Raghumani Singh
This is a real story and not a fiction which proves the truth of that old saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way’. It was told by the elergyman and educator, the late Frank W Gunsaulus who began his preaching career in the stockyards region of South Chicago.
While Dr Gunsaulus was going through college, he observed that there were many defects in the educational system- defects which he believed could be rectified, if he were the head of a college. His deepest desire was to become the directing head of an educational institute in which young men and women would be taught to ‘learn by doing’. He made up his mind to organise a new college where he could carry out his ideas, without being handicapped by orthodox methods of education.
He needed a million dollars to put the project across ! Where was he to lay his hands on such a huge sum of money? That was the question which absorbed most of the ambitious young preacher’s thought. But, he could not seem to make any progress.
Every night he took that thought to bed with him. He woke up with it in the morning. He took it with him everywhere he went. He turned it over and over in his mind until it became a consuming obsession with him. A million dollars is a lot of money. He recognised that fact, but he also recognised the truth that the only limitation is that which once sets up in one’s own mind.
Being a philosopher as well as a preacher, Dr Gunsaulus recognised that Definitness of purpose is the starting point from which one must begin. He recognised too that definiteness of purpose takes on animation, life and power when backed by a burning desire to translate that purpose into its material equivalent. He knew all these great truths, yet he did not know where or how to lay his hands on a million dollars. The natural procedure would have been to give up and quit by saying “Ah! well, my idea is a good one but I can’t do anything with it as because I can’t procure the necessary million dollars. ” That is exactly what the majority of people would have said, but it is not what Dr Gunsaulus did.
One Saturday afternoon, he sat in his room thinking of ways and means of raising the money to carry out the plans. For nearly two years, he had been thinking, but he had done nothing but think !
The time had come for action ! He made his mind, then and there, that he would get the necessary million dollars within a week. How? He was not concerned about that. The main thing of importance was the decision to get the money within a specified time, and you will wonder to know that the moment he reached a definite decision to get the money within a specified time, a strange feeling of assurance came over him, such as he had never before experienced. Something inside him seemed to say, “Why didn’t you reach that decision a long time ago? The money was waiting for you all the time !” Things began to happen in a hurry. He called the newspapers and announced he would preach a sermon the following morning, entitled, “What I would do if I had a million dollars”,
He went to work on the sermon immediately and the task was not difficult for him, because he had been preparing that sermon for almost two years. The spirit back of it was part of him.
Long before midnight he had finished writing the sermon, went to bed and slept with a feeling of confidence, for he could see himself already a possession of the million dollars.
Next morning Dr Gunsaulus arose early, went into the bathroom, read the sermon, then knelt on his knees and asked that his sermon might come to the attention of someone who would supply the needed money. While he was praying, he again had that feeling of assurance that the money would be forthcoming. In his excitement, he walked out without his sermon and did not discover the oversight until he was in his pulpit and about ready to begin delivering it.
It is too late to go back for his notes, and what a blessing that he couldn’t go back! Instead, his own subconscious mind yielded the material he needed. When he rose to begin his sermon he closed his eyes and spoke with all his heart and soul of his dreams. He not only talked to his audience, but he fancied he talked to God. He told what he would do with a million dollars of that amount were placed in his hands. He described the plan he had in mind for organising a great educational institute where young people would learn to do practical things, and at the some time develope their minds.
When he had finished and sat down, a man, slowly arose from his seat, about three rows from the rear and made his way towards the pulpit. He came into the pulpit, extended his hand and said, “Reverend, I liked your sermon. I believe you can everything you said you would, if you had a million dollars. To prove that I believe in you and your sermon, if you will come to my office tomorrow morning, I will give you the million dollars. My name is Phillip D Armour.” Dr Gunsaulus went to Mr Armour’s office and the million dollars was presented to him. With the money he founded the Armour Institute of Technology. That was more money than the majority of preachers ever saw in an entire life of time, yet the thought impulse back of the money was created in the young preacher’s mind in a fraction of a minute. The necessary million of dollars came as a result of an idea. Behind the idea was a Desire which young Gunsaulus had been nursing in his mind for almost two years.
Observe this important fact- He got the money within thirty-six hours after he reached a definite decision in his own mind to get it, and decided upon a definite plan for getting it !
There was nothing new or unique about young Gunsaulus’ vague thinking about a million dollars and weakly hoping for it. Other people before him and many since his time have had a similar thoughts. But, there was something very unique and different about the decision he reached on that memorable Saturday, when he put vagueness into the background and definitely said, “I’ll get the money within a week!”
God seems to through himself on the side of the man who knows exactly what he wants, if he is determined to get Just That!
Moreover, the principle through which Dr Gunsaulus earned his million dollars is still alive ! It is available to everybody. This universal law is as workable today as it was when the preacher made use of it so successfully. Dr Gunsaulus knew the astounding that Ideas can be transmuted into cash through the power of definite purpose plus definite plans.
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