Thomas Troward

(1847-1916)

Author of "The Creative Process in The Individual"

Thomas Troward was Her Majesty's Assistant Commissioner and later Divisional Judge of the North Indian Punjab from 1869 until his retirement in 1896. It is this later period for which he is best remembered and most celebrated; in it he was at last able to devote himself to his great interest in metaphysical and esoteric studies.

The most notable results were a few small volumes that have had a profound effect on the development of spiritual metaphysics, in particular that of the the New Thought Movement, of which the teaching known as Science of Mind is Troward's most direct legacy. He was a much influential figure in the development of  'Ernest Holmes' Religious Science/Science of Mind organization due to the impact his philosophy had on Holmes, and Troward's teachings are regularly taught in Science of Mind classes.

Thomas Troward was born in Punjab, India, in 1847 of British parents, Albany and Frederica Troward. His father was a full colonel in the Indian Army. He was brought back to England to attend school and in 1865, at the age of 18, he graduated from college with gold medal honors in literature. He then decided to study Law, although at heart he always considered himself an artist and a painter.

At age 22, in 1869, he returned to India and took the difficult Indian Civil Service Examination. One of the subjects was metaphysics and Troward surprised everyone with his answers because of their originality. He became an assistant commissioner and was quickly promoted to Divisional Judge in the Punjab, where he served for the next 25 years.

In India, he married his first wife. Together, they had three children. He married a second time after his first wife died and had three more children. His second wife, Sarah Ann, helped in the publishing of his works after his death. In the forward to a publication entitled, Troward's Comments On The Psalms, Annie Troward writes: "When he retired from the Bengal Civil Service in 1896, he decided to devote himself to three objects -- the study of the Bible, writing his books, and painting pictures... He believed that the solution to all our problems was there (in the Bible) for those who read and meditated with minds at one with its Inspirer."

Troward's favorite hobby was painting. He had won several prizes for art in India. After he retired from Civil Service, he returned to England in 1902, at the age of 55, intending to devote himself to his painting, as well as writing. He had already thoroughly digested all of the sacred books of the oriental religions and they had certainly influenced his spiritual ideas. It is said that at one time a vision came to him about the development of a system of philosophy that gave peace of mind and the practical results of physical health and happiness to the individual.

People described him as a kind and understanding man, simple and natural in manner, but personally boring as a speaker. He was considered a very precise and proper Englishman. His two daughters were born of his second wife and he was fond of playing practical jokes with his family. While in India, he learned the language of the country. He studied all of the bibles of the world, including the Koran, Hindu scriptures and books of Raja Yoga. His studies in original Hebrew provided the foundation for his book, Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning.

Shortly after returning to England, Troward begin to write for the New Thought Expressions publication. He had already developed, in some detail, his philosophy of Mental Science when he was accidentally introduced to the "Higher Thought Center" of London through a Mrs. Alice Callow, who happened to meet him in a London tea room. This group immediately recognized him as an extremely articulate and learned individual. He was invited to give a series of lectures and in 1904 delivered his famous Edinburgh lectures at Queens Gate in Edinburgh, Scotland. These lectures were given to a very small but appreciative group of persons. However, it is said that even this captive, willing audience hardly understood what he was saying.

Still, Troward’s genius did not go unrecognized. The philosopher William James characterized Troward’s Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science as "far and away the ablest statement of philosophy I have met, beautiful in its sustained clearness of thought and style, a really classic statement."

His writing is a combination of intuitive oriental mysticism filtered into a Western pedantic writing style. It is said that reading Troward is difficult. Actually, if we read Troward slowly and deliberately we will discover that he is very clear and concise. The secret of understanding Troward is to understand his major premises, then how he logically argues from those premises. This is typical of the Western legal mind.

Troward was a major influence on the works of Ernest Holmes, Frederick Bailes, Joseph Murphy and Emmett Fox, and has been quoted by numerous other writers.

It must be remembered in reading Troward that he was a product of his time. His books use scientific jargon that was present around 1900. He was raised in the Church of England and had read the Bible daily from boyhood. Therefore, his books, especially Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning have a clear Christian bent.

On May 16, 1916, at the age of 69, Thomas Troward passed from this plane. He will be recognized in history as a contributing influence to Religious Science, the New Thought Movement in the United States and Great Britain, and also, to some extent, to the more liberal ideas of the Church of England.

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Thomas Troward Collection

"The Creative Process in the Individual" by Thomas Troward - Asserts that heaven is a state of consciousness and conditions where we experience Light, Joy, Peace, Abundance etc. in life now.  Along with his lecture-series: revolutionary.

"The Dore Lectures on Mental Science" by Thomas Troward - But if we grasp the truth that the thing is already existent in the thought, do we not see that this transcendent Omega must be already in the Divine ideal of every one of us?

"The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science" by Thomas Troward - Leads you to understand the Laws of Cause and Effect and The Descent of Spirit into Matter and how to use these Laws to create your own positive unlimited life.

"Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning" by Thomas Troward - The title is self-explanatory: it sets out to expound many of the mysteries contained in the Bible, and it succeeds!

Genevieve Behrend Collection

Genevieve Behrend was the only personal student of Thomas Troward the master of "Mental Science." 

From 1912 to 1914, Genevieve Behrend’s life focused solely on the wisdom and philosophy of Thomas Troward (1847- 1916) who’s influential and compelling ideas provided much of the groundwork to the spiritual philosophy known today as New Thought.

As the awareness of “mental science” was taking shape, Troward imparted his personal insight to only one pupil who could perpetuate this knowledge and share it with the world.

After her studies with Troward, Behrend began her mission in New York City where she established and ran The School of the Builders until 1925. She then established another school in Los Angeles before touring other major cities throughout North America for the next 35 years as a celebrated lecturer, teacher, and practitioner of "Mental Science".

 

"Attaining Your Desires" by Genevieve Behrend - Written as a complete seven-lesson course in dialogue form, between a "Sage" and a "Pupil." The Sage is the famous author and teacher, Judge Thomas Toward; the Pupil is you!

"Your Invisible Power" by Genevieve Behrend - This one takes you right to the heart of manifesting "things" or conditions that you want in your Life!

 

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More Thomas Troward Works
I have recently discovered the titles of several other books by Thomas Troward and unfortunately for all of us, some of them are no longer in print. 

 

The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science The Dore Lectures on Mental Science Thomas Troward: An Intimate Memoir of the Teacher and the Man (by Harry Gaze)

Bible Mystery and Meaning The Hidden Power and Other Papers on Mental Science The Law and the Word The Creative Process in the Individual

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