THE UNIVERSAL LAW OF INCREASE

Extracts from Charles Fillmore's Sunday morning talk in the Unity Auditorium, October 9, 1910:

Broadly speaking there are in every one of us two states of consciousness. These are represented by John the Baptist and Jesus. John said, "I must decrease, but He must increase." John the Baptist came out of the wilderness--that is, out of the ignorance, the limited concepts of mortal mind, and he represents the intellectual perception of Truth, which decreases as the Higher Consciousness, the Christ, increases.  This change of consciousness is brought about by a recognition on the part of man that there is within him a Higher Self. This is the Christ, and through spiritual quickening this Supreme Man is brought to the consciousness of every individual. To establish this consciousness, advantage must daily be taken of the means of spiritual growth, which are chiefly prayer and meditation and the right use of the Word.

As a step in this development, declare with John "I must decrease; he must increase;” knowing that it is the personal man who decreases and the consciousness of the indwelling Christ that increases.  The parables of Jesus Christ may be applied to the individual or to the race; but we get the real benefit of them only when we apply them within ourselves.  Today we study the parable of the talents, and if we look within to find the man who buried his talent, we shall get the full force of the lesson.  Man is the "image and likeness of God," and potentially all men are endowed with the full measure of talents. When one of these talents in given to the consciousness by the Lord or Higher Power in man, through the quickening of the Spirit, then individual responsibility begins.

There is a Universal Law of increase. It is not confined to bank accounts, but works in every phase of manifestation. To comply with the law and bring forth its beneficent results in fullness, conscious cooperation on the part of man is required. First, use the talent you have, whatever it may be. Increase comes by use. Then have faith in the law. Do not reason too much, but forge ahead in faith and boldness. If you think about outside conditions as hindrances they become environing obstacles. Then you become fearful and bury your talent. Look away from the outer and see but the one Power. Say, "All power is given unto me."  If you study yourself too closely in your present condition, your progress will be slow. If a child constantly looked upon his limitations he would remain a child; but he loses sight of everything but the point to be attained--full grown manhood. The boy anticipates and sees himself as a larger boy, and as a man. It is the childlike mind that finds the way into the kingdom. Then do away with all limitations and behold yourself as the perfect man, the well beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased.

Remember that increase does not come by personal effort, but by the Spirit. It is God that giveth the increase, and it comes through the Universal Law. Your part is to keep the law.  Everything falls before the dominant mind. Say with Napoleon, "There are no Alps," though there may seem mountains of difficulties in your way. They will be removed and cast into the sea of nothingness if you use your talent of power and speak the Word with assurance.  You can increase your consciousness of life by talking to the Life Center and speaking words of praise and blessing for the abundant, spiritual, eternal Christ Life there being generated. Use this talent of life and it will expand.  Act as if you were alive and were glad to be alive, and there will be a new realization of life.

If any of the functions of your organism are slow and sluggish, it shows that some talent is buried in your subconscious.  Find out what it is and bring it into expression. Do not allow yourself to come under bondage to the "I can't" man.  He is the one who believes in limitations and wraps his talent up in them. No increase is possible to him. Be positive in Spirit and you will succeed.  Appetite, lust, passion, and the various secret sins of mankind are buried talents. They are returning no increase, because they are held in the bondage of material thought. It is this thought that digs in the earth and covers up many a good quality. Uncover the buried talent and return it to the Lord, with the increase of right use. Affirm God's will being done in all your thoughts and acts, and the higher law will resurrect the buried talents.

You are never conquered until you think you are. The moment you believe yourself to be conquered you are conquered, even though success is within your grasp.  All of which means that no person and no power can conquer a man; that he is only conquered when he conquers himself.  Strange, is it not, that one's own destiny should lie in their own hands and that no outside power can cheat them out of it?