That Was Ernest: The Story of Ernest Holmes & the Religious Science Movement

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating account of a man and a religious movement
Review: Did you ever wonder how a religious thinker got from Point A (the youthful years) to Point B (adult years where he was now a religous pioneer and the soul that ignited the Religious Science movement)?
If you have, this book is for you. If you're not into Religious Science's change your mind/change your life philosophy this book will still offer some revelations. If you are into it or involved with it, it is a must-read/must-own.
Author Reginald Armor, who died in 1977, was a mere 12 years old when he met the older Ernest Holmes, who even as a young man in his 20s had embraced the philosophy for which he was to become famous. This book traces their lifelong friendship, Holmes' evolution, and the church's growth, from their first meeting (Holme's treatment helped cure Armor's warts) to Holmes' final years.
Don't expect a long, ponderous detailed book. This book is not that at all. It's a simple account of a friendship that lasted until Holmes' 1960 passing. In sections tracing the steps of how Holmes' institute evolved into a church it resembles at times more of a history book than a memoir. These sections are the least interesting.
But Armor also traces how Holmes' carefully considered and precisely articulated spiritual and metaphysical philsophy sparked a movement that would later have profound influences throughout the 20th century. Indeed, many classic and contemporary self-help books and motivational speakers are heavily influenced by his philosophy (the power of visualization; affirmative prayer; and "releasing" an affirmation and having complete faith in it after you make it).
Armor also reveals several fascinating facts: even as a small child Holmes would never stop constantly asking questions (an answer meant he would ask another question), which is how he developed his thought; Holmes started as a public speaker because he truly loved speaking and sharing his philosphy about how applying what he called Universal Law could manifest a person's best good; and Holmes resisted until the very last his associates' attempts to create an church. He prefered a person's one-ness to and with God and felt organized religions' middleman institutions were unncessary. Plus he felt there were "too many religions" already. He made it clear he had no intention of founding a new religion.
In the end, though, Holmes went along with the idea of a church (which today has some members who still maintain their previous religions even as they practice the all-inclusive Religious Science) to help spread his ideas...which he felt were really not HIS ideas, but ideas from a Higher Source.
The bottom line: this is a simply written book which answers some key questions about who Holmes was, what motivated him, and how the then-innovative thoughts that he voiced led to the creation of an actual church.
A MUST if you're interested in the lives of spiritual thinkers.

Rating:
Summary: A Remarkable Story of Remarkable Man
Review: The life of Ernest Holmes is not just a very impressive and encouraging one, but also a real story of man whose lifework was destined to change lives of possibly millions of people. We have yet to see what this man's remarkable contribution will accomplish in the future to come.

I don't usually like biographies, but this book is a great exception to this rule. It is written in a very beautiful way about man who discovered that there is divine power/force within everyone of us... he turned this knowledge into a religious science movement which is currently perhaps the most known division of New Thought movement.

The author of this book has a way of nailing your eyes to the book, and you cannot lay it down until you have finished. The author will walk you through the good and bad, joys and sorrows...and will show you how Ernest stood erect for the truth and did not waiver or give up even when met with resistance. So the book tells you a story of man who knew what needed to be done and then did it.

Ernest's sincere desire was to help his fellow human beings to lead a balanced life spiritually, socially, occupationally and financially. He wrote many great books which have changed lives of millions.

In my opinion, the best thing that this book accomplishes is that it will enlighten your understanding of what Religious Science is truly all about. If you have any uncertainities or feel like Religious Science is a shady movement, then reading this book will show you how much love and good things there are about the father of this organization.

The best biography I have ever read...written by a person who is Ernest's associate and a long-time friend.