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with the broad and beautiful spirit of those few preliminary paragraphs that you may pass on understanding^ to the perusal of the teachings which follow. Those who have an opportunity to refer to the article from which this Creed is taken, should do so.* It tells of the work, the material success, followed by over-strain, physical and mental breakdown and financial disaster, which marked the earlier years of William Walker Atkinson.

It shows how he came to know what he now holds to be the truth, and how, in his own life, he has demonstrated its value. For from mental and physical wreck and financial ruin, he wrought through its principles, perfect health, mental vigor and material prosperity.

Atkinson, during the many years of his connection with the magazine. New Thought, built for himself an enduring place in the hearts of its readers. For four years his literary work was confined to its pages (including in addition, three books for its publishers), and article after article of wonderful strength and vital force flowed from his pen.

During this time several ^, ^Included In "New Thought Annual for 1002" published by The New Thought PubUshlng Co. PREFACE vii series of "lessons" appeared, under varying titles, in regard to the application of the Law of At- traction in the Thought World, lessons which created a sensation and exerted a wonderful in-/ fluence upon the lives of those who applied their principles.

They were written in Mr. Atkinson's own sparkling, intimate style, teeming with thought, force, energy, fire, but shorn of all at- mosphere of the study, all attempt at "fine writ- ing/' polished periods or dignified metaphor, and all affectation or assumption of superior learning.

One of Mr. Atkinson's cardinal principles is "Stand on your own feet," and he deprecates any attempt to read infallibility into his writings. For this reason we have again prefaced the pres- ent work with a "Foreword" in which he seeks to instill into all students of New Thought, whether as expressed in his writings or in those of others, — ^the quality of self-dependence.

A reading of this Foreword will give the student a clear idea of the attitude of mind in which Mr. Atkinson thinks this and all other individual interpretr tions of life should be approached. With "My Working Creed" and the "Fore- word" as guides, the present reader should enter upon THOUGHT VIBRATION, the book proper, in viii PREFACE a spirit calculated to extract the greatest possible value.

Thought vibration embraces two series of the vital lessons mentioned above, with some additional articles by Mr. Atkinson follow- ing out the same line of teaching. The order of the lessons has been somewhat changed in the combination; and for further continuity and clearness, new lesson titles in the form of chapter headings have been selected.

The publishers have preferred to retain the familiar unstudied style of the lessons, as originally written, rather than to subject the articles to the literary revision by the author which usually precedes publication in book form.

They contend that Mr. Atkinson's mightiest influence, his greatest strength and power, lies in his simple, straightforward, and at times even colloquial language — ^the kind which "even my little son can understand," as wrote in gratitude one earnest student.