 The sight that met our eyes as we entered his apartment that morning will stand out vividly in my memory. Never before or since have I seen such luxuriance and extravagance displayed as in the furnishings of that place. It seemed like desecration to tread upon those magnificent silk rugs as we were led by his servant through a room delicately perfumed and an abundance of flowers artistically arranged, to a room which appeared to be his study and where chairs had already been placed for us. His entry immediately after was followed by a round of introductions, names, occupations and general remarks. We had expected to see him attired in some gorgeous style in keeping with his surroundings, but were struck by the simplicity in both his dress and his bearing. My impression was that being conscious of his power, he preferred to shun publicity and people rather than be the object of any attention and he explained the presence of the furnishings by saying that he loved beautiful things and therefore surrounded himself with them. He began our instructions by saying, “You may have come here in expectation of seeing a mysterious being endowed with mystic powers. A sort of magician who can pull a fortune out of the air and pass it over to you. You have very much misled yourselves. I am just an ordinary man, no different than you are. The world calls such as me, a Master. And so I am, but only in the sense that I have learned how to master environment and conditions. That I have developed in me the powers that abide alike in all of us and that I am more nearly living life as it should be lived. “I realize that you have come here because of your faith in me and that you look upon me somewhat as an exalted personality. But in order that you may gain the greatest benefit from these teachings I will ask that you wipe out any impression that you may have of me as a personality. I assure you that I am worthy of no honor or homage. I am just a human like yourself. I am not a superior being. Rather, I am a humble being, thankful for the knowledge that I have gained. I made no discoveries. I received these instructions in much the same manner that I am about to give them to you. “You will find no difficulty in putting these principles into practice in your everyday affairs. They are as available to you as to me, for this great Law is no respecter of persons. It is the highest and most effective possible in worldly affairs and is well worth learning, for its practice results in a life that is well worth living. “Employing these principles wisely and intelligently, there can be no uncertainty as to the outcome of any undertaking and no limit to your possibilities. As you go on and on, your confidence increases and you find that your powers are increasing. You accomplish greater things with greater ease and greater speed. As its growth in you increases, your accomplishments increase likewise. “With many, remarkable improvement comes quickly as in the case of your friend who is responsible for you being here today. With others, the growth is more gradual. The difference is not any difference in the individual, for all are endowed with the same capacity, but it is a difference in the degree of intensity employed. However, no man could ever receive these instructions and not become a better man because of them. “No greater things are accomplished in the consciousness of personality. That is impossible, for personality is limiting. Therefore, accept these lessons for just what they mean to you alone as an individual entity. Let not my presence of your impression of me influence you in any way in your studies. Learn from my words only, not from me. Now let us proceed. |
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