Within You is the Power | Page 5

and all these things shall be added unto you. You will have no need to fear the
morrow, for you will know that all provision has already been made. There will be no
need to hoard up wealth, for there will be the necessary daily supplies always available.
There will be no need to live near a doctor, for God, the Infinite Life, shall be your health.
There will be no need for regret or lamentation, for you shall know that all is well. There
will be no fear of future happenings, for you shall realize that the Infinite One makes no
mistakes.

CHAPTER III.
FATE OR FREE-WILL?
Great has been the controversy in the past, over the vexed subject of fate versus free-will.
On the one hand, fatalists claim that man is so closely bound to the wheel of fate it is
impossible for him to live his life in any different way than that which is mapped out for
him. He can bring a quantity of first-class evidence in support of his claim and believes in
his theory with all his heart. On the other hand, the advocate of free-will believes just as
whole-heartedly that man is not bound at all, being as free as air. He, too, can bring
plenty of evidence in support of his theory, which confirms him in his belief. Each one of
them thinks that the other is wrong, yet they cannot both be wrong! Let us therefore
examine the subject for ourselves, for it is an important one, being intimately connected
with the subject which this book discusses.
First of all, let it be said, they are both wrong, in part, and right, in part. Man is bound to
the wheel, yet, at the same time, he has free-will. Let us, therefore, explain this seeming
paradox.
It is an ancient truth of the inner teaching that man, when he is unevolved and before he
is "unfolded," is bound to the wheel of fate very closely. The unevolved man follows his
desires, thus creating for himself a future from which he cannot escape. When however,

he becomes more evolved and emancipated, he begins to resist following his desires and
strives, instead, to follow higher things. This creates for him a better future and thus he
becomes free in comparison with his former slave state. Man is a slave to fate as long as
he is a slave to the desires of the earth plane. He is, however, free to overcome lower
things and thus rise to higher. When he does this he ceases to create a painful future for
himself and thus becomes free.
There is, therefore, fate which is self created. It is necessary to acknowledge this before
we can proceed further. One who has not had much experience of life or who has not
been a close observer, may deny that there is such a thing, but one who has had great
changes in his life, against which he has fought and struggled in vain, knows that there is
a purpose working behind the events of life, against which even kings and mighty men
are powerless. There come times in man's life when he moves heaven and earth,
figuratively speaking: prays until he can pray no more: sacrifices, it may be, his money,
his health, his prospects, and does everything that is in the power of a human being in a
vain attempt to stave off a threatened disaster. But, in spite of all his efforts, in spite of
his cries to a pitiless heaven, the relentless march of fate cannot be stayed. It moves
forward like a huge juggernaut and crushes his hopes, his dearest idol, his very life itself
or all that then makes his life worth living--and leaves him desolate.
"If then," you may ask, "fate is so pitiless and so powerful, what can be done with it and
where does free-will enter into the matter?" In reply it must be admitted at once that it is
no use fighting fate. The more man fights it, the more completely he gets broken. There
are certain main events in each life which must come to pass. These events and changes
are inevitable and it is hopeless to fight against them. While these things, which
constitute what we call fate, are inevitable and therefore cannot be avoided, it rests with
ourselves how we meet these adversities and disasters. If we meet them in the wrong way
they break us. If, however, we meet them in the right way we become stronger through
discipline and experience, thus becoming better fitted to bear life's responsibilities and to
overcome its difficulties and temptations. One who meets the setbacks, griefs,
bereavements and disasters of life in the right spirit becomes a strong and rich