CHAPTER XX.

ATTENTION IN THINKING.

OMETHING more reliable than a mere impulse is needed to make a strong mind. Back of all must stand a strong Will, with the ability and disposition to use it. M. Marcel well says, "The great secret of education lies in exciting and directing the Will.' In later mental acquirements we recognize the omnipotence of Will. Nothing takes its place until we discover that attention is under the control of the Will, and until, by perseverance, we acquire the power of thus controlling it." -Popular Science Monthly.

THEORY OF CHAPTER.

True thinking is a deliberative act of mind held fast to its task;

Such impelled action discovers the best use of mind, and develops and stores the whole man;

The mind thus improved throws itself into its operations with greater wisdom and increased energy;

This action unfolds the Will.

The best thinker is the best reader. This is true even of "reciters," so far as their work is concerned. To recite, one must interpret; to interpret one must think.

Thinking, in its noblest sense, is largely a lost art among the people. They indulge in a vast deal of mental jargon, but genuine thought seems a scarce article. A

single "straw "is the fact that new matter presented in the simplest language is often declared to be "too deep for us." The difficulty is not depth, but unfamiliarity; the limits of popular thinking are narrow; outside these limits, even sunlight is opaque, and diamonds are mere quartz pebbles.

People "think," as they say, to be sure, concerning homes, business, politics, social and state affairs, together with a smattering of religion; but in an elevated way, this "thinking" is a good deal like the "thinking" of animals; vague, unconscious as thought, forced, disjointed, spasmodic, haphazard. Few seem to think out a great reality, build up a consistent theory, or elaborate a reasonable system. We have not here, altogether, it must be said, the pressure of dirt and moil. It is a case of mental laziness. One must work with muscles in order to exist; but one need not labor with the mind for assimilation of food and development of brawn. House-keepers and shop-tenders aver a great amount of thinking, "real and wearisome;" but we have here very largely the mechanics of mental routine. The world is flooded with "literature " every day, and the most of its readers relax in its enervating tide. Evidence: few "get on," few discover themselves and the universe about them-infinite globe of dynamic influences for the elevation of the human soul.

PRELIMINARY.

Nothing affords greater satisfaction than to mine into a fact or truth and ramify its various connections. Here is a process that is keenest tonic, a result of which is bank of deposit paying compound interest. The ability to think clean through a subject puts a man apart as one of the victors of life. This power may be developed. Whenever it is taken in hand, resolutely and persistently, one of its hugest products is a giant Will.

But remember, true thinking depends upon, (1) Attention, (2) Knowledge, (3) Memory, (4) Correct Perception of Relations.

The swiftness and value of the process will depend upon the determined attitude brought into it by the soul. According to your Will, so be it unto you. In the last analysis, faith is Will shouting, "I will not let thee go!"

It is a mistake to suppose that one must be versed in all the rules of logic in order to become a good thinker. The mastery of logic is vastly helpful, to be sure; but after all, it is thinking that has produced logic, rather than logic thinking. A persistent effort to think correctly will in time develop a fair logical system, though its possessor may not be aware of the fact.

Be it remembered that good thinking may, and it may not, coincide with common sense. "Common sense is the exercise of the judgment unaided by art or system." Its only teacher is experience; but the lessons of experi ence seldom repeat themselves the last has always some new element. The application of common sense is, therefore, a matter of inference, of reasoning. The best thinker ought to possess the greatest common sense.

Practiced thinking rather than common sense, governs the physician, the lawyer, the sailor, the engineer, the farmer, the business man, the statesman -though these must bring common sense to bear in thinking. When so done it is distinctly thinking.

The power to think, consecutively and deeply and clearly, is an avowed and deadly enemy to mistakes and blunders, superstitions, unscientific theories, irrational beliefs, unbridled enthusiasm, crankiness, fanaticism.

The lack of thought-power creates financial panics and ruins business, unsettles politics and government,

keeps the masses down, makes the rich intolerant and unwise, and renders religion non-progressive.

He who cannot think cannot will, in the highest sense. He who cannot will strongly, cannot think long or deeply.

All labor in thought involves a measuring capacity for willing.

All willed thinking develops Will.

RÉGIMES.

Exercise No. 1. Take now, any simple and great truth. Concentrate attention upon this truth, absolutely excluding every other thought. Example; "Man is immortal." Think of man as immortal only. Think of man in every conceivable way as being immortal. Man is body; what is body? Is body immortal? Is the body immortal? If not, in either case, why not? If so, in either case, why? And in what sense? Man has mind; what is mind? Is it immortal? If so, what in mind is immortal? Why do you believe as you do? If mind is immortal, for what purpose? Man, again, has moral consciousness. What is this? Is this immortal? In what sense? What in moral consciousness is immortal? Why do you so believe? For what purpose is man, as moral consciousness, immortal.

Now think of immortality. What is it? Think of immortality in every conceivable way as connected with man. How does it concern him? Has it various supposable or believable states in relation to him? Where is he, as you suppose, in immortality? What is he, according to your idea, to become in immortality? What is he to take with him at death? With whom is he to exist hereafter? What is he to do? What relation have his present states to any believable states of his future life? How

does he get his idea of immortality? What purpose does the idea serve in his life? In your life? Why should man be immortal?

When thinking of man, always keep in mind the idea "immortal," and when thinking of immortality, always keep in mind the idea "man."

The above is merely an example. These exercises should be repeated every day, with a different sentence or thought, indefinitely. It will be well also to preserve dated records, and to make frequent comparisons in order to discover improvement in analysis, attention and power of persistent thought upon a single subject. In six months, profit and pleasure will be apparent. You will surely find, as the main result of a faithful compliance with all suggestions, a tremendous power of straightforward Will-action. There can be no failure with resolute practice.

Exercise No. 2. Take any simple matter of observation or experience. You are riding, let us suppose, along a country road. Now look well at the landscape. You pronounce it beautiful. But what is the beautiful? Think that question to an answer. Now bury your mind in deepest thought concerning the landscape before you. The landscape-“What is a landscape?" Think that subject out carefully and distinctly. Proceeding, ask, "What is this landscape?" Observe the general outlines and salient features. What is there about the larger details which makes them beautiful? Observe the minor details. What is their beauty? How do they contribute to the beauty of the whole? How might this landscape be improved in beauty? How would this or that change add to the effect of the beautiful? Have you discovered all elements before you of a beautiful nature? When you next ride over the road, remember that question. Are