ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

BY JENNIE H. CROFT.

223. Your treatments are doing me a world of good, but I need all the advice you can give me about going into the Silence How may I best learn to concentrate so that I can unfold into the Truth that sets a man free?

—J. D.

We have found the following method to be conducive to most excellent results in silent meditation. Choose a certain hour that you can observe regularly each day, preferably as near the 9 P. M. hour for Silence which is appointed by our Society, as is most convenient for you. At this time go to a room where you will be without interruption, sit in a comfortable chair with feet placed squarely upon the floor, close eyes and ears to the sights and sounds all about you, and with mind and body thus quieted and at ease, open your heart to the influence of the Spirit, which you should realize as present with you in all its power.

Claim first, that you are illuminated by the Spirit of Wisdom, and, after letting this thought sink deep into your consciousness, take up some statement of Truth, as, "God is my life, my health, my strength," and meditate upon these words and the Truth expressed by them for at least fifteen minutes, or until you have a realization of this Truth as an active Principle within your being. Your mind may wander at first, but by an effort of the will you may bring it back. Constant practice will enable you to become master of the art of concentrating your thought.

It is quite important, as an aid in attaining the best results from the Silence, that one should choose the same hour each day, the same room, and the same chair, thus impregnating all the surroundings with spiritual power and substance. We are creatures of habit, and the habit thus formed will strengthen us and enable us to accomplish the withdrawal from

material things, and the entering into communion with the Spirit much more quickly than if we were careless as to time and place.

224. Could you find the time to explain this to me. I have pondered over it, but do not see. St. John 14:12: "Greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." I see this far, that when we learn to stand, and use our own feet (understanding), we grow stronger proportionally; but why this, "Because I go to my Father"? Why should that enable you or I to do greater works? Is it simply having seen what our elder brother did, it should (and would in accordance with natural law) tend to increase our faith and confidence in the Power-the Father within, to attempt even greater things? -M. J. P.

The disciples were looking to and depending upon Jesus so much for their guidance, and power to accomplish, that he saw it would be better for them when he was gone from them in person, and the spirit of his teachings and the example of his life. should impel them to go on to greater things. But there is a more vital truth contained in the esoteric meaning of the words, and the pivotal point is that "because." We must look within the consciousness of the individual for this interpretation. In the unfoldment of the soul each one passes through his Gethsemane, his Calvary, his resurrection and bis ascension. It is because of this ascension that the "greater things" are possible. The humanistic sense of life sorrows in Gethsemane, is crossed out on Calvary that it may be raised into spiritual or Christ-life, and then comes the ascension into conscious union or oneness with the Father, or Source of all Power. Because of this union within the soul, of the Universal Spirit with the Spirit individualized, may that individual do "even greater works." anyone, from Jesus down, failed in doing the greater works, it is because this union with the Source was not complete. When we consciously know that "I and the Father are one," then we may speak the word for the healing of the nations within ourselves and the nations without will be healed also.

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225. Please give me your ideas of the sense we find in the New Thought literature of that text, "Resist not evil."-L. H.

It means that "all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword," or, in other words, if you fight a thing it will fight back. The teaching of the Higher Thought is to cultivate a systematic nonrecognition of evil if we would overcome it, as in this way we see nothing to resist. This that we term evil is undeveloped good, just as the apple is bitter and unpleasant to the taste while green. Turn on the sunshine of Love and evil will ripen into good, as the green apple ripens into the luscious fruit under the rays of the sun.

226. If a person had been taught that anything was unclean to eat, according to the Old Testament dispensation, and had made a vow that they would not indulge either in eating or preparing it for others to eat, would they be justified in breaking that vow in the light of Truth's teachings?

- W.

"Old things are passed away; behold, all things. have become new." II. Cor. 5:1.

As we progress in the understanding of Truth we break all fetters which hold us to error or hinder our advancement, that we may enjoy the "perfect liberty wherewith Christ has set us free." We are much more true to Truth and to ourselves in breaking a promise or vow made when we were not as enlightened as at present, than in keeping it. In adhering to a promise which holds us to that which we now believe to be unwise or untrue, we are false to our convictions of right, and thus our spiritual development is retarded. If a cannibal made a vow to kill and eat his enemies, should that vow be considered binding when he became civilized? The question of right and wrong should be decided in the light of today's consciousness, and not that of yesterday.

Right here permit us to enter a protest against vows, pledges, etc. They are sure to become fetters. The only resolution we should ever make is to ever

and always seek the Truth, even if our conception of what is Truth today makes us false to what was Truth to us in the past. "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

227. Please explain the meaning of this part of the Noon Class Thought for April, "According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus," what is the meaning of the word "glory? "-J. P.

Glory means "quality." As the Christ-mind unfolds in us with all its excellency of love, wisdom and power, we become rich in these qualities and possess what may be termed a glorious character. Acccording, or to that degree, in which the God in us is rich in glory (quality) are our needs supplied. It is another rendition of "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

228. For years I've tried to understand and locate the solar plexus. Can you make it plain to me? and how to concentrate on it, and also how to breathe through it? -R. A.

The solar plexus is a nerve ganglion just back of the stomach. It is the greatest nerve center of the body, and from it radiate nerves which reach every part of the body. We concentrate upon the solar plexus by fixing our mental attention upon it, and by closing the eyes we may turn our inner vision upon it until we see it as clearly as an object before our eyes. We breathe through it when taking deep breaths, with the thought that we are breathing through it rather than the lungs.

If we speak with faith we shall receive. "A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth," said Job. Words are far more potent than we ever dreamed before we studied mind and its mysterious and wonderful ways of procedure, and we must be very careful to use only good, true words, for "according to thy faith be it unto thee, is Law. ELEVE.

BEAUTY OF LOVE.

BY BESSIE GRATTAN GILMER.

Have you ever thought of what it would be to love in the God-way, in all its fullness and beauty? Or first, I should ask, have you realized what God's love is and means? It fills the entire universe to overflowing. We breathe it in the air, hear it in the whispering of the trees and sweet warbling of tiny bird throats, see it in the glorious beauty of our world, and feel it with a spiritual consciousness.

"God is love" - how simple is that sentence, yet what a boundless meaning it contains. Το realize it in its fullness would be to throw off forever the weaknesses and mistakes into which carnal mind has lured us, confound the doctrine of hell, and reveal to us that our Father is a Father indeed; an infinite love to which we owe our being, as an expression of that love, and the substance of our souls. It teaches that all things are ours, for all Love is Love with ever ready hands stretched forth, filled with priceless gifts to all that will say, "Father, thou knowest the desires of my heart, and Thou wilt fulfill them." Omnipotent, omnipresent Love that endureth forever, and that works only for our good, of whom we are a part and whose bounty is ours.

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Beauty is an expression of love, and love makes beautiful. Is it a desire of your heart to be beautiful? If so, there is no surer way to become so than to love. A selfish, disagreeable person may love all that goes to make up great personal beauty, but dear, dear! soon the gray hair and wrinkles come, and how the frown sticks. While another may have irregular features, stooped shoulders and freckles, but nevertheless, with love this person can become beautiful. The love-soul does not only glorify the features but the body also, making it straight and grand. Gray hair, wrinkles and freckles do not tarry