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The Revealing Word
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[The Revealing Word]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
tabernacle--Represents the temporal body of man, as the
Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem represents the
permanent body. In the wilderness of sense, man worships
God in a tent, or a temporary, transitory state of mind,
which makes a perishable body. Yet in this flimsy structure
are all the furnishings of the great temple that is to be
built. So the body of every man is the promise of an
imperishable one.
tables of stone--Represent the very foundation of our
being, on which are engraved the memories of all our
religious experiences.
talents (Matt. 25:14-30)--Symbolize our spiritual
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gifts of life, love, truth, substance, intelligence, faith,
power, judgment, and will. Every inherent attribute of
man's being has its root in God. All the gifts of Spirit
are to be used to our fullest capacity.
teacher--Jesus appointed but one teacher in His school: the
Spirit of truth, the Comforter in every man. "But the
Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to you
remembrance all that I said unto you" (John 14:25).
telepathy--Thought transference; exchange of thought
between persons without visible means of transmission. This
is a limited concept of omnipresent knowing. When one
becomes spiritually developed he does not send his thought
to another, but realizes omnipresent knowing, and the ideas
he wishes to communicate are received and understood.
Temple, Solomon's--Metaphysically, a symbol of the
regenerated body of man, which when he attains it he will
never leave. This enduring temple is built in the
understanding of Spirit as the one and only cause of all
things.
temptation--A proving, testing, or trying. The temptations
in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11) represent the desires and
ambitions of the untried and untrained forces in the
subconsciousness. When in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted
by the Adversary, or personality; but with His superior
understanding, He withstood the deceptive promises made to
Him. When the personality suggested that Jesus make matter
out of substance, use His power to rule over others, or do
other marvelous things to prove His mastery, He said to the
satanic personality, "Get thee hence, Satan."
That the temptations in the wilderness were not physical is
quite evident, because there was no mountain from which all
the kingdoms of the earth could be seen, nor was there a
temple in the wilderness to which the Adversary could
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have taken Jesus. All these, and many more, including the
royal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem riding on an ass, are
allegorical representations of the way in which certain
states of mind are handled by the initiate.
tents--The flesh bodies of man that he puts on and off
again and again. (see tabernacle)
thanksgiving--Rendering our grateful thoughts to God for
His manifold blessings. "Surely goodness and
loving-kindness shall follow me all the days of my life"
(Psalms 23:6). We give thanks that this is Truth.
Thanksgiving will keep the heart fresh; for true
thanksgiving may be likened to rain falling upon ready
soil, refreshing it and increasing its productiveness.
therapy--That phase of metaphysics which treats of divine
healing. We are all interested in the soul and how to save
it. Those who follow Jesus go one step farther in soul
therapy than the average psychoanalyst; they incorporate
Spirit with soul and make it the primal source and
sustainer of both soul and body. "It is the spirit that
giveth life" (John 6:63).
things--Thoughts lowered in vibration to the level of sense
perception. The things that appear are the formulations of
man's ideas of himself and God. Back of everything is a
thought. Still the senses and you will perceive the thought
behind the things.
thinking--The formulating process of mind. It is a faculty
of the ego, the omnipotent I AM of each one of us. The
thinking faculty is the inlet and the outlet of all your
ideas. It is active, zealous, impulsive, but not always
wise. Its nature is to think, and think it will. If you are
ignorant of your office--a prince in the house of
David--and stand meekly by and let it think unsifted
thoughts, your thinking faculty will prove an unruly
servant. Its food is ideas--symbolized in the Gospels as
fishes--and it is forever casting its net on the right, on
the left, for a draught. You alone can direct where its net
shall be cast.
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You are the one who says, "Cast the net on the right side"
(John 21:6).
The thinking faculty in you makes you a free agent, because
it is your creative center; in and through this one power
you establish your consciousness--you build your world.
Through the volition of this faculty, you can refuse to
receive ideas from Christ, you can cut yourself away from
the realm of original Truth, or from the illusionary
universe in which you are forever unraveling tangled ends
and chasing shadows. Thus we see clearly that this faculty
is the rock, the foundation upon which the consciousness
must be built.
Be no longer a slave to the thinking faculty; command it to
be still and know. Stand at the center of your being and
say "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). "I am meek and
lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:29). "All authority hath been
given unto me in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28:18). "There
is no God else besides me" (Isa. 45:21).
thought--A product of thinking; a mental vibration or
impulse. Each thought is an identity that has a central
ego, around which all its elements revolve. Thoughts are
capable of expressing themselves. Every thought clothes
itself in a life form according to the character given it
by the thinker. The form is simply the conclusion of the
thought.
One of the axiomatic truths of metaphysics is that
"thoughts are things." That the mind of man marshals its
faculties and literally makes into living entities the
thoughts that it entertains is also a foregone conclusion.
The word things expresses poorly the active and very vital
character of the thoughts to which the mind gives life,
substance, and intelligence. We see many inanimate "things"
around us in the material world. If we compare our creative
thoughts with them we get an inferior conception of the
marvelous ability of our mind in its creative capacity.
Thought is controlled by the right use of affirmation and
denial--by the power of the mind to accept and
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reject. This power of the mind is the I AM, and it is
through the avenue of expression (I AM) that thought
control, dominion, and mastery are obtained. Thoughts are
controlled by the mind through its power to say "yes" or
"no." To "hold a thought" is to affirm or deny a certain
proposition both mentally and audibly until the logic of
the mind is satisfied and spiritual realization is attained.
thought atmosphere--The surrounding mental climate created
by each person in accordance with the character of his
thinking. Thoughts of negation build an antagonistic and
discordant atmosphere. Thoughts of love and prosperity, of
health and faith, create a harmonious mental atmosphere.
thought center--A collection or aggregation of ideas in the
mind. Thoughts of one kind are attracted one to another,
form in consciousness, group themselves in the body, and
build organs through which they manifest. For example, love
manifests through the heart.
thought, colony of--Like attracts like. A thought will take
up its abode in our consciousness with thoughts of like
character. This law of attraction continues until combined
thoughts make a colony. This colony of thoughts expresses
itself in the cells of the body--for good or ill.
thought power--The moving force within an idea that gives
it expression. All structures are built by thought power.
This power is transmitted from mind to mind and from mind
to body in all living forms.
thought-stuff--The omnipresent, invisible substance ever
ready to take form in accordance with one's mental pattern.
The thought-stuff of the universe is more sensitive than a
phonographic record; it transcribes not only all sounds,
but even the slightest vibration of thought.
thought vibrations--Energies sent out by the force and
power of thought. All who are in like planes of
consciousness with the thinker of the thought receive these
thought energies. In this way telepathic messages are sent
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and received. When one sends thoughts in personal
consciousness, the process is laborious and dangerous.
There is a law of Spirit that equalizes all forces
generated by the mind. This law is in the keeping of divine
Principle, and there is neither success nor safety in using
thought energies without its guiding wisdom.
time--The limitation of man's consciousness of space. A day
is a measure of time in the realm of effects. A sidereal
day is that period in which the earth rotates once on its
axis. Man divided that period into seconds, minutes, hours,
and thus invented time.
Time is the measure that man gives to passing events. The
only power in time is what man imparts to it. When man gets
into the understanding of the Absolute, he takes his
freedom from all bondage of time and declares that time
shall no more enter into the substance of his mind or body
or affairs.
tithe--A tenth part. In the Old Testament the tithe or
tenth is mentioned as a reasonable and just return to the
Lord by way of acknowledging Him as the source of supply.
tithing--Giving a tenth of one's supply to God and His
work. Tithing is a tacit agreement that man is in
partnership with God in the conduct of his finances. This
leads to confidence and assurance that whatever is done
will bring increase of some kind. "Give, and it shall be
given unto you" (Luke 6:38).
Tithing, which is based on a law that cannot fail,
establishes method in giving. It brings into the
consciousness a sense of divine order that is manifested in
one's outer life and affairs as increased efficiency and
greater prosperity. It is the surest way ever found to
demonstrate plenty, for it is God's own law and way of
giving. "Freely ye received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8).
tolerance--Forbearance; allowing to be done without
hindering. Tolerance is passive, and good as far as it goes.
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Love is active good will. Love takes the initiative in
doing and thinking good, and is far superior to tolerance.
tomb of Joseph of Arimathea--A tomb is a resting place;
Arimathea represents an aggregation of thoughts of lofty
character, a high state of consciousness in man; Joseph
represents a state of consciousness in which we are
improving spiritually.
The tomb where Jesus was laid to rest represents an
elevated, peaceful state of consciousness in which He
rested the three days previous to His resurrection. The
word of Truth within Jesus did not die, but was quietly
spreading from point to point during this period, getting
ready for the supreme test: the overcoming of the
appearance of death. For us, the tomb represents a high
state of consciousness in us in which we improve in
character along all lines. We not only grow into a broader
understanding but also we increase in vitality and
substance. We are resting in God, and at the same time
gathering strength for the power of greater demonstrations
to follow. In this state of consciousness the word of Truth
is not idle, but quietly spreading. This process continues
until the whole consciousness is vitalized by the Holy
Spirit.
tongues, speaking with--Symbolizes increased ability to
express Truth clearly and freely.
traits, inherited--Belief in the authority of our
forefathers to determine our physical and mental
characteristics. A form of error thinking. "Call no man
your father on the earth" (Matt. 23:9).
transcendent God--God above or beyond His universe, apart
from it. God is more than His universe; He is prior to and
is exalted above it, but at once He is in His universe as
the very essence of it. God is both transcendent and
immanent.
transfiguration--Supernatural change of appearance that
takes place as one experiences the full flow of divine
power through his being. A lifting up of the soul that
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electrifies the body, causing it to shine. An example held
before every follower of the Christ, of the glory it is
possible to experience through habitual uplift of life and
thought.
transgression of the law--Thinking thoughts that violate
the principle of mental harmony inherent in Being.
transmutation--Change in character, from one phase to
another. The lifting up of mind and body, from material
aspect to spiritual character.
According to modern science this whole universe of forms
can be dissolved into energy, from which it may again be
formed. Science does not say that the directive and
formative power is man, but the Bible so teaches and
especially Jesus. Jesus said that all authority was given
to Him in heaven and on earth. He manifested His power in a
small way by multiplying a few loaves and fishes to feed
more than five thousand persons. In various other instances
He demonstrated that He had an understanding of the
transmutation of substance. He raised His flesh body to an
energy level far higher in potential life and substance
than any reached before.
transubstantiation--The doctrine that the consecration by
the minister of bread and wine changes the material
elements to Christ elements, without affecting their
appearance. At the Last Supper Jesus taught that the bread
and wine which He consecrated were His body and His blood,
and He told His followers to partake of them in remembrance
of Him. He did not say that these elements were symbols of
His blood and body, but that they were essentially the same
substance and life as His body. This also has been the
teaching of the church, as interpreted by the Council of
Trent: "Under each species and under each particle of each
species Christ is contained whole and entire."
This doctrine has been attacked both within and without the
church, the majority of ministers and laymen accepting
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it on faith as in some way related to the miraculous. But
the discoveries of the elemental character of matter by
modern science are revealing the universal unity of
substance and the possibility of its transformation from
one thing to another by changing the number of arrangement
of the electrons in the atom.
treatment--Spiritual realization of God's Truth for oneself
or another. Spiritual process, or prayer, by which man
receives the healing power of God.
A treatment is a prayer of faith and understanding for
healing, harmony, wisdom, prosperity, or any other good
that man may desire. Its object is to raise the
consciousness of the one being treated to a high spiritual
consciousness through which healing is accomplished.
trees--Represent nerves, and nerves are expressions of
thoughts of unity. They connect thought centers. The trees
growing on both sides of the river represent the nerves
radiating from the vital flow on each side of the spinal
column, and connecting and unifying the whole organism.
From the center of our being there spreads into every
department of mind and body, the life-giving, everbearing
tree of the Spirit of God. Its fruits are intelligence to
the mind, substance to the body, and life to the entire
being.
tree, oak--An oak tree in itself stands for something very
strong and protective; but in Hebrew it has a deeper
significance than this. The word comes from the root from
which is derived the word Elohim; so we are reminded of the
truth that those who trust God as their defense, as their
refuge, their fortress, and dwell "in the secret place of
the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty," and shall not only be kept from all evil and its
results, but shall continue to grow and unfold in
understanding, in spirituality, and in every good.
"tree of life" (Gen. 2:9).--The eternal, omnipresent life
of God that is within man. The tree of life "in the midst
of the garden" is the innate, indwelling idea of immortal
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life, and the fruit of that tree is the consciousness of
eternal life in the body.
The "tree of life" (figuratively in the midst of the
garden) manifests in the body as a reserve force. The brain
is the center, the solar plexus is the subcenter, and there
are innumerable minor centers throughout the organism, the
spinal cord, and nervous system. A conservation of the life
and substance of the organism is necessary to its
spiritualization and redemption.
"tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen.
2:9)--Indicates a dual state of consciousness, a belief in
both good and error, which eventually drives man out of the
garden (his body temple).
tree, olive--Growing both under and above water, represents
the restoration of unity between the material and
spiritual, or God and man.
trinity--The religious terms for the trinity are Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. The metaphysical terms are mind,
idea, and expression.
Father is the source, origin, essence, root, creator of
all. Son is that which proceeds from, is begotten of the
Father, like Him in nature, and essentially all that the
Father is. Holy Spirit is God's word in movement: the
working, moving, breathing, brooding of Spirit, made known
to men through revelation, inspiration, and guidance. The
Holy Spirit is the Comforter who will bring all things to
their remembrance.
The doctrine of the trinity is often a stumbling block,
because we find it difficult to understand how three
persons can be one. Three persons cannot be one, and
theology will always be a mystery until theologians become
metaphysicians.
God is the name of the all-encompassing Mind. Christ is the
name of the all-loving Mind. Holy Spirit is the all-active
manifestation. These three are one fundamental Mind in its
three creative aspects.
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trouble--Calamity, difficulty, disaster; the sure result of
wrong thinking. All economic, social, and personal trouble
can be traced back to selfishness of the sense man. When
spiritual man takes control of mind substance, all trouble
of every kind dissolves into thin air.
trumpets and cymbals (Ezra 3: 10)--The trumpets and cymbals
in the hands of the priests and Levites are the thrills and
waves of harmonious energy. They go to every part of our
mind and our body when we rejoice in Spirit, when our heart
is filled with gratitude, and we express ourselves in
thanksgiving to the Author of our being.
Truth--The Absolute; that which accords with God as divine
principle; that which is, has been, and ever will be; that
which eternally is. The Truth of God is reality: "the same
yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever." The verities of
being are eternal and have always existed. Truth abides in
fullness at the very core of man's being. As his
consciousness (awareness) expands, he touches the
everlasting Truth. What seems new is but the unveiling of
that which always has been.
The basic principle of Truth is that the mind of each
individual may be consciously unified with Divine Mind
through the indwelling Christ. By affirming at-one-ment
with God-Mind, we eventually realize that perfect mind
which was in Christ Jesus.
Truth, road of--The straight and narrow path along which
Spirit directs, and which proves so smooth and safe that
one refuses to allow oneself to be misled by habit into
trusting sense perception.
Truth, source of--God is a special, personal Father to all
His children, and from no other source can they get
absolute Truth.
truth, Spirit of--God's thought projecting into our mind
ideas that will build spiritual consciousness like that of
Jesus. The Spirit of truth watches every detail of our
life. When we ask and by affirmation proclaim its presence,
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it brings new life into both mind and body and moves us to
observe spiritual and physical laws that restore health.
twelve--Metaphysically, twelve always refers to spiritual
fulfillment. "And Elijah took twelve stones, according to
the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob . . . And
with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah"
(I Kings 18:31, 32). The twelve stones represent the twelve
most important nerve centers in the body. All material
things represent spiritual realities.
Before we can realize unfettered power we must establish
permanent resolutions of purity and covenants of conformity
with the higher law of obedience. Elijah repaired the altar
of Jehovah that had been thrown down. Obedience seems a
simple matter, but the twelve fundamental faculties enter
into its perfect expression. Elijah took twelve stones and
fitted them together to form the altar, each stone
representing one of the sons of Jacob, who won the name
Israel in recognition of his perseverance toward perfection.
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