Right And Wrong Thinking And Their Results
	Possibility Of Perfection <  Previous Contents Next  >

Avoidance of wrong because of the desire to escape its results, even though that motive has been most prominent in all the world's history, is not the highest incentive, for it is only a negative aspect of the moral problem. There is something better. Doing right because it is right is an action which is positive in its character; and to perform the right action without any thought of reward and solely for the sake of being right is to act from the highest and holiest motive; but this does not hinder nor prevent the reward which always follows right action.

The tree does not put forth its leaves and blossoms because of the possible fruit which may result, but it does certain things simply for the sake of the doing; and the fruit appears. Avoidance of evil thinking always brings its natural recompense, and this recompense is as much its normal outgrowth as the fruit of the tree; yet it is as distinct from all consideration of price or wages as that fruit is. This kind of fruitage is the most desirable that man ever receives or enjoys. It is "the Fruit of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden."

Perfection is the ultimate goal of man's best and highest aspiration, but it is an attainment for which, as yet, men have hardly dared to hope. They have been taught that it is beyond their reach except as it is approached through the gateway of death or obtained by the intervention of some miraculous power; yet, in a manner more or less continuous and earnest or hesitating and desultory, every man desires to do better and to be better than he is. From this desire comes the progress of the world, for it is always urging men toward the achievement of something better than what they now have; and, whatever may have been accomplished, this desire outruns every achievement and beckons forward to something better still.

It is a universal law that progress creates the desire for still further progress, as in mechanics the improvement of a machine stimulates its further improvement. There may be lapses, one may even go backward for a time, but the desire for better things is as inherent in the heart of man as his very existence itself, and it must finally become manifest.

Though man may not consciously recognize the full meaning of this aspiration, yet it really includes the desire for ultimate perfection and is a means for its accomplishment because it necessitates continual progress in that direction, even though the progress may be slow and irregular. No man can be entirely satisfied until the last possible ideal has been reached; and this must ultimately be the realization of perfection.

To say that this perfection is not within man's reach is to deny the goodness of God, because such a statement implies that God has implanted in man's nature aspirations toward good only to torture him by refusing to allow their fruition. That would be a cruel mockery, and if it were true, man would be better than his Creator. But to say that perfection is indeed within reach of every one is to extend to mankind that encouragement which constitutes the largest possible incentive to persistent effort. The infinite Father has not given man the aspiration for better things merely to deny him at the last. He does not mock His children. The attainment of this goal is more than a possibility: it is a certainty.

The method of securing this object has been overlooked because of its extreme simplicity. Persistence and steadfastness of choice in the right direction are all that is required. It will not be accomplished in a moment, nor in a day, nor a year, perhaps not in a Lifetime on this earth, but man may be sure of its attainment. The world of mankind must go on in its progress until at last, even on this earth, it shall have gained it. Whenever or wherever these desires may reach their fruition, this we know, that each step taken in that direction, whether here or elsewhere, whether now or hereafter, is a step that is taken forever, and is just so much accomplished both for the one who has taken that step and for all mankind. The good each man does shines for all other men, and some one sees it even though but dimly.

In one view which may be taken of man, he appears to be an aggregation of thoughts massed into one personality or individuality. This may not be the most exalted nor the most comprehensive way in which he can be considered, but it is one correct aspect. On this basis, if an analysis of the mental elements which constitute that complex being whom we call man should be carried to its ultimate so as to make a complete separation of part from part, the final result would be the possibility to divide these elements into two classes, one composed of thoughts which are wholly good without any evil whatever in them; the other of those which are not good and do not contain any good whatever. Every man may cast out of himself all those thoughts which are not good. By doing that persistently the time must come when all such thinking will have ceased, leaving only those thoughts which are wholly good. Then must he manifest perfection.

This simple reasoning is a complete and logical demonstration of the possibility that man may attain perfection. It is also a portrayal of the simple but sure method by which perfection may certainly be reached. Here is the Archimedean lever with which to move the world, and not the lever only but the fulcrum that Archimedes lacked, and, further- more, the place on which the operator is to stand. Each step will be an elevation into a purer, diviner atmosphere and will itself be an incentive to further effort.

It is as though one clothed in white were also enveloped in exterior garments of black through which some of the white is shining. As he drops off the outside garments one after another, more and more of the white shines through, until finally when the last dark garment has been discarded, only the word " good " is ordinarily used with more or less looseness of meaning, but here it is used with that absolute signification which admits of no comparative degree -- the good is wholly good; the separation is complete; the not-good has no good in it. The pure white remains. Thus, when the dark thoughts of discord and evil are cast away, there remains only the pure being, Man, as God, his Father, created him.

Because some sense of moral right, however undeveloped it may be, exists in each one, therefore each one sees a condition for himself which he thinks is better than he has already reached, and he also recognizes that some of his thoughts are either wholly erroneous or at least contain somewhat of error. He is also conscious that within himself he has the power to stop thinking some of those erroneous thoughts if he chooses. Ability to perform an action once means the ability to do it again by the exercise of the same choice and the same power, and this means the ability to do it every time it is necessary. Each repetition is accomplished with less effort than before, and so the work goes on until erroneous thoughts no more intrude.

It may be claimed that this requires acute analysis of one's thoughts and that the wheat and the tares are so wonderfully alike that it is sometimes impossible, even for the wisest, who scrutinize most closely and see most clearly, to decide accurately between the more delicate shades of good and evil as they lie in close contact. In actual practice such nice analysis and discrimination are not necessary. A man has only to banish the one thought which he knows to be discordant or erroneous, and to do this he does not need any further understanding. The eradication of this one thought is the beginning of the work, and this beginning can be made at once.

When that has been accomplished, and the habit of not thinking that thought has been established, the understanding gained in the process will show some other thinking that is wrong, and the experience with the first thought will have given wisdom as well as strength to eradicate a second one. Then he will have clearer and more definite ideas with regard to others about which he has not been so decided. It is only one at a time; but the removal of one reveals another so long as there is one discordant thought left to be revealed, and this course persevered in necessarily removes every evil thought and leaves at last only the absolute good -- that is, it leaves only the perfect.

In practice, therefore, the fact that it is now impossible to draw an accurate line, leaving all the good thoughts on one side and all the bad ones on the other, is neither an obstacle to success nor an occasion for delay. Indeed, this inability to complete the analysis at first may be a positive advantage, especially in view of the fact that if the whole were attempted at once, the magnitude of the work might be overwhelming. Besides, it is easier to attack the host in detail rather than in a mass, and prosecution of the work always brings wisdom and understanding as fast as they can be used. The simplicity arising out of the absence of any need of nice discrimination and analysis, or of special educational or philosophic attainments, or of the recognition of the exact line accurately dividing the good from the evil, -- all of these combined constitute one of the wonderful conditions of moral progress which makes its pursuit possible for all mankind.

There is nothing mysterious, nor supernatural, nor occult, nor anything beyond the bounds of natural knowledge in this, nor does it require any remarkable attainment of wisdom, nor any wonderful ability, analytic or otherwise. It only requires that there shall be the consciousness of one error, and the determination to avoid it. By practice we find that we can leave off that one, and that convinces us that we can do the same with the next. Each point attained is not only a positive advantage in itself, but also in the other fact that it shows us that we have the ability to take the next step. The way is indeed strait, but it is simple and within the comprehension of every one. Then every one can walk in it, for every one can change his thoughts at least once in response to his own choice, and when he has done this once, can do so a second time. This means that man may arrive at the goal of absolute perfection because by choice he may change one of his thoughts and by persistence all of them; and, if he will, he may go in this way until he no longer thinks any sinful, immoral, wrongful, erroneous, or discordant thoughts, and when he has accomplished this, since all his thinking will be right, his conduct must be right also. When all men do thus, all wrong will cease to be.

Exalted and sublime as this ideal is, it is eminently practical and it should enter positively into every occupation and inspire the regulation of every life. It will not interfere with any rightful pursuit nor hinder efficiency in any direction, but it will simplify and purify every action. It will not make any man less manly nor any woman less womanly, but it will make each immeasurably better -- the man more of a man and the woman more of a woman in every true relationship of life. Even if we advance only a little toward the goal, that little is just so much surely accomplished for all time.

This is an illustration and elucidation of the declaration made by Jesus: "Whosoever will do His will" (whosoever desires to do right, for God's will is absolute Tightness) "shall know of the doctrine," or teaching. It also demonstrates the absolute accuracy of his statement, because whosoever willeth to do this, that is, whosoever really desires to do right, will diligently pursue that desire, and as he progresses will also progress in his recognition of what is right ("shall know of the doctrine"), and, knowing that, shall know how to attain it.

Many have failed because they were self-deceived into thinking they were desiring to do right (to do God's will) when, in fact, they sought only the accomplishment of their own erroneous wishes. They did not seek the right regardless of all other things, therefore they failed; but even if they did fail, that failure was only for a time, for ultimately they will see their mistake and correct it. There is never a failure that is not followed by the possibility of some- thing better than went before. The desire for better things survives all failure and demands effort toward their attainment, and that desire will never cease to urge one on until the object is reached.

The traveller often approaches a point in his journey beyond which he cannot see his way, a place where all things seem to end; yet always as soon as he reaches that point, the vista opens, and he finds the path for his feet stretching farther out into the distance. His foot is never planted on the last spot within his vision without his being able to see the place beyond for another step. It may be only a very little way, and it may be either to the right or to the left, but the light shines on the path a little in advance; and when one who is really striving after the right shall reach that which seems to be the last point before him, there will then come a new gleam lighting up the way still farther on. This is the helpful element in all ideals. They are al- ways in advance of present accomplishment, and when once attained new and better ones always disclose themselves.

The man who is in earnest, who seeks right for its own sake and not for any less worthy object, who dares to abandon former opinions for better ones newly perceived, and who dares to do the right, can always see the way to at least one point farther. The danger lies in not daring and therefore not doing. There is no occasion for discouragement. We know better than we do, and because we know better than we do, next time we can do better than we have done this time. An ideal attained always reveals another and diviner possibility. Each is a bow of promise beckoning onward. God has arranged it so in the beautiful order of His creation.

Man has vainly sought the fountain of youth in things outside of himself. It is within. "The inner joys and virtues are the essential part of life's business," and if these are not obstructed by the weeds and briers of discordant thinking, they will flower most beautifully and fruit most bountifully in all outward actions -- and in life eternal.

Every man has the divine spark within himself. He will never be without a guide to his actions if he will only follow as far as he can see in the direction toward absolute right. He need not wait, but may at once begin his journey, filled with the certainty of at last reaching the pinnacle of success in the goal of perfection. Even when perfection is achieved, though the difficulties and toils of the way are all behind him, he will find before him all the beauty and glory of God's infinite universe of absolute and perfect good in its limitless diversity. In this field a man can never lack objects of interest for the exercise of his choice and the expenditure of his activity, because the variety of God's good is as infinite as His creation, and man's progress will be from glory to glory throughout endless duration.