Part 11 (1/2)

Our a.n.a.lysis, then, exhibits fear where reason ought to appear, in

A GENERAL ENUMERATION OF FEAR-CAUSES.

Fear of hurt of self by self (fear of self): subst.i.tute reason, thus--just estimate; no cause; cause magnified.

Fear of hurt of self by outer things (fear for self): subst.i.tute reason, thus--just estimate; no cause; cause magnified.

Fear of threat by things: subst.i.tute reason, thus--right cause; no cause; cause magnified.

Threat by others: subst.i.tute reason, thus--right cause; no cause; cause magnified.

Threat to others: subst.i.tute reason, thus--right cause; no cause; cause magnified.

Threat by events: subst.i.tute reason, thus--right cause; no cause; cause magnified.

Threat by the future: subst.i.tute reason, thus--right cause; no cause; cause magnified.

You are invited to work out the particulars of this a.n.a.lysis, and to examine them with reference to your self and life. You will make some important discoveries. One of the many questions suggested is this: Is the cause of antic.i.p.ated possible consequences justly estimated in your thought--is it a right cause--is it really as you suppose? The idea is that you think of any one of your fears and then ask the question in the form just indicated. Thus we may have the following statement of

KINDS OF FEARS.

Fear of Self: timidity, lack of confidence, possible unaccountable states.

Fear for Self: weakness, antic.i.p.ated failure, imagined disgrace.

Fear of Things: animals, inanimate objects, physical forces.

Fear of Others: human beings, apparitions, devils, Deity.

Fear for Others: children, parents, husband, wife, relatives, friends, strangers.

Fear of Events: present, future, imaginary, possible, probable, contingent.

Fear of the Future: in life; beyond the present life.

Instinct and reason strive to place us in right relations with all these causes. The existence in us of fear shows that we already are, either in mind or in fact, in wrong relations therewith.

The mastery of fear involves the discovery of right relations, mental or concrete, and the placing of self in those right conditions which are determined and provided for by the ground- plan of our nature.

And the first thing thus provided for is health. All treatment for the conquest of our universal enemy must begin with development of individual tone: tone of body, tone of mind, tone of the deeper self.

I am not writing for those who are const.i.tutionally fearless, but I have in mind all who do yield to the feeling of fear. Our ideal, however, is not a mere animal courage, not the courage of insensibility. It is rather the courage of the whole man or woman making for the WHITE LIFE. If you are only partially yourself, you cannot possess the highest courage. Such courage may be yours, infallibly, if you will but resolve for the goal and go on into the great ideals of the harmonic personality. This you can do-- anyone can do. And to come thereto is the greatest thing in the world.

You are invited, then, to begin by subst.i.tuting in your thought the idea of self-preserving reason for any kind of fear (even the so-called normal) as your perpetual guard and guide. Make it a profound conviction of your deepest self that no real harm can come to that self because you have entered the highway of the WHITE LIFE--THE LIFE OF PURITY, REASON, HONOR, GOOD-WILL, AND CONFIDENT a.s.sURANCE. Swing your life into the unfolding and infolding of the Infinite White Life of Worlds. Courage will become to you the very breath of your lungs.

I send you this sure message: Fear is dead In all the pure, by reason's wisdom led, Who wear white honor and evince good-will, And trust the self to Love's unfailing skill.