December

The Light of ReasonDecember 1902Published MonthlyEdited by James Allen Vol. II. December 1st, 1902 No. 6 Devoted to:The expounding of the laws of being and the higher life. We should be glad if our readers would kindly send in their subscriptions for 1903 as early as possible. By so doing…

The words of Divine Promise, "Peace on Earth," appeal strongly to us at all times, but at this season of the year, with the near approach of Christmastide, they seem to come home to us with greater force, and to have even a deeper significance than at other times. The…

O thou inhabitant of every soul,Have we not seen thy gracious emblems growl' the tender lap of Nature at her prime,And heard thy full-toned message through the wholeSong luted summer, when the rivers flowIn peace across the golden harvest time? But now, when mists hang chilling on the wold,And pale…

I—Pilate's Question Every truth has two sides. At least two sides. It may have many sides. We are apt to overlook this aspect of truth and, having examined one side, to accept it or reject it without taking the trouble to examine the other side. The only wise course is…

A man does not live until he begins to discipline himself; he merely exists. Like an animal he gratifies his desires and pursues his inclinations just where they may lead him. He is happy as a beast is happy, because he is not conscious of what he is depriving himself;…

Would'st thou, my soul, walk on that heavenly way—The way of holiness? Then, it must beThy life on earth must ever proof displayThat deep within thee dwelleth purity.Thus holiness, or wholeness, of thy stateShall shew thine inclinations ever leanTo do the things true wisdom shall dictateAs fruits of Love; in…

How, at times, does the weary wayfarer in the battle of life long for peace and rest; physical rest, mental and spiritual peace; that peace which the world cannot give—nor, once possessed, take away! "Give peace in our Time, good Lord!" "My peace I give unto you: not as the…

There is strength for every duty,There is balm for every pain,In the blessed Land of SilenceWhere the soul's "I Am" doth reign. Not in some celestial city,With its shining streets of gold;Not in some far-distant futureWhich the years may yet unfold. Not in time, and not in distance,Lies the Land…

Faith, Hope and Love, these three, but the greatest of these is Love.—1 Cor xiii., 13. Once I took Hope for my guardian angel. I looked into her bright face, and felt I was surely in the "glad confident morning," that I had left far behind me the pale gloom…

Life is a dream, from now until tomorrowWe know not what may hap, none can foretellThe pains that we may feel, the joy or sorrow,The birth of hope, or its sad passing knell. Like one who sleepeth knows not time is fleeting,Nor counts the precious moments as they fly.Thus are…

Ideas are formed in the mind-words are the vehicles through which ideas make themselves manifest; therefore words have a certain power on their plane of consciousness. That is, the word may be used in an independent way to dissolve an idea that has become concrete in the consciousness. The word…

One of the most profound sayings of Jesus, and one which most strongly appeals to our common human sympathy, was spoken when He foresaw the coming of His tragic earthly end, and said to His followers: "Ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone,…

That Salvation is within a man, and not in any system, doctrine, or belief, is a truth not as yet fully understood, but must as men's minds open to it become a mighty deliverer. But is God not our Salvation? some ask— Assuredly He is, but only in so far…

Culture will have no pretense, no disguises. Divested of all externals, our money, our Latin and Greek, our accomplishments, taken from our customary surroundings, far from the pale of our circles and institutions, no longer relying upon the prestige of names and ancestry—what, then, is there to show? Culture takes…

I count that man prosperous who is at peace with the world, in whose heart lurks no animosity, malice, or jealousy; whose home life is ideal; whose business is not his master; whose passions do not control him, and who witnesses in all humanity his brothers and sisters, equal heirs…

Life is too short for any vain regretting;Let dead delight bury its dead, I say,And let us go upon our way forgettingThe joys and sorrows of each yesterday.Between the swift sun's rising and its settingWe have no time for useless tears or fretting—Life is too short. Life is too short…

St. Peter—In reply to your long and appealing letter we trust we may say that which will help you to find somewhat of that light for which you have hitherto vainly groped. Yes, it is ingrained in the very nature of things that a man must reap exactly as he…

Where Dwells the Soul Serene, by Stanton Kirkham Davis. This is a work of transcendentalism after the fashion of Emerson's Essays. The diction is a model of chastity and elegance, and the loftiest spirituality characterizes the work. The author starts with no central idea, and adheres to none. The thirteen…