THERE is much discussion these days about the “I AM.” During the last few years many thousands of people have heard the term, have been intrigued by it, and are now beginning to search for its true meaning as applied to the personal life. For one by one they are becoming disillusioned of the beliefs instilled into their minds by perhaps well-meaning, false or self-deceived teachers, who have commercialized the term by building so-called “spiritual” movements around it, making it appear to be something it is not, and attributing to it powers that are greatly exaggerated.

All of this attention drawn to the “I AM” has unquestionably been permitted for a definite purpose. For those who have been attracted by the term and by the claims made for it are potential seekers of the Kingdom and lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our Father God; and in order that they may attain the needed spiritual growth, they naturally must go through the experience of learning the age-old way—what is not the true meaning and powers of the “I AM,” before they can fully appreciate and know that meaning and rightly use its powers.

First, it is necessary to understand that the term “I AM” can be used in four different states of consciousness, and of course each carries its own significance and powers, according to the particular consciousness in which it is used. The following are those states:

(1) The God Consciousness, which we will designate as “I AM THAT I AM.” (2) The Christ Consciousness, as “I AM.” (3) The Soul consciousness, as “I Am.” (4) The Human Mind, as “I am.” Note carefully the use of capitals in these distinctions.

For illustrations of messages and teachings from these different consciousnesses we refer you to (1) the Message of The Impersonal Life; (2) the articles entitled “Jesus Christ,” appearing in this Magazine; (3) the article, “The Classroom,” on page 546 of the December issue, and to the article, “How to Believe,” in this issue, (4) and to every statement you make from your self consciousness or ordinary state of mind. Study well each illustration so that you may learn the exact difference between each. The time and effort spent upon so doing will be more than repaid by the new consciousness resulting.

The purpose of this article is to make clear why the use of the “I AM” powers taught and claimed by certain books and teachings are not of Christ or of God, and that instead they are directly contrary to Jesus’ teachings.

We offer the following thoughts for consideration.

If those of our readers who are interested in such “I AM” teachings and are practicing using some of the affirmations prefaced by the words “I Am,” will carefully analyse their desires and motives in so using them, they may be surprised to learn how much of self enters into such use, and that there is nothing spiritual about it; but instead they are but employing this method as a means of obtaining certain things or powers for the benefiting of self.

That is, providing such things or powers are obtained. For seldom does this result. Persons with unusually strong wills sometimes make so-called “demonstrations” by their use, but generally they have to “pay” for it later, in one way or another. For such selfish calling upon the Law to work for them always brings its own retribution.

The chief reason for so many failing to get results is that the very affirming of such things, prefaced by the words “I Am,” without truly believing they are so, which believing is impossible for one when self rules the consciousness, actually arouses opposing forces that work to compel the proving of such statements, or to force the acknowledgement of failure—usually bringing with it disappointment and disillusionment, which then makes possible a being shown from within the true reason for the failure—that they have made the pleasing of self first, instead of “seeking the Kingdom,” when all these things would have been added.

Many of these self-claimed teachers and authorities are leading readers and worshipping students to believe that the powers they claim can be called into play by such affirming, invoking, charging, decreeing and commanding in the name of the “Mighty I AM,” are but waiting to express at the behest of any who thus call upon them. They seemingly do not realize that there is a Law back of such expression and use of these powers, and that those who invoke them for selfish ends must pay for such use by having the Law react upon their heads, bringing to them troubles and inharmony from which there is no escape—until they are able to prove that the things they affirmed are actually so.

ONE OF the most ludicrous phases connected with such teach- ing is the thousands of foolish gullable people who believe the most preposterous statements made by some of these self-claimed “Messengers,” believe them on no better evidence than that such call themselves disciples or representatives of some “Master,” or give forth messages they claim are direct from various Masters or from Jesus, Himself.

What we wish to stress is, these people believe such claims made by these self-proclaimed “Messengers,” without any proof whatever—just accepting their own “sayso” for it.

Think of it! And of how they go along believing first one and then another of such teachers and teachings—until their souls awaken and they become aware of an inner authority that speaks more and more insistently and finally makes itself felt.

Can you not now see why it is necessary that all these well intentioned, earnest seekers must go through these experiences must be disillusioned again and again by such false teachers, until they learn not to believe anything that anyone says, but instead turn within to their own Higher Selves for confirmation, amplification or rejection of everything that is stated?

In this way only will they in time come to depend upon no outer authority or teaching, but only upon the Divine One within—the Christ in their own souls, Who will prove to them that He is the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, Who can and will teach them all things and lead them to all truth, as Jesus promised.

The interesting part to those who know, and who are watching the growth and unfoldment of the earnest ones whom they have contacted and in whom they have become interested, is to see how many of such will get caught by the alluring claims of such false or erring teachers and teachings.

For instance, the purpose of The Impersonal Work is to help all truly in earnest ones to find the Kingdom, and its chief teaching is to make them acquainted with the Christ within, their own Divine Self, so that they can learn to turn to and wait upon Him for everything and He can lead them to the Kingdom.

The Impersonal Life was first published in 1914—twenty-three years ago, and is widely known to contain the purest, the most definitely helpful and practical truths that anyone needs to enable him to find the Kingdom and to gain the Christ Consciousness. All that is necessary is to make oneself do what is so clearly shown therein and to live the life pointed.

It gives forth the pure I AM teachings, and is so well known that it is considered as a classic. This is so because the teachings are from the God Consciousness, and are recognized as such, for they seem as though spoken from out the Soul of each individual who reads; also because its message is so powerful and so universally true that many thousands of lives have been changed by it. Through its help many have found the Kingdom, and the Christ to them is now a Living Presence, for they know Him now as their One and Only Self.

But there are many students who had all or sufficient of the teachings and supposedly had learned to know Him and to be waiting upon Him within and to be looking to Him as their only authority. But the moment some new teacher or teaching appeared that stressed the “I AM” and pointed to it as the source of all knowledge and power—because it was similar to The Impersonal teaching, they assumed that here must be some personal exemplifier of these truths whom they could follow and from whom, perhaps, they could gain some of the powers promised in the teachings. Such evidently still thought they needed outer teachings and wanted to follow a personality, proving that they had not learned the real meaning and purpose of the truths of The Impersonal Life.

This is true also of many of the followers of other teachings which point the way to the Christ within. Such have noted a great falling away of the formerly faithful and earnest students during the past few years. But this was promised for the Last Days, which we are now in. In those days it was also promised that Christ would come and claim His own—after they had fully proven that He was first and supreme in their hearts and lives, and that nothing and no one could cause them to turn from Him as their Teacher and Authority.

If you can only know it, dear readers, Christ is already come, and is now testing and proving His own. All who know Him in their hearts have plenty of evidence these days of His actual Presence, of His testing them and permitting them no peace when they are not waiting upon Him every moment of the day. For whenever He has made Himself felt in a human heart, He is preparing to take possession of His human instrument, the outer personality with its mind and body; and when He has brought about a thorough cleansing and the complete surrender of self, He will then live His Life, do His Will, and be His Perfect Self in that mind and body.

But by the Christ we do not refer to Jesus the man, nor to the Jesus spoken of by certain teachers who claim to receive definite messages from him. Nor do we refer to those who claim to be loyal to His Name and thus hold Him first, but who are following outer authorities and are not listening to or waiting upon the Christ within themselves.

Such are not ready to be with Him in the New Day, for they do not yet know Him—because He has not come as Love and made

His abode in their hearts. They prefer to listen to and believe those who claim He is but another Master and that He has chosen certain Messengers on earth who alone represent Him in these days and give forth His teachings. They prefer to listen to and follow such, rather than to the quiet, loving Voice within their own souls, which is ever trying to make Itself heard, to tell them the truth, and to lead them away from these false and erring ones —when they are willing to turn to Him and to yield up all of self’s desires.

TO ALL of such we say, these are the Last Days, and we are now in the King’s Chamber—the Judgment Hall, and are being judged by the real Jesus, Who as the Holy Spirit of God is the Christ, the Lord of Lords, the Master of all Masters, and the King of all worlds. By our choice of whom we will serve will we be judged.

Therefore it would be wise for all who read these words to stop—if they are following any other Master or Teacher than the Loving Christ seated in the Judgment Hall within their own soul consciousness, and to turn to Him for guidance at this most critical time.

Those who have been caught in the glamour of some personality whose teaching seems the highest there is, who has many enthusiastic followers and who claims to be divinely guided, we ask to search themselves carefully before answering (to themselves) the following questions:

Do you accept wholeheartedly every statement made by this teacher? Are there some things stated that something within you cannot wholly accept? Are you not trying to still that something, to turn from and not listen to it? But does it not persist, and every time you are quiet its voice is again heard, causing a vague uneasiness to be felt within?

If you are feeling something like this, dear friend; or if these words remind you of such experience in the past, but that voice has now been stilled and is no longer heard, we would say: Your Higher and True Self has been trying to get your attention and to have you listen to His Voice. His not permitting you to accept certain statements was to show you there was cause to doubt other statements, for if some were not wholly true, more careful search might bring to light further sophistries and errors which you had accepted without realizing it.

In other words, if there was a quiet, insistent voice trying to get you not to accept certain statements and claims made, it was to wake you up, to recall you from your glamour, so you could listen to your Higher Self and be led back and away from the danger of this mental control and confusion into which the desires of self had lured you.

These are strong words, but they are said purposely in order to make you think, and that you can realize fully how easy it is to get caught by the enthusiasm and glamour surrounding certain movements and teachings, and how difficult it is to free yourself once thus caught.

Not that we believe that many readers of this magazine are so caught, but all will recognize friends who are involved in the toils of such experience, and who will listen to no arguments or reasoning. They prefer at this stage of their unfoldment to be deluded.

However, we give you these warnings and suggestions so that you may know the signs when they appear of the quiet, dissenting voice within, inspiring those little doubts, misgivings and questionings which you strive vainly to still. Always, dear friend, such voice must be heeded, if you would have peace and harmony in your life.

You may ask, what are you to do when such doubts and questionings are felt? There is only one thing to do—know them as the voice—the warning of your Higher Self, and to stop right there, turn within to Him and listen to and heed what He tells you.

If you are not sure it is He speaking, or of what He wants you to do, because of the turmoil in your mind—turn away from what you are then doing, and do nothing—until you are shown clearly what is His will. And just as surely as you are ready to give up self’s will and desires, you will be shown, so that there will be no further doubt or uncertainty in your mind.

These are directions that will help, whatever be the doubt or question that stirs your mind. But especially should it be heeded when listening to or studying the words of outer teachers—no matter from what source or how high the authority claimed for them.

NOW LET us consider for the moment what is the true “I Am.” Naturally, from what has been shown, Its voice is always and only that quiet, confident, positive voice that speaks within, and there is never any uncertainty about Its meaning. It is not an actual voice such as the ears hear, but it is like a strong thought or impression received by the mind and which, when you train yourself to listen to it, will become as natural a part of yourself as the reports of your outer senses. For it is the voice of your soul—your real self, that has been teaching and guiding you from earliest childhood—if you only know it.

The only trouble is, that voice, because it has always spoken so silently and naturally, has been heard and heeded in the past only when it pleased self that you hear it. As a result you have had to suffer all the inharmonies, trouble and unhappiness that have manifested in your life. While had you listened and obeyed, all such would have been avoided, because the “I Am,” the soul of you, knows, and would lead you only the right way.

If Love has been born in your heart, so that It colors and in- fluences your life, know that the Christ of you, the great “I AM,” has come and made His abode in your soul, and Love is now the Teacher and supreme Authority.

The “I AM,” therefore, being the Christed Soul or Divine Self of every man, how could It be outside of or fifteen feet or more above a man, as claimed by certain would-be authorities? Like- wise how could either Jesus, who has appointed them his special messengers, be “the Light which lighteth every man in the world,” as taught by St. John of the true Jesus?

Also contrast their statements to the words of Him Who taught us to “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for your body, what ye shall put on . . . for your loving Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Those who would use the words “I AM” to affirm some of the things taught by such “authorities” and for the evident purpose of gaining powers and things to benefit self, might well pause and think of the words of Satan when tempting Jesus, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”

As did this master of sin with Jesus, so does he tempt through his agents every man who listens to self’s desires, by offering him sophistries and lies, sugar-coated with some well-known truths, thus getting him to swallow them whole, without detecting the poison they contain. For they are poison, and once in the consciousness one’s sensitiveness is dulled, the mind becomes confused, and one is unable to think and reason clearly and is easily influenced in favor of the poisoner—no matter what he says or does. How many of us have seen this proven?

We of course know that there are many earnest students that read some of such teachings, take from them the good there is in them and discard the rest. But to such we say, it is almost impossible not to be influenced by certain of their sophistries and errors mingled with the truths, and if that quiet, insistent voice that is always in evidence with earnest seekers is not heeded, they will be led astray without their knowing it.

We will close by again reminding our readers that there is an ever-present Teacher, Guide and Master within every man—his own Christ Self, One to whom he can always turn and get all the help he needs—once he knows it and waits upon Him in a loving faith and trust.

Why not then spend the time and effort necessary to find and know this Teacher—He Who can teach you all things and lead you to all truth. Is not the finding and knowing Him the most important thing in your life?

The way to Him is clearly shown you in the Impersonal Work and every help is given you to find Him. No one who has ever had any of the Impersonal teachings can deny that. Then why not stick to them until you do find Him? When you do truly find Him, dear friend, you will never again be tempted to turn to any outer teacher or authority.

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