The Heart of the New Thought Part 9

That is the idea of the many. Meanwhile others, who have been educated in the melancholy faith of their ancestors, believe the object of this life is to be miserable, poor, and full of sorrow, that they may wear a crown of glory hereafter.

But the clear thinker and careful observer must realize that there is one and only one main object in life--_the building of character_.

He who sets out in early youth with that ambition and purpose, and keeps to it, will not only attain his object, but he will, too, attain happiness and true success--for there is no such thing as failure for the man or woman of character.

We often apply the two words character and success, unworthily.

We speak of a man of "much character" when he is merely self-a.s.sertive and stubborn, and we call a man successful, who has acc.u.mulated a fortune, or achieved fame and a position, by doubtful methods.

Then what is character, and what is success?

Character is the result of the cultivation of the highest and n.o.blest qualities in human nature, and putting those qualities to practical use.

Success is the conquest of the lower and baser self, and the ability to be useful to one's fellow men.

There are men of brain, wealth and position who are failures, and there are men of limited abilities and in humble places who are yet successful, inasmuch as they make the utmost of themselves, and their opportunities.

It makes no difference how lowly your sphere in life may be, and no matter how limited your environment, you can build your character if you will. You need no outlay of money, no a.s.sistance from those in power, no influence.

Character Building must be done alone, and by yourself. The ground must be cleansed of debris, and the structure must be erected stone by stone.

It is dull, slow, hard work, especially the preparation.

All preparation is drudgery.

When this little whirling globe of ours began to cool in s.p.a.ce think what a task lay before it! Think of the ma.s.s of chaos, which had to slowly shape itself into mighty, green, glad and snow-capped mountains, fertile vales, and n.o.ble forests.

Each one of us is a little world, whirling alone on an individual orbit, but the divine power is within us, to grow into symmetry, beauty, and perfection if we only realize it.

And the happiness of the work, once we begin it, is beyond the power of description.

There is no other satisfaction can compare with that of looking back across the years and finding that you have grown in self-control, in charity of judgment, in a sense of justice, in generosity, and in unselfishness.

If you are conscious of this growth, let no lack of material success for one moment disturb you. That will come, enough for your need, in time.

The man of symmetrically developed character is never a pauper.

He is never dependent for more than a temporary period.

To possess character is to be useful, and to be useful is to be independent, and to be useful and independent, is to be happy, even in the midst of sorrow; for sorrow is not necessarily unhappiness.

The man who has made the development of a n.o.ble and harmonious character the business of his life, accepts his sorrows as means of greater growth, and finds in them an exaltation of spirit which is closely allied to happiness.

To such a nature, absolute wretchedness would only be possible through the loss of self-respect; the lowering of an ideal or the failure of a principle.

Would you be happy and successful? Then set yourself to _build character_.

Seek to be worthy of your own highest commendation.

Wisdom

A great many people are attracted to the New Thought of the day, by its declaration of our right to material wealth, and by its claim that the mind of man can create, command, and control conditions which produce wealth.

There is no question concerning the truth of this claim.

But woe unto him who cultivates his mental and spiritual powers only for this purpose.

His gold shall turn to dross, his pleasure to Dead Sea fruit.

He shall be as one who drags a beautiful garment through the mud of the streets, and while clothed in purple and fine linen is yet a repulsive object.

Into the Great Scheme of Existence, as first conceived by the Creator, money did not enter.

He made this beautiful Universe, and all that it contains was meant for the enjoyment of His creatures.

There was no millionaire and no pauper soul created by G.o.d.

Each soul contains the spark of the divine spirit, and by the realization of that spark, and all it means, whatever is desired by mortal man may come to him.

But wise is he who remembers the injunction, "Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all other things shall be added unto you."

Wise is he who understands the meaning of the words, "Unto him that hath, more shall be given."

Not until you obtain the faculty of being happy through your spiritual and mental faculties, independent of material conditions, not until you learn to value wealth only as a means of helpfulness, can you safely turn your powers of concentration upon the idea of opulence.

To demand, a.s.sert, and command wealth for its mere sensual benefits, to focus your mind upon it because you desire to s.h.i.+ne, lead, and triumph, is to play spiritual football with spiritual dynamite.

You may obtain what you seek, you may acc.u.mulate riches, but at the cost of all that is worth living for.

The merely ignorant, or stupid, or wholly material man who stumbles into a fortune, through inheritance, dogged persistent industry, or chance, may enjoy it in his own fas.h.i.+on, and do no harm in the world.

But the man who knows and who has developed his spiritual powers only for the purpose of commanding material gain, might better have a millstone tied about his neck. For he makes himself a spiritual outcast, and his money shall never bring him happiness.

Make, therefore, your a.s.sertion of opulence the last in your list, as you make Love first.

Call unto yourself spiritual insight, absolute unselfishness, desire for universal good, wisdom, justice, and usefulness, and last of all opulence.

Think of yourself as possessed of all these qualities before you picture financial independence.

For without love for your kind, without the desire for usefulness and the spiritual insight and the wisdom to be just before being generous, your money would bring you only temporary pleasure, and would do the world no good.

Neither should you labor under the impression that G.o.d's work is lying undone because you have no fortune to command and wisely distribute where most needed. Rest a.s.sured if you do the work which lies nearest to you, relieve such distress as is possible to you, and keep your faith in the ultimate justice of G.o.d's ways, that the world will move on, and humanity will slowly attain its destined goal, even if you never become a millionaire.