Of all the books I have read ever since
I was blessed with the gift of literacy, one book that stands out in
thought-provocation and economy of words is a long-lost 27-paged classic by
James Allen entitled
AS A MAN THINKETH.
Characteristically, I have often shared
this book with friends, but most of them don't get to read it to the end because
of its "rugged" language. And they therefore don't get blessed by the
priceless wisdom Mr Allen grafted in the book.
What I have therefore chosen to do in
order to get as many of my friends to benefit from the book is to share some
extracts of the book in digestible bits. I believe this will be easier to
comprehend and even create a thirst to read the book itself in everyone. Where
Mr Allen's language was more complex for easy understanding, I have paraphrased
for easy understanding without compromising his semantic and his depth.
Below are the excerpts from the first
chapter of the book.
Enjoy!
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER
A man is literally what he thinks, his
character being the complete sum (total results) of all his thoughts.
As the plant springs from…the seed, so
every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of thought…This applies equally
to those acts called “spontaneous” as to those which are deliberately executed.
Act is the blossom (manifestation) of
thought…joy and suffering are its fruitage (fruits); thus…a man garner in
(reaps) the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry. 5
We are wrought (constructed) and built
by thought. 5 (paraphrased)
Man is a growth by law, and not a
creation by artifice. 5
Cause and effect are as absolute and
undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and
material things. 5
A noble and God-like character is not a
thing of favour or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in
right thinking, (as well as) the effect of long-cherished association with
God-like thoughts. An ignoble and bestial character…is the result of the
continued harbouring of grovelling thoughts. 5
Man is made or unmade by himself. In
the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. He
also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of
joy and strength and peace. 6
By the right choice and true
application of thought, man ascends to…divine perfection. By the abuse and
wrong application of thought he descends below the level of the beasts.
[Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their
maker and master]. 6
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