may turn this about and say, that, to know the self in its truest and widest nature will bring us into a clearer knowledge of God. Then to know God and the self will help us to answer these big questions which confront the thoughtful heart: Is life worth while? Is there a purpose which this life fulfils or is intended to fulfil? What power have I to control the conditions of my body and environment? Is there magic in the realm of thought? Whither do I go? Can I extract joy out of existence? Can I have health when I seek it: prosperity aside from mere chance: and happiness independent of rare good luck? In short, is there a law of life?

THE SELF AND CONSCIOUSNESS

When we speak of consciousness, we mean the power to think; we mean the ability to be aware of the self and of that which occurs in relation to the self. The word "conscious" comes from the Latin words, cum or with, and scio, to know or have knowledge. When we say one is conscious of a thing we mean that he is "with knowledge of that thing," at least to the extent of his being aware that it is. And the 'consciousness' of a person is the "knower," or that which, within him, knows. The knower is the self, the "I am." There is neither any proof that there is an "I am," nor any knowledge of what it is in its ultimate nature. Yet, if I know anything at all, I know that I am; and I must either say that I do not know anything at all, or else say that what I know can only be known because I, the knower, exist before that which I know. How could anything be known unless there were an "I," that is, a self to know it?

This may seem very involved; but it is also very important because it shows us that "consciousness"