It is a fundamental principle of Mental Therapeutics that all forms of cures of diseases are really but different phases of mental cure. That is to say that in all healing processes the active principle is always found to be the mind in the cells, cell-groups, organs, or in the body as a whole. The vis medicatrix naturae, the healing powers of Nature, which performs all the curative work of the body, is mental in its elemental nature; therefore, all cures are mind cures, at the last.

The healing processes of the body are not blind forces, or mechanical energies, but, on the contrary, are characteristically mental in their activities. There is an intelligence at work in these processes; instinctive and subconscious though it may be, it still manifests all the characteristics oi intelligence. There is always manifest the existence of a working plan and purpose, and an endeavor of the Corporeal Mind to accomplish the results indicated in such plan and purpose.

This may-he seen more clearly when we stop to consider that each cell, and each group of cells, is a living, mental something, and not a mechanical, inert, lifeless thing moved only by external forces. The energies of the cell abide within the cell, and manifest in accordance with intelligent processes. The curative process always consists of the repairing of waste tissues, and in a harmonious readjustment of mutual relations and conditions by the activities of the cells themselves.

Even when external remedies and methods are used they are seen to be merely the supplying of the cells with proper stimuli, nourishment, and aid; or, perhaps, of removing mechanical or other obstacles from their way. The mind in the body, organs, and cells performs all the real curative work; all else is but an aid or help to the mental force latent within the body, organ, or cells.

The physician may administer a purgative, and this by removing undesirable and harmful substances from the system makes easier the task of the mind within the body. Or the surgeon may clean and drain the wound, thus taking a portion of the work from the cells, and rendering easier their other work. Or, the surgeon may place in juxtaposition the broken bones, and hold them into place by bandages, and then the mind in the cells does the healing work and knits them together. Man aids, but Nature cures-and Nature is mental in its final analysis.

More than this, medical science-at least the advanced and more intelligent teachers of it- recognize the fact that disease is not, as was formerly supposed, a foreign something that attacks the system. What is called "disease" is in very many cases but the symptoms of the efforts of Nature to eliminate objectionable and harmful conditions, and to resume normal states of functioning and activity. The theory of many thoughtful physicians is that disease is frequently really a self-preservative action on the part of Nature-an action by which she seeks to preserve the body by setting up conditions designed to combat abnormal conditions which have arisen. If Nature is unable to throw off the abnormal conditions, it at least accommodates itself to the new state of affairs, and strives to make the best of it-to manage to get the best possible results, or the least possible measure of harm.

This being recognized-and it cannot be denied-it follows that anything that will aid the mental action of the cells, organs, and body in this reparative work must aid the cure. And here is where Mental Therapeutics comes in. Nothing can aid and strengthen, direct and sustain, the mind in the cells, organs, and body better than Mind itself. Whatever strengthens the Corporeal Mind, and directs its energies effectively, must materially aid in the work of cure. And this is just what is accomplished by Mental Therapeutics. The Corporeal Mind, under the proper stimulus of Mind, will not only manifest latent powers and energies heretofore unmanifested, but will also obey the direction and guidance of a phase of mind more positive than itself, and thus act more efficiently. Upon this fundamental principle of practice all scientific mental healing is based.

Sidney Murphy, M. D., an American authority, says of the reparative forces of Nature inherent in the organism: "It is a remedial effort, not necessarily successful, and an attempt to change, or have changed, existing conditions. Any improper relation of the living organism to external agents necessarily results in an injury to that organism, which by virtue of its being self-preservative immediately sets up defensive action, and begins as soon as possible to repair the damages that have accrued. This defensive or reparative action, of course, corresponds to the conditions to be corrected, and its persistence will depend upon the damages to be repaired, and the intensity and persistence of the causes that produced it. Serious injury present or impending will demand serious vital action; desperate conditions, desperate action. But in all cases the action is vital, an attempt at restoration, and the energy displayed will exactly correspond to the interests involved and the vitality that is available."

Another American authority, S. F. Meacham, M. D., says: "Disease is a failure of the cells to make good their waste, or to do their full duty. This may be an individual matter with the cell, or may result from imperfect co-operation; there may be a mutiny in the co-operative commonwealth constituting the body. * * * Any failure of this kind is disease either local or general, according to the importance of the mutinous or weakened cell. A cure results when the cells again do their work; or when other cells learn to do that particular work, which is sometimes the case. A remedy is any substance, or force, or procedure that will stimulate, or help, or remove obstacles that prevent these cells from doing their work. Keep in mind that the life process acting through or in the cell does the work, whether aided or alone. * * * The process going On in each cell is an intelligent one, and all intrinsic methods are really but suggestions offered to the cell, the real worker; and the fact is that any one of these helps may be chosen, and all may be rejected.

"The repair of a cell is as equally an intellectual a process as any other can be. * * * The cell is not a mere machine, but a living entity, doing everything that the body does. It eats, drinks, moves, reproduces its kind, selects its foods, repairs its wTaste, etc. These are intellectual processes, but may not be conscious. * * * Cure consists in the repairing of wasted tissues, and in the cells restoring and repairing themselves into a definite pattern necessary to mutual work, so that the commonwealth may prosper. * * * The cells must build up the waste, and this they do by their internal forces; all disease is really cured by internal force, viz., force resident in the cell itself. Here we all stand around the suffering cell, one with drug-power in his hand, another with electricity, or water, or heat, or directed attention, thought-force, or more nourishment which necessitates a better circulation to that area, or some other of the thousand therapeutic measures, and we are close enough together at last to see that we are simply using different stimuli to try to aid the real worker within the cell to do his work, by furnishing not only material when that is necessary, but force as well, that out of the abundance his work may be easy and rapid."

Dr. Thomson J. Hudson, the eminent American authority upon the subconscious processes of mind, says: "Granted that there is an intelligence that controls the functions of the body in health, it follows that it is the same power or energy that fails in case of disease. Failing, it requires assistance; and that is what all therapeutic agencies aim to accomplish. No intelligent physician of any school claims to be able to do more than to 'assist naturef to restore the normal conditions of the body. That it is a mental energy that thus requires assistance, no one denies; for science teaches us that the whole body is made up of a confederation of intelligent entities, each of which performs its functions with an intelligence exactly adapted to the performance of its special duties as a member of the confederacy. There is, indeed, no life without mind, from the lowest unicellular organism up to man. It is therefore a mental energy that actuates every fibre of the body under all its conditions. That there is a central intelligence that controls each of these mind organisms, is self-evident. * * * It is sufficient for us to know that such an intelligence exists, and that, for the time being, it is the controlling energy that normally regulates the action of the myriad cells of which the body is composed. It is, then, a mental organism that all therapeutic agencies are designed to energize, when, for any cause, it fails to perform its functions with reference to any part of the physical structure."

When this great principle of therapeutics- the principle that all cures are really performed through and by means of cell-activity; and that cell activity is mental, and under the control of the confederated minds of the totality of the cell-life of the body-is clearly perceived, then the great mystery of Mental Therapeutics vanishes. For when this principle is grasped, it is perceived that all cures are really mental cures, no matter by what methods or means the mental forces are called into operation. This being granted, it is seen that Mental Therapeutics is simply the calling into operation of the mental forces resident in the cells, organs, and entire physical system, but not by means of physical remedies or appliances, but rather by a direct appeal to the Corporeal Mind itself, and thus to the cell-minds and organ-minds.

Mental healing, in any of its forms and phases, is the most direct and immediate form of healing there is. Instead of proceeding in a roundabout way to get at the mind in the cells, organs, and parts, and thus to rouse it into activity, it makes a direct appeal to headquarters-the Corporeal Mind-and energies it into activity. The Corporeal Mind, which is very amenable to suggestion or instructions properly given it, falls in with the methods of cure stated to it by the healer, or the person himself. It sends directing messages to the diseased organs and cells, and stimulates them to greater activity, if this is needed; or, again, it may recreate harmony where discord has been manifested. It proceeds to exercise its supreme co-ordinating power, and regulates and adjusts, directs and guides, the activities of the cells and organs.

As we proceed with our lessons we shall see that although mental healing has been practiced from time immemorial, under various names, forms, disguises, and based upon many theories of varying degrees of rationality, still the underlying principle has ever been one, and one only, i. e., that briefly outlined in this lesson and those which have preceded it. The effect of all of these varying methods and forms of mental treatment-plainly stated or else disguised under some fanciful theological or metaphysical theory-is identically the same, viz., the rousing into activity and operation of the mind in the cells and organs of the body, under the coordinating influence of the CorporeaLMind. The student who understands this principle will ever find it present under and back of each and every instance of mental healing. The cures are not made by reason of the fanciful theories-but in spite of them. Remember this always !