by Bill Woffington

Created on: August 02, 2010

‘The Secret of the Ages’ by Robert Collier – self help – Soft cover – Publisher Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin – ISBN 978-1-58542-629-45 – This addition published 2007 – 401 pages – U.S.A. list price $10.00

‘The Secret of The Ages’ by Robert Collier was first published in 1925 as ‘the Book of Life.’  In 1926 it received its current title and in 1948 it was revised and expanded to its current size.

The author, Robert Collier, (born 1885) a descendent of a wealthy St Louis publishing family, is reported to have been healed of a debilitating illness with the help of mental healing. This healing made such an impression on him that he immersed himself in a study of the powers of the human mind. He studied such things as New Thought as well as other metaphysical principles and the results of his studies were published first in a series of pamphlets and later as the book that was to become ‘The Secret of The Ages.’

For those who have studied New Thought concepts, ‘The Secret of the Ages’ isn’t anything new.  The basic premise is “What you think is what you get.”

For those who are thinking about looking into New Thought ‘The Secret of the Ages’ is a great way to begin. For those who are currently studying or practicing New Thought ‘The Secret Of The Ages’ is a great refresher course.

Collier maintains that the Universe responds to our persistent thoughts and beliefs whether we want it to or not and these thoughts and beliefs become our reality.  Think bad thoughts you get bad things. Think good thoughts you get good things.

Once that basic premise has been established, Collier goes on with ways to program your mind so it creates the things you want as opposed to the things you don’t want.

Early in the book, Collier talks about Thomas Troward and his definition of ‘First Cause’.   According to Troward, if you are faced with a problem you don’t like or want, you don’t attempt to solve that problem at the level of the problem itself.  Instead you go to the cause of the problem which, according to New Thought principles, would be the thoughts that caused the problem to start with.  If thought caused the problem, opposite thoughts will solve the problem.

Example follows example, follows example in ‘The Secret Of The Ages’.  Premises are explained and examples are given. Many examples are given of how a particular person used a particular premise and it worked.

Collier also talks about the teachings of Jesus and claims there was one teaching in particular that was the cause of His being hated by the Powers that be.

Collier described it this way.

“He went up and down the length and breadth of the land, teaching that all men are equal in the sight of God.”

Collier said this teaching was actually saying that the leaders weren’t privileged and entitled to more than anyone else.  Because of the threat to their status and the fear of Roman reprisal it meant that Jesus had to die before what He was teaching took hold and the people toppled them from power.

This teaching of Jesus is evident throughout ‘The Secret of The Ages’ and, for that matter, in all New Thought disciplines. 

In its basic message, ‘The Secret of the Ages’ says thought is powerful, thought creates reality and we all use this creative power whether we want to or not.

In ‘The Secret of The Ages’, Collier says it very well.

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