"SUGGESTION" IS THAT WHICH CAUSES A SENSATION OR A THOUGHT.

"A SUGGESTION" IS ANYTHING USED WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF ITS POWER TO PRODUCE A CERTAIN MENTAL RESULT WHEN ACCEPTED BY ANOTHER PERSON.

Henry Harrison Brown (1840-1918) was one of the elder statesmen of the New Thought movement in the early part of the 20th Century. He taught school; worked for newspapers; lectured in a variety of fields for 17 years and was a Unitarian minister for 7 years. He entered the work of mental healing and teaching in 1893. He thus knew that which he taught in his books.
Books include:

CONCENTRATION: THE ROAD TO SUCCESS.

HOW TO CONTROL FATE THROUGH SUGGESTION

NOT HYPNOTISM, BUT SUGGESTION

MAN'S GREATEST DISCOVERY

SELF-HEALING THROUGH SUGGESTION.

ORIGIN, HISTORY AND PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW THOUGHT MOVEMENT

DOLLARS WANT ME THE NEW ROAD TO OPULENCE

The Lord's Prayer: A Vision of Today

Success: How Won through Affirmation

Excerpts from
NOT HYPNOTISM, BUT SUGGESTION A Lesson in SOUL CULTURE
-BY HENRY HARRISON BROWN
[1902]

• Each person now, in ignorance of his power and of the laws of mind (and foremost among them is the Law of Suggestion), creates his body and his surroundings without being conscious of so doing, from his choice. Each day's conditions are the result of choices made without knowledge of results. These are common expressions: "If I had known more last year;" "Had I chosen differently;" "Had I forgiven;" "Had I bought or sold, how different my life would be." And one is condemned for his intemperance, his crime, his poverty, or his ignorance, "because he could do better," thus implying a belief, at least in a limited power of choice, and a limited responsibility for the conditions of life. Everyone realizes that his life would be very different today had he made a different decision on certain matters a year ago. Thus do we shape destiny according to our intelligence. This proves the point I wish to emphasize: each one, whether he is conscious of it or not, creates his own conditions of life.

• … some of the advertisements of the teachers and schools where the words, "secret power," "subtle power," and others are used to convey the idea that they have something mysterious and hidden and that the possession of this something will enable its possessor to influence any person to do his will, and will enable a graduate of their school to win everything he wishes in the battle of life. These claims are false. They mislead. NO such power exists. All persons may cultivate and attain all that is claimed for "Hypnotism" and "Personal Magnetism" by a simple application of this Law of Suggestion.

• Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy was, in her early career, a Spiritualist Medium. Dr. Quimby, of Maine, had, from his studies in Suggestion then called "Animal Magnetism," discovered that Disease is a belief. He developed a system of mental treatment. Mrs. Eddy, then Mrs. Baker, was a patient and a student under Dr. Quimby. This was her start. To the philosophy of Dr. Quimby, she applied an original Biblical interpretation. Rightly does she claim the name of "Christian Science" for the philosophy and Art founded upon her interpretation of the Bible. But she has no claim to originality in the Principle for the beginnings of this stream were, like that of Spiritualism, in the spring of Suggestion. Such movements, resulting in such blessing, affecting every avenue of modern thought and activity, are only prophecies of what shall be when Suggestion is generally understood.

Although this book was written in 1902 it is every bit as relevant NOW as it was then.