The New Thought Publishing Boom: How Books and Magazines Spread the Movement

Introduction

The New Thought movement, a diverse and loosely affiliated collection of religious communities that emerged in the United States in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, found its most powerful engine in the printed word. From the early pamphlets of mental healers to the glossy magazines of the twentieth century, books and periodicals were not merely vehicles for New Thought ideas—they were the very arteries through which the movement’s lifeblood flowed. This article traces the New Thought publishing boom, examining how authors, editors, and publishers transformed a scattered set of metaphysical practices into a cohesive, influential spiritual movement that reached millions of readers and left a lasting imprint on American religious and self-help culture.

Historical Context

The New Thought movement arose in a cultural milieu shaped by Transcendentalism, mesmerism, and the mind-cure traditions of New England. The philosophical idealism of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the practical healing experiments of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866) laid the groundwork for a new religious outlook that emphasized the power of the mind over matter. Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910), a student of Quimby, founded Christian Science, which shared many assumptions with New Thought but diverged in its authoritative structures and doctrines. As the Encyclopedia.com article notes, New Thought is part of the broader “metaphysical” tradition that also includes Christian Science, Theosophy, and Spiritualism, and it is the largest movement within that tradition. The immediate precursor of New Thought was the New England “Mind Cure” movement, which flourished in the 1880s. It was Emma Curtis Hopkins (1849–1925), a former student of Eddy, who is properly cited as the founder of the movement, according to the same source. Hopkins, along with her students, developed a more liberal and inclusive theology that rejected the authoritarianism of Christian Science and embraced a diversity of healing methods. This context of intellectual ferment and spiritual experimentation provided fertile soil for a publishing boom that would carry New Thought ideas to a national audience.

Main Narrative

The Genesis of New Thought Publishing

Even before the movement had a formal name, its ideas circulated through print. Quimby’s manuscripts, though not widely published in his lifetime, were copied and passed among his students. Eddy’s Science and Health (1875) became a foundational text, but its exclusive claims prompted Hopkins and others to break away. Hopkins began publishing her own lessons and articles in the 1880s, and her periodical Christian Science (later renamed) served as an early outlet for what would become New Thought ideas. The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, as Philip Jenkins writes, marked a critical turning point for New Thought, providing a public platform for its leaders and helping to solidify its identity. By 1894, the movement had acquired the name “New Thought” and was achieving a new degree of structure and organization, as documented by Jenkins. This period also saw the beginning of a publishing explosion, as independent authors and small presses sought to meet the growing demand for literature on mental healing and spiritual empowerment.

The 1890s: A Publishing Boom

The 1890s witnessed the rapid expansion of New Thought periodicals. Emma Curtis Hopkins founded her own school and published a series of lessons and a magazine, Hopkins’ Magazine, which became a clearinghouse for New Thought teachers. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, who had been healed through New Thought practices, founded the Unity movement in Kansas City in 1889. Their magazine, Unity, first published in 1891, became one of the most influential New Thought periodicals, reaching a wide audience with its practical teachings on prayer, health, and prosperity. The Fillmores also published books and pamphlets through the Unity School of Christianity, which became a major publishing house. Another key figure, William Walker Atkinson, began his prolific career in the late 1890s, writing under several pseudonyms and producing dozens of books on mental science, personal power, and the occult. His twelve-volume Personal Power Books course, co-authored with Edward E. Beals, was published in the early 1920s, as noted in the Yronwode bibliography. Atkinson’s works, along with those of Ralph Waldo Trine, whose In Tune with the Infinite (1897) became a bestseller, brought New Thought ideas to a broad popular audience.

Key Figures and Their Publications

Emma Curtis Hopkins, often called the “teacher of teachers,” trained many of the movement’s leaders, including the Fillmores, Nona Brooks, and Malinda Cramer. Her writings and teachings emphasized the power of affirmative prayer and the idea of God as infinite intelligence. Nona Brooks and Malinda Cramer founded Divine Science, a New Thought denomination that emphasized the immanence of God and the healing power of thought. Cramer’s book Divine Science and Healing (1890) and Brooks’s Mysteries (1900) were instrumental in spreading the movement. Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science, published Science of Mind magazine in 1927, which became the flagship publication of his movement. Holmes’s book The Science of Mind (1926) synthesized New Thought teachings into a systematic philosophy. The Nautilus, a magazine founded by Elizabeth Towne in 1898, was another important periodical, known for its practical self-help articles and its promotion of New Thought authors. Towne also published books through her Nautilus Publishing Company.

The Role of Periodicals and Organizations

The proliferation of magazines and books was accompanied by the formation of organizations that helped unify the movement. The International New Thought Alliance (INTA), founded in 1914, brought together various New Thought groups, including Unity, Divine Science, Religious Science, and independent churches. INTA published a journal and held annual congresses, further disseminating New Thought ideas. The publishing boom was not merely a commercial enterprise; it was a missionary endeavor. As the movement grew, its publications became more sophisticated, incorporating illustrations, advertising, and subscription networks. The Unity magazine, for example, expanded its reach through a network of prayer groups and correspondents. The Science of Mind magazine, with its monthly affirmations and practical lessons, became a staple for Religious Science practitioners. These periodicals not only spread ideas but also created a sense of community among geographically dispersed readers, reinforcing the movement’s identity.

The Expansion and Institutionalization

By the early twentieth century, New Thought publishing had become a major industry. Authors like Atkinson and Trine sold millions of copies of their books, and their works were translated into multiple languages. The movement’s emphasis on personal well-being, health, and material success, as described in the Encyclopedia.com article, resonated with a modernizing America. The publishing boom also facilitated the movement’s evolution from a loose network of healers to a structured set of denominations and schools. The Fillmores’ Unity School, for instance, established a correspondence course and a monthly magazine, Daily Word, which continues to this day. Ernest Holmes’s Religious Science movement grew through the distribution of Science of Mind magazine and the establishment of licensed practitioners. The International New Thought Alliance, with its annual conventions and publications, helped standardize teachings and promote cooperation among diverse groups. By the 1920s, New Thought had become a significant force in American religious life, and its publications had reached millions of readers, laying the groundwork for the later human potential movement.

Why It Matters in New Thought History

The publishing boom was not merely a byproduct of the New Thought movement; it was essential to its growth and survival. Without books and magazines, the movement would have remained a collection of local healing circles. Print allowed New Thought to transcend geographic boundaries, creating a national and eventually international community. The publications also played a crucial role in standardizing teachings, as authors like Holmes and Atkinson synthesized disparate ideas into coherent systems. Moreover, the publishing boom helped New Thought influence mainstream American culture. The self-help genre, the prosperity gospel, and the positive thinking movement all owe a debt to New Thought’s pioneering use of the printed word. As the Conversation article notes, New Thought left a significant legacy, and its ideas continue to shape contemporary spirituality. For students of New Thought history, the publishing boom is a key to understanding how a marginalized metaphysical movement became a lasting cultural force.

Primary Sources

• Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy (1875) – The foundational text of Christian Science, which influenced early New Thought but also prompted the breakaway of Hopkins and others.
• Divine Science and Healing by Malinda Cramer (1890) – A key text of the Divine Science movement, articulating the principles of mental healing.
• Unity magazine (1891–present) – Founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, this periodical became the voice of the Unity movement, spreading New Thought teachings on prayer and prosperity.
• The Nautilus magazine (1898–1950s) – Edited by Elizabeth Towne, it popularized New Thought self-help ideas and published many of the movement’s leading authors.
• In Tune with the Infinite by Ralph Waldo Trine (1897) – A bestseller that brought New Thought philosophy to a wide audience.
• The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes (1926) – The foundational text of Religious Science, later expanded into the Science of Mind magazine.
• Personal Power Books by William Walker Atkinson and Edward E. Beals (c. 1922) – A twelve-volume course in self-mastery that exemplified the practical, instructional side of New Thought publishing.