The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-09-23
The First Objective of
Mental Science Study

the world is the bread and Butter prob-
lem, that Of providing the necessaries,
comforts and amenities of life for each
and all to the utmost Of their require
ment, AT a period Of human existence
when human potentiality Of obtaining
them by industry from natural resour-
ces has reached an unprecedented ca
pacity never before attained during all
the previous ages of recorded history,
it ought to be very simple proposition
to bring to a satisfactory conclusion.
Nevertheless, look in whatever direction
we may, we observe that want. woe,
and misery affIict the great majority Of
mankind. generating a spirit Of des-
peration and recklessness that bodies III
10 every nation where such conditions
obtain.
That being the case, the Importance
Of solving this problem at once without
delay should emphasize itself upon the
attention Of every thoughtful man and
woman. The solution Of this problem
in fact led TO the origination, estab-
lishment and the activities of Llano
Colony, and the study Of mental science
was taken up because il was believed
that ii would aid in solving the many
problems that arise in the venture Of
colony cooperation and the many hui
man problems that it involves. This
is the point that was accentuated in
the mental science class at Newllano
on Sunday night, September ~. There
is no desire to limit any one in his mem
tai activities, lines Of study or research
especially when devoted to anything
connected with mechanical, industrial,
hygienic and dietetic factors conducive
TO human welfare; but the Importance
of concentration Undivided, rational,
analytic attent.on) to every problem
arising in colony ventures has been in-
sisted upon and accumulated from the
very beginning in studying the course
of lessons. Greater usefulness and self
improvement is the aim Of the study.
Very much is wanted, and very much
is expected out of life by nearly all
people, but very few seem to have
grasped the idea that the only honest
and legitimate way (according to ma
tural law to GET much out of life
is by increasing the capacity for, use-
fulness, for greater service, larger pro-
ductiveness Of moral and material val
ues for the community. Ignorance on
this point and failure of self-improve-
ment leads to disappointment, pessi-
mism. and failure. Little KNOWLEDGE
and great expectations result in dis
enlargement.
And in colony cooperation ii is
knowledge and skill and capacity and
stick-to-itiveness to ordinary labor, me-
chanicaI handiwork and the ability to
handle men and manage affairs in such
an undertaking that are most impera-
lively necessary and indispensable.
The way to plenty, happiness and safe
~ is thru more knowledge. But now
a-days hardly one in thousand makes
up his mind to start on a course Of sys-
tematic self-improvement. The aver
age person expects to obtain the pro-
ducts Of increased capacity without
having acquired the knowledge. or de-
veloped the capacity and ferreted out
the way to secure them.
Dissatisfaction with hard conditions
in itself provides no remedy. A person
must know where the shoe pinches,
learn the causes responsible for the ar
duous toll and meager living imposed
upon him. before his opportunities for
satisfactory livelihood can be inn
proved. Passing the buck to. the poll
ticians who are voluble in their pro-
misses of relief, has been losing game.
The last presidential election in this
country strikingly demonstrated this les
son. Disappointed by the Wilson adj
ministration, the people gave an over
whelming majority to Mr.. Harding and,
Judging by developments up to date,
jumped from the frying pan into the
fire. The writer has watched the po-
litical game in this country very close
~ for the past fifty years, and learned
to his satisfaction that little hope for
relief to the people can be looked for
from that source.
Here in Llano we have taken re-
sponsibility for our future in our own
hands. Long years of disappointment
IN political and other activities has
pointed to direct constructive self-help
as the most feasible plan to the better
ment Of our colinists and all Others who
who will cooperate with us. There is
nothing mysterious or transcendentaI
about this. L Is a sinnLe rnatter-of-