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The Greatest Thing Ever Known
Before "New Age" there was "New Thought," a philosophy that sought God through metaphysics and was wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. American mystic and bestselling author RALPH WALDO TRINE (1866-1958) was one of the most influential writers on New Thought principles, and here, in this 1898 work, he explains why "Life" is the the truest and most certain thing we will ever be aware of: . the vital difference between being alive and being Life . how knowledge of Jesus and his teachings lead to a deeper appreciation of Life . why living Life fully results in sustained "peace and safety forever" . and more. Easy to understand but profound in its wisdom, this is one of Trine's most pious works, and it will intrigue those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationship with the Divine.
- GenresSpirituality
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1917
About the author
Ralph Waldo Trine
456 books62 followersRalph Waldo Trine was a philosopher, mystic, teacher and author of many books, and was one of the early mentors of the New Thought Movement. His writings had a great influence on many of his contemporaries including Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science. He was a true pioneer in the area of life-transforming thought. No other New Thought author has sold more books than he, his writings reaching far beyond New Thought circles out to the general public, which has bought and read Trine's books without ever knowing that they were New Thought.
He began his writing career in his early 30s. He was much influenced by the writings of Fitche, Emerson and the Scottish scientist/evangelist, Henry Drummond, his "What All the World's A-Seeking" expanding on a number of the themes covered in Drummond's inspirational classic, "The Greatest Thing in the World." His remarkable seminal book, "In Tune with the Infinite" was launched in 1897 and went on to sell over 2 million copies, and has stood the test of time for over a century. It was read by such luminaries as Queen Victoria, Janet Gaynor and Henry Ford. It is interesting that Henry Ford, pioneer of mass produced automobiles, attributed his success directly to having read "In Tune with the Infinite." After reading the book, Ford ordered it on mass, and distributed copies freely to high profile industrialists. It's a true mark of how powerful the book was and still is!
In its pages we find perennial truths that have been restated in many other forms in recent years, though perhaps never so clearly. By recognizing the power of our thoughts and by harmonizing our own with the Divine will, we will attract perfect peace, health, love, prosperity and success. A number of chapters from "In Tune with the Infinite" can be read on-line in the book "This Mystical Life of Ours" listed below.
He began his writing career in his early 30s. He was much influenced by the writings of Fitche, Emerson and the Scottish scientist/evangelist, Henry Drummond, his "What All the World's A-Seeking" expanding on a number of the themes covered in Drummond's inspirational classic, "The Greatest Thing in the World." His remarkable seminal book, "In Tune with the Infinite" was launched in 1897 and went on to sell over 2 million copies, and has stood the test of time for over a century. It was read by such luminaries as Queen Victoria, Janet Gaynor and Henry Ford. It is interesting that Henry Ford, pioneer of mass produced automobiles, attributed his success directly to having read "In Tune with the Infinite." After reading the book, Ford ordered it on mass, and distributed copies freely to high profile industrialists. It's a true mark of how powerful the book was and still is!
In its pages we find perennial truths that have been restated in many other forms in recent years, though perhaps never so clearly. By recognizing the power of our thoughts and by harmonizing our own with the Divine will, we will attract perfect peace, health, love, prosperity and success. A number of chapters from "In Tune with the Infinite" can be read on-line in the book "This Mystical Life of Ours" listed below.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 1, 2016
Although this book was written in 1898, its information on Jesus and Jesus true teachings is timeless.
July 27, 2024
The gist is that each of us is God. We are all Gods, able to alter reality consciously through the use of our will.
June 10, 2019
Whaddayaknow, an American buddy of Henry Ford with Waldo for a middle name worked out the secret of life, the universe and everything!
Ralph Waldo Trine purports to have come across the answer philosophically, not via theology, no siree Bob, yet it's not long before he makes reference to the soul, then the Divine Being, then just plain God.
He prefers the more rhetorical nominclature, however. Like most of these fraudulent windbags he's big on capitalising airy phrases - Divine Source, Divine Being, Unchangeable Being, Essential Nature, Spirit of Life, One and Eternal Source of Life, Infinite Life and Power, blah blah blah.
So what is the greatest thing ever known? The secret that left Socrates scratching his head, Confucius confused, and gave Heidegger a headache? Those scrubs didn't it out, but Ralph Waldo Trine did. Are you ready to be enlightened? Here it is:
'Man is essentially Divine, part and parcel of the Infinite God, and so, essentially good.'
Wow! Thanks Waldo, I am forever in your debt for that insight. Did you come by that conclusion all by yourself? You did?:
'The conclusions we have arrived at thus far we have arrived at independently of any authority outside of our own reason and insight.'
I should certainly hope so.
Except he didn't, he filched them wholesale from German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, which he proved by later including a catalogue of quotes from this incomprehensible imitator of Kant, essentially the same tosh Trine ladled out earlier, only with greater eloquence.
Am I being hard on Waldo, who after all only wanted to help? Judge for yourself, here's an example of the kind of claptrap he attempted to pass off as philosophy:
'From everlasting to everlasting is Being, self-existent, without beginning and without end. Depending upon nothing outside of itself and the essential essence, the very life of all that through it comes into existence, it is therefore Infinite Being. Existing at first as pure spirit, it is therefore Divine Being. Literally the I Am, the Divine Jehovah, the Infinite God. Then, animated by love and acting through its own volition, it projects itself into existence and assumes the various forms we see in the universe about us, including us ourselves. But by the act of projecting itself into existence, the Infinite Divine Being does not change in the least its essential inner nature, as indeed it would be impossible for it to do. What, then, in reality is there in existence? Only Divine Being, the Infinite God in all his manifold manifestations; and thus it remains through all eternity, as must necessarily be from its very nature, and otherwise it could not be. God, then, is the Infinite Being, the Infinite Spirit which is the essential essence, the life of all, which therefore fills all the universe with Himself alone, so that all is He, since He is all.'
Yeah, like, whatever.
Ralph Waldo Trine purports to have come across the answer philosophically, not via theology, no siree Bob, yet it's not long before he makes reference to the soul, then the Divine Being, then just plain God.
He prefers the more rhetorical nominclature, however. Like most of these fraudulent windbags he's big on capitalising airy phrases - Divine Source, Divine Being, Unchangeable Being, Essential Nature, Spirit of Life, One and Eternal Source of Life, Infinite Life and Power, blah blah blah.
So what is the greatest thing ever known? The secret that left Socrates scratching his head, Confucius confused, and gave Heidegger a headache? Those scrubs didn't it out, but Ralph Waldo Trine did. Are you ready to be enlightened? Here it is:
'Man is essentially Divine, part and parcel of the Infinite God, and so, essentially good.'
Wow! Thanks Waldo, I am forever in your debt for that insight. Did you come by that conclusion all by yourself? You did?:
'The conclusions we have arrived at thus far we have arrived at independently of any authority outside of our own reason and insight.'
I should certainly hope so.
Except he didn't, he filched them wholesale from German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, which he proved by later including a catalogue of quotes from this incomprehensible imitator of Kant, essentially the same tosh Trine ladled out earlier, only with greater eloquence.
Am I being hard on Waldo, who after all only wanted to help? Judge for yourself, here's an example of the kind of claptrap he attempted to pass off as philosophy:
'From everlasting to everlasting is Being, self-existent, without beginning and without end. Depending upon nothing outside of itself and the essential essence, the very life of all that through it comes into existence, it is therefore Infinite Being. Existing at first as pure spirit, it is therefore Divine Being. Literally the I Am, the Divine Jehovah, the Infinite God. Then, animated by love and acting through its own volition, it projects itself into existence and assumes the various forms we see in the universe about us, including us ourselves. But by the act of projecting itself into existence, the Infinite Divine Being does not change in the least its essential inner nature, as indeed it would be impossible for it to do. What, then, in reality is there in existence? Only Divine Being, the Infinite God in all his manifold manifestations; and thus it remains through all eternity, as must necessarily be from its very nature, and otherwise it could not be. God, then, is the Infinite Being, the Infinite Spirit which is the essential essence, the life of all, which therefore fills all the universe with Himself alone, so that all is He, since He is all.'
Yeah, like, whatever.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews