Then we shall know how to interpret them for our safe
direction and well-being.
9. Why should children be taught to be fearless?

The habit of frightening children and telling them that there is
something outside of themselves to harm them is a negative way to train
children and may be detrimental. Such training suggests mental images
of fear, with the mental and physical results of fear. Fear has no rightful
place in the human consciousness. Of all the false concepts, harmful
emotions, nothing has been so injurious as fear. These concepts held in
the imagination are sometimes impressed so forcibly upon the child that
he has them to deal with when he becomes Lesson 9 Page 7 an adult,
long after they were introduced into his consciousness. A mind possessed
by fear conjures up false mental pictures that temporarily render the
mental faculties ineffectual in their functioning.
10. What relation does "beholding" bear to the work of transforming

man?
We are transformed and transfigured by "beholding." Whatever we
persistently "behold" (Imagine) that we manifest. Only as man's character
is transmuted by the attuning of his thoughts, feelings, acts, and reactions
to Truth can he be said to be "transformed." We build conditions in human
experience by "beholding" whether it has to do with outer conditions or
with spiritual consciousness.
"We all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
from the Lord the Spirit" (II Cor. 3:18).
Some translators of the text use the words "from character to

character" instead of "from glory to glory."
The perfect pattern for us is Jesus Christ, the perfect man, originating
in each one as the seed Idea of perfect man. The expression of this
perfect idea in the character of the individual transfigures the body of flesh
into the exalted, glorified Christ booty. Jesus represents the correct use of
the Christ principle bringing forth into manifestation the Christ idea in
man. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth" (Isa.
45:22). Such Bible expressions have a deep spiritual meaning when
studied in this connection. "Christ . . . shall appear a second time . . . to
them that wait for him, unto salvation" (Heb. 9:28). Christ shall appear to
them that look for Him. Those who look for and find the indwelling Christ
of God and steadfastly "behold" His perfection and glory shall be
transmuted, transformed, and transfigured into His likeness.
Jesus lived so close to the Father within that He constantly "beheld"

God individuated in Himself and "he was transfigured before them; and
his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the
light" (Matt. 17:2). As we live day by day with His Image ever before us,
desiring with all our mind and heart to express Jesus' character and
nature in all that we think, feel, say, and do, a great change comes over
us—we are transformed.
"There is a pattern in heaven that he who chooses may behold, and in

the beholding may set his own house in order" (attributed to Plato).
We know that the "pattern in heaven" or in the realm of divine ideas
that we are to behold is the Christ, the I AM, the divine ideal which is
God's Idea of Himself made manifest as man. Also, we need to remember
that every good manifestation has a divine Idea "in heaven" that has
made possible the visible thing or condition.
It is interesting to observe that the quotation states "he who chooses

may behold, and in the beholding may set his own house in order." When
we "behold" that which is good and true, it is then our choice as to
whether we shall begin to set our own consciousness Lesson 9 Page 8
("house") in order that it may be based only on Truth. Denial and
affirmation play a vital part in setting the mind in order so that the
imagination may have a receptive consciousness upon which to impress
the mental pictures of God's good. By beholding the pattern of innate
perfection, we transform our lives for that which is pictured or imaged
consistently in the imagination becomes manifest in our body and affairs.
One Truth teacher expressed this same thing in these words, "Whatever
we put our attention on we force to come into our life."
If we constantly see (behold) ourselves as essentially good, we will

manifest goodness. When we consistently see ourselves as happy,
comfortably situated, with many friends, loved and being loved, we must
inevitably bring such conditions into our experience. If we see the
opposite, just as certainly will we manifest undesirable conditions. We
form and build the conditions, circumstances, and situations in our own
world, just as we form and build our consciousness of spiritual values.
When we hold in our mind (in our imagination) the picture of Truth, divine
order, perfection, and sustain such a mental picture with our thinking and
feeling, then we may be sure that Truth, divine order, and perfection will
be made manifest in our life and surroundings.
We must "behold" or take hold of with our faculty of imagination that

which we would be or do. We must not only take hold of it, look it over, but
we must hold to the idea firmly and constantly. We need to "behold" the
pattern (idea) first with our conscious phase of mind (thinking) and allow it
to be accepted by the subconscious phase (feeling nature) so that it may
bring forth the likeness in body and affairs. In this way the mind is
renewed—"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
Perhaps the following words, by a religionist of the nineteenth century,
give some idea of the value of our faculty of imagination,
"The soul without imagination is what an observatory would be without

a telescope."
S2L9 Annotations
What steps are taken In the process of thinking?

1. The steps that are taken in the process of thinking are similar to
and correspond to the "steps" (movements) taken by God in the process
of creation, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis, when Divine Mind
ideated the universe, including man.
All the ideas about which man can think inhere in Divine Mind, and
man has access to these ideas. God, in His love and wisdom, has also
given to man the faculty with which to think — his intellect.
We have learned that all life is movement toward consciousness. The

first step in thinking is the conscious use of intelligence. No thinking can
be done without self-consciousness exercising to a degree the thinking
faculty in intelligent movement of mind (cerebration) upon ideas.
"Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). Light represents intelligence. When an

individual thinks, light or intelligence "shines" in the mind. An idea enters
the consciousness through inspiration, and the individual begins to think
about the idea. It becomes a nucleus (seed) around which a state of mind
or consciousness is built, and a productive principle is thus expressed.
The second step in the process of thinking is faith, or the development

of faith, represented by the "firmament." "Let there be a firmament" (Gen.
1:6). Because faith is the perceiving power, we must have faith in God
(perceive that He is the source of all good) and in the idea we are
contemplating, as a starting point. There must be the recognized
possibility in the idea, and faith in its being worked out; that is, expressed
and made manifest. Faith establishes a "firm" starting point or foundation
in consciousness.
The third step in the process of thinking is the action of the

imagination, imaging or picturing the idea as it will appear when
expressed and made manifest. The imagination is the picture-forming
power or faculty of the mind. It forms the vision of the idea, changing it
from the unformed into the form or shape, in thought.
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered
together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so" (Gen.
1:9).
"Waters" here represent unexpressed capacities, the unestablished

elements of the mind out of which all is produced.
"The formative power of mind is the imagination, whose work is here

represented by the dry land" (Mysteries of Genesis 18).
Faith and imagination divide the certainty from the undesired

instability and thus prepare the mind for a decision to be made.
The fourth step in the process of thinking is the action of choice based
on understanding, will, and the perceptive faculties.
"The fourth step in creation is the development of the 'two great lights,'
the will and the understanding, or the sun (the spiritual I AM) and the
moon (the intellect). These are but reflectors of the true light; for God had
said, 'Let there be light: and there was light' — before the sun and the
moon were created. ...
"The 'stars' represent man's perceptive faculties including his ability to

perceive weight, size, color, sound, and the like" (Mysteries of Genesis
19, 20).
The fifth step in the process of thinking is the action or movement of

the faculties of discrimination, discernment, and judgment. We must judge
the contemplated idea in its right relation to other ideas. We need to
clothe the idea with the right kind of "thought stuff" — thoughts that
correspond in nature and character. This movement of thought upon the
idea results in an agreement between mind and heart necessary to bring
it into form.
The sixth step in the process of thinking is the intelligent action of life
and substance. They enliven ideas and bring them forth "after their kind"
(Gen. 1:11). In other words, in this "step" ideas are fulfilling the purpose
for which they were created.
The seventh step in the process of thinking is the realization that the
law has been fulfilled. It is "resting" in the assurance that the thought
process has been completed in logical, sequential steps, thus, in divine
order. The seventh step in thinking appears to be of less activity than the
first six, but there is no evidence to prove that the mental process is any
less active during the seventh step than in the preceding six steps.
Making use of these "steps" in the process of thinking, assures man

that his thinking will be on a high level. Following this pattern of thought,
the expression and manifestation of ideas will be complete and satisfying.
Define "imagination."
2. In Divine Mind, imagination is the idea of conceptual imagery. In
man, the imagination is the thought-forming ability within the human
consciousness, the human mind. The imagination is the power to give
form to specific thoughts out of the universal, unformed substance or
Mind essence.
The imagination has been said to be "the scissors of the mind" (The
Game of Life and How To Play It, page 2) — the scissors that cut the
shape for anything. When the use of imagination is based on Truth it
enables the individual to form a clear-cut concept based on a divine idea.
The imagination is responsible for the outpicturing of ideas in accord with
the character of man's thoughts in his attempt to interpret divine ideas.
The imagination is the faculty of mind that is capable of giving form to

ideas that will come forth as things. However, the imagination has to be
linked with faith in order for the ideas to be translated into tangible, visible
things, usable in the world of form. Man's mind must be attuned to Divine
Mind for an influx of creative ideas to find expression in him and made
manifest in his outer world. Charles Fillmore has said, "Faith is the
perceiving power of the mind linked with a power to shape substance"
(Charles Fillmore Prosperity 43). That power is imagination.
When one has recognized that an idea is worthy of further attention,

the faculty of imagination begins the work of producing or forming.
Turning the idea over and over, as one does in meditation, reflection,
using the thinking process, the imaging ability in man makes pictures in
mind of how the idea can be worked out into manifestation. One "sees"
with the mind's eye the shape of that about which one is thinking. The
faculty of imagination then produces that shape in substance. Thus, the
imagination is the bridge between the spiritual and the material realms.
But the imagination has another function — it also translates material
forms back into their spiritual essence (ideas) so that they may be
re-formed according to a perfect pattern.
Give original illustrations of the power of the imaging faculty.

3. Here are some stories of the efficient use of the imaging faculty.
A woman needed a new place in which to live. She began giving

thanks for the perfect place already prepared for her, and she felt secure
about the place being provided. After a church service she was led to
speak a friendly word to a stranger who introduced her to a friend, also a
Truth student, who wanted someone to live with her. The woman who
needed a new place to live was thus guided to her new home, a
household of peace, beauty, and quietness.
The story is told of Luther Burbank, the horticulturist, taking home a

prickly, thorny cactus and transplanting it in a "garden of love." Daily he
blessed the cactus, telling it it had no need of spines and thorns for
protection as it was now in a "garden of love." The spines fell away one
by one, and a lovely plant remained.
This story appealed to a woman who had a cantankerous woman

friend. Mentally the first woman, a Truth student, placed her cantankerous
friend daily in a "garden of love" in her heart, and daily she blessed her.
The attitude of both women changed, and a great change came into the
life of the woman who had had the "barbed" tongue. She became happy
and people noticed the change in her. The Truth student kept the secret
of her constructive use of the imaging faculty, the imagination.
A woman often lay awake at night worrying about her son who
traveled. She recalled the story of the baby Moses being placed in an ark
of bulrushes and left in the hands of God. She decided to do the same
thing in prayer with her son. In her thought she safely surrounded her son
with love, wisdom, and protection, forming a mental "picture" of his being
guarded and brooded over by the Presence of God, She placed her son
in his "ark" every night, and she slept serenely.
A young man's mother was experiencing a mental breakdown. He

was inspired with the idea of imaging her as she had been when he was a
half-grown boy. When he prayed for his mother, he saw her in his mind's
eye as relaxed and smiling, her brow smooth, and her body free from
tension. She became receptive to God's healing power, and in a few
months' time she was relaxed, happy, and healthy.
A man desired very much to go to Europe for advanced study. He

prayed, "The Spirit of the Lord goes before me and prepares the way for
my coming." He had, however, no definite conviction about making the
trip. During a period of meditation and prayer he "saw" himself sitting on
the deck of a ship. Then he felt assured that his plans were working out in
divine order. The trip, the period of study, and vacation were manifested
and were completely satisfying and rewarding.
What is the first thing necessary in demonstrating perfection in body

or affairs?
4. The first thing necessary in demonstrating perfection — be it a
perfect mind, body, work, vacation, home, or whatever one may desire of
perfection — is to form a picture or mental image of perfection in mind.
Then one must hold (sustain) that image in mind, constantly giving thanks
that it is being brought forth in divine order. One must perceive the
possibility of the idea as an actuality in one's experience. Then through
desire to experience the fulfillment of that idea, one must give it
substance through faith in it, thus, forming it in the faculty of imagination.
Thoughts and feelings must accept the idea as a reality even before there
is evidence of its being demonstrated or made an actuality in visible form.
We must remember that in demonstrating perfection the perfect

mental image or picture of perfection is essential. This image or picture is
conceived in mind and "born" in the illumined human consciousness.
Since perfection is our heritage and our destiny through our Christ nature,
we must think, work, act, and live as though that perfection were manifest
here and now. Otherwise, we will put off demonstrating it indefinitely.
Where does man get the ideal images?

5. Man gets the ideal images from the one Source of all perfect
mental images, ideals, and ideas: the one perfect Mind, Divine Mind,
dwelling in man as the Christ Mind. However, he sometimes blurs the
ideal images with a "double exposure" of the photographic substance of
his limited consciousness. He sometimes misinterprets an idea, thereby
producing an imperfect mental image. The consequent result is the
outpicturing of both good and evil in mind, body, and affairs.
The imagination is like a two-edged sword that is held in the hand. So

long as man grasps it by the handle and securely controls it, it will do him
no harm, but if he loses control the consequences are disastrous to
himself and others. The right interpretation of ideals, and the control of the
use of imagination bring forth right conditions in mind, body, and affairs.
"The imagination is a very powerful faculty, and we must learn to

discipline it if we would make it practical in serving our highest good. By
following the inspiration of the supermind or Jehovah consciousness we
can control the imagination and direct its work to practical ends"
(Mysteries of Genesis 296).
How are diseases harbored indefinitely in the body?

6. Diseases are harbored indefinitely in the body because the image
of health and perfection is not established in the consciousness of man by
the action of the imagination. The imagination must impress the
subconscious phase of mind with the image of health and perfection in
order that man may manifest these qualities.
Man's mind is ever active. Thoughts are generative. The product of

our settled beliefs is either health or disease according to whether these
beliefs are in line with Truth or out of line with it. Continuous thinking
along one line or another forms currents of thought that act as
constructive or destructive agencies in the organism. When we
consciously connect our thinking with a disease atmosphere that has
been generated, we are susceptible to its effects. Fear in us increases the
generation of any particular disease on which we concentrate. Fear
causes a deep impression on our subconscious. Until the error belief is
removed, the conscious and subconscious phases of mind react to the
disease, keeping it active in us. Any thinking that is adverse to Truth is
forming patterns in the imagination and thus held in the subconscious.
These will later manifest as inharmony in body and environment.
"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
How often is the physical body renewed?

7. There is no definite knowledge as to how often the physical body is
completely renewed. Scientists, doctors, and physiologists are in
disagreement about the length of time, some saying a year, some saying,
three months, others saying other lengths of time. By the process of
metabolism, renewal is constant and continuous. But, if the imagination
holds the same old pictures, the idea of being "made new" is not
accepted. The truth is that the mind, the consciousness, needs renewing
daily. When the mind is filled with right ideas, the imaging will result in
renewal of the body. When we make the right application of this
understanding, we will never grow weak or sick or decrepit.
I am the ever-renewing, ever-unfolding expression of infinite life

is an affirmation that answers this question. The physical body is
constantly being renewed in a process that is unending, because every
cell is filled with the continuing sense of life. Consciousness is the
constantly renewing pattern of all that one has thought and experienced,
and it is never static. There is no "time" in Spirit, and the flow of life,
substance, and intelligence momently refreshes and revitalizes mind and
body. Just as unneeded thoughts must be replaced by new ideas, so
must old cells in the body be replaced by new cells composed of light, life,
and substance. Man is given all power through the Word so that he may
use his faculty of imagination in order to accomplish the work of
restoration.
Why do scars and deformities often remain if the body is being

continually made new?
8. Scars and deformities often remain, even though the body is
continually made new, because the memory of the experience which
caused the scar is still embedded in the subconscious phase of mind. The
individual may change the false mental picture to that of perfection
through the right use of the imagination.
It is the subconscious phase of mind that builds and sustains the

physical body. When the subconscious is given the right ideas, thoughts,
and words by the conscious phase of mind then through feeling, the right
pictures are impressed upon the imagination. Scars and deformities will
no longer appear in the body for there will be no negative pictures (mental
patterns) to sustain them. "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly
Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48)
What effect does spiritual treatment have on pictures of error?

9. Spiritual treatment erases pictures of error from both the conscious
and the subconscious phases of mind, i.e. thinking and feeling. With the
mental causes removed the error conditions of body and affairs are
changed.
The subconscious phase of mind, which neither sleeps nor rests, is
the center from which all functions, activities, control, and operations of
the body are carried on. The subconscious is subject to the conscious
phase of mind, especially to the action of the will. It is vital that an
individual learn to discipline his will faculty so that he may control the
faculty of imagination.
Denial withdraws the substance of faith from the error thought form. In
its place is put a new thought form which by faith is filled with divine
substance. In order to erase erroneous pictures, one must have sufficient
spiritual understanding to know the impermanency of them and have
knowledge of the right way to replace them.
Spiritual treatment is primarily for the purpose of making man

conscious of himself as a son of God. This necessitates changing the
thinking, feeling, speaking, doing, so that man may act and react only
from the standpoint of his true nature. The consciousness of Truth
eliminates all error that has been held in the mind. Manifestations of error
also disappear when man rediscovers who he truly is: a son of God;
where he is: in heaven here and now; where he is going: back in
consciousness to the Father to be the divine likeness in actual physical
manifestation.
Explain an individual's improvement in appearance through the

changing of his mental pictures.
10. When through the use of imagination an individual changes his
mental pictures his appearance changes. The processes of release and
renewal, or denial and affirmation, play a vital part in this transformation.
By a correct understanding of mind, its laws and methods of

operation, we see that all adverse conditions are caused and sustained
by our mental states. When the mental state is true, it overrules and
dissipates any opposite state. When the individual concentrates in using
the imaginative faculty to see the Truth he accepts a new picture of
himself as a radiant, beautiful, healthy, harmonious son of God. Thus, the
perfect picture replaces the imperfect, and a change in appearance is
sure to result.
As we set the law of mind into motion by agreement between thinking
and feeling we give the mental image substance and power to bring forth
after its kind. And the law never fails.
Explain the importance of the imagination in the forming of character.

11. The imagination is a most important character-forming attribute or
faculty of the mind. Under the control and direction of the I AM, the
imagination is capable of forming perfect character; capable of giving
perfect expression to the ideas of God for which man is the channel;
capable of bringing into manifestation the visible good that those ideas
embody.
The word character comes from a Greek word meaning "to engrave."
What our imagination "engraves" in the soul will form our character.
Webster's Dictionary says of character
"A sign or token placed upon an object as an indication of some

special fact, as ownership or origin; a mark, brand, or stamp. ... The
aggregate of distinctive qualities belonging to an individual or a race; the
stamp of individuality impressed by nature, education, or habit."
Character is that which an individual really is, while reputation is what

people think he is.
To form good character we must have before us the image of

perfection, the Christ, God's idea of Himself. We must claim this idea of
perfection for ourselves and accept it, for it is the real of us. This can only
be done as the Truth of perfection is allowed to become a picture in our
imaging faculty. God gives us the perfect pattern that was "showed thee in
the mount" (Heb. 8:5). We are in manifestation what our imagination tells
us we are. If it tells us we are weak, fearful, inefficient that is what we will
manifest. If the Truth has been accepted by our soul, then the imagination
will tell us we are strong, courageous, efficient, and successful. We
cannot rise any higher than the mental picture we are holding in our
imagination.
In Truth we are of the same character or nature as God, Absolute
Good. This is the "stamp" that God has placed on man as His image, but
the forming of character is an individual matter. Man "forms" what he
images. The type of man that he images and sustains in his
consciousness, he will manifest.
How may anxious thoughts be overcome?

12. Anxious thoughts may be overcome by keeping the mind stayed
on God and His Truth; by imaging the right kind of thought pictures with
the faculty of imagination.
Anxious thoughts, in fact, worries of all kinds, are caused by our

permitting pictures of error to impress themselves on the imagination. We
know that we have been given dominion over our thoughts and feelings,
but we have failed to exercise this dominion. Many times we allow our
imagination to run riot, and it brings to us many fearful things which were
at first only pictures in the mind (consciousness) and need not have
manifested in body or affairs. Our work in Truth is to cast out by denial the
false beliefs that caused the error pictures before they become
established in the subconscious phase of mind as a working pattern.
Once established, a more rigorous program of denials and affirmations
may be necessary.
We overcome anxious thoughts and their results by having faith in

God, the good omnipotent, and knowing that that good is the only
Presence and the only Power in our life. When we sense something
considered unpleasant, we need to declare the Truth and see the good
back of the situation or circumstance. We draw right conclusions about
the trouble by using wisdom and good judgment in our thinking, speaking,
and acting. We use our imagination constructively and sustain only
positive reactions in our thoughts and feelings. We face the negative
condition or situation with Truth. We do not deny the fact of its existence,
but we do deny its reality. Through prayer we seek God's guidance in
handling it. We no longer see it as something too difficult for us to solve
but as an opportunity to call forth our spiritual resources.
It matters not if the problem is one of ill-health (in ourselves or others),
lack in finances, inharmony in human relations, or failure in some
undertaking. Through prayer we impress the imagination with health,
plenty, harmony, success, and the outer condition changes in an orderly
way. The Psalmist sings, "My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For
my expectation is from him" (Psalms 62:5). Jesus Christ lovingly
admonishes us, "Be not therefore anxious" (Matt. 6:31).
What explanation is there for the appearances of ghosts?

13. The term "ghosts" is a name that is applied to error thought forms,
phantoms of an unenlightened mind, resulting from distorted and
misguided imagination. The meaning of the word ghost shows us the
thing that it is intended to designate — an indefinite, unstable, foggy
specter floating about in the realm of man's mentality.
Beliefs in ghosts are illustrations of the unreliability of an uncontrolled

imagination. When the imagination becomes active, it forms mental
images that correspond to negative thoughts. These mental images
become mind projections, sometimes appearing as ghosts. Ghosts are
very real to some persons, and they are actually seen; or the imagination
of the persons tells them that they are seen, but they have no reality or
power and can be denied away with a word of Truth.
Why is it unwise for one to give himself up to excessive daydreaming?

14. It is unwise for one to give himself up to excessive daydreaming
(uncontrolled use of the imagination) because the mental habits that one
forms through excessive daydreaming are not conducive to good
concentration. Excessive daydreaming prevents constructive thinking.
A daydream is a "reverie filled with pleasing, often illusory, visions or

anticipations" (Webster's Dictionary). There are daydreams that are but a
purposeless rambling of the imagination; hollow, meaningless shells
without substance. They are not usually founded on a specific idea or
plan, on any desire to accomplish something through effort of the
dreamer, or through necessity for some particular thing.
Indulging excessively in daydreams and letting the mind wander
become a habit which, if persisted in, brings undesirable consequences,
because the imagination is not being used in constructive and creative
channels. Mind is ever active, but man must direct its activity. Through the
imagination one can project an image of an object without, or of ideas
within. An idea has to be repeated and used many times before it is
thoroughly established in the subconscious phase of mind where it
becomes a reproductive pattern.
To indulge excessively in daydreams is often pleasant, but more often

profitless. In this practice man's thought forces are frequently scattered
and the focus of his attention and interest wanders to such an extent that
he later finds it hard to think logically, creatively, and profitably along
useful and purposeful lines of thought.
Instead of giving himself up to excessive daydreaming, one should

use the formative power of thought, especially the imagination, to form
clear mental pictures of divine ideas. Then, knowing that he is the
all-wise, all-loving, all-conquering son of God, man should use his faith,
understanding, will, and imagination to help himself to act and to achieve.
is there any power outside of man to harm him?

15. There is but one Presence and one Power in the universe, God,
the good omnipotent.
Therefore, there is no power outside of man to harm him. However, he

harms himself by giving power to the imperfect pictures that the
imagination projects in the mental or psychical realm.
Man has freedom of choice and may choose either the divine ideas or
the human concepts upon which to think. If he does not use his
God-given power of dominion and allows idle or vagrant thoughts to
register in his mind, he has to deal with them. While nothing outside of
man can harm him, he can allow himself to become receptive to outside
influences and circumstances. It is man's thoughts and feelings that he
must watch and govern, for they bring about the conditions of his life. His
reactions and attitudes toward those conditions formulate and shape the
conditions of the future. Jesus Christ assures us in Luke 10:19:
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and

scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any
wise hurt you."
Man is not intended, however, to attempt deliberately to test these

promises in order to prove his immunity and spiritual power. "Thou shalt
not tempt the Lord thy God" (Matt. 4:7 A.V.). Man is intended to exercise
wisdom and good judgment in all the conditions and circumstances of his
life and affairs. He must know that God is indeed within him and with him,
and that through the indwelling Spirit — I AM, the Christ — he has all
authority.
Man's awareness of the presence of God assures him of instant and

constant protection at all times. The following statement from Emilie Cady
Lessons in Truth 55, held in mind will help free man from the belief that
there is any power outside of himself to harm him:
"I am Spirit, perfect, holy, harmonious. Nothing can hurt me or make

me sick or afraid, for Spirit is God, and God cannot be sick or hurt or
afraid. I manifest my real self through this body now."
What is the cause of "bad dreams"?

16. The cause of "bad dreams" could be said to be confusion and a
sense of insecurity in the consciousness.
Apparently "dreams" have played a vital part in the spiritual

unfoldment of many persons. If the key to them is understood, and the
message they convey is obeyed, then dreams become part of a person's
soul development. Charles Fillmore makes this statement in Mysteries of
Genesis 139:
"The teacher is the Holy Spirit, and all get their lessons in their own
way, some through inspiration, some through dreams, some through
visions, some through flashes of understanding. Spirit uses the avenue
most accessible and open to the student."
When the conscious phase of one's mind is inactive, as during sleep,

the subconscious phase (always at work with the pictures or images man
has stored therein) finds opportunity to slip into the "projector" the images
or mental pictures previously turned over to it by the conscious phase and
flash them upon the mind's screen. If the picture is of inharmony or
imperfection, and not properly interpreted, the person may be so startled
that he cannot get the meaning and, thus, he experiences what he terms
"bad" dreams or nightmares during sleep.
Through studying the subconscious phase of mind one can more

clearly see how dreams reveal the state of mind of the dreamer. Whatever
is imaged in consciousness sooner or later comes to the surface,
expressing all the characteristics of the image. When the conscious
phase of mind is inactive, the subconscious phase reflects or brings to the
surface those images. Since dreams are caused by mental pictures
coming to the surface, it behooves man to feed the "soil" of the
subconscious with Truth ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Only then can true
pictures be formed by the faculty of imagination and become established
mental patterns in the subconscious.
We now see how important it is that the subconscious be cleansed, so

that the ineffective and undesirable pictures may be done away with. Only
then will good be available for projection. The imagination will begin to
form happier, better pictures for filing in memory's storehouse — the
subconscious phase of mind. Thus, there will be no more experience of
"bad dreams."
Which of the sons of Jacob represents the imagination?

17. In the symbology of the Scriptures, Joseph, the favorite son of
Jacob, represents the imagination. Interpreting the narrative of Jacob and
his sons metaphysically, we see an account of the unfoldment of the
natural man before the soul is wholly illumined by spiritual understanding.
In this account, most of the physical and mental faculties are developed
(ten sons) before the imagination (Joseph) is brought into expression.
Joseph had dreams and visions and was able to tell what they stood
for, but the other faculties, his brothers, were skeptical, doubtful. So our
several faculties sometimes object when our imagination declares the
possibility of betterment in our condition. They cast doubt on the feasibility
of letting faith go to work with the image of good that can assure our
greater happiness, health, and success.
Joseph represents the imagination, because he had sufficient

imagination to become an interpreter of dreams. He understood that the
picture symbols appearing in dreams represent certain ideas, beliefs,
thoughts, or concepts at work in the consciousness of an individual, a
nation, or a race. He understood dream symbology as being something
personal and pertinent to the dreamer.
"Among the primal faculties of mind Joseph represents imagination.

This faculty has the power to throw onto the screen of visibility in
substance and life forms every idea that the mind may conceive"
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, Joseph).
When the imaging faculty is developed under divine law, we will get
true mental pictures, whether in dreams or during our waking hours.
Through spiritual understanding we will learn how to interpret such mental
pictures so that the results will be only good.
How should all dreams be interpreted?

18. All dreams should be interpreted according to the ideas they seek
to present and according to the consciousness of the dreamer. Identical
dreams do not usually mean identical things to different dreamers. It is
virtually impossible to give a symbology that will prove true for all people,
because all people do not picture ideas in the same manner. There is,
however, a similarity in the thinking processes of all persons. This often
leads to similar dreams but different interpretations.
One way a person can learn to understand and interpret his own
dreams is if he will immediately upon awakening ask the indwelling Father
for the meaning. If it is essential to know or have an interpretation,
spiritual contemplation in quietness and in confidence will always bring
the needed answer. An individual seeking in this way will be given
whatever guidance is necessary to take any outer steps to regulate his life
and affairs.
"When a person has developed the Joseph state of consciousness

and can give vivid form to his ideas by using his imaginative faculty, he
does not take his dreams or visions in a literal sense, He rather unclothes
the dream of its form by using the same power that he has of clothing
ideas with form. Then he clearly sees the idea hidden behind the forms
and symbols of his dream" (Mysteries of Genesis 317).
Why should children be taught to be fearless?

19. Children should be taught to be fearless because fear has an
unnerving effect and temporarily renders ineffective the use of the mental
faculties. If children are taught to be fearless they will not form mental
images of anything that will harm them or that will produce the emotion of
fear in their thoughts and feelings.
Every man ever aspires to freedom of spirit, soul, and body, and
whatever produces a sense of fear is a limiting, binding, constricting force.
There is but one Presence and one Power in the universe, God, the
good omnipotent.
Therefore, not only children but adults also should always be free of
fear for as children of God we are constantly going to meet our good.
Fear shackles, hobbles, inhibits us, and holds us back from accepting our
good. Fear has no rightful place in the human consciousness for it feeds
the imagination with that which is not true. Of all the false imaging and
harmful thinking that have been carried on in the mind, nothing has done
as great harm as fear. The individual full of fear becomes a pitiable
creature. Children trained in fear live unfulfilled lives until they are able to
release themselves from it. "There is no fear in love: but perfect love
casteth out fear" (I John 4:18).
The readily receptive and plastic consciousness of a child takes
impressions quickly. These can remain in the consciousness all his life,
producing results "after their kind" (Gen. 1:21). However, either good or
bad impressions can be altered or replaced, but the longer they remain
the deeper they cut their groove in the mind, with resultant stronger
reproduction as time goes on. Fear held in the imagination often makes
us lose the good we might have, because we fear to venture toward good
undertakings.
In childhood the faculty of imagination is very active, but the faculty of

judgment is not usually as well developed. The childish mind seizes, on
whatever is offered it and knows not what to reject. We should be very
careful what we tell children, or allow others to tell them, that might cause
fearful images to become impressed on the subconscious. These fearful
images can affect the whole life of the child until they are understood and
their power denied.
It is, therefore, highly desirable and important that a child be taught

Truth so that he may grow happily, freely, conscious of the wonders of his
spirit, mind, body, and surrounding world.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind" (II Tim. 1:7 A.V.).
What relation does "beholding" bear to the work of transforming man?

20. To behold means "to look upon or at; to view; to see; to hold; to
observe." To transform means "to give a different form to; to change; to
change the form of; to transmute." The relation between "beholding" and
"transformation" is that of cause and effect.
Beholding is a basic requisite In the work of transforming man.

Beholding from a metaphysical standpoint means to keep in sight the
transforming power in man, because we become in experience and
manifestation like that which we behold in our thinking; like that picture we
hold in our consciousness through the use of the imagination. Beholding
precedes the working of the imagination. It is what we look at, behold, that
becomes the pattern from which the imagination will work.
A marvelous transformation takes place in the mind, body, and affairs
of man as a result of his "beholding" in the imagination the pictures of
ideal conditions, in mind, body, and affairs.
"Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest
what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that hath this hope
set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (I John 3:2,3).
Series 2 - Lesson 10 - Will and

Understanding
Lesson
1. What is will? What is understanding? What is the relation of will to
understanding?
As we study the faculty of will and the faculty of understanding, we
learn that each is a divine idea in God Mind, a spiritual power, a spiritual
pattern or principle to be used by man. Each is a mental faculty operating
in man's consciousness and manifesting as a part of his body organism.
The will is the executive idea and the understanding is the "knowing" idea,
the reasoning principle. In the individual consciousness these two must
always work together, according to the Christ standard, in order to
produce harmony and fulfillment in one's soul, body, and affairs. "The will
is the executive power of the mind. ... In all systems of thought
con-centration and spiritual attainment, the will, the executive faculty,
plays the leading part" (Keep a True Lent, pages 156, 19)
2. What is the will of God and what is it to do the will of God?

Will is the power to act without restriction from any source; the
privilege to use all the powers of God within, either in a constructive way
or in a destructive way to fulfill all the desires an individual may have. The
will is the power to affirm and deny, to say "yes" and "no." "The will must
be dealt with in every movement because it is the very essence of
self-consciousness" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, page 577).
Understanding is the power or faculty that enables one to know, to
vision, to see, and to feel. It is the power that enables one to forget past
mistakes and shortcomings of himself and others and come into a higher
state of consciousness. Understanding provides the vision, and the will
provides the motive power by which the vision can become manifest in
one's life. Understanding is expressed by and through the will. "Where
there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18 A.V.). Without
understanding of the Source of our good and how to attain that good, we
could not live. Without the motive power to act (will) upon the vision, we
should perish.
"There is a knowing quality in Divine Mind. God is supreme knowing.

That in man which comprehends is understanding; it knows and
compares in wisdom. Its comparisons are not made in the realm of form,
but in the realm of ideas" (Christian Healing, page 112).
Man, created in the image and after the likeness of God, is endowed
with divine freedom and the power to exercise that freedom as he
chooses. Man's heritage is all the ideas of Divine Mind—all the powers of
Being, all the qualities of God—thus making man a special unit in
universal life. He may enter into and live the life universal wherein he
places himself consciously in unity with all the good that is provided by his
Creator for his unfoldment and well-being. Or he may feel separate from
God, from his fellow man, and from his fellow creatures and try to live that
way. God never forces Himself on man, therefore man is left free to use
his powers either constructively or destructively. Man would be a mere
machine had he not the privilege of making use of the powers that are
inherent in him in whatso-ever way he may choose.
The right to exercise freedom of will was given to man in the very
"beginning. His misuse of this privilege brought upon the world all the
burden of sin and of sorrow that it has since experienced. In the allegory
in the second chapter of Genesis, we find man, as the first Adam,
experiencing suffering through an ignorant use of his will for the sake of
what he considered personal advantage. The second Adam, or Jesus
Christ, "the resurrected Adam" (Talks on Truth, page 137) stands His
testing with regard to the righteous use of the will and by His victory lifts
up the race.
This may seem contradictory to the statement that man has free will. If
he must "give up" his will, is he free? To answer this correctly we must
consider "understanding" in its relation to "will":
The divine, universal will is good. "It is not the will of your Father . . .
that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt. 18:14). This text
indicates the will of the Father toward His children. The Psalmist
compares the love of God with the love of earthly parents and argues that
God loves men and wills only good for them, even as fathers after the
flesh "will" good for their children. An understanding of God as Father
eliminates from man's consciousness the error belief that God wills
suffering for man. Any loving father or mother would be grieved to have a
child think the parent willed suffering, and no child that persisted in such a
thought would be considered normal. Much more should this be true in
our relations with God. Bible texts that seem to indicate a supreme will of
cruelty should not be accepted with such an interpretation.
Nature affords us valuable illustrations that help to make clear the

question of God's will. In nature there is an invisible power that
continuously moves to bring into manifestation all its different elements in
the same way that God moves to have His perfect ideas (elements)
brought into expression. The one tendency of this power in nature is to
produce perfect specimens of each species in order that beauty and
harmony may abound. When a tree is scarred, the processes of nature
heal the wound, barren places are covered with vegetation of some kind,
dead stumps are covered with vines. As there is a great silent power in
nature moving for complete expression of nature's products, so there is a
great moving activity in the universe that tends toward perfect expression.
This universal movement is not anything apart from the movement in
nature nor from the movement in man. The cause or source of this
movement toward perfection in nature, in man, and in everything else in
the universe, is what we call "the will of God."
It has been found that some cases of illness do not respond readily to
spiritual treatment because the belief has been fixed in the patient's mind
that God wills suffering. The patient should be treated to the end that he
may understand that the divine will, God's purpose for all His creation, is
only good. When the patient accepts this premise, he experiences in his
body and affairs the harmony that is "the will of God." Another mistaken
belief that man has in "giving up" to the will of God is that he must
become negative or inert--waiting, as it were, for some outside power to
impel him to action. God is omnipresent and, therefore, there is just as
much activity in man as there is anywhere else in the universe.
"Giving up" to the will of God is not a negative process; it consists in

accepting one's deepest and truest impulses as the will of God and giving
these impulses expression.
The next point to clear up in learning the right use of the faculty of will
is the difference between the faculty of will and the personal use of this
faculty. In man's true estate he has under-standing and wills to act upon
that which is true and right. This is the will faculty functioning at one with
the divine will. What is so often called the "personal will" is the ignorant,
selfish use of the mental faculty that we call the will. It is this unrighteous
use of the will faculty that is to be given up to the divine, universal will.
Man is free only when he exercises his will faculty in divine
under-standing. He is in bondage when he allows the will faculty to be
dominated by selfish desire. When one is following Spirit and seeking to
do the will of God, he should count all his experiences as stepping-stones
to good.
One must be willing to give up limited desires of the personal man in

order to enter into the joys of the universal. When manifest man is
unenlightened, his life is largely devoted to unworthy aims and his
thoughts are welded to the material only. Yet this renunciation of limited
concepts of self can be and must be made before man can enter into the
realization of what the "will of God" is. If one does not give up willingly, the
law itself seeks to bring about an adjustment.
When the individual will faculty is consciously one with God through
spiritual understanding, then is fulfilled the promise, "If ye abide in me,
and my words abide in you. ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done
unto you" (John 15:7) "Ask whatsoever ye will" is the privilege of men who
pray in the understanding of themselves as the Christ of God.
The righteous use of the faculty of will is the open door to the
fulfillment of all the promises of God. The Scriptures confirm this in the
following verses: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of
the land" (Isa. 1:19). "If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the
teaching" (John 7:17). "He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (I
John 2:17). Every blessing is for men when they will to do the will of God,
therefore "be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is"
(Ephes. 5:17), and "that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in
all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col. 1:9).
Throughout His ministry Jesus taught the Father's will; but something
more is needed than just to know the "letter" of His teachings. Spiritual
quickening is necessary. "But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of
the Almighty giveth them under-standing" (Job 32:8).
An intellectual comprehension of Truth only does not meet the full

requirement of exercising the faculty of will in spiritual understanding.
"Intellectual knowledge comes first in the soul's development, then a
deeper understanding of principles follows until the whole man ripens into
wisdom" (Keep a True Lent, page 155). Page 4 The Lord appeared to
Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what I shall give thee" (I Kings 3:5).
Solomon replied, "Give thy servant there-fore an understanding heart to
judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil" (I Kings 3:9).
The Lord was pleased because Solomon had asked for wisdom instead of
riches and honor, and said, "Behold, I have done according to thy word:
lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart . . . And I have
also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor" (I
Kings 3:12, 13). Understanding has, therefore, been called the "key to all
good." Solomon chose that which he most desired—understanding--and
because he chose wisely, the Lord bestowed great riches upon him. * So,
it is with us: understanding is our "key to all good" for under-standing
opens the door to health, prosperity, love, and happiness. Often we seek
for understanding in the outer or through other persons rather than in
seeking for it within ourselves. As we endeavor to understand others, then
we find the fulfillment of our own desire for understanding.
It was immediately after this occurrence that two women appealed to

Solomon to decide whose child it was that they both claimed. "And the
king said, Fetch me a sword . . . And the king said, Divide the living child
in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the
woman, whose the living child was, unto the king, for her heart yearned
over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in
no wise slay it. But the other said, it shall be neither mine nor thine; divide
it. Then the king answered and said, give her the living child, and in no
wise slay it: She is the mother thereof" (I Kings 3:24-27). This is a fine
example of intuitive understanding on the part of Solomon. Instead of the
usual taking of testimony and the various methods of proving the case by
witnesses, Solomon appealed directly to the heart and got the truth
instantly. No amount of exoteric testimony would have accomplished what
the appeal to the heart of the mother brought forth instantly. Some Truth
students become so enamored of the revelations through the head that
they fail, to go on to the unfoldment of spiritual understanding that comes
from God through the heart.
To "do the will of God" is to think and to express oneself in harmony

with the Truth of Being (God). As stated before, Jesus taught the Father's
will. He put Truth into simple form for our benefit when He gave His
commandments--"and his commandments are not grievous" (I John 5:3);
they are the way to life. When they are interpreted according to the
"letter," some of them seem indeed like hard sayings but to one in spiritual
understanding, interpreted ac-cording to the "spirit that giveth life" (II Cor.
3:6), they are a lamp to the feet and a light upon the way, rejoicing the
soul.
3. Explain the Scripture "Resist not him that is evil" (Matt. 5:39).
The necessity of a clear understanding of the words of Jesus may be
illustrated by this commandment: "Resist not him that is evil" (Matt. 5:39)
or, as the margin reads, "Resist not evil." Two men may have an equally
great desire to "do the will of God" in the matter of taking the right attitude
toward evil and may accept this command as their light. However, one
may interpret it literally, while the other interprets it in spiritual
understanding. The one who follows the literal interpretation finds himself
becoming negative, and error conditions grow larger and larger,
threatening to overthrow him. The other holds himself in tune with Spirit,
and while he does not resist evil conditions, he takes a positive attitude
toward good and thus overcomes all beliefs in evil as a creation of God.
Through ignorance the one fails to exercise his will, the other exercises
his will in spiritual understanding.
4. What does a state of mental resistance indicate?

A state of resistance is always evidence of an unyielding personal will
or limited use of the faculty of will. When consciously linked with God,
man increases his capacity to use his will righteously, and his life
becomes more Christlike in manifestation.
The Old Testament narrates that Joseph had two sons. "And Joseph
called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For, said he, God hath made
me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the
second called he Ephraim: For God hath made me fruitful in the land of
my affliction" (Gen. 41:51, 52). The oldest son, Manasseh, had power to
forget--to erase through an understanding of Truth—all the accumulated
burden of negative thoughts, even those of heredity. Understanding here
denotes the ability to deny, the passive or receptive activity of mind. The
other son, Ephraim, could add to or make fruitful the "land" that seemed
to be a place of affliction. Manasseh represents "understanding," and
Ephraim stands for "will." The will is the positive or affirmative quality, the
affirmative attitude of mind. These two sons of Joseph inherited his
allotment in the Promised Land, which represents the redeemed and
perfected body'. Their allotment was together; they were never separated.
These processes in consciousness are symbolized in the body by the
front brain, which is their field of operation. When the will is working
strongly, we corrugate the brow, and the quick understanding causes the
eyes to flash. The first step that a beginner in Truth takes, is to set up a
new and better state of consciousness, based on the Absolute (God). He
forgets or denies reality to the not-good, and brings into vivid
remembrance the good by affirming it alone to be the real. These two
mental processes should go hand in hand as shown "by the joint
ownership by Manasseh and Ephraim in the Promised Land. All that we
realize, all that becomes part of our character, must enter our
consciousness through these mental processes. We must know for
ourselves and our knowledge must come through conscious
understanding; then it must be expressed by the will. The understanding
and will faculties should be especially active in the one who would control
the sensations of the body.
5. How does man exercise control of his faculties and their

expression?
In the New Testament, Matthew and Thomas represent will and
understanding.
Matthew—gift of Jehovah . . . given wholly unto Jehovah. . . .
represents the will faculty in man. The will always enters into man's
decisions. The will makes the final choice to give up all and follow Jesus.
This lesson on the surrendering of the old beliefs and conditions, that the
greater increase of good may come into one's life, is based on Matthew
because Matthew represents the will. . . . Under the spiritual law, the will
becomes a producer. . . . When the individual will has become a disciple
of the Christ, spiritual I AM, the schooling of the man begins. . . . "Thomas
is the disciple of Jesus Christ who represents the understanding faculty in
man. . . .
"Among the disciples of Jesus, Thomas stood for the head,

representing reason and intellectual perception. Jesus did not ignore
Thomas' demand for physical evidence of His identity, but respected it"
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, pages 433, 434, 654).
Some have called Thomas "doubting Thomas" because he sought

proof upon which to base his faith. But it must be conceded that he had
an inquiring mind, one that sought the Truth about all things. Thomas had
a strong, positive faith like Peter's, and in some ways it manifested itself
like Jeter's faith. However, Peter's faith seemed more optimistic than that
of Thomas. Thomas is thought by many Bible students to have had a
pessimistic streak in him, al-though probably most of this supposition is
based on one incident.
Thomas, the earnest one, the disciple who was determined to

understand so that he could carry out whatever was expected of him,
asked the question that probably was in the minds of others, "Lord, we
know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?" (John 14:5) Here
Thomas represents reason functioning in the realm of sense, seeking to
discern the things of Spirit through outer signs. The truth contained in
Jesus' answer to Thomas, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no
one cometh unto the Father, but by me,' [John l4:6], is, that the I AM in
man, or the Christ, is the open door to the Kingdom of God"
(Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, page 654).
The above statement, which has meant so much to Christians through

the centuries, was made because Thomas, the disciple who sought to
understand, dared ask his question. Now, thanks to Thomas' question
and Jesus' answer, we may know the way. The I AM in man, or the Christ,
is the open door to the kingdom of God. To what extent do we have
control over our faculties and their expression? As spiritual beings we
have inherited dominion and authority over every faculty and its
expression. However, we have not always recognized, accepted, and
used our right to control mind activity, and adverse conditions have been
formed in our body and affairs. In order to exercise control over the
faculties and their expression, we must begin to exercise the will faculty in
spiritual understanding. We begin with the recognition and
acknowledgment of the Christ Mind in us, the realm of pure knowing. This
realm is the realm of divine ideas or patterns for our thinking. Then,
through denial, affirmation, meditation, prayer, and the practice of the
Presence in daily living, we align our thoughts with the Christ Mind, thus
"bringing every thought into a harmonious relation to eternal
unchangeable principles" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, page 654). By
aligning the conscious phase of the mind (intellect) with the Christ Mind
(Superconscious) only that which is good and true is given to the
subconscious phase. Thus, a perfect mind action is established and
control over our faculties and their expression is exercised in divine order.
That which is stored in the subconscious phase of mind is

"subjective." The tape recorder is a good illustration of this. The recorder
never stores up music or sounds of any kind except as they are "spoken"
into it. The tape record, when once made, can, under right conditions, be
repeated any number of times or its impressions erased. Whatever is
accepted by the conscious phase of mind is stored in the subconscious,
and the subconscious "makes" or pro-duces the conditions of the body
and the environment in which we live. The subconscious phase of mind
may seem to be beyond the control of the conscious phase, but control is
'always within reach of the one who exercises his faculty of will in
understanding. If we let all kinds of thoughts into our conscious phase of
mind, we will store them in our subconscious phase. "If we sing a song, or
give a groan, it is-all "recorded-wit.in. This "accounts for every condition
that we experience. Sometimes we wonder why we find our-selves in the
midst of certain conditions, not understanding that they are reactions or
the "sounding forth of the records that have been impressed on our
subconscious.
6. How should children be taught in their formative years to use will
and understanding?
We must make unity in understanding with the great knowing Mind. In
Divine Mind there is no such thing as ignorance. We should never say, "I
do not know." When we say this, we draw a cloud of ignorance over our
consciousness. Children are sometimes kept in bondage by parents and
teachers holding them to be dull and slow of comprehension. We may
help such children by declaring for them, "God is your intelligence."
The will of children should never be broken but should be

strengthened. Children should be taught to do right because it is right and
good, instead of being forced to follow the will of others. We must make
clear to children that all good comes through obedience to spiritual law
and that it can come in no other way; that conscious, deliberate, and
wholehearted observance of known laws will ensure success and
happiness. Children should be shown the results that follow from making
a wrong choice, from using the will to bring about results that are selfish
and unwise. Right understanding of their relation to God's laws should be
pointed out to children so that they may see how to exercise their will
faculty righteously (through understanding) thus making wise and loving
decisions in matters that come to them for action.
The underlying principle of life is God, Absolute Good, and all of

man's calculations in life should have their beginning in this truth. Man's
life will become stable only when built upon this principle. God is Spirit,
and the things of God must be spiritually discerned. Through discernment
we understand God; through under-standing God we become wise in the
application of God's ideals or powers in us. Through the right use of these
powers we come into knowledge of God and of who and what man is.
In Lesson Three of Series Two it was explained that:
"Ideal man is I AM; manifest man is I will. I AM is the Lord God,

Jehovah, of the Scriptures, and I will is the Adam. One represents the
inner man, and the other the outer or formed man. It is the I AM that forms
and breathes into the I will man 'the breath of life' . . . In the realm of the
ideal, we are I AM; when we are expressing and interpreting the ideas of
Divine Mind in our thoughts and in our acts, we are I will."
7. Why is it unwise for one individual to dominate another?
Everything centers about the will, therefore, nothing should ever be
done that interferes with the freedom of one's own will or the will of
others.
"Like a fountain that never faileth,

My life and will are free;
Therefore whatever belongeth to God
Rightfully belongeth to me."—Selected.
Those who submit themselves to hypnotism and mediumship weaken

the will faculty; instead of exercising the will in the right way themselves
they surrender it and gradually lose conscious dominion. The whole
consciousness is thrown into disorder because the will faculty, having
been denied its rights, has lost its hold and can no longer control the
processes of thinking and feeling.
8. What has free will to do with expression?

In all the affairs of life the will should be respected. We should never
try to compel friends and relatives to follow our pat-terns of living of what
is right, even in small matters. Parents should never dominate children
but guide them; husbands should never dominate wives; wives should
never dominate their husbands. Children should be taught the laws of life
and obedience to Truth, but they should be allowed freedom to express
their spiritual powers. The will directs the other faculties of the mind and
must be free to do this. Impulses arise within the individual in the form of
good motives, good intentions. Without free-will they cannot be
expressed, and this results in loss of some form of manifest good to the
individual and to the community. Repression of the will faculty causes
suffering because the spiritual qualities such as life, love, and wisdom
cannot come forth to produce the "abundant life" of which Jesus spoke.
A text in the Authorized Version of the Bible reads, "The kingdom of

heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Matt. 11:12
A.V.). A more reasonable translation is given in the German, which makes
the passage read thus: "The kingdom of heaven is open to invasion by
the resolute will, and the resolute will taketh it by assertion." This is so
clear that it scarcely needs comment. All students of Truth have
experienced the taking of the kingdom by assertion or affirmation, and
they know that it often requires a very resolute will because of the
negative states of consciousness that have formed through neglect or
ignorant exercise of the will faculty.
There is a great difference between entering into the realization of life,

strength, power and merely receiving suggestions of these qualities.
Suggestion is from without, and it may be based on either Truth or error;
spiritual realization is from within and is always Truth. Truth is first
"suggested" to the individual, but for it to be realization he must let Spirit
within reveal the Truth back of the words that were "suggested.
Statements of Truth spoken in understanding quicken the mind to an
abiding consciousness of the Truth of Being, and permanent health and
happiness is the result.
9. What has the will to do with the forming of a perfect physical "body?
"Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:11)—the perfect man. Building is ex-pression; it is
the work of the will using the creative power of God. When built in spiritual
understanding, the structure will not fall. The will working without
understanding has (through the sub-conscious phase of mind) built many
error conditions into the body, making it a tabernacle instead of an
everlasting temple. These errors are pictures made by the imaging
faculty. There must be understanding as to what change is to be made in
the image, and there must also be the faith that it can be changed, and
the will to carry the change into effect. When these errors and the
tabernacle-states-of-consciousness that they have formed are dissolved
by denial, then "we have a building from God . . . eternal, in the heavens"
(II Cor. 5:1) that is, a spiritual consciousness. Then are we clothed with
the perfect Christ body.
10. What is it to "be reconciled to God? Give three affirmations that

have helped you to bring about this reconciliation in your own
consciousness and in your body and affairs.
"Be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20) means "Be willing that His will
be done." Submission to the divine will is not a negative giving up to
circumstances and conditions but a blending of man's use of will with
God's through the understanding that back of all that appears is the great
universal will, willing only good.
What we really will to do, that we do. Sometimes we think we will to
do when we merely have a desire or a longing or a wish-to-do. Desire is
more of a reaching out of the soul for satisfaction. When the will acts in
accord with the desire, then we do the thing we want to do. To will is to
do, and the power must come from within. We may will to do a thing we
do not desire to do, or we may very much desire to do something that we
do not will to do. We may desire to be well and strong, but before this is
accomplished in fact, we must will to be well and make active our powers
to that end. We must will until we have retrained the subconscious in the
ways of Spirit, and then automatically we shall express in mind, body, and
affairs the perfection which the I AM is. "Willing" is not a hard personal
effort. It is only so when the unenlightened man is trying to carry out some
of his ambitions. The will in its true estate acts easily and accomplishes
wonders without apparent effort. In divine order it works from within, from
the I AM, instead of from the outer consciousness. When man learns to
go within and make himself consciously one with the Supreme Will, he will
be able to control and direct all the functions of the body as well as the
activities of the mind and the heart (i.e., thinking and feeling).
The following statements may be used in establishing conscious

union with the divine will:
"Not my will, but thine, be done."

I will to do the will of God.
I am free to do the will of God.
I delight to do Thy will, 0 God.
I exercise power, mastery, and dominion through Jesus
Christ and not through the limited use of the will" faculty.
SOLOMON'S COUNSEL
"My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee;
So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,
And apply thy heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou cry after discernment,
And lift up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hid treasures:
Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah,
And find the knowledge of God.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom;
Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
That he may guard the paths of justice,
And preserve the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice,
And equity, yea, every good path.
For wisdom shall enter into thy heart,
And knowledge shall he pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall watch over thee;
Understanding shall keep thee."
—Proverbs 2:1-11.
S2L10 Annotations
What is will? What is understanding? What is the relation of will to

understanding?
1. Like other spiritual powers of man (as the lesson emphasizes),
"will" is an idea in Divine Mind — the idea of action toward a specific end.
Will is the executive power of the mind, the mental faculty that has the
privilege of using all the spiritual power within. It is the will faculty that
gives one the ability to affirm, to say "yes" or to deny, to say "no," to
accept or reject. Even though the faculty of judgment may choose,
evaluate, discern, the will must act in order to bring a desired result. God
never forces His will (plan) upon us. If He did, our spiritual powers would
never be developed. Man is a son of God, becoming self conscious.
Righteous use of his faculty of will enables man to express his spiritual
powers (mental faculties).
Understanding is also a divine idea. It is the idea of "knowing," as the

lesson points out. As a mental faculty it enables one to see mentally, to
know. It is the "know-how" for anything in the universe. Sometimes when
the truth about something is revealed we exclaim "Oh, I see!" This is not a
physical "seeing" but a mental comprehension.
Study of this subject reveals the close relation of "will and

understanding"; will needs understanding so that it does not act contrary
to divine law; understanding needs will in order that the individual may
move out of the theoretical into the practical fulfilling of God's laws, and it
takes will to add "feet" to understanding to produce manifest results.
What is the will of God, and what is it to do His will?

2. It is good for us to realize at the outset of Truth study that the "will
of God" is actually His plan of perfection for every species of creation.
That is, a certain species of seed comes forth as a particular tree; the
flower seed as a rose, a buttercup, etc.; and the animals, reptiles, birds,
fish, all according to their own plan. We must also recognize the Truth that
God's will for man is His plan of perfection, for man was created in the
beginning in God's image and after His likeness.
God's will is also His purpose, design, and intent of Absolute Good for
man and all creation. In man, God's will can also be called the I AM
identity in him, for it is the perfect law of mind action that produces only
good.
To do the will of God means to cooperate consciously with the law of

mind action in thinking, feeling, word, action, and reaction. When man
recognizes that the will of God is the operation of the law of mind action,
and trains himself to think, feel, speak, act, and react in accordance with
this law, plan, design, and purpose of God, then it can be said that he is
doing the will of God.
"Man is the executive power in Being and only through his willing
cooperation can the designs of the true God be carried out. These
designs are based on principles that cannot be changed, and man must
come into such close touch with the wisdom of God that he will
consciously cooperate in bringing the perfect creation into existence"
(Keep a True Lent 61).
(For further information on the "will of God" see How I Used Truth
Lesson 1 Annotation 9)
Is it God's will that man should suffer? Give reasons for your answer.
3. It is not God's will that man should suffer. The will of God is an
exact principle of good, or else all would be in chaos, and man would
have no foundation for his faith, no workable law for his unfoldment.
The exactness of the law gives each man an equal opportunity, and
the results that one experiences in his life show whether he correctly
applies the law of love to his life or not. Man makes mistakes through the
ignorant use of his freedom of will and brings suffering on himself. When
he learns how to use this freedom in the right way, to harmonize his
faculty of will with the divine will or purpose of good for all, then he draws
to himself a good manifestation.
What has the will to do with the fulfillment of God's promises?

4. The will has a great deal to do with the fulfillment of God's
promises. The promises of God are statements of the universal law of
God, which tell how His laws operate in the lives of men. In Lessons In
Truth Lesson 6 Annotation 7 we read:
"The 'promises of God' are declarations of eternal unchanging laws or

truths, whether they are found in the almanac, in the physical universe, or
in the Bible."
If man's understanding is spiritually illumined, he may place his faculty

of will in line with the universal will (plan), and all the "promises of God,"
or the results of following the law, will automatically become an
harmonious part of his life. If he wills to work against the universal law
because of his ignorance of the law, he may do so; in that case the law
that can fulfill the "promises" will still work, but not to bring the desired
fulfillment.

What have the sayings of Jesus to do with the development of the
will?
5. The sayings and the commandments of Jesus not only reveal the
will of God but they show man how to cooperate with this will.
"The will is the executive power of the mind. The commandments of

Jesus teach the Father's will. Those who keep them are therefore at one
with the will of God" (Keep a True Lent 156).
As one ponders over the sayings and the commandments of Jesus,

he comes into a knowledge of what the divine will for man is, for Jesus
taught that the will of God is good. When man consciously accepts the
truth that God's will or plan means all good and harmony for him, then he
is willing to be guided by the will of God, and he can say with Jesus:
"Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
(Additional references to this subject may be found in Jesus Christ

Heals 91, 92, and 95.)
Explain the scriptural passage "resist not him that is evil" (Matt. 5:39
A.R.V.).
6. To explain the statement "resist not him that is evil" (or, as the
Revised Standard Version reads, "Do not resist one who is evil"), one
must understand the meaning of "evil." If God is Absolute Good, it stands
to reason that He could not or would not create something unlike Himself.
What man terms "evil" is therefore an appearance of error which has
resulted from the wrong application of thought power.
"'Evil" represents error thought combinations; that part of

consciousness which has lost sight of true principles" (Mysteries Of
Genesis 39).
These "error thought combinations" have produced inharmonious

conditions that cause man pain. "Evil" is not real and enduring because
God did not create it. Mankind is endowed with the power to form mind
essence into concepts, beliefs, circumstances, conditions and things and
then name them according to the pleasure or pain they bring to him. What
man has formed by negative thought, he can change or reform by good
thought. He does not need to fight or resist these formations, or even the
person who seems to be responsible. He needs to understand these
negative formations and take the right attitude toward them. Then, using
his faculty of will, he may reform error formations through right thinking,
right feeling, right words, and right conduct.
In taking a positive attitude toward the good, we are giving our

attention to the One Presence and One Power in the universe, God, the
Good Omnipotent.
"The greatest disintegrating element in the human consciousness is

resistance. Beware of every form of fighting, and of all thoughts of a
destructive character" (THE REVEALING WORD, Resistance).
What does a state of "mental resistance" indicate?

7. A state of mental resistance indicates that one is undisciplined or
untrained in the use of his faculty of will. It shows that the will faculty is
working independently of the faculty of understanding, because of
personal willfulness, stubbornness, or the determination to have one's
own way. We might say that resistance is another name for willfulness.
"A mental state of resistance indicates an unyielding personal will. Evil

has no power except that which man gives it by his thought. Resisting evil
is a way of affirming its power" (THE REVEALING WORD, Resistance).
Little is accomplished by a person in this state of consciousness, but

when he becomes willing to let the divine will express through him, he
yields himself to God and thus becomes adaptable to the universal good.
There is then no limit to his accomplishment.
What faculties are represented by Ephraim and Manasseh?

8. Ephraim represents "will" and Manasseh represents
"understanding," brothers, and sons of Joseph. They must work together
in perfect harmony to attain perfect results, symbolized by their allotments
being joined in the Promised Land.
These two — will and understanding — are especially active in one

who would fulfill his mission of expressing and manifesting his Christ Self,
showing forth the image-likeness of God in his daily life. When these two
faculties express in harmony, divine order is established. They have their
centers of activity in the head, and both function through the front brain.
What phase of mental action is illustrated by the tape recorder?

9. The subconscious or subjective phase of mind is illustrated very
well by the tape recorder. By the conscious phase of mind (intellect), that
which is put into the subconscious phase of mind is impressed or
recorded there. As we play the tape those beliefs and feelings (good, bad,
indifferent) come to the surface of our life and are acted out in our
everyday experiences.
The subconscious phase is equally as sensitive as the tape recorder,

which picks up sounds not consciously intended to be recorded. However,
the unwanted impressions can be erased from the subconscious in the
same way that the impressions on a tape are erased – by the use of
different ideas, thoughts, feelings, and worde. There are times, however,
when it is best to erase the unwanted beliefs by the process of denial, and
immediately follow by affirming what we really want to be established in
the subconscious, and eventually in our outer life.
How does man exercise control of his faculties and all their
expressions?
10. Man exercises control of his faculties (abilities) and their outer
expression when the will faculty has been educated and trained by
understanding to cooperate with the will (plan) of God. "Not my will, but
thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
As already mentioned, the will is the executive power of the mind, and
thus the director and controller of the various faculties and their outer
expressions. In order to exercise this control in a righteous manner, the
will must function consciously with understanding and always under the
guidance of the Christ, or I AM.
When the will functions apart from the faculty of understanding, we

experience adverse conditions in our life. Ignorant thinking on our part
forms the substance of mind and body into inharmonious states of
consciousness, which result in similar outer conditions.
"Thought control is established by aligning the thoughts with the mind

of Christ, bringing every thought into harmonious relation to eternal,
unchangeable principles" (METAPHYSICAL BIBLE DICTIONARY,
Thought).
On the other hand, when the will faculty functions with understanding,
it works in cooperation with the will of God. Then divine wisdom becomes
the guiding light and all our faculties are able to express in divine order.
How should children be taught in their formative years to use will and
understanding?
11. The formative years are very important in the lives of children, and
understanding, through wisdom and love, should be exercised by those
entrusted with their care. A child should be taught that he is a spiritual
being, a divine creation, a son of God endowed with abilities or powers
(ideas) that enable him to live his life according to the Christ standard. It
then becomes the responsibility of those who care for children to teach
them the Christ standard of living, and show them how they can use this
standard in all that they think, feel, say, and do. In this way they come to
understand the true standard and are willing to do what is right.
No attempt should ever be made to break a child's will or bend it to fit

that of another individual. Rather the child should be guided and directed
in his use of the will faculty by those who are willing to follow the Christ
standard themselves. Children should be taught that the intelligence and
love of God express through them when they think, feel, speak, and act in
loving manner.
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it" (Prov. 22:6).
Why is it unwise for one individual to dominate another?

12. It is unwise for one individual to dominate another because the
one who dominates is cultivating an unyielding personal will, and the one
who is being dominated is weakening his own use of the will faculty.
In a situation of domination of one person by another, there is always

a sense of injustice on the part of the one being dominated. However,
there has to be some yielding or fear on the part of that one before
another can dominate him.
The Christ within each person is expressed through thinking and

feeling, but unless there is freedom of expression, there can be no
complete development of the individual's powers (faculties). Thus when
one dominates another, his thinking and feeling are obsessed with this
and he closes himself to the expression of his Christ Self; when another
allows himself to be dominated, he is so taken up with the frustration of
being dominated that he is a closed channel. As with the one who
dominates, the Christ nature is prevented free expression through the
mind (conscious and subconscious). Both individuals suffer because of
inability to express their true nature.
What has free will to do with expression?

13. Free will is essential to perfect expression of the divine qualities
(ideas) that are man's birthright. Without free will man cannot bring forth
fully the powers of his being, which function as faculties in his mind. When
these powers are prevented from coming forth in natural unfoldment there
is repression, which eventually manifests in a form that is less than good.
"The absolute freedom of the individual must be maintained at all
hazards. God is the one principle; we are all as free to use God as we are
free to use the principles of mathematics or of music. The principle never
interferes, but if it is to be rightly applied we must develop understanding"
(Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 112).
Sometimes we forget that free will is not necessarily doing what we

humanly want to do, but it is allowing the faculty of will to carry out the
plan of God. Unless there is freedom, we are unable to follow the
guidance that God gives us during our quiet moments of prayer, so there
is no ready channel through which this guidance may come forth.
Too often we confuse "free will" with "freedom of will." In the first case,
the will is free within the laws of God; in the second case, the will faculty
has freedom at the discretion of the individual. This may not always be in
full understanding of the consequences should he use his will faculty
contrary to the laws of life.
Explain the text "the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and
men of violence take it by force" (Matt. 11:12).
14. The kingdom of heaven is an expanding consciousness of the
Kingdom of God (realm of divine ideas) producing harmony in mind, body,
and affairs. Due to the many negative states of consciousness in which
man has allowed himself to indulge, he is able to attain this harmony or
peace of mind only by making very positive affirmations of Truth.
The root meaning of violent is "strength, force." We have added the

thought of "unpleasantness" to this word in our language use. As the
lesson brings out, the German translation interprets this text as concerned
with the strong, positive assertion by the will. Only through willing to be
spiritually minded are we able to train our thinking and feeling phases of
mind (soul) to be strong and positive. The subconscious (feeling) phase of
mind is reeducated and thus able to produce that which is good and true,
so the whole man is brought into a state of spiritual fulfillment.

What is the difference between mental suggestion and spiritual
realization?
15. The lesson material (page 8) goes deeply into this subject, and
there is little more left to be said. The following quotations may be
enlightening for this question:
"Realization means at-one-ment, completion, perfection, wholeness,

repose, resting in God. A realization ... brings to the consciousness an
inner knowing that the divine law has been fulfilled in thought and act."
(Jesus Christ Heals 40)
"To a metaphysician realization is the conviction that a person gets

when he has persistently concentrated his attention upon an ideal until he
feels assured of the fulfillment of that ideal." (Jesus Christ Heals 45)
"Suggestion is systematically used in the business world, and unless

you are strong in your own convictions as to what your needs are, you will
be loaded up with many things for which you have no use. The remedy is
to establish yourself in the spiritual law. You will come under one or the
other of these laws, the man-made or the spiritual, and it is for you to
choose which is best." (Jesus Christ Heals 188)
What has the will to do with the forming of a perfect physical body?
16. A perfect physical body is the outer structure or manifestation of a
consciousness of perfection, the result of right thinking and feeling guided
by the Christ spirit within. It is the creative power of God which builds all
structures, and in mankind this power is used by the will faculty, the
executive or directive power of the mind, according to the discretion of the
individual. As the lesson points out, the will functioning without
understanding has produced many limited conditions in the body. We can
see, therefore, that when the will works in conjunction with the faculty of
under standing, undesirable conditions in the body can be erased by
denial, and health, vitality, strength built in by affirmation. This is not a
mental process but true spiritual healing which fills the "letter" of the
denial, and affirmation with the "spirit that giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6 A.V.).
Each individual must be willing to do the mental work but also go beyond
it to acceptance of God's power moving through every cell to restore it to
its true estate.
"In divine order the will acts upon the body center from within; in the
average person this action is through reflection from without. In practice
we live outside our body instead of within it" (Christian Healing 37).
What is it to be reconciled to God? Give three affirmations that have

helped you to bring about this reconciliation in your own consciousness
and in your body and affairs.
17. Webster defines the word reconcile as "to restore to friendship,
harmony or communion; adjust, settle." To be "reconciled to God" means
to come again into a conscious, harmonious relationship with Him; a
relationship in which one is open, receptive, and obedient to God's will,
plan, purpose for all men.
To be "reconciled to God" means that we come into an understanding

that God's will (plan) is the law of perfect mind action whereby all good is
brought into one's life, and then we use the will faculty to live in
accordance with that law. It means that we learn to adjust our whole being
to the principle of Absolute Good — that is, to consciously merge our
human consciousness (thinking and feeling) with the divine; to blend our
will faculty with the will of God.
Affirmations that will help to bring about this reconciliation with God
can be either in the meditative form (speaking about God) or in the form
of an actual prayer when we speak to God, knowing ourself reconciled to
Him through love:
"I will to consciously open my mind and heart to God's Presence and
Power, and I will to practice it moment by moment."
"Dear Father-God, I acknowledge Thy Presence in me, making me

healthy, harmonious, and prosperous."
"Dear Father-God, Thy guiding, comforting, healing Presence now

harmonizes all my affairs, and I am healthy and prosperous."
What is the difference between desire and will?

18. Desire is an activity in the subconscious phase of our being. It is a
state of mind resulting from adding feeling to thinking about a specific
need, or rather the fulfillment of some need, made apparent through a
sense of incompleteness in some area of our being. The book Charles
Fillmore Prosperity 27 gives an interesting definition of "desire":
"Desire is the onward impulse of the ever-evolving soul."
It is a feeling after something, a longing or a craving for some good in

order to satisfy a need. In the book LESSONS IN TRUTH, in the chapter
on "Faith" we read:
"Desire in the heart is always God tapping at the door of your

consciousness with His infinite supply — a supply that is forever useless
unless there be demand for it."
Will is the faculty in us that enables us to make the demand based on

this desire. The will is first of all an activity in the conscious phase of mind
(intellect) which may accept or reject, say "yes" or "no" to the good that
God offers to His children.
Desire governs the shape of our good, but the will accepts or rejects
it. One may desire some good but until he wills to accept it, it does not
manifest in his life.
"If you desire a thing you set in motion the machinery of the universe
to gain possession of it, but you must be zealous in the pursuit in order to
attain the object of your desire" (Charles Fillmore Twelve Powers Of Man
131).
Series 2 - Lesson 11 - Judgment and
Justice
Lesson
1. What is judgment? Explain the Scripture, "Judge not according to
the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24 A.V.).
In Lesson Seven on "Spirituality, or Prayer and Praise," we learned
about the twelve powers of man or the twelve faculties of mind. These are
also called "the twelve mind centers in the conscious-ness" of each
individual. In the following lessons we then took up certain of these
faculties for specific study, and now in this lesson we come to the power,
or faculty, of "judgment."
All previous study and prayer has revealed to us that these powers of
man are primarily ideas in Divine Mind. Thus, we see "judgment" as an
idea in Divine Mind, therefore a principle that covers a certain action of
mind, and one of the twelve faculties of man's mind.
Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do
not see may see" (John 9:39). James, the son of Zebedee, is that disciple
of Jesus Christ who represents the faculty of judgment in individual
consciousness. In the body, this faculty has its seat of activity or
expression in the lower part of the nerve center called the "solar plexus."
2. What is meant by the term "righteous judgment"?

In God, righteousness refers to the right relationship of ideas inhering
in Divine Mind. In man, righteousness refers to the right understanding
and right use of these ideas under the direction of the indwelling Christ.
Exercise of the faculty of judgment enables us to determine the right
place and the right use for everything. All the powers of man must be
understood and used in a righteous manner. Jesus admonished us to
"judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment"
(John 7:24 A.V.)—the Revised Standard Version reads: "Do not judge by
appearances, but judge with right judgement." "Righteous judgment" is
the right use of the judgment faculty or judging from the law of Absolute
Good.
The faculty of judgment functions in the mental realm in operations
that involve comparison, discrimination, discernment, evaluation of ideas,
things, people, circumstances, and situations. One of the definitions from
Webster is: "the operation of the mind involving comparison and
discrimination, by which knowledge of values and relations is mentally
formulated." Rightly used, this faculty arrives at right conclusions; it
enables us to determine the right place and use for everything. Thus, we
come to see that good judgment involves balance. While the faculty of
"order" had to do with right relationships, it takes the faculty of "judgment"
to decide on these relationships so that all might be put in balance, or
order.
We are constantly using the judgment faculty in all phases of our life.
The good taste we exhibit in the things we do at any given time exercises
this faculty. The ability to taste our food is related to this faculty, for we
judge whether it is fresh, good to eat, or even if it is the right time to eat it.
This ability gives us protection from many dangers that occur in daily
living; we are able to discern whether gas is escaping; whether anything
is burning; we discern noises in our homes, in our cars, in the outdoors,
all because the judgment faculty is heeded.
When Jesus told us we were not to "judge by appearances" He knew

that to rely only on the evidence of the five senses would give us a
distorted picture. For example, one being interviewed for a position might
give evidence in appearance that he is well suited to the work, but when
the faculty of judgment is based upon Truth, a revelation might come in a
very simple way, showing this one to be unsuited for this particular
position. On the other hand, another individual, judged by appearances,
might not seem to be the desired employee, but a deeper evaluation
might reveal that he has qualities that in the overall picture would fit him
very well for the work. There is little in our life that does not come within
the scope of our judgment faculty, but its use must be founded upon
understanding, love, and faith, in order to produce "righteous judgment."
When we judge from appearance only, our use of the judgment faculty
often becomes biased and prejudiced. We criticize and condemn, and
usually fix some penalty by thinking of a form of punishment which should
be meted out to the guilty one.
"He may be guilty or not guilty; decision as to his guilt or innocence
rests in the divine law, and we have no right to pass judgment"
(CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 122).
In the wrong use of our judgment faculty we produce thought forces

that will react upon us.
"The metaphysician finds it necessary to place his judgment in the

Absolute in order to demonstrate its supreme power. This is accomplished
by one's first declaring that one's judgment is spiritual and not material;
that its origin is in God; that all its conclusions are based on Truth and
that they are absolutely free from prejudice, false sympathy, or personal
ignorance" (CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 121).
Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment
you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the
measure you get" (Matt. 7:1, 2).
Goodness is man's natural expression; thus, his true judgments are

always good. His goodness can be expressed, however, only when he is
set free from limited concepts of justice. Obedience to the eternal
principle of Absolute Good, which includes the moral law (high principles
of human conduct) lifts man into a higher state of consciousness than
does just the obedience to the moral law alone, the interpretation of which
is given through Moses.
We find these quotations in the Scriptures:
"Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who
judges on earth" (Psalms 58:11).
"The Lord reigns . . . righteousness and justice are the foundation of

his throne" (Psalms 97:1, 2).
"Thy steadfast love, 0 Lord, extends to the heavens . . . Thy

righteousness is like the mountains of God, thy judgments are like the
great deep; man and beast thou savest, 0 Lord" (Psalms 36:5, 6).
These quotations may be interpreted spiritually as well as literally.
Spiritually, "the earth" represents formed substance, a
God-consciousness, created and established throughout the universe.
The universal principle of causation, Mind, includes all principles. Among
these principles of Being, the Lord God or Jehovah God is the creative life
principle that originates and sustains all life, all consciousness, from the
highest to the lowest levels of intelligence. In the mental and physical
states of Being, the Lord (Jehovah) operates as a causative force, the
formative power of thought, forming ideas in the conscious-ness of
mankind and shaping bodies in the physical world. Thus, the Lord or
Jehovah represents the forming and shaping principle of Being.
In these forms and shapes the Lord (Jehovah) inheres and expresses
Himself to make God manifest according to the degree of intelligence
ruling in the form or body. The Lord (Jehovah) judges in the earth, the
formed realm.
In the first three chapters of Genesis this principle is called the Lord
God (in the Authorized and Revised Standard Versions) or Jehovah God
(in the American Standard Version). Beginning with the 4th chapter of
Genesis, the word God is omitted, and thereafter this principle is referred
to simply as the Lord or Jehovah. This shows that the power to
accomplish results has externalized or descended from the Absolute
state, where it functions as the creative principle producing only that
which is perfect, to the mental realm, in the human consciousness, where
it functions as the mental law of cause and effect.
3. What is justice? What is the sure way to establish justice in one's

affairs?
The word justice is associated with law. It is the "administration of law
. . . according to the rules of law or equity" (Webster). Justice is the divine
law of balance, the equalizing law of good in action, brought about by
righteousness.
"Spiritual laws are eternal verities and must work out according to
Truth. A principle inevitably demonstrates its own exactness as a rule of
action. Justice is a divine law that tolerates no violation. Justice decrees
for man health, happiness, and abundance. But justice does not bring
forth figs from thistles. If man disobeys the rules of health, harmony, or
supply, ^the law of compensation becomes manifest. Misuse of the power
that makes him well, happy, and prosperous when correctly and
intelligently employed, reacts according to principle in sickness,
inharmony, and poverty" (KNOW THYSELF, pages 131, 132).
Divine justice is God's love and mercy in action and is well expressed
on pages 120, 121 of CHRISTIAN HEALING as follows;
"As God is love, so God is justice. These qualities are in Divine Mind
in unity, but are made manifest in man's conscious-ness too often in
diversity. . . . When judgment is divorced from love, and works from the
head alone, there goes forth the human cry for justice."
Justice is often represented by the figure of a blindfolded woman

holding in her hand a balance scale. It thus suggests that justice is
impersonal and impartial. May we not say that it also suggests that the
eyes must be turned inward, where true spiritual principles I are at work,
and not outward, toward appearances? True spiritual principles express
impartially. We read further in CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 122:
"Whatever thought you send out will come back to you. This is an
unchangeable law of thought action. A man may be just in all his dealings,
yet if he condemns others for their injustice, that thought action will bring
him into unjust conditions; so, it is not safe to judge except in the
Absolute."
Systems of law differ in different countries and among different

people. Also, man-made laws constantly undergo change so that what is
considered "just" at one time is not so considered at another. Therefore, it
is clear that human laws may fail to provide for the highest justice; they
are more for the purpose of insuring an orderly system of social
relationships.
We can establish justice, order, and prosperity in our personal affairs

by invoking directly the divine principle of justice, which will continually
work out for us the problems of life.
"If you think that you are unjustly treated by your friends, your
employers, your government, or those with whom you do business, simply
declare the activity of the almighty Mind, and you will set into action
mental forces that will find expression v-« in the executors of the law„ This
is the most lasting reform to which man can apply himself. It is much more
effective than legislation or any attempt to control unjust men by human
ways" (CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 126).
Instead of fighting for our rights we may get them easily by mentally
declaring words to this effect: "I ask nothing in selfish-ness, and my own
comes to me through divine law." We must be willing, however, for the
principle of justice to work both ways. It is necessary not only that we
should desire to receive justice ourselves but that we should also be
willing to grant it to others.
The fact that there are courts of justice shows that in mankind there is
an inherent recognition of law and that an effort is being made to establish
justice. Human effort alone to establish justice, however sincere, may not
always be effective. Only through spiritually quickening and exercising the
faculty of judgment according to the standard of Absolute Good can men
judge righteously.
Condemnation and jealousy are forms of misjudgment. When they

become fixed habits of mind, they cause mental and physical
inharmonies, which are classed as diseases by those who study only
effects. Jesus warned against these adverse mental states and in the
form of commands gave instructions for overcoming them. Those who
would do spiritual healing must follow Jesus, and when persons suffering
from the effects of exercising unjust judgment come to the counsellor,
they shall be treated definitely for the purpose of freeing them from the
habit of condemnation of self and of others.
The counsellor may begin the treatment with affirmations such as

these:
"I do not condemn anyone, and I am not condemned." "There is no

criticism or condemnation in me, for me, or against me.”
Such statements are acknowledgments of a just law. An affirmation of

Truth places one in the attitude of obedience to the law. Faithfulness to
the Truth will dissolve the state of consciousness that the habit of
condemnation forms, however firmly established it may have become.
Finish the treatment with an affirmation of the forgiving love of Jesus
Christ, and there will be a cleansing and renewal of the whole man.
"The forgiving love of Jesus Christ sets me free from the mistakes of
the past and the results of the mistakes of the past."
Persons who ascribe evil or selfish motives to others or grieve over

real or fancied wrongs sometimes let the belief that they are un-justly
treated become so firmly imbedded in their mind that their whole life is
embittered by it. Timid persons also often feel that life is unfair to them.
They feel that they are being elbowed out of their just rewards by more
aggressive people who push forward and take what they want whether
they are worthy or not. These attitudes, however, are not discerning of the
Truth. They are not based on understanding of or faith in divine justice,
and they prevent a person from claiming his own good. Active faith in the
justice of God puts the law of justice into operation for the individual. The
habit of condemning persons who seem to enjoy undeserved success is
erased by everyone who looks back of appearances and sees the
unchanging, eternal Principle of Absolute Good, God, as always
operative.
4. Explain the Scripture "Forgive us our debts, as we also have

forgiven our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).
"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt.
6:12). This principle of righteousness is at the foundation of all right
relations between men. Forgiveness and mercy are included in the idea of
divine justice. If we desire forgiveness and justice, we must first grant
them to others. We cannot expect a just God to forgive us our sins while
we are missing the mark of the right use of our judgment faculty by
condemning others. There must be balance.
The word debt as used in the Lord's Prayer is used more in the
meaning of transgress or trespass. Each of these words indicates a
passing from one standard to another when used in this manner. Because
an individual is conscious of some offense, he must learn to forgive, but
we find that "forgiveness" is first of all what takes place in the person's
own consciousness. By forgiveness an individual sets himself in right
relationship to God, and then he automatically is set right with his
fellowman. When Jesus referred to our need for forgiveness before the
Father could forgive us, He was being very scientific. Whatever we hold in
our own mind is a part of our consciousness, of us; and until we release
an error from consciousness, there is no room for the Truth to come into
our mind. We can see, therefore, that condemnation closes the door of
our mind to God's Truth, and we are unable to use our judgment faculty
"righteously."
5. What is the "day of judgment" and where is the judgment seat?

What is chastening?
It is written in the Scriptures that "he has fixed a day on which he will
judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:31), but we must also
remember "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day" (II Peter 3:8). We do not consider the "day" of the
Scriptures to be the same as our twenty-four-hour day.
Spiritual enlightenment reveals that "days" are symbols of the state

and the action of universal Mind. These Biblical texts about judgment
have nothing to do with "time," The "day of judgment" is no specific date,
because every day is a "judgment day," for every thought, feeling, and
action brings its own reaction or judgment, its own experience in the
manifest realm.
The "judgment day" is a time of fruition, the time when the effect or the
result of some cause or causes has reached maturity and produced a
condition or circumstance in mind, body, or affairs, whether good or bad.
As we unfold spiritually, we come to recognize and understand the "day of
judgment." We realize that there is a law of Being at work in us that
cannot be violated in the slightest degree without causing suffering. We
find that we experience conditions or demonstrate (show forth) according
to our knowledge of this law and we seek to learn more about it and the
way it works in our life.
"God is law and God is changeless. If we would bring forth the perfect
creation we must conform to law and unfold in our mind, body, and affairs
as a flower unfolds by the principle of innate life, intelligence, and
substance" (PROSPERITY, page 58).
We come to see that the "day of judgment" is not a day in time when
God sends us to eternal bliss or to everlasting punishment. It is, rather, an
activity within our own consciousness wherein we begin a separation
between the true and the false states of mind that have been built up and
become secondary-producing laws in our life.
"The 'day of judgment' to us is any day that we get the fruit in body
and affairs of some thought or word that we have expressed" (JESUS
CHRIST HEALS, page 161).
6. Quote at least four commandments of Jesus, giving Bible

references, that will help one to overcome the tendency to unwise
judging.
God is the source of judgment "We shall all stand before the judgment
seat of God" (Rom. 14:10).
Thus the "judgment seat" is God within, the Son-of-God

consciousness in each of us. It is this spiritual consciousness that enables
us to decide what is right, and every day we are judged according to the
kind of judgments we make. Many unhappy, seemingly unaccountable
experiences that men have are simply results of unwise judgment at
some time in man's life experiences. These "judgments" can be a
blessing if they are accepted as such, as is shown in texts such as the
following:
"When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world
learn righteousness" (Isa. 26:9).
"Judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time
came when the saints received the kingdom" (Dan. 7:22).
"He brings justice to victory " (Matt. 12:20). "He will faithfully bring
forth justice" (Isa. 42:3).
All persons who resist "judgments" (experiences) instead of

over-coming through them turn "justice into poison and the fruit of
righteous-ness into wormwood" (Amos 6:12), for "they err in vision, they
stumble in giving judgment" (Isa. 28:7).
Those whose "mouth does not sin in judgment" (Prov. 16:10) are the
obedient ones who do not complain when they receive the re-actions to
their judging but rejoice and look upon the "judgments" as opportunities to
overcome and to gain a better understanding of what is right.
The concept of a God who chastens has been a stumbling block to

many. The Bible explains that "when we are judged by the Lord, we are
chastened" (I Cor. 11:32), or we might truly say we are chastened by the
mental law of cause and effect.
"Chastening" is a process of mind action that takes place in man's

consciousness when he "comes to himself," as the prodigal son did in the
parable found in Luke 15:11-32. This process is not punishment sent by
God upon His beloved son. It is a cleansing and purifying process that
begins in man when he turns his attention and interest toward the Father
within himself. This process is exemplified in the steps that were taken by
the prodigal son as he "came to himself," then arose, and went toward his
father's house. Every step in that direction made him cleaner and purer in
mind and heart (in thinking and feeling). When he reached his father, he
was chaste, that is, he was refined, he was free from every thought and
feeling that had debased, defiled, or cheapened him in any way; he was
free from the desire to be in the "far country."
We find many statements in the teaching of Jesus that help us to

overcome the tendency to judge unwisely:
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you
pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the
measure you get" (Matt. 7: 1, 2).
"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will
not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and
you will be forgiven" (Luke 6: 36, 37).
"And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them (Luke

6:31).
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not
notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matt. 7:3).
The doctrine of eternal torment has no foundation in the Bible. The
word hell is from the Anglo-Saxon word helan, meaning "to conceal."
There is nothing about the word to suggest a place or torment. Anything
that conceals our good from us is "hell."
A word in the Bible most commonly translated as hell is "Sheol" in the

original Hebrew. Sheol originally meant grave or pit. Later it came to
mean the place or state of quietness in which the spirit of the dead rest,
awaiting resurrection. Sheol never had the meaning of a place of torment.
When the Old Testament was translated into Greek (in the Septuagint)
the word Sheol was translated as Hades. In classical mythology Hades is
the kingdom of the dead. To the pagan Greeks and Romans it contained
Elysian Fields for the good, as well as a place of torment for the wicked,
but Christian thought removed the abode of the good to another region;
thus it came to mean a place for the wicked. The authors of the Bible, of
course, had no such place in mind.
7. What is the meaning of "fire" as spoken of in the Scriptures?

The writers of the Bible, and Jesus also, did believe that the wicked
experienced torment, but they knew that its purpose is not to punish
eternally but to purify and refine. They chose the word Gehenna to
describe it. This word does not refer to a hell, as it has been translated,
but to the valley of Hinnom, Ge Hinnom, a deep ravine near Jerusalem
that was used as a dumping ground for rubbish, garbage, and dead
animals. To consume this refuse a fire was kept burning.
"Hell-fire" is not for the destruction and torment of men but for the
burning up of dross.
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which
is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble—each man's work will become
manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire,
and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ... If any man's
work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but
only as through fire" (I Cor. 3:11-15).
"God is a devouring fire" (Deut. 4:24), consuming not men but their
sins and errors. The fire cannot be quenched. It must utterly consume
every root and branch of wickedness. This is the work of the Holy Spirit,
which is God in action in man's soul, body, and affairs. When man
recognizes this activity in him and becomes open and receptive to it, he
does not need to strain and use mental effort to rid himself of false beliefs,
wrong concepts, and destructive attitudes and habits. He only needs to
give his interest and attention to it and cooperate with it in all his thoughts,
feelings, words, and actions, and it does the work of cleansing, refining,
and purifying him. "The chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire" (Matt.
3:12).
The widespread belief in "heaven" and "hell" as actual places to which

souls are consigned for eternal bliss or punishment is due, first, to the
influence of Greek mythology and Oriental mysticism and, second, to the
fact that most people have thought of God as a "person." As long as this
belief is held, it is natural to believe in heaven and hell as actual places,
one the abode of God, the other the abode of His adversary; but the
knowledge that God is Spirit and that "the kingdom of God is within (Luke
17:21 A.V.), brings the freeing realization that "heaven" and "hell" are
states of consciousness that will become manifest in the outer.
8. Explain the "unpardonable sin."

In considering the subject of judgment and justice let us not neglect
the subject of "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." "He who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" (Luke 12:10). Because Jesus
pronounced this sin as unforgiveable, it has come to be known as the
"unpardonable sin."
In the light of all of Jesus* teaching we find that He did not consider it
blasphemous to mention the name of God (as it was considered under
the old Jewish law) or to claim the same attributes. He Himself claimed
oneness with God. Over and over He mentioned God as His Father. "I
and the Father are one" (John 10:30). "Do you not believe that I am in the
Father and the Father in me?" (John 14:10). We accept Jesus'
interpretation of "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" as being an
"unpardonable sin" only so long as man fails to claim his oneness with
God, the Father, and begins to act like a son of God.
As long as man fails consciously to recognize, accept and respond to
the Holy Spirit (God in action in him), he is in an "un-pardonable" state of
mind. He is not claiming his divine birthright as a son of God and he is not
exercising the spiritual dominion that was given to him in the beginning.
He is in bondage to inclinations and tendencies to believe in two powers,
to believe in a separate self; and he exercises his will in opposition to his
divine nature. In this state of mind, he closes the door of his
consciousness to the activity of God in him, thus bringing adverse
judgments upon himself. God can only do for man what He can do
through him. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he
with me" (Rev. 3:20). The moment that man turns to the Spirit within
himself, in faith, in that moment he becomes an open channel through
which the perfect work of the Holy Spirit may be done. In that moment he
is "pardoned."
9. Give three affirmations that will help to quicken one's faith in divine
justice.
In conclusion, it is well to keep in mind that in any consideration of
judgment and justice, the forgiveness and love of God are freely extended
to us at all times. The love of God transcends the mental law of cause
and effect. The great teaching of Christianity is: The love of God is so
great that when we trust Him, respond to His love, and accept its activity
in us, this love becomes a "saving grace" in us and justice is established
in our life.
As previous lessons have stated, it is well to repeat again that the

"grace of God" is the love of God for man. It is more than a quality, for it is
the law of love in action, meeting man's every need. As we respond to the
action of this love, we are aware that it is a "saving grace" in that it
reveals the good ready to fulfill our life upon our acceptance. Because
"grace" reveals the Truth of our relation to God as His beloved, it "saves"
us from continued wandering away from principle in our thinking, feeling,
acting, and reacting. Our judgment becomes truly "righteous judgment,"
and we are thus saved from making mistakes that would result in difficult
experiences in our life.
10. What is the "saving grace" of God?

All of the God qualities given to man as his divine inheritance are
"gifts" and cannot be earned; yet in another sense man must "earn the
right" to use these "gifts" by preparation of his consciousness as a worthy
vehicle for their expression. God's "grace," the full-ness of His love,
cannot be earned, for it is a gift, yet each son of God must consciously lay
hold of the gift by his acceptance in thought, word, and deed. It is for this
reason that prayerful study of each power or faculty reveals its nature and
the right way to use it.
"And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so

that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in
abundance for every good work. As it is written, 'He scatters abroad, he
gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever" (II Cor. 9:8, 9).
"When Infinite Wisdom established the rule of right and honesty, He

saw to it that Justice should be always the highest expediency."
—Wendell Phillips.
S2L11 Annotations
Explain how Jehovah is the "judge" of all the earth. What is the
"earth"?
1. Jehovah, Christ, I AM, is the creative principle in the universe which
operates in man's mental realm as his "formative power of thought" that
man, as God's son or representative, has been given as his divine
heritage. When we think of the word judge we automatically think of law;
the judge being one who is invested with authority to try or judge
someone or some circumstance. One meaning for judge is "to govern" or
"to rule." When we think of Jehovah as judge, we think of the governing
power, the ruling principle acting through man's consciousness to form
conditions, circumstances, consciousness in the earth. The "earth" means
formed substance, that is, consciousness and manifestation. It is the
realm of formed things, including the consciousness of man. Jehovah is
not only the law of each man's being, but also the law of the species, the
law of the rest of creation — the idea or spiritual pattern back of each
form. So Jehovah is the "judge," governing, discerning, and evaluating the
manner in which the form must grow.
Why is Jehovah sometimes regarded as a God of wrath and

vengeance, and sometimes as a God of loving-kindness and tender
mercy?
2. Jehovah is sometimes regarded as a God of wrath and vengeance
and sometimes as a God of loving-kindness and tender mercy, depending
on the consciousness and the outpictured circumstances of the one
writing or speaking about Jehovah.
Jehovah (The Lord), as Judge, was thought sometimes to punish His

children, sometimes to defend, vindicate, and, deliver them. Man has
looked to Jehovah as God or law outside himself, as giving the law
through His holy men, such as Moses. When man does not recognize the
law of God as being the law within himself, he considers it according to
the "mental law of cause and effect," as a form of punishment. When man
goes contrary to the law of his own being (Jehovah, Word, Logos, Christ, I
AM, divine pattern) he suffers and then thinks God is a Being of wrath and
vengeance — instead of blaming his own deviation. The same thing
occurs in reverse: if all is well and good, man thinks God has changed to
loving-kindness and tender mercy. The idea of God as love is important to
the Truth seeker and to all who would come into the consciousness of
themselves as "overcomers." With the idea of love being God, and God
being love, comes the thought of being approved of God and blessed by
Him for conforming not to some outer ritual but to the Christ
righteousness that is man's nature and destiny.
What is righteousness as applied to Jehovah? What is righteousness

as applied to manifest man?
3. Righteousness is the quality or state of being righteous, or making
right use of divine ideas. Righteousness as applied to Jehovah (spiritual
man) is the right relationship of ideas (laws or qualities) in the Son-of-God
consciousness. In Jehovah (spiritual man) we have the Christ standard of
love, mercy, wisdom, understanding; all that is right, honest, just; all that
conforms to the spiritual principle of Absolute Good; all that is impersonal,
impartial; all that can be equitable in action. Righteousness as applied to
Jehovah is the right relationship of ideas that sustain all life, all
consciousness on all levels of intelligence.
Jehovah (the Lord) represents the forming or shaping principle of

Being, but manifest man must consciously do the actual forming or
shaping through the right use of ideas. "Righteousness" as applied to
manifest man is the right use of the ideas of Divine Mind under the
guidance of the indwelling Christ, the I AM. When manifest man
understanding lets the I AM guide and direct his thinking, he then
conforms to the divine standard of the right and the just. Divine ideas in
right relation to each other express in a peaceful, orderly, and harmonious
way through him as right thinking, right feeling, right desiring, right willing,
right speaking, and finally right doing or action.
What is judgment? Explain "Judge not according to appearance, but

judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
4. Judgment is an idea in God-Mind, one of man's spiritual powers,
functioning as a mental faculty. As an idea, judgment is part of man's
divine inheritance.
Judgment means discrimination, discernment, evaluation, choice. It is

the faculty of mind by which we estimate, weigh, and measure qualities of
value. Through it we evaluate the relationship of the workings of man's
mind with the activity of God Mind, or universal Mind; thus understanding,
the knowing quality, is awakened. Judgment is the discerning function of
mind by which we are able to observe what is true and what is false, after
which the will is free to act upon what the judgment has chosen.
When we judge according to the appearance, according to the

standard of the world, we judge from the viewpoint of human limitation
and thus we bind ourself to the limited thoughts of the outer world. When
we perceive (faith), the Christ within ourself and within every other man
and receive the "light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"
(John 1:9) through the discerning power of judgment coupled with the
power of love, we are able to recognize (understanding faith) the "real"
that is back of every appearance. This is judging "righteous judgment."
What is righteous judgment and what effect does it have on the

organism of the person judging righteously?
5. Righteous judgment is actually the right use of the judgment faculty,
or judgment from the law of Absolute Good. By making a practical
application of the law of judgment in our own life, we cease faultfinding,
criticizing, condemning, dictating, and judging others by our own limited
concepts of right or wrong. Our organism is thus freed from the snares of
the limited, personal expression of the will faculty which has held the body
and its functions in bondage. The result is that the more abundant life
flows from the depths of our being to the outer or the physical organism.
As we broaden our vision, see, and judge according to this broadened
vision, we not only bring about wholeness in mind and body but help to
raise the whole race consciousness, the accumulated thoughts and
beliefs of all mankind.
What is justice?
6. Two definitions from Webster's dictionary are enlightening here:
"The maintenance or administration of that which is just"; "The principle of
rectitude and just dealing of men with each other; also, conformity to it;
integrity; rectitude." Justice is really the divine law of balance, the
equalizing law of good in action. Thus justice can be said to be that which
results in the outer from "righteous judgment" or the right use of the
judgment faculty. God's justice is already established, for He is Absolute
Good; but men need to know the Truth, use their faculty of judgment to
discern this Truth, then actually let the law of justice work in their lives.
Conditions of justice result from the action of the law of balance, when
man looks within for the ideas that will help him to bring this balance
about in his life in a just and orderly manner. When man knows that his
justice comes from the Lord, or law of his being, he can implicitly trust that
law to bring about just and equitable conditions in all areas of his life and
in the world of affairs.
Justice is really the result of God's love (grace) in action — it is the
good result that comes from "fulfilling the law."
What is the sure way to establish justice in one's affairs?

7. The sure way to establish justice (the condition of rightness,
balance) in one's affairs is to quicken love in the consciousness; to
conform one's thoughts, words, and actions to the law of love, the
principle of Absolute Good, the Golden Rule. When a man is just, he
conforms to spiritual law, being righteous before God. He is "impartial,
equitable, right, upright, precisely exact." Because justice is the principle
of absolute goodness, this principle must be expressed eventually by all
men, and will be expressed by and through all men when they take their
eyes from the outer appearance and center their attention on the divine
law of justice within. This divine law worked yesterday, is working today,
and will work forever to bring about order and balance in all things. God
will reveal to each one how he is to "judge righteous judgment" or learn
how to use his judgment faculty in a way that brings blessings rather than
condemnation.
How may the belief in injustice be overcome?

8. We will learn to overcome the belief in injustice by knowing that our
Father is both love and justice, and that these two qualities are ours by
divine right as His offspring. "He will judge the world in righteousness, He
will minister judgment to the peoples in uprightness" (Psalms 9:8). When
we learn to "judge righteous judgment" then we can no longer accept the
belief in injustice. When the divine law of justice is recognized in love and
understanding, it will silence the claims of every adverse belief, for it will
be good judgment operating in the consciousness. By knowing God as
justice and by seeing Him in every condition, in all things and in all
persons, belief in injustice is erased from the consciousness. We should
learn to place all our affairs under the government of the divine Judge,
God the Absolute Good, knowing that love casts out all fear of injustice,
and that each man is forever one with his good, the good that is his by
divine right.
How do you help those who come to you suffering from seeming
injustice?
9. Those who would help others must first treat themselves for a right
mental attitude and the right ideas regarding the situation or condition. If
you were a teacher of mathematics and someone came to you for help
because he was getting the wrong answers, you would go over his work
and show him where he was "off the track" in his calculations. Then you
would show him that he had strayed from the principle involved and thus
got the wrong answers. We follow the same procedure in spiritual
counseling. When someone comes for help, suffering from seeming
injustice, we take him back to principle. We deny the belief in
condemnation, criticism, faultfinding, injustice. We bring to his attention
the basic teaching of Unity:
"There is but one Presence and one Power in the universe,

God, the good omnipotent";
God works throughout His creation under law and order;
Man is learning to work with God.
We may have been brought up to believe that someone or something
can take our good from us. Now we learn that our good comes to us
through the perfect action of God when we conform to His laws. As we
learn to hold to God as Principle, bringing our thoughts, words, and deeds
into conformity with the goodness of God, this goodness flows into and
through us to bring forth every needed outer good. We need to realize
that there is no principle or law underlying injustice or conditions that to us
seem unjust. A condition of injustice results from the chaotic use of
spiritual ideas by our thinking and feeling. We experience a condition of
justice when we learn to use ideas in right relationship through keeping
our facultltes of thinking and feeling centered in divine love and justice.
Explain the Scripture, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven

our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).
10. The law underlying "Forgive us our debts, as we also have
forgiven our debtors" is the law of balance, which acts in man's
consciousness in various ways to produce love, justice, judgment,
release, and recompense. Without the fulfillment of the law, the principle
of Absolute Good is unable to carry out its divine purpose.
No forgiveness can be complete without love. A person cannot expect

forgiveness if he fails to forgive himself and others who have fallen short.
Each of us needs to "give" the Truth "for" the error or shortcoming (debt).
Every person has at one time or another incurred "debts" to God, to
himself, to mankind. These he can erase by forgiveness. In order to
forgive, one must give up the belief that originally caused the "debt" or
shortcoming of himself or another, then he must give in to the idea of love.
When we forgive another person, we erase from consciousness the

sense of wrong that we have held over him, and likewise we forgive
ourself, for as we forgive, we are ourself forgiven. Sometimes it takes a
great deal of discernment (judgment) to learn how to forgive, for what we
need to forgive is often hidden from us, nursed in the secret recesses of
the subconscious (feeling) nature.
As we forgive and are forgiven, we are conscious of being established

in the principle of Absolute Good. The justice of the forgiving love of
Jesus Christ sets us free from all indebtedness, whether spiritual, mental,
emotional, physical, moral, or financial. The way is thus opened for the
outer fulfillment of the Scriptural injunction,
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth
another hath fulfilled the law" (Rom. 3:8 A.V.).
What is "the day of judgment" and where is the "judgment seat"?

11. The "day of judgment" is not a specific date, because every day is
a judgment day; each thought, feeling, and action brings its own
judgment. We can think of the day of judgment as the time of fruition, the
instant when the effect of some cause or causes in consciousness has
reached its maturity — or in other words, the instant when past thinking
has produced its result in mind, body, or affairs, whether good or bad.
The following quotation from Charles Fillmore The Twelve Powers of
Man 43 - 44, has some interesting points on the "great day of judgment":
"The 'great day of judgment' — which has been located at some

fateful time in the future when we all shall be called before the judge of
the world and have punishment meted out to us for our sins — is every
day. The translators of the Authorized Version and of the American
Standard Version of the New Testament are responsible for the 'great
judgment day' bugaboo. In every instance where judgment was
mentioned by Jesus, He said 'in a day of judgment,' but the translators
changed a to the, making the time of judgment appear a definite point in
the future, instead of the repeated consummations of causes that occur in
the lives of individuals and nations."
The "judgment seat" is the term used to indicate the "place" in man
that is occupied by the law of man's being, the spiritual law of life called
the I AM or the Christ. Man's thoughts, feelings, words, and acts are
continually being set before this Presence in man to determine if they are
in harmony with Truth and if they can bring forth fruits in accordance with
God's law of Absolute Good. Our Scripture puts it this way: "By their fruits,
ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:20).
When we become consciously aware of the inner spiritual activity and

are open and receptive to its guidance, our consciousness can be trained
and guided in the right and wise use of the faculty of judgment. We will
learn to estimate, weigh, and measure the quality of all our thoughts,
feelings, words, deeds, and we will see that they are in harmony with the
highest good for ourself and for all creation. We will be able to discern
(judge) for ourself where in the past we failed to comply with the law of
our being (I AM, Christ) and thus brought about conditions in our outer life
that were not harmonious. When we learn to make the right use of our
judgment faculty, a new way of life opens for us, a new way of thinking
and feeling, of speaking and acting — a way of righteous judgment.
What results follow resistance to judgment? What is chastening?

12. Resistance to judgment increases our unpleasant experiences.
Those who complain and resist judgment give power to the negative and
simply make for themselves worse conditions which they have to meet.
No man can evade the effect of a cause that has been set in motion
except as he abandons his position for another "cause." Resistance to
judgment impedes spiritual unfoldment, and those who resist miss the
opportunity to be free from error by learning how to judge wisely. They
miss the experience of blessing that comes with judgment and
understanding. When we do not resist judgment, we open ourself to
divine guidance; we learn to work joyously with the law of our being
(Christ or I AM) and then we move into experiences that are wholly
soul-satisfying.
Webster's dictionary gives two meanings for the word chasten:
To punish, to discipline with a lash or rod and the like;

To purify or refine by freeing from faults, excess and the like; to make
free from all taint of that which defiles, debases or cheapens.
The concept of a God who punishes has been the stumbling-block in
the path of many persons who would like to know God consciously, not
merely know about Him. Unity accepts the teaching of Jesus Christ that
God is love and that it is His good pleasure to give His children the good
of His kingdom. Unity does not accept the belief that God as Principle,
Spirit, or Divine Mind punishes or reprimands His beloved children, the
human family. Rather Unity seeks to teach that the activity of Principle,
Spirit, or Divine Mind is the will of God, the law of God, the law of
Absolute Good which is ever moving throughout the universe to bring the
very highest good into manifestation in and through all mankind and all
creation. Part of our spiritual growth includes becoming conscious of this
activity and then experiencing good in our life as a result.
In our growing-up and unfolding process, we are not always

conscious of spiritual activity in us and we become as the "prodigal son"
described in the parable of Jesus as recorded in Luke 15:11-32. We use
our substance in "a far country," wasting it in "riotous living." We make the
wrong use of the powers of our being through our limited thinking, feeling,
acting, and reacting. We begin to form wrong concepts about ourself,
about God, and about the universe in which we live. We begin to believe
that we are separate from God, that there are two powers (good and evil)
operating in our life; that we get sick, grow old, and die. Thus, we find
ourself living in an unbalanced state of mind that "defiles, debases or
cheapens" our consciousness of ourself as a son of God.
In the parable, the prodigal "came to himself," and when he did, he

said, "I will arise and go to my father" (Luke 15:18). He recognized a
higher way of life and he began to move toward it; he began to prepare
himself to live in accordance with it. As we recognize and respond to the
law of God working in us, we become conscious of His activity within. This
sets, into operation a process that will purify or refine our thinking and
feeling and free us from all "taint of that which defiles, debases or
cheapens" the consciousness of ourself. This activity is called
"chastening." It is not punishment for us, but is rather the salvation which
brings us consciously back to Principle, back to a balanced state of mind.
We cooperate with the activity of God in us through denials,

affirmations, meditation, prayer, and entering the Silence.
Why is it important to take the right attitude toward the so-called

judgments of the Lord?
13. In our freedom to think, we consciously or unconsciously
(ignorantly) make our own concepts, and by the law of mind action they in
turn bring results that correspond to the character of our thoughts —
pleasure when we are in harmony with spiritual law, but pain when we
transgress spiritual law. These results are termed the "judgments of the
Lord." They point out the exactness of the action of the law of our being
(our Lord, the Christ, or I AM) in bringing to us the fruits of what we have
been thinking and feeling — "like begets like." Scripture tells us, "The
judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether" (Psalms 19:9).
These operate as the divine law of justice to bless us when we take the
right attitude toward them, and are obedient to the law of our being (the I
AM, the Christ).
To assume an attitude of defiance to the "judgments of the Lord" if

they seem harsh as a result of our own adverse judging is only to
increase our difficulty. The power lies with us to think, feel, act
discerningly, harmoniously, and righteously. When we understand that by
meeting and overcoming inharmonious experiences in the right attitude of
mind we are working with the laws of God, and that the "judgments of the
Lord" will bring only good, we shall move further along in the unfoldment
of our spiritual life.
What line of thought will overcome fear of these so-called

"judgments"?
14. There must be a willingness to let the old states of consciousness
pass away (through denial) and a willingness to let the new states of
consciousness be formed and established (through affirmation). This can
be done by realizing that God is love and justice.
When we know that justice is to be attained by each man for himself,

each act for itself, then we no longer fear "judgments" but we look upon
them as the lawful and orderly outworking of mental causes that have
been set into operation. As we understand the nature of the law of mind
action, we overcome fear of "judgments," for we take from past judgments
and experiences what they have to offer us in the way of understanding
and blessing and begin to exercise control over the character of our
thoughts, the mental causes which are responsible for the harsh
judgments or effect that cause us so much misery.
Quote at least four commandements of Jesus, giving Bible

references, that will help one to overcome the tendency to unwise
judging.
15.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge,
ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured
unto you" (Matt. 7: 1,2).
"Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment"
(John 7:24).
"Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. Yea, and if I judge, my
judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me"
(John 8:15, 16).
"What is that to thee? follow thou me" (John 21:22).
"Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. And judge not, and
ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
release, and ye shall be released: give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they
give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be
measured to you again" (Luke 6:36-38).
"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them

likewise" (Luke 6:31).
What is the meaning of "fire" spoken of in the Scriptures?

16. "Fire" or the "hell of fire" spoken of in the Scriptures is a
misinterpretation of words that mean purification or cleansing, and has no
reference to punishment. The "hell of fire" symbolizes soul cleansing or
purification of the accumulation of limited concepts, wrong thoughts, false
beliefs, error feelings and actions. As the soul grows in understanding
there comes a period when it is necessary that the soul free or cleanse
itself of the dross that it has gathered in its progress toward
consciousness, expression, and manifestation of the pure and perfect
Christ life. In the old symbology this cleansing was represented by "fire."
The Holy Spirit moving through the soul can dissolve or consume what
error beliefs may be fixed there.
Give the meaning of the words translated "hell" in the Bible.

17. "Hell" as used in the Bible represents a state of consciousness, a
state of mind. The word hell is derived from the Saxon verb helan, which
means to cover or conceal, and contains no meaning of a place of
torment. The word hell was translated also from Gehenna, "the Valley of
Hinnom," a ravine where fires were kept going all the time to burn the
refuse of Jerusalem.
We have the word Sheol from the original Hebrew, meaning a grave
or pit. Later it came to mean a place of quietness in which the souls of the
dead rest, awaiting resurrection, and not a place of torment or
punishment. Sheol was translated into Greek in the Septuagint as Hades,
which had the Greek classical meaning of "kingdom of the dead."
All of these terms have given rise to the popular misconception that
the dead writhe in flames, tormented for their sins, unforgiven and
forgotten by the God of love and of Absolute Good!
Explain the "unpardonable sin."

18. The "unpardonable sin" is resistance to the Spirit, consciousness
of good and evil. This has reference to man's opposition to the action of
the Holy Spirit, the movement of God in and through his consciousness;
resistance to any good. As long as man is not willing to accept the leading
of Spirit, as long as he refuses to accept the truth that he is a son of God,
a spiritual being, the image-likeness of God, he must suffer and atone for
his transgressions.
As long as man recognizes and gives power to evil, he will continue in

any unforgiven state in his own consciousness and will have to meet
conditions produced by the error that he has held in his own mind.
Resistance can keep man from being free; thus the fault for his bondage
lies within himself. No sin need remain unpardoned because the love of
God for man, His beloved son to whom He has given His own Spirit, is
always available. God is always ready and willing to forgive man his
mistakes. However, when man is not ready or willing to accept
forgiveness from God, then his sin (short-coming) remains unpardoned —
actually only by himself, because God as love has already forgiven the sin
and the sinner! We have the assurance of Jesus Christ, "For if ye forgive
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Matt.
6:14). We have also David's praise for Jehovah's mercies in the words:
Bless Jehovah, O my soul,

And forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction
(Psalms 103:2-4).
Give five affirmations that will help to quicken one's faith in divine
justice.
19. The following are five suggested affirmations. Bear in mind,
however, that to "quicken" one's faith it is necessary to go beyond an
intellectual statement of Truth into the realm of direct communication with
God. Note that the first four affirmations following are statements of Truth
that begin to bring the Truth to the soul's attention; the last affirmation,
however, is direct communication with God (our part of the conversation;
God's part will be to quicken our faith in the Silence as we listen to His still
small voice):
I have faith that divine justice regulates and blesses all my affairs.
My faith in divine justice establishes me consciously in the goodness

of God.
I give thanks for divine order in my life and affairs.
God's law of justice is at work in my life, bringing about a harmonious

adjustment in every situation.
"Father, Thy divine law of justice balances my life and my affairs in

perfect order, and I live joyously today."
What is the "saving grace" of God?

20. The word grace stems from the Latin gratus, meaning "beloved" or
"dear." And in a very real sense the "saving grace" of God is the "saving
love" of God. Grace dwells in the soul of man by virtue of his son-of-God
heritage; the action of the love of God takes place in man by virtue of the
son-of-God consciousness.
Paul spoke extensively of grace; Jesus Christ, of love. Grace is favor,

kindness, mercy, love. The love of God implies the forgiveness of God in
all situations, circumstances, conditions. It is the power within man that
saves him from the effects of his past false thinking, feeling, and acting
when he turns from the limited to the unlimited wisdom and love of God.
Love enables man to see himself and all other men as sons of God, heirs
to good and only good.
To be really "saved" by the saving grace or love of God, we have to be

"saved" or made safe, redeemed, in our thinking (conscious phase of
mind), our feeling (subconscious phase of mind), in our body, in our
actions, from every tendency toward sin, and the effect of past sin
(missing the mark of perfection). We have to be "saved" from all belief
that there is a power opposing God; from all belief in duality in every area
of our being.
The "saving grace" of God is the forgiving love of Jesus Christ active
in mind, body, and affairs. Through this activity we are freed into love and
justice, and thence into right action. The "saving grace" of God is never
imposed upon man; rather it is a gift to the son of God, the Christ or I AM,
who speaking through Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the
life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John l4:6).
In order for God's love to be "grace" we have to respond to it, as

brought out in our lesson. God's love is always there but we experience
its greatest benefits only as we consciously accept it. The Prodigal Son is
an excellent example of man's acceptance of the "saving grace" of God.
(See Lessons in Truth Lesson 11 Annotation 9; How I Used Truth Lesson
8 Annotation 7.)
Series 2 - Lesson 12 - Love

Lesson
1. What is love as related to God? Show how love functions as a
faculty in man.
Divine Mind is another name that may be used for God, or Spirit.
Divine Mind is living, radiant Mind essence, or substance, that permeates
and enfolds all things and teems with ideas. Divine Mind is the source of
all ideas. Ideas have character and are the beginning or the starting point
of all action and are the cause of all the results we see in the manifest
realm.
As with the other qualities of the nature of God studied in previous
lessons of this Series, love is an idea of Divine Mind; thus, love is one of
the ideas that make up man's divine inheritance. (See CHRISTIAN
HEALING, page 13.) Love is a principle to be applied; one of the twelve
powers of man and thus a faculty of his consciousness, or mind. In Divine
Mind love is the idea of universal unity. A definition used frequently by
Charles Fillmore in classwork gives a broader approach to this quality:
"Love is the attracting, harmonizing, unifying, equalizing, binding (or
cementing) idea of Divine Mind."
"God is love" (I John 4:8). If the full force of this statement were to
come to one, a marvelous transformation of the whole conscious-ness
would follow. As God is love, so also love is God. Love is God forever in
perfect movement within His own being, maintaining unity, balance,
among all His ideas in their relation to one another. Love is that idea, or
principle, of Being which forever gives or draws to each and every idea all
the substance, life, and intelligence necessary for its perfect expression in
form.
"Love is the coordinating, unifying principle of Being, and when one is

guided by spiritual love all the forces of his nature are harmonized and
strengthened" (LET THERE BE LIGHT, page 113).
Man, created in the image and after the likeness of God, has inhering
in his being this divine principle, or idea. As the faculty of love functions in
man's consciousness, it unifies and harmonizes all his thoughts and
feelings. It draws to him all that he needs to fulfill his mission of the
manifestation of his divine nature. Love unifies and harmonizes all his
relations with others and with all creation. We see love expressed in
man's human relations as devotion, interest, un-selfishness, friendship,
goodwill, tenderness, and service to others. The following are excellent
definitions of "love" from pages 52 and 55 of TALKS ON TRUTH:
"Love is a divine principle and man can know it in its purity by

touching it at its fountainhead. ...
"Love is the drawing power of mind. It is the magnet of the universe,
and about it may be clustered -. all the attributes of Being, by one who
thinks in divine order."
Manifest man is a growing and developing creation, in the process of

becoming acquainted with the divine qualities of his spiritual nature, his
heritage from God. He is learning how to use the principles, or ideas, of
God Mind that are the patterns by which he is to think, feel, speak, act,
and react in his daily life. Often, through lack of under-standing, he forms
limited beliefs and wrong concepts about these divine principles, or ideas,
and thus makes for himself wrong patterns which become ruling laws or
secondary-producing causes in his life. Love, as it is taken into man's
consciousness, takes on the form of his mental concepts and beliefs. The
idea of love is not changed but the form of expression comes forth
according to the mental pattern which man has formed.
This is what hinders or delays the full realization of the love of God in
man's consciousness. This is the reason that we do not always see love
being expressed in all its grace and purity, but ex-pressed in selfishness,
greed, jealousy, envy, and the like.
2. What hinders the full realization of God's love?

For so long all the sorrows and all the woes of the world have been
charged against God that mankind can scarcely realize that God is love.
Rather, man thinks of God as a Being who for some mysterious reason
wants people to suffer. Now that it is understood that love has been
limited in its expression and that men are responsible for their own
suffering, caused by lack of understanding and misuse of the inherent
powers of their being, the chief barrier between them and the full
realization of God's love is removed.
It is man's work to understand and give full expression, in divine order,

to this love principle in him the faculty in his own conscious-ness. Love
forever urges man onward and upward toward the highest endeavor;
urges him to manifest that for which he was created; urges him to
reciprocate in love toward God and toward man the love that God has
shown toward man in creating him in His image and after His likeness.
Love is the unifying quality in each man's own particular world. When love
is given the opportunity to function in its purity in man's thoughts, feelings,
and actions, it unifies, heals, harmonizes, blesses, and prospers all the
different forms of expression in his human experience.
The great question is: "How can each person come into the
consciousness of universal love and give it expression in his individual
life?" The way to the Father is through the Son. "I am the way" (John
14:6). In the Son are all the attributes (ideas) of the Father-Mind. Then in
the Son, the Christ, the perfect-idea man, is love in its perfection. As
Christ is God individuated as man, so Christ love is individual love that
can be expressed universally. We may measure the Christ love by what it
includes.
"He drew a circle that shut me out—

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!"
—"Outwitted," by Edwin Markham.
It is the same yesterday, today, and forever; for it is

God-consciousness giving to all its ideas all the good needed for perfect
expression.
Manifest man's lack of understanding of the true nature of the love

idea, and how it is to function as a faculty in his consciousness, often
causes man to base his love on his feelings or emotions. A person's
concept, understanding, and expression of universal love makes it
personal to him, and it is called "personal love":
"Personal love is part of the law, but divine love fulfills the law"
(TALKS ON TRUTH, page 153).
This personal expression of love is varied, since it depends on how

the person thinks and feels. It is often limited to what it possesses; limited
to certain people, things, and conditions. Yet, being swayed by the
individual's state of mind, the expression of love may not always be
directed to the same people, things, and conditions. God's love, being
universal, unchanging, unlimited, is constantly in expression whether man
responds or not; it does not change because of feelings. The limited
expression of love that takes in only "my family," "my people," and "my
country" never knows the joy of entering into universal love, where all
men are recognized and loved as brothers.
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love
the brethren. He who does not love remains in death" (I John 3:14).
"Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God ... and knows
God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love" (I John
4:7, 8). "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another" (John 13:35).
Since the Son, the Christ, is the real of every individual, it is clear that
this great fountain of universal love is not something far removed from
man but is within him. No long pilgrimages, no agonizing days and nights
of seeking are necessary to "finding" love. Being always part of the God
nature, love is always present, ready to express itself in blessing when
men open their mind and heart to receive it.
As long as man believes himself to be a creature separate from God,

unlike Him in all ways, it is difficult for him to claim his birth-right as the
son of God. Man has been taught that he must fear God; that God
punishes him, and that it is "sacrilegious" to claim any kin-ship with Him,
let alone claim to be the beloved son of God. Many have been taught that
the Christ was only the man Jesus who was crucified on Calvary.
Unenlightened man does not know that the Christ is spiritual man, the
spiritual nature of God within every man, through which all have access to
the love of God. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).
We consciously claim our oneness with God's love by speaking the

word, or by affirming, and then establishing it in consciousness through
meditation, prayer, and the Silence:
"But the more we talk about love, the stronger it grows in the
consciousness, and if we persist in thinking loving thoughts and speaking
loving words, we are sure to bring into our experience the feeling of that
great love that is beyond description—the very love of God" (TALKS ON
TRUTH, pages 51, 52).
Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to
the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). He is telling every man how
consciously to unify himself with the Christ, I AM, the law of his being.
Jesus taught that through love man is freed from all limitations of mind
and condition; that man must learn the character of the love of God, must
learn to discriminate (use of the faculty of judgment) between spiritual
living and living in a consciousness of belief in sin, sick-ness, sorrow, and
death. When through denials, affirmations, meditation, prayer, and the
Silence, man consciously unifies himself with the Christ self within, love
spontaneously pours itself through his consciousness (thinking and
feeling) and out into his body and affairs. This equalizing, harmonizing,
healing stream of love renews his mind by cleansing his consciousness of
all adverse feelings by its own pure nature.
3. Explain how adverse feelings and emotions in man's

consciousness may be erased, how his consciousness may be
transformed, bringing his body and his entire world into harmony.
To come in touch with the love of God, direct your attention within to
the very heart, or core, of your being and concentrate on the love center
or faculty. Meditate on the quickening spirit of love and speak words of
Truth such as these:
"God is love. I am the living expression of the love of God. The infinite
love of God is now made manifest in and through me."
Affirmations of this nature will quicken the consciousness (thinking

and feeling) and charge the cells of the body with positive love. The body
has no initiative of its own, and therefore it is vitally important that no
negative condition be impressed upon it by the misuse of the faculty of
love.
It is more or less universally accepted that the heart symbolizes the

love center or faculty. It is not essential to go into detailed explanation of
how the emotion or feeling named "love" functions at this center.
However, various experiences in man's life prove that the physical
organism is affected by his emotions. Only as adverse feelings are
replaced by feelings of love is man able to erase error beliefs from his
mind so that it is transformed, bringing not only his body but his entire
world into harmony with God's laws.
With the mind's eye of faith, one sees, or perceives, the unity of
physics and metaphysics and realizes that the brain cells have spiritual
cores that receive and carry the thoughts and emotions of the presiding
ego. Thus, the body is seen as a perfectly planned receiving and
broad-casting station capable of transmitting the ideas of Divine Mind. Not
only do the nerves correspond to the wires of our telegraph and
tele-phone systems, but there are also "wireless waves" of mental energy
traveling through space in every direction.
Every nerve and gland in the body must be charged with the power of
the Christ consciousness through often repeated affirmations of the
dominion of spiritual man, the Christ, the I AM. In this way the body is
regenerated, lifted up to its rightful place as the temple of God, and the
"disciples," the faculties of mind, are educated in the laws of the kingdom
of God. Through this daily education, we begin to experience true love,
divine love, and we feel its healing currents flowing all through the body,
and then out into our world of affairs.
Any attempt to force the will to do loving things—without any feeling of

love--because we think we ought to do them—ends in failure. Every day
there should be meditation upon divine love, and its full, free expression
through man's faculty should be declared. Unless the true nature of love
is firmly established in consciousness, it cannot be expressed unfailingly
at all times. We cannot express that which we do not consciously have in
us. The heart must be opened to the loving, unselfish Christ Spirit, and a
consciousness of universal love must be cultivated. When the spirit of
love is active in the conscious-ness of man, it becomes easy to do loving
things. The attitude of other persons should not have any influence on our
actions. Hate is not overcome by will power and by hard mental effort, but
by filling the heart so full of love that there is no room for any adverse
feeling. Many persons try to be forgiving, but do not succeed because
they try of themselves as human beings instead of opening their heart to
the loving, forgiving Spirit of Jesus Christ.
4. How is peace to be established upon the earth? Give two Bible

prophecies (with references) of universal peace.
Man is sent forth by God as His agent, or representative, on earth to
have dominion and authority and to rule with a spirit of love in the same
way that God's kingdom in the heavens of Mind is ruled. All the ideas of
Divine Mind are constructive, goody therefore all man's concepts should
work toward building up and not tearing down the good. Every belief that
man establishes within his consciousness has an effect upon his body
and affairs in accordance with its character, whether constructive or
destructive. By persistent cultivation of the love idea, man can change his
beliefs of limitation and thus rebuild his body, cell by cell, through the
power of his word spoken from the Christ consciousness. The body will
then spontaneously express the radiant life of God.
Love takes away all thoughts of destruction. When love is developed

as Jesus Christ expressed it, all destructive man-made things in the
universe will be abolished. When divine love fills the consciousness, there
is no place for warring or contentious thoughts; no place for greed, envy,
hate, or jealousy, for love lifts all things into one harmonious whole. In the
great day when love shall reign, "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my
holy mountain" (Isa. 65:25). The Gospel of John emphasizes love, and
the Letters of John declare the love of God. In the First Letter John writes:
"He who loves his brother abides in the light ... But he who hates his
brother is in the darkness . . . and does not know where he is going,
because the darkness has blinded his eyes" (I John 2:10, 11).
Looking through the personality of Jesus, John saw the Christ: "In him
was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:4, 5). It was into
the darkness of human ignorance, or lack of understanding, that Jesus
carried the light of infinite wisdom and love, an under-standing of men's
common relationship through a common source (the brotherhood of man
through the Fatherhood of God). Only when we are willing and ready to
let the light of God's love shed its brightness upon all alike, shall we be
able to find our own way in life without stumbling. Then our
demonstrations of good will be made through the indwelling love and
intelligence of Divine Mind—-moving in and through us.
"Love does no wrong to a neighbor" (Rom. 13:10), therefore love is

the remedy for all labor difficulties. Strife and contention have no place in
the love of God, and justice and peace cannot be established in an
individual, or in a nation, except through the expression of that love. "Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44) is the
teaching of Jesus Christ. By following this teaching, one ushers in the
reign of peace when men shall
"Beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks:
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
but they shall sit every man under his vine and
under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken"
(Micah 4:3, 4).
5. What effect do evil thoughts and words have upon man's whole
being?
David understood the power of words; he speaks of men whose
tongues are "sharp swords" (Psalms 57:4) and who are "bellowing with
their mouths" (Psalms 59:7). Solomon too had this understanding when
he said: "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the
tongue of the wise brings healing" (Prov. 12:18). Jesus said, "All who take
the sword will perish by the sword" (Matt. 26:52). Swords are not always
made of steel, but they may represent any weapon that man uses against
his fellowman. Evil thoughts and words produce destructive effects in the
world. Knowing this, we shall take care not to use such thoughts and
words. Every unkind word we speak is as a two-edged sword that hurts
the one toward whom it is directed only if he accepts it, and it reacts upon
the one who sends it forth unless he is quick to erase it with forgiveness.
Love will send forth words of blessing and heal the wounds which have
been made by unloving words.
Levi, one of the sons of Jacob, and John, one of the apostles of
Jesus, each represent "love." In the Old Testament, the twelve sons of
Jacob symbolize "The first, or natural, bringing forth of the faculties. A
higher expression of the faculties is symbolized in the "Twelve Apostles of
Jesus Christ" (CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 73). The word Levi means
"joining," "clinging." The Levites were chosen to serve in the sanctuary of
the Temple, thus symbolizing the truth that love as the "fulfilling of the law"
(Rom. 13:10) is required before man can manifest Godlikeness in its
fullness, for it takes love to fulfill all of the other powers (laws). As David,
who represents divine love, unified the twelve tribes of Israel into one
great working unit, so love, active in man's consciousness, unifies all his
faculties of mind so that they function together in divine order and work as
a unit to fulfill the purpose for which man was created— "to demonstrate
the Truth of Being" (CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 55).
6. How does love help one to build a consciousness of eternal life and
to demonstrate it?
A consciousness of "eternal life" is attained only through the
unification and right use of the faculties of mind. This is possible only as
divine love is developed in man's thinking and feeling natures. A love of
life stirs in man the desire to know more about eternal life and to manifest
it in his body.
"We can have fullness of life by realizing that we live in a sea of

abundant, omnipresent, eternal life, and by refusing to allow any thought
to come in that stops the consciousness of the universal life flow....
Every time we think life, speak life, rejoice in life, we are setting free,
and bringing into expression in ourselves more and more of the life idea"
(JESUS CHRIST HEALS, page 105).
It is possible for man, in his ignorance, to put the power of his love
faculty upon that which is not good. We speak of "love of power" that
leads to domination and dictatorship; even Paul warns of the "love of
money," meaning the desire for money for its own sake rather than for the
fulfillment of its true purpose as a medium of exchange. When man has
not a true picture of substance and puts too much emphasis upon the
outer forms, then he is prone to unhappiness or disappointment when the
forms are no longer available. When man sees the formed things of the
world as the outer forms of "ideas" clothed in divine substance that has
taken form in what is termed "matter," then he knows that "nothing is lost
in Spirit" for the idea remains always ready to be re-clothed to fit the
needs of man and all creation. When love is directed toward God's world
and the things of His world, it becomes appreciation of the gift and the
Giver and there is willingness to release all that has served its purpose to
make way for greater expression of good.
7. How is fear overcome?

"Divine love in the heart establishes one in fearlessness and
indomitable courage" (CHRISTIAN HEALING, page 138). Fear comes
because of man's belief in two powers, good and evil, and he feels that
evil is threatening him and he desires to avoid or escape it.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has
to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love" (I John
4:18).
When the love of God fills the heart, it dispels all fear, and the
individual can truly say in the words of the Psalmist, "I fear no evil; for
thou art with me" (Psalms 23:4). Love abiding actively in the soul of man
enables him to "practice the Presence of God" and to know this Presence
as the omnipresent protection for himself and his loved ones and for
every living soul.
8. Explain the first commandment as it was given by Jesus, giving the

Scripture quotation and Bible reference.
We know the emphasis Jesus placed upon "love," for in giving what
we often hear termed as the "love commandments" Jesus said "There is
no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31). The first
commandment has to do with the individual, "You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and
with all your strength." The "Lord your God" is one's own indwelling
Christ, the I AM, the Spirit of God in each man, one's own divinity. To
"love the Lord your God," then, is to be aware of this indwelling Presence,
to be unified, harmonized, consciously one with it. Through knowing our
identity as I AM, as one and the same as universal Spirit, we know that
we are never separated from our Source, and each one is an expresser of
all that I AM is. Thus, we see that the first commandment of love is
recognition of our own divinity.
9. Explain the second commandment as it was given by Jesus, giving

the Scripture quotation and Bible reference.
As there is only one God—"The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Mark
12:29)—one I AM who is identical in all forms, we cannot be separated
from any other human being. We live in God, the one Presence, the one
Power, that is constantly inspiring and sustaining all. Thus, the second
commandment comes in natural sequence, "The second is this, 'You shall
love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). Once aware of our own
divinity, the Christ, or I AM, within, in order for love to fulfill its mission,
there must be recognition of the divinity of "our neighbor." We see our
neighbor seeking to express his true nature in accord with his own
understanding, and our love for him removes all barriers of limited
thinking about him from our own mind.
10. What is the relation of wisdom to love?

While all of the twelve faculties are to be developed under the
direction of the I AM, or Christ Spirit, we find that study of these faculties
enables us to see which ones need to be developed together. In the last
lesson we studied about "judgment," which is the ability to discern,
discriminate, choose, or select. When we have balanced our "judgment
faculty" with understanding, then it becomes a safe companion for the
"love faculty." Wisdom is practical spiritual knowledge from the Light
within? it is the inspiration that comes from Spirit in the "secret place of
the most High" and it is the only safe guide to the development of all our
faculties. When love and judgment are united in wisdom, then the two
faculties will be expressed in divine order. Love is a spirit of giving?
unless it is directed, it will pour itself out without discrimination or
judgment. Love must be guided by good judgment, and judgment must be
tempered with love. When love and judgment work with the wisdom of
God, the result is quick intuitional knowing? while love acting
independently may bring un-pleasant results. The loving parent who
indiscriminately gives to the child can bring harm? whereas the parent
seeking to use judgment with-out love may also cause unhappiness in the
child, for judgment working independently of love and wisdom is harsh
and unfeeling. Love alone may be impulsive? but united with judgment
that is guided by wisdom, it receives direct leading from Spirit, which
always shows the right course. A good prayer treatment for health,
prosperity, peace, and everything else desirable, is:
"Through God's wisdom, love and judgment are united in me." "Love
is an inherent power that, if allowed to be expressed in one's life, will
transform every inharmony, will transmute every negative condition into
part of the harmonious whole. The results of love are always good"
(DARE TO BELIEVE! pages 103, 104).
The love of God toward men is expressed fully and freely in the
Scriptures as loving-kindness and tender mercy, and in many other ways
that the unenlightened do not recognize. No one has ever comprehended
this love in its fullness except Jesus Christ? but as it is believed in and
trusted, the consciousness expands in the realization of the true character
of divine love.
"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with

lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jer. 31:3 A.V.).
S2L12 Annotations
What is love as related to God? -Show how love functions as a faculty

in man.
1. "Love in Divine Mind, is the idea of universal unity. In expression,
love is the power that joins and binds in divine harmony the universe and
everything in it." — Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 130, Chapter 12,
paragraph 4. In his teaching Charles Fillmore said, "Love is the attracting,
harmonizing, unifying, equalizing, binding or cementing idea or quality in
Divine Mind."
Love is one of the twelve spiritual faculties or powers, the gift of God
to man. Love, unity, oneness, are identical. Love is the attractive force of
nature, ceaseless attraction, which holds the planets in their courses. On
the physical plane, love is the law of gravity, so far as this planet is
concerned. Love is the magnet by which one idea, person, animal, or
molecule is drawn or attracted to another of like kind. Love binds and
holds together God and man, as well as all humanity and all creation.
Love holds persons and things together; love causes people and things to
"stick together."
Love is the idea behind service, and forgiveness is the love of God in
action. "The Holy Spirit is the love of Jehovah taking care of the human
family, and love is always feminine. Love is the great harmonizer and
healer, and whoever calls upon God as Holy Spirit for healing is calling
upon divine love." — Charles Fillmore Jesus Christ Heals 183, Chapter
12. Love, in its essence, is symbolically the "spiritual oil" that binds and
heals wounds in mind and body, consciousness and manifestation.
All unselfishness is love, and love is the Holy-Mother Principle, the

Motherhood of God. "God is love," — I John 4:16, so love is God or one
phase of God's expression. "Love is the fulfillment of the law." — Rom.
13:10. Love is the means whereby man is brought into conscious contact
with the Divine. The grace of God is the love of God for man and for all
His creation, and we need only to recognize it, accept it, and let it radiate
through us to bless ourselves, everyone else, and everything,
everywhere.
What is the difference between universal love and personal love?

2. Universal love is the WHOLE of God's love, or divine love, while
personal love is the expression that man gives to love according to his
understanding and aim. "Personal love is part of the law, but divine love
fulfills the law." — Charles Fillmore Talks on Truth, chapter 13, paragraph
18. [TruthUnity note: I do not see this quote in the current version of Talks
on Truth].
The difference between universal love and personal love may be

likened to the difference between Divine Mind and the human
consciousness — the lesser is contained within the greater — one is an
emanation of the other, but the limited (personal) must be lifted up to the
unlimited (universal).
Universal love is love unobstructed by personal concepts. In the

cosmos it evidences itself as terrestrial gravitation, as the systematic
movement of planets in the solar system, as the orderly progress of the
seasons, as the response of growing things to sun and rain and warmth.
Universal love is the power of affinity and attraction operative at all levels.
An individual's concept, understanding, and expression of universal

love make it personal love to him. In interpersonal relations love is
evidenced as devotion, interest, unselfishness, friendship, co-operation,
good will, tenderness, affection, consideration, forgiveness, service.
It is correct to say that the difference between universal love and
personal love is in degree of expression only. Unless man exercises
wisdom and good judgment, he may express personal love in foolish,
selfish, unwise, binding ways. However man's vision and comprehension
of love are expandable without limit. When man comprehends that God is
love and that he may contact love within himself, he will come into the
consciousness of universal love and give it expression.
Universal love strengthens love in all departments of man's being, and

much good is attracted to him because of his expression of the
God-nature inherent in his being.
In both its universal and personal expressions, love is the substantial

and enduring part of man and the universe.
What hinders the full realization of God's love?

3. The chief obstacle which has hindered the realization and
expression of divine love is that man has looked around and has seen a
world burdened with suffering and sorrow and has been taught to believe
that all this woe and misery has been sent by God. On the other hand he
has been told that God is love. Apparent facts on the one side disprove
the statement on the other side; common sense and a belief in the nature
of goodness cannot reconcile the two statements. Very slowly we are
beginning to accept the fact that we ourselves, not God, are responsible
for our sufferings. As we sow, so shall we reap. With this new
understanding God's true character is at last vindicated.
Another obstacle is that the love current in man in many instances has
remained dormant so long that its power to respond has become
sluggish. The third obstacle lies in the fact that Biblical statements of love
have been heard so frequently that they cause no feeling, awaken no
response. They are spoken as mere platitudes. They will make no
impression until they are made luminous by the quickening of Spirit. No
person has yet fully comprehended the love of God, but the capacity to
feel that love exists is in everyone. It can be developed by believing in it
and trusting it. When men comprehend that love can be contacted within,
they will become conscious of and express universal love.
The slowness of man to recognize the oneness (unity) of God and

himself hinders his realization of God as love. Man has been taught to
fear God, to fear His punishments, to fear to claim his kinship because it
was "sacrilegious." He has not been taught the love of God which is a part
of himself, or his oneness with God through the Christ within himself,
through which there is access at all times to the loving Father.
Explain how we may come into the consciousness of divine love.

4. The way to God, the Father, is through the Son. The Son, I AM, the
Christ, the ideal man, holds all the attributes or ideas of the Father. It
follows that the Son, I AM, the Christ, the ideal man, which is the Spirit
indwelling every man, is love in its perfection. It is also clear that since the
Son dwells in every man the great fountain of love is within every one of
us ready to be realized and used whenever we turn to it and become
consciously one with it. Love is a reality; it is Spirit; it is substance; and
every individual has free access to it whenever he brings himself into
harmony with it. By expressing love in our thoughts, words, feelings, and
actions In our everyday human relationships we come into the
consciousness of divine love.
What nerve plexus in the body of man is regarded by metaphysicians

as being the center of emotions and feelings?
5. The solar plexus, the abdominal brain of the body, is the receiving
and broadcasting center of emotions and feelings, and is so regarded by
metaphysicians. Chapter I of "The Twelve Powers of Man" is suggested
as a reference bearing on this question. However, with regard to feelings
of love, or feelings concerned with human relations, we find that the
center that is often affected first is the cardiac plexus, back of the heart.
See Talks on Truth Lesson 5, and Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 130.

Explain how adverse feelings and emotions intman's consciousness
may be erased, how his consciousness may be transformed, bringing his
body and his entire world into harmony.
6. "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." — Rom. 12:2.
"Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." — Phil. 2:5. God
gave man dominion and mastery over his feelings and emotions, over his
thoughts and words, over his body, his actions, and his affairs when He
created man in His image and placed that image in man's being as the
Son, I AM, the Christ. Man's work is to become conscious of his Sonship.
This is done through prayer and meditation, through denial and
affirmation, through realization of the Truth about himself, and through
thanksgiving. Man must live the life of Christ, which is the life of mastery
over his own thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and reactions, knowing
that all his thoughts, feelings, words, and actions conform to the Christ
standard of righteousness and love. Then adverse feelings which have
been in man's consciousness are lifted up and redeemed, his
consciousness is transformed into divine love, and his body is transmuted
into perfect harmony.
Why does it sometimes seem hard to express love?

7. It sometimes seems hard to express love because we do not
systematically feel loving as a regular everyday thing. We feel loving
toward some people only and under certain conditions. When people do
not please us we are inclined to feel resentment and impatience rather
than love. Unless love is firmly established in consciousness, it cannot be
expressed unfailingly at all times. The heart must be opened to the loving,
unselfish Christ Spirit, and universal love must be cultivated until the love
center in consciousness becomes active and the heart is filled with the
love flow. Then it will be easier to do loving things than not to do them.
The attitude of other people should not have any influence on our actions.
The more unloving others are, the more we should focus our love on them
and try to dissipate their hardness. The standard that Jesus gave was not
only to love our neighbors but even our enemies.

Explain how peace will be fully established upon the earth. Give at
least two Bible prophecies (with references) of universal peace.
8. Peace will be fully established upon the earth when each individual
becomes fully conscious of the idea of peace that is already inherent
within him as God's gift to him which is his divine inheritance and
birthright, and expresses peace in his thoughts, feelings, words, actions,
and reactions. The individual becomes conscious of peace as he cultures
his soul through prayer and meditation, and by yielding himself to the love
and wisdom of the indwelling Christ. Man attains a consciousness of
peace when he is willing to practice the Golden Rule and does so by
acting Christ-like in his relationships with all others. "Love thy neighbor as
thyself." — Matt. 19:19, Matt. 22:29, and Mark 12:31.
As the individual becomes conscious of peace within himself he

becomes a radiating center of peace in his own personal world. A
peaceful person is a harmonizer, an influence for peace throughout the
whole wide world. We see then, that peace is an individual matter.
Individual prayers for world leaders help to quicken a consciousness of
peace within them, giving them new understanding, and inspiring them to
right action for the good of all mankind. We can see also the importance
of the individual in the manifestation of world peace as he makes his
contribution in helping to establish the kingdom of peace on earth by
being peaceful in his own environment and surroundings. True peace
manifesting in the minds and hearts of men will show forth the fulfillment
of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. "Almighty Father,
let there be love and peace on earth and let them begin in my heart."
What effect do evil thoughts and words have upon man's whole
being?
9. Destructive thoughts and words produce distortions of the mind
which shows forth as cruelty and injustice and a tendency to tear down
the good for which others are striving. Jealousy, envy, hatred, poverty,
and various other kinds of wickedness have a way of weaving themselves
into the character and lives of those who entertain them. They produce
inharmonious conditions in the body and affairs, the outpicturing of the
thoughts and feelings of the indivudual.
What is Unity's teaching about vegetarianism?

10. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore believed in vegetarianism from the
standpoint of love and mercy, believing that the commandment, "Thou
shalt not kill," — Exod. 20:13 — applied not only to man but to all of God's
creatures.
However, Unity teaches that abstaining from eating meat is a matter

for individual guidance, according to inner convictions. Undoubtedly the
race will eventually come to use an entirely different type of food, as we
grow and develop spiritually, as we come into a fuller realization of the
oneness of all life. Just to abstain from the outer act of eating meat does
not guarantee spirituality. If the abstinence is the result of an inner desire
and conviction, then it is part of spiritual unfoldment. Otherwise, it should
not be forced. In regard to vegetarianism, Unity leaves the individual free
to make his own decision.
Which of Jacob's sons and which of Jesus' disciples represent love?

11. Of the sons of Jacob, Levi, and of the disciples of Jesus, John,
represent love in man. The Levites were chosen to serve in the sanctuary
of the temple, typifying that love is nearest to God. John's gospel is about
love, and his epistles make love the supreme thing.
What is the cause of darkness in the consciousness?

12. Our giving up to passing waves of anger, hate, fear, jealousy,
greed, or clinging to some old grudge will cause darkness in our
consciousness. Love must be allowed to shine on all alike, and when we
can love all alike then we may expect our prayers to be of avail. Jesus
said, "If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar (prayer), and there
rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift
before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and
then come and offer thy gift." — Matt. 5:23,24. We are to live our lives so
that there will not be even an appearance of anything unlike love.
Why is it unwise to love worldly things?

13. Worldly things are transient and pass away, even those things that
we usually consider to be the most permanent. Love is ceaseless
attraction, and it has the quality of concentrating on its object. When the
object is transient and passes away, there is a sense of loss and a break
in the flow of love through us, a damming up of the stream of love. We
bind ourselves, attach to us worldly things, and by so doing we give them
our time and attention and forget the spiritual ideas which are eternal.
How does love help one to build a consciousness of eternal life and to
demonstrate it?
14. The character of man as well as his life's experiences are
determined by the nature of the things on which he sets his love. When
love is fixed on values rather than things, a consciousness of reality and
abiding life results. As the unifying principle, love contributes to the
increasing demonstration of life because it attracts and unifies those
spiritual qualities or ideas that are conducive to the expression of life.
How is fear overcome?

15. Love is the antidote for fear. Ignorance and lack of a
consciousness of love form darkness in the consciousness, and it is the
darkness which is feared, darkness that may hold fearful thoughts,
feelings, beliefs. It is always the unknown that we fear, but when love is
turned on, the darkness dispelled, and the shadows chased away, there is
no cause for fear. "Perfect love casteth out fear, because love is light. — I
John 4:18.
Give two Bible prophecies of universal peace.

16.
Psalms 29:11
Isa. 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-3
Isa. 9:6,7
Isa. 32:16-18
Hosea 2:18
Rev. 22:1-5
Ezek. 34:25,26
What is the meaning of the prophecy, "All they that take the sword
shall perish with the sword"? — Matt. 26:52.
17. This illustrates that what we give out will come back to us. A
sword has a meaning of an offensive weapon. Offensive weapons are not
confined to things of steel but dwell in the power of an unwise tongue and
an untrained mind. If we try to conquer our neighbors or to suppress their
ideas by the force of our thoughts and words, we should be willing to
accept the return action of such thoughts and words. If we send them
thoughts of love that are willing to see the Christ in the other fellow as well
as in ourselves, thoughts of love will come back to us multiplied, but if we
send out the daggers of hatred, they will come back to us multiplied.
Explain the first commandment as it was given by Jesus, giving the

Scripture quotation and Bible reference.
18. The first commandment as given by Jesus, "Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind," — Deut. 6:5 and Matt. 22:37, does not
refer to some far separate being who is a terrible being. "The Lord thy
God" refers to the I AM or Christ indwelling in each one. God is in us, and
we are In God forever more. We shall love that in ourselves which is good
(God). When we love the good we shall do no evil to ourselves or to
others, for we shall know that God is seeking to express His love through
us.
Explain the second commandment as it was given by Jesus, giving

the Scripture quotation and Bible reference.
19. Jesus was the great exponent and advocate of love in all its ways
and channels of expression. He saw and approved the spirit of "Love thy
God," and He desired that His disciples and followers should also see
Truth. Because He saw many things that His disciples failed to grasp, it
was necessary that He explain or carry the idea a little further, and so He
spoke the second commandment. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself." — Matt. 22:39, Lev. 19:18. The main idea is love, the love of God
for man and man for God. God is no respecter of persons. As God loves
all, for God is love, and as this love is for all His children, so all His
children love one another if they let themselves become expressions of
love. The same God that is pressing out from you is also pressing out
from your neighbor. If we love God, we must love our neighbor, God's
expression.
What is the relation of love to wisdom?

20. The relation of love to wisdom is that of heart and mind, of feeling
and thought, of the feminine and masculine characteristics in the
individual nature. The balanced union of the two is conceived to be the
harmonious state for man. Love guided by wisdom leads to peace,
happiness, and safety. Wisdom directed by love leads to mercy, justice,
and truth in all things. Love with wisdom directing it harmonizes
discordant conditions in the mind and in the world. Wisdom and love
united will bring peace on earth and good will to man. "The love of Christ
... passeth knowledge," — Eph. 3:19, but even if men would take the
wisdom they have and combine it with the love they have, the world would
be transformed and civilization would begin to unfold in the way of peace
and understanding.

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Unity Correspondence

Early in April of this year we received a letter from a correspondent

And so our first pupil was enrolled, and so Unity Correspondence

If we had been judging by appearances we would have thought

UCS Series 1 (Beginner's

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Prayer

Here where a host uncounted

To Him who is love unbounded

I have but to trust His goodness

True prayer is conscious communion with God, or a common union of

Jesus promised, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,

This relationship suggests love. "God is love." — I John 4:8. To bring

What is the "secret place of the Most High"? - Psalms 91:1

What benefit comes to us from praying to God as "our Father"?

What and where is heaven?

What is it to "hallow" the name of God?

What is "God's will" for man?

What is "our daily bread"?

Explain why it is necessary to pray believing that we have received

How does one come into conscious unity with God?

What is meant by "holding a thought" as used in connection with

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 1

What is the difference between spiritual understanding and intellectual

When our consciousness is attuned to Spirit we receive ideas direct

We must come to see the true relation of intellectual understanding

"Intellectual understanding comes first in the soul's development, then

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 2

In the relative sense, God as Spirit individuated in man becomes to

God is dependable Principle both in an impersonal, universal way and

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 3

What is true prayer?

When our consciousness is free from worry or tension we are an open

"In eagerness 'we wait in singleness of heart' for the revelation,

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 4

What is the "secret place of the Most High" (Psalms 91:1)?

Anything is "secret" when it is hidden; the "secret place of the Most

In our metaphysical study we find that the "secret place" can be

"When we pray in spiritual understanding, this highest realm of man's

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 5

Once we have entered the "inner chamber" which is God's Presence

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 6

What is the meaning of the expression "going into the silence"?

"The first step in scientific silence is simply to still . . . outer intellectual

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 7

It is possible for a person to consciously control his thoughts by fixing

Desire is a great factor in making thought productive; the more

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 8

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 9

What benefit comes to us from praying to God as "our Father" (Matt.

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 10

What and where is heaven?

We find the word kingdom used in two ways:

"The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21 A.V.).

"The kingdom of heaven . . . is a state of consciousness in which the

"Teachers of metaphysics find that their most difficult work is getting

The Kingdom of God is neither a state of mind nor a condition of mind,

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 11

What is it to "hallow" the name of God?

God is to each person whatever that person can conceive Him to be --

We must come to understand that God is Principle, Law, and that He

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 12

What is "God's will" for man?

Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 13

UCS Lessons & Annotations

UCS Lessons & Annotations