How Warren Felt Evans Influenced Charles Fillmore and Unity

Introduction

Warren Felt Evans, a former Methodist minister turned Swedenborgian, is often called the first author of the New Thought movement. His 1869 book The Mental Cure laid the foundation for a spiritual healing movement that would sweep across America. Yet Evans’s most enduring influence may have been on a young couple in Kansas City—Charles and Myrtle Fillmore—who would go on to found Unity, one of the most prominent New Thought denominations. This article traces the intellectual lineage from Evans through the Fillmores, examining how Evans’s synthesis of mesmerism, transcendentalism, and Swedenborgian Christianity provided the philosophical bedrock for Unity’s teachings.

Historical Context

The New Thought movement emerged in the mid-19th century as a reaction to both orthodox Christianity and the mechanistic materialism of the age. It drew heavily on New England Transcendentalism, particularly the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, which emphasized the immanence of God and the power of the individual mind. The Fillmores themselves were steeped in Emerson, describing him as “the greatest spiritual teacher America ever had” and naming their son Waldo Rickert Fillmore after him (source 2). The movement also incorporated mesmerism, the precursor to hypnotism, which suggested that mental states could influence physical health. Christian Science, founded by Mary Baker Eddy, was a contemporary rival, but New Thought distinguished itself by its emphasis on mental healing rather than doctrinal rigidity. Into this fertile soil stepped Warren Felt Evans, whose unique blend of these currents would prove pivotal.

Main Narrative

Warren Felt Evans: Early Life and Education

Warren Felt Evans was born on December 23, 1817, in Rockingham, Vermont, the sixth of seven children (source 3). After attending Chester Academy, he entered Middlebury College in 1837, transferring the next year to Dartmouth College. He left in the middle of his junior year for reasons that remain unclear—possibly to enter the ministry more quickly or due to personal or financial circumstances (source 3). In 1837, he became a Methodist minister, a role he would hold for over two decades.

Career and Influences: From Methodism to Swedenborgianism

Evans served as a Methodist minister until 1863, when he left to join the Swedenborgian church (source 3). This transition reflected his growing interest in the mystical theology of Emanuel Swedenborg, which emphasized the correspondence between spiritual and material worlds. Evans also encountered the work of Franz Anton Mesmer, whose experiments with animal magnetism demonstrated the impact of the mind on the body (source 4). He combined these influences with the transcendentalist teachings of Emerson, creating a unique synthesis that would become the basis for his healing philosophy. A scholarly dispute exists over whether Evans was a patient or student of Phineas Quimby, another pioneer of mental healing, but most likely his principal training came from his study of Swedenborg and his own independent exploration (source 4).

Key Teachings and Major Books: The Mental Cure and Beyond

Evans’s first and most influential book, The Mental Cure, was published in 1869 and is considered the first New Thought book (source 4). In it, he argued that illness originates in the mind and that spiritual alignment with the divine presence could restore health. Neal Vahle, a historian of New Thought, notes that Evans “combined the work of Franz Anton Mesmer, who illustrated the beneficent impact of the mind on the body for purposes of health, with the spiritual teaching of Ralph Waldo Emerson, which addressed the value of becoming one with the divine Indwelling Presence” (source 4). This demonstration of the spiritual basis of mental healing deepened the movement and provided a foundation for later teachers. Evans went on to write several other works, including The Divine Law of Cure (1881) and The Primitive Mind Cure (1885), though The Mental Cure remains his landmark contribution.

Charles Fillmore and the Unity Movement

Charles Fillmore and his wife Myrtle were both seekers drawn to the metaphysical currents of the late 19th century. In 1889, they began publishing Modern Thought, which later became Unity Magazine (source 1). Their stated ideal was “to show the good in all religions and all philosophies” (source 1). They were particularly enamored with Emerson, whose writings they believed “contain the essence of all the higher thoughts that are now being lavishly given to the world” (source 2). It was in this context that they encountered Evans’s work. Charles Fillmore came to revere Evans as “the recording angel of metaphysics” (source 3), a testament to the profound impact Evans had on his thinking.

Evans’s Influence on Fillmore and Unity

Evans’s influence on Charles Fillmore was direct and foundational. According to Vahle, “Evans provided the basis upon which Charles [Fillmore] developed his teaching” (source 4). Evans’s synthesis of mental healing and spiritual truth gave Fillmore a coherent framework that avoided the dogmatism of Christian Science while embracing the power of affirmative thought. Fillmore adopted Evans’s emphasis on the indwelling divine presence and the practical application of mental laws to health and prosperity. Unity’s core teachings—that God is present in every person, that thoughts shape reality, and that prayer is a form of mental alignment—all echo Evans’s pioneering ideas. Fillmore also incorporated Evans’s Swedenborgian insights into the correspondence between spiritual and material realms, which became central to Unity’s understanding of the body as an expression of consciousness.

Legacy of Evans in Unity’s Thought

Evans’s legacy within Unity is visible in its enduring practices. Unity’s emphasis on affirmative prayer, its rejection of fear-based theology, and its conviction that every individual has direct access to divine wisdom all trace back to Evans. The Fillmores did not simply copy Evans; they expanded and institutionalized his ideas, creating a movement that would reach millions through its publications, retreats, and churches. Evans’s work thus served as a bridge between Emerson’s transcendentalism and the practical mind-cure techniques that became the hallmark of Unity and other New Thought groups.

Why It Matters in New Thought History

Evans’s influence on Unity is a crucial chapter in New Thought history. It demonstrates how the movement’s ideas were transmitted through personal networks and publications. Evans’s work bridged the gap between abstract transcendentalism and the practical healing methods that would become central to Unity and other New Thought denominations. Without Evans, the Fillmores might have lacked the theological grounding that made Unity’s teachings coherent and accessible. His synthesis of Mesmer, Emerson, and Swedenborg created a template that Charles Fillmore would refine and propagate. For students of New Thought history, understanding Evans is essential to understanding how the movement evolved from a scattered collection of healers into an organized religious movement with lasting cultural impact.

Primary Sources

• The Mental Cure (1869) by Warren Felt Evans – The first New Thought book, outlining the spiritual basis of mental healing.
• The Divine Law of Cure (1881) by Warren Felt Evans – A later work expanding on his healing philosophy.
• Modern Thought (1889–) – The Fillmores’ original periodical, later renamed Unity Magazine, which published essays on metaphysics and New Thought.
• Unity Magazine (various issues) – Contains Charles Fillmore’s articles and references to Evans and Emerson.
• Emerson’s Essays – A key intellectual influence on both Evans and Fillmore, particularly essays like “The Over-Soul” and “Self-Reliance.”