rfectly indifferent. The student must always recollect that the sub-
conscious mind does not have to work _through_ the intellect or conscious
mind to produce its curative effects. It is part of the all-pervading
creative force of Nature, while the intellect is not creative but
distributive.

From mental healing it is but a step to telepathy, clairvoyance and other,
kindred manifestations of transcendental power which, are from time to time
exhibited by the subjective entity and which follow laws as accurate as
those which govern what we are accustomed to consider our more normal
faculties; but these subjects do not properly fall within the scope of a
book whose purpose is to lay down the broad principles which underlie _all_
spiritual phenomena. Until these are clearly understood the student cannot
profitably attempt the detailed study of the more interior powers; for to
do so without a firm foundation of knowledge and some experience in its
practical application would only be to expose himself to unknown dangers,
and would be contrary to the scientific principle that the advance into the
unknown can only be made from the standpoint of the known, otherwise we
only come into a confused region of guess-work without any clearly defined
principles for our guidance.

XII.

THE WILL.

The Will is of such primary importance that the student should be on his
guard against any mistake as to the position which it holds in the mental
economy. Many writers and teachers insist on will-power as though that were
the creative faculty. No doubt intense will-power can evolve certain
external results, but like all other methods of compulsion it lacks the
permanency of natural growth. The appearances, forms, and conditions
produced by mere intensity of will-power will only hang together so long as
the compelling force continues; but let it be exhausted or withdrawn, and
the elements thus forced into unnatural combination will at once fly back
to their proper affinities; the form created by compulsion never had the
germ of vitality _in itself_ and is therefore dissipated as soon as the
external energy which supported it is withdrawn. The mistake is in
attributing the creative power to the will, or perhaps I should say in
attributing the creative power to ourselves at all. The truth is that man
never creates anything. His function is, not to create, but to combine and
distribute that which is already in being, and what we call ou