第10部分(第3/6 頁)

；　by　so　doing　you　submit　to　those　outward　things；　confess　that　you　are　their　slave；　and　they　your　unconditional　master；　by　so　doing；　you　invest　them　with　a　power　which　they　do　not；　of　themselves；　possess；　and　you　succumb；　in　reality；　not　to　the　mere　circumstances；　but　to　the　gloom　or　gladness；　the　fear　or　hope；　the　strength　or　weakness；　which　your　thought…sphere　has　thrown　around　them。

I　knew　two　men　who；　at　an　early　age；　lost　the　hard…earned　savings　of　years。　One　was　very　deeply　troubled；　and　gave　way　to　chagrin；　worry；　and　despondency。

The　other；　on　reading　in　his　morning　paper　that　the　bank　in　which　his　money　was　deposited　had　hopelessly　failed；　and　that　he　had　lost　all；　quietly　and　firmly　remarked；　“Well；　it’s　gone；　and　trouble　and　worry　won’t　bring　it　back；　but　hard　work　will。”

He　went　to　work　with　renewed　vigor；　and　rapidly　became　prosperous；　while　the　former　man；　continuing　to　mourn　the　loss　of　his　money；　and　to　grumble　at　his　“bad　luck”　remained　the　sport　and　tool　of　adverse　circumstances；　in　reality　of　his　own　weak　and　slavish　thoughts。

The　loss　of　money　was　a　curse　to　the　one　because　he　clothed　the　event　with　dark　and　dreary　thoughts；　it　was　a　blessing　to　the　other；　because　he　threw　around　it　thoughts　of　strength；　of　hope；　and　renewed　endeavor。

If　circumstances　had　the　power　to　bless　or　harm；　they　would　bless　and　harm　all　men　alike；　but　the　fact　that　the　same　circumstances　will　be　alike　good　and　bad　to　different　souls　proves　that　the　good　or　bad　is　not　in　the　circumstance；　but　only　in　the　mind　of　him　that　encounters　it。

When　you　begin　to　realize　this　you　will　begin　to　control　your　thoughts；　to　regulate　and　discipline　your　mind；　and　to　rebuild　the　inward　temple　of　your　soul；　eliminating　all　useless　and　superfluous　mater