Ernest Holmes

Ernest Holmes – Life, Philosophy, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and legacy of Ernest Holmes (1887–1960), founder of Religious Science and the Science of Mind philosophy. Learn about his early years, major works, teachings, lasting impact, and inspiring quotes.

Introduction

Ernest Shurtleff Holmes (January 21, 1887 – April 7, 1960) was an American spiritual thinker, author, and founder of the Religious Science movement (also known as Science of Mind), one of the modern New Thought traditions. His writings propose that human beings can access and cooperate with a Universal Mind or Divine Intelligence to shape life through thought, belief, and spiritual faith. Holmes’s ideas have influenced metaphysical spirituality, self-help, and consciousness movements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

Early Life and Background

• Ernest Holmes was born on January 21, 1887 in Lincoln, Maine.

• He was raised in modest circumstances; his family was poor, and he was one of nine children.

• Holmes left home at age 15 and moved to Boston, where he took work and began to explore public speaking.

• In Boston, he studied at the Leland Powers School of Expression (working between 1908–1910) and encountered metaphysical writings such as Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health, which influenced his thinking.

• Around 1912, Holmes moved to California (Venice area) to join his brother, and he and his brother began studying metaphysical works by authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Troward, Christian D. Larson, and others.

Holmes was largely self-taught in metaphysics, religious philosophy, and spiritual practice, combining influences from multiple traditions in forming his own system.

Philosophy & Teachings

New Thought and the Science of Mind

Holmes’s core spiritual system is commonly called Science of Mind (or Religious Science). New Thought movement: a school of metaphysical spirituality that emphasizes the power of thought, mental healing, and the presence of a divine intelligence within all beings.

Some of his key principles include:

• Universal Mind / God as Creative Intelligence
  Holmes taught that there is one infinite Spirit or Universal Mind underlying all creation, which expresses through us.

• Creative Power of Thought & Belief
  He held that thought is a real power: whatever belief or mental principle we hold persistently will tend to manifest in our lives. Thus, one can shape life through conscious thinking.

• Law & Principle Over Dogma
  Holmes preferred to frame spiritual life as a science—based on principle and law—not on blind doctrine. He often said he would rather students prove principles than merely repeat words of wisdom.

• Practical Spirituality
  His writings emphasize the application of spiritual ideas in everyday life: prayer, meditation, affirmation, forgiving, gratitude, and aligning with what he called "the spiritual law."

• Synthesis of Wisdom Traditions
  Holmes drew from Christianity, mysticism, Eastern ideas, and metaphysical literature, seeing a “golden thread” that unites truth across traditions.

His major work, The Science of Mind (first published 1926, revised 1938), remains the foundational text of his movement.

Institutional Foundations

• In 1927, Holmes incorporated the Institute of Religious Science and School of Philosophy, Inc., and that same year began publishing Science of Mind magazine.

• Over time, the organization evolved: later known as the Church of Religious Science, and today many of its branches are affiliated with Centers for Spiritual Living and similar New Thought organizations.

• Holmes delivered lectures to large audiences in Los Angeles, often in theater settings, growing in popularity.

Holmes’s movement continues today through centers, schools, and adherents globally.

Historical Context & Influence

• Holmes’s work came in the early 20th century, a time when metaphysical and New Thought ideas were gaining traction in the U.S. alongside rising interest in psychology, alternative spirituality, and culture.

• His approach bridged religious, philosophical, and self-help currents, thus making spiritual ideas accessible to a broad audience.

• Through Science of Mind magazine and his lectures, he exerted influence on generations of metaphysical teachers, motivational authors, and those in contemporary spiritual/new-age circles.

• The movement he founded still persists in many centers, seminars, and publications, preserving his ideas as a living tradition.

Personality, Approach & Style

• Holmes was known for humility, clarity, and a focus on principles over personality.

• He resisted being overly dogmatic; he encouraged skepticism and testing of spiritual truth rather than blind acceptance.

• His writing style is inspirational, often poetic, yet grounded in metaphysical logic and affirmation.

• He emphasized personal responsibility: not passivity in spirituality but active cooperation with spiritual law.

Famous Quotes by Ernest Holmes

Here are some representative quotes that capture his philosophy:

1. “Never limit your view of life by any past experience.”

2. “All the power of the universe is with you. Feel it, know it, and then act as though it were true.”

3. “We have within us a power that is greater than anything we shall ever contact in the outer … a power that can overcome every obstacle in our life … in a new light, and in a new life.”

4. “In principle the great religions of the world do not differ as much as they appear to.”

5. “The intellect is a cold thing and a merely intellectual idea will never stimulate thought in the same manner that a spiritual idea does.”

6. “Practically the whole human race is hypnotized because it thinks what somebody else told it to think.”

7. “Fear brings failure; faith brings success. It’s just that simple.”

8. “To believe in a just law of cause and effect, carrying with it a punishment or a reward, is to believe in righteousness.”

9. “Let the inner ear listen to the voice of truth that is always speaking.”

These statements reflect his faith in inner power, the creative role of thought, and a unifying spiritual truth.

Lessons from Ernest Holmes

From Holmes’s life and teachings, several enduring lessons emerge:

1. Thought is creative
   What you consistently think and believe shapes your experience. Consciously choosing thoughts is a spiritual practice.

2. Spirituality is participatory, not passive
   Holmes teaches that we don’t just receive from Spirit—we actively partner with it through inspired thinking, faith, and aligning with universal laws.

3. Test ideas for yourself
   Rather than accept teachings blindly, Holmes encouraged students to experiment and verify spiritual principles through practice.

4. Transcend limiting pasts
   He urged us not to let past experience define future possibility: the mind can transcend its history.

5. Universal unity beyond differences
   Holmes saw a common spiritual thread in all religions and traditions—what changes is language, not the essential truth.

6. Live spiritually in daily life
   His teachings are not theoretical but meant to be embodied: prayer, gratitude, right thinking, and alignment with law in everyday decisions.

Conclusion

Ernest Holmes, though less known in mainstream discourse than many religious thinkers, left a significant spiritual legacy. Through Science of Mind and Religious Science, he offered a vision of human potential grounded in metaphysical law—a worldview in which thought is agency, Spirit is present, and each person is a co-creator of life. His work continues to inspire seekers, metaphysical teachers, and spiritual communities today.

If you'd like, I can also provide an annotated reading guide to The Science of Mind or compare Holmes’s philosophy with other New Thought leaders (e.g. Emma Curtis Hopkins, Charles Fillmore). Would you like me to do that?