"Therapeutics" means "the healing art," therefore "Mental Therapeutics" means "the art or science of Mental Healing."

If I were writing this lesson from the standpoint of twenty years ago, I would think it advisable to fill page after page with a recital of the many claims of mental healing, but no such necessity exists at the present time. People have heard much regarding mental healing, and while they may differ in their theories and opinion regarding the nature of the cures performed, still nearly all of them will acknowledge that cures have been made and are being made by mental healing methods.

The history of mental healing extends away back into the past, and the earliest pages of history treat it as if it were a long established and well accepted method. In fact the history of mental healing is the history of Mind-Power, so far as the older peoples and races are concerned. The ancient Magi need their mental powers in the direction of healing the sick, and restoring natural, healthy conditions. People were brought to the temples to be healed, and after the customary incantations, and ceremo-357 nies, designed to affect the imagination and respect of the primitive people, they were found to be benefited, and actually cured in time. But under and hack of all these ceremonies and rites, the principle effecting the cure was the same principle that is being used today by all forms of mental healing, under whatever names it may be disguised and masked. There is but one mental healing principle, and that has always been used; is being used now; and always will be used, so long as the race exists. And this principle is the application and employment of Mind-Power. Mind-Power is positive to both force and matter, as we have seen in these chapters, and the negative always yields to the positive when the latter is properly and intelligently applied. Mind-Power really builds up the body from a single cell, and is inherent in every part and particle of the body. Every cell has its supply of Mind-Power - the cell, and combination of cells, and the whole body in fact, is the result of conditions of manifestations of Mind-Power. The body is all mind, at the last analysis. Mind-Power manifests itself in countless ways in the universe, and the physical bodies, and the cells of which they are composed are simply certain forms of manifestation of its force. And, this being so, mental healing is not a ease of "mind over matter," as is often taught, but is a manifestation of positive mind over negative mind. The central mind of man is positive to the mind in the body of man, and hence the healing effect.

Every cell has its share of mind, and science shows us that each cell can and does live its life as a separate entity, always, however, subordinate to the whole system of cells, and the mind controlling it. And the mind in each cell, or system of cells, may be reached by the positive mind of a person, when properly applied. In order to fully grasp the significance of this statement, you must remember that every organ, part, bone, nerve, vessel, tissue and everything else in your body, is built up of cells which have formed certain combinations. There are individual cells in your blood and other parts of the body; and there are cell communities in your body, which perform certain functions and which you call "my liver"; "my heart"; "my stomach"; "my kidneys," etc., etc. And there is mind in every one of them. And the mind in every cell, and in every organ may be reached by Mind-Power applied by the mind of oneself or another person.

And in this simple statement, I have embodied my idea of mental healing, which idea is based upon years of earnest study, experiment, and investigation, aided by personal acquaintance with and association with some of the most celebrated mental healers of this age. I have discarded fanciful theory, after fanciful theory, as unnecessary to account for the facts observed by the leading investigators of mental healing, and have at last "boiled down" the matter to this point and idea of Mind in the cells and cell-groups; which mind is negative to the positive central mind of the individual, especially when the latter is concentrated and intelligently applied.

You may ask me the question "Well, but what about all the various metaphysical, religious, and semi-religious theories advanced to account for the cures performed by the various cults and sects of the 'New Thought' and similar movements?" Answering this I would say that the various cults and sects perform cures not because of their dogmas, but often in spite of them - the real cures being performed by Mind-Power, pure and simple, called into operation, and employed, in various forms, and ways, under many coverings, disguises and draperies. It is all the same grand old principle, but "with fringe on" - the style of fringe depending on the particular theories and dogmas of the sects.

There has been much written, spoken, and taught concerning mental healing, under some name or other, but the majority of the writers have been attached to some particular cult, church, or organization, which claimed that the whole truth rested upon the acceptance of some particular theory, idea, doctrine or dogma advanced and held by it, in accordance with the particular views of some certain teacher or teachers. And, accordingly, the writings have been colored by the hue of such belief and dogma. One has but to look around him in order to see that the many conflicting schools of mental or spiritual healing are all making cures, in spite of the claim of each that its particular school or sect, or church, has a monopoly on truth, and a corner on "true metaphysical healing." The truth is that they all make cures - the percentage being about the same in each instance, taking the personal qualifications of the healers into consideration. In spite of the several claims that "we have the only Truth - all others are in error, and ignorant of the real Truth," etc., etc., all of these "erroneous people" are getting fine results. Their differing and often contradictory theories do not seem to cut any figure in the real work, and one who closely studies the subject is soon forced to the conclusion that there must be some underlying principle of cure which they are all using. And so there is! And I call this "underlying principle" the effect of positive central mind upon negative body mind - you may give it any other name you choose, but you will get the results just the same.