"Ye Are Gods" by Annalee Skarin, 1952.
Skarin was "was a popular New Age/Metaphysical author, originally raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (taken from wikipedia)
She was also the granddaughter of "Wild Bill" Hickman (not to be confused with "Wild Bill" Hickok), who served as a personal bodyguard for Joseph Smith, Jr. and Brigham Young. Hickman, while under arrest for the murder of Richard Yates, wrote an autobiography which implicated Brigham Young as the person who ordered the murder of Yates to begin with. Hickman was excommunicated from the Mormon church years prior.
Skarin was excommunicated from the Mormon church as well, shortly after the publication of this book, which was perceived as blasphemy against the church. In order to increase her book sales, she faked her own "translation" (ascension in other religions - the process of directly ascending into heaven, bypassing death), and hid out in Southern Oregon and Northern California until she actually died of natural causes in 1988.
There is one of my grandmother's paperclip bookmarks binding pages 89 through 108 and her name is on an address label inside the front cover.
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDFOURTEEN
"Freedom from the Known" by Jiddu Krishnamurti, 1969.
This book is a compilation of parts of speeches made by Krishnamurti from talks given across the world.
In his youth, he lived next to the Madras headquarters of The Theosophical Society, where his father worked as a clerk. After Theosophist Charles Webster Leadbeater saw the boy's aura, he claimed the boy would become a great spiritual leader.
Krishnamurti was then raised under the tutelage of Leadbeater and Annie Besant, whom he considered a surrogate mother, as his own mother died when he was ten. Besant later took legal custody over Krishnamurti and his brother. Her name has come up before, as she wrote books #11, #30, and #75.
When he was thirty, his brother, who was his closest friend and traveling companion, died from complications of influenza and tuberculosis. This traumatizing event was the catalyst for a new direction for Krishnamurti, and he would soon divert from his belief in Theosophy.
Even though he continued to tour and speak for the Society, his new teachings more and more broke away from the beliefs of the Society and the concept of spiritual leaders., sayng that all societal change must come from the individual.
In his 1929 speech, in front of Besant and three thousand other members, where he dissolved the Society's organization devoted to him being the 'World Teacher,' Krishnamurti said "This is no magnificent deed, because I do not want followers, and I mean this. The moment you follow someone you cease to follow Truth."
The well-polished beacon for the Theosophical Society was groomed from childhood to teach them all and bring new truths to the world. Yet, when he finally began teaching his own thoughts on the truth, as they had prepared him to do, the Society rejected and disowned him.
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDFIFTEEN
"Peace of Soul" by Fulton J. Sheen, 1949 - this 19th edition, 1954.
19 editions in 5 years? Not surprising, though, once I look into Sheen's history. He was an American archbishop in the Roman Catholic Church, born Peter John Sheen, although he was known as Fulton, his mother's maiden name.
He was ordained as a priest in 1919, was the first American to win the Cardinal Mercier Award in 1923 for the best philosophical treatise and taught theology and philosophy in England and Washington DC up until 1950. In 1951, he was consecrated a bishop.
He hosted a radio program for 20 years, two television programs for 6 years and then 7 years, and won an Emmy for "Most Outstanding Television Personality."
Due to his cause for canonization for sainthood being officially opened in 2002, he is currently referred to as a "Servant of God".
He wrote 73 books.
Martin Sheen, the actor, created his stage name after Fulton Sheen.
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDSIXTEEN
"The Growth of the Spirit" by Rita Sutherland Sherry, 1934.
A 15-page booklet out of The Church of the Ascension in St. Louis, Missouri, it has four chapters:
1) Finding God
2) Right Methods
3) Surrender
4) Guidance
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDSEVENTEEN
"Rex Christus - An Outline Study of China" by Arthur Henderson Smith, 1903 - this 2nd printing, 1904.
Smith "was a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions famous for spending 54 years as a missionary in China and writing books which presented China to foreign readers." (taken from wikipedia)
He was quite possibly the person who nick-named the regional farmers "boxers" who later participated in The Boxer Rebellion.
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDEIGHTEEN
"Treasure of Familiar Quotations" published by Avenel Books, 1963.
251 pages of quotes, with about 6-10 quotes per page, this book probably has them all. The last one is by Thomas A Kempis, whose book "Of The Imitation of Christ" has popped up twice in the project so far.
Tucked between the pages of quotations about 'Cunning,' 'Cunning and Wisdom,' 'Curiosity,' 'Cursing,' 'Custom,' 'Dancing,' 'Danger,' 'Darkness,' and 'Day,' there is an envelope addressed to my grandmother dated April 17th, 1984. It is from my uncle, who was living in Puerto Rico at the time.
The 3rd quote under 'Dancing' is by Milton: "Come, and trip it as you go, On the light fantastic toe."
BOOK ONEHUNDREDANDNINETEEN
"The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence.
A book compiled after his death, this is a collection of letters from the Carmelite monk who lived in the middle of the 17th century.
This undated booklet was published by Forward Movement Publications, a non-profit agency of the Episcopal Church that began in 1935. The forward is dated 1941 and references WWII and the "outraged world" of the times, comparing it to the chaotic era Lawrence lived in, the Thirty Years' War.
As this is the 18th printing, I will attempt to contact the publishers to get a closer estimate.
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