Secret of the Ages Robert Collier SECRET of THE AGES ROBERT COLLIER ROBERT COLLIER, Publisher 599 Fifth Avenue New York No connection with P. F. Collier & Son Co., Inc. Copyright, 1926 ROBERT COLLIER Originally copyrighted, 1925, under the title “The Book of Life” ELECTRONIC FACSIMILE EDITION With Original Cover © 2005 by AsAManThinketh.net Published and Distributed by AsAManThinketh.net PO Box 2087 St. Augustine, FL 32085 USA [email protected] Secret of the Ages Contents VOLUME ONE I The World’s Greatest Discovery In the Beginning The Purpose of Existence The “Open Sesame!” of Life II The Genie-of-Your-Mind The Conscious Mind The Subconscious Mind The Universal Mind VOLUME TWO III The Primal Cause Matter — Dream or Reality? Secret of the Ages The Philosopher’s Charm The Kingdom of Heaven “To Him That Hath”— “To the Manner Born” IV Desire — The First Law of Gain The Magic Secret “The Soul’s Sincere Desire” VOLUME THREE V Aladdin & Company VI See Yourself Doing It VII “As a Man Thinketh” VIII Secret of the Ages The Law of Supply The World Belongs to You “Wanted” VOLUME FOUR IX The Formula of Success The Talisman of Napoleon “It Couldn’t Be Done” X “This Freedom” The Only Power XI The Law of Attraction A Blank Check Secret of the Ages XII The Three Requisites XIII That Old Witch—Bad Luck He Whom a Dream Hath Possessed The Bars of Fate Exercise VOLUME FIVE XIV Your Needs Are Met The Ark of the Covenant The Science of Thought XV The Master of Your Fate The Acre of Diamonds Secret of the Ages XVI Unappropriated Millions XVII The Secret of Power XVIII This One Thing I Do VOLUME SIX XIX The Master Mind XX What Do You Lack? XXI The Sculptor and the Clay Secret of the Ages XXII Why Grow Old? The Fountain of Youth VOLUME SEVEN XXIII The Medicine Delusion XXIV The Gift of the Magi “Suffer Little Children to Come Unto Me” L’Envoi Secret of the Ages “A fire-mist and a planet, A crystal and a cell, A jellyfish and a saurian, A cave where the cave men dwell; Then a sense of law and order, A face upturned from the clod; Some call it Evolution, And others call it God.” —Reprinted from The New England Journal. Secret of the Ages Foreword If you had more money than time, more millions than you knew how to spend, what would be your pet philanthropy? Libraries? Hospitals? Churches? Homes for the Blind, Crippled or Aged? Mine would be “Homes”—but not for the aged or infirm. For young married couples! I have often thought that, if ever I got into the “Philanthropic Billionaire” class, I’d like to start an Endowment Fund for helping young married couples over the rough spots in those first and second years of married life—especially the second year, when the real troubles come. Take a boy and a girl and a cozy little nest—add a cunning, healthy baby—and there’s nothing happier on God’s green footstool. But instead of a healthy babe, fill in a fretful, sickly baby— a wan, tired, worn-out little mother—a worried, dejected, heartsick father—and, there’s nothing more pitiful. A nurse for a month, a few weeks at the shore or mountains, a “lift” on that heavy doctor’s bill—-any one of these things would spell H-E- A-V-E-N to that tiny family. But do they get it? Not often! And the reason? Because they are not poor enough for charity. They are not rich enough to afford it themselves. They belong to that great “Middle Class” which has to bear the burdens of both the poor and the rich— and take what is left for itself. It is to them that I should like to dedicate this book. If I cannot endow libraries or colleges for them, perhaps I can point the way to get all good gifts for them. For men and women like them do not need “charity” — or even sympathy. What they do need is inspiration—and opportunity—the kind of inspiration that makes a man go out and create his own opportunity. And that, after all, is the greatest good one can do anyone. Few people appreciate free gifts. They are like the man whom admiring townsfolk presented with a watch. He looked it over critically for a minute. Then—”Where’s the chain?” he asked. But a way to win for themselves the full measure of success they’ve dreamed of but almost stopped hoping for—that is something every young couple would welcome with open arms. And it is something that, if I can do it justice, will make the “Eternal Triangle” as rare as it is today common, for it will enable husband and wife to work together—not merely for domestic happiness, but for business success as well. ROBERT COLLIER. www.AsAManThinketh.net 10