rding to their thought attitude toward you, even though but few
words be spoken. So the characteristic mental states of a congregation
of people who assemble there determine the atmosphere of any given
assembly-place, church, or cathedral. Its inhabitants so make, so
determine the atmosphere of a particular village or city. The
sympathetic thoughts sent out by a vast amphitheatre of people, as they
cheer a contestant, carry him to goals he never could reach by his own
efforts alone. The same is true in regard to an orator and his audience.

Napoleon's army is in the East. The plague is beginning to make inroads
into its ranks. Long lines of men are lying on cots and on the ground in
an open space adjoining the army. Fear has taken a vital hold of all,
and the men are continually being stricken. Look yonder, contrary to the
earnest entreaties of his officers, who tell him that such exposure will
mean sure death, Napoleon with a calm and dauntless look upon his face,
with a firm and defiant step, is coming through these plague-stricken
ranks. He is going up to, talking with, touching the men; and, as they
see him, there goes up a mighty shout,--The Emperor! the Emperor! and
from that hour the plague in its inroads is stopped. A marvellous
example of the power of a man who, by his own dauntless courage,
absolute fearlessness, and power of mind, could send out such forces
that they in turn awakened kindred forces in the minds of thousands of
others, which in turn dominate their very bodies, so that the plague,
and even death itself, is driven from the field. One of the grandest
examples of a man of the most mighty and tremendous mind and will power,
and at the same time an example of one of the grandest failures, taking
life in its totality, the world has ever seen.

Again, as has been said, the great law operating in connection with the
thought-forces is one with that great law of the universe,--that like
attracts like. We can, by virtue of our ignorance of the powers of the
mind forces and the prevailing mental states,--we can take the passive,
the negative, fearing, drifting attitude, and thus continually attract
to us like influences and conditions from both the seen and the unseen
side of life. Or, by a knowledge of the power and potency of these
forces, we can take the positive, the active attitude, that of mastery,
and so attract the higher and more valuable influences, exactly as we
will to.

We are all much more