Ernest Holmes
He built a spiritual movement from a simple idea: that your thoughts shape your reality, creating a practical philosophy for millions.
1887–1960 (age 73)·American spiritual writer·Birthday: January 21·The Lost Generation
Biography
Born in a small Maine town, Ernest Holmes left formal schooling behind early, driven by an insatiable curiosity about life's big questions. His journey through various philosophical and religious texts culminated in a singular, powerful synthesis he called the Science of Mind. Moving to Los Angeles in the 1910s, he began lecturing, his magnetic presence and clear logic drawing crowds. In 1927, he published his seminal text, 'The Science of Mind,' and launched a magazine of the same name, creating a durable foundation for a new spiritual community. Holmes never intended to start a church, but the Religious Science movement organically grew around his teachings, offering a non-dogmatic, empowering path that blended spirituality with the optimism of the New Thought movement. His legacy is a global network of churches and study groups that continue to apply his principles of mental creativity.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Ernest was born in 1887, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernest Was Born
The biggest hits of 1887
Ernest's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1887Born
President: Grover Cleveland
1892Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1900Became a teenager
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1903Could drive
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1905Could vote
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Turned 21
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 30
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 40
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 50
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 60
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 70
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Died at 73
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
Key Achievements
- Founded the Religious Science movement, a distinct branch within the New Thought spiritual tradition.
- Authored the core text 'The Science of Mind' (1927), which remains continuously in print.
- Established 'Science of Mind' magazine, a monthly publication that has run without interruption since 1927.
- Built a lasting educational and spiritual organization, the United Church of Religious Science, now known as Centers for Spiritual Living.
Did You Know?
He was largely self-educated, developing his ideas through voracious reading in philosophy and comparative religion.
His older brother, Fenwicke, was a crucial partner in organizing and promoting his early work.
Holmes was a popular radio speaker in Southern California during the 1920s and 1930s.
He maintained a friendship with fellow metaphysical teacher Emmet Fox.
“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.”
