THE EDUCATION OF THE NEMINIST. 185 



not go wrong, and with perfect faitli in the unreality of all ex- 

 ternal things it matters not in earthly affairs what he does or 

 leaves undone. 



" The card for this lesson was : 



" ' jST. N, N. The population of our cities is ample to supply 

 many practitioners, teachers, and preachers with work. To enter 

 this field of labor beneficially to ourselves, it is necessary to demon- 

 strate that the patient lulio is able to pay for being healed is more apt 

 to recover than he who withholds a slight equivalent for health! 

 Nihil nemini nocet.' 



" iVt the last lesson the president informed me that my course 

 of instruction was complete, and that I must now go forth and 

 bless the world. I must lean no longer on her personal leader- 

 ship, but, trusting in the spirit, I should rest solely on the pure 

 Mentiphysical principle at work. As a pioneer of Xeministic Heal- 

 ing in the far uncultured West, I must stand alone in the con- 

 flict, smiting error with the falchion of Truth. The rare bequests 

 of the spirit are costly, and they have w^on fields of battle from 

 which the dainty borrower would have fled.' 



" I spoke once or twice of my diploma, w^ithout which I could 

 not practice my jirofession under the laws of Fresno County. At 

 first she made as if she did not hear me, but at last she said: 



" ' The Massachusetts University of Mentiphysics draws its 

 breath from me, but I yearn for retirement. Xo one else can 

 sustain this institution amid the legislation aimed at its vital pur- 

 pose. This has given me conscientious scruples about diplomas, 

 and, with the growing conviction that every one should build on 

 his own foundation, no more diplomas shall be issued from this 

 flourishing school. 



" ' But do not worry, dear,' she said. ' Your power is just the 

 same with or without diploma. You can make known the rare 

 bequests of the Spirit quite as well as a martyr as you could as a 

 physician. The faithful will stand by you. Those who believe 

 will always pay. Take this locket, and hang it about your neck. 

 It will contain the quintessence of all my teachings, and with this 

 in your right hand and jSTeministic Science and Astral Health 

 Avith a Key to the Stars in your left, you wall drain the cup which 

 I have drained to the dregs as the discoverer and teacher of iSTemi- 

 nism, and without tasting this cup its inspiration can not be gained.' 



" Then I took the little locket, and here it is. On one side 

 are the letters D. I^. IST. IST., ' which,' she said, ' makes its holder 

 a doctress.' On the reverse is the face of Lydia Pinkham, 

 while around the margin, in fine gilt letters, is a scroll \Adth the 

 motto, ' Nihil nemini nocet.' Mr. Gridley, the learned professor of 



VOL. LTI. — 15 



