[مستر كي] نظامة, شارلز [هنل]

لقاء شارلز [هنل]

He decided to resign his office job to pursue his ambition to rise higher in the financial world. At that time, the vicinity of Tehuantepec - Mexico - was reputed as being especially adapted to the growth of sugar and coffee. In 1898, he convinced a number of capitalists to create a company, purchase land and create a plantation to cultivate sugar and coffee. Charles Haanel was made President of the venture. The plantation was successful from the beginning and soon became an enterprise of considerable financial worth.

Two tragic events marked his early years in the 20th century: his daughter Edith passed away in 21 September 1900 and his wife Esther perished on 18th April 1904 in St. Louis.

In 1905 Mr. Haanel organized the Continental Commercial Company, which was consolidated with his plantation venture and, in addition, absorbed six companies including the Mount Rosa Land and Cattle Co., the Iolita Plantation, the Pittsburg Plantation Co., the Jumiapa Plantation and the Mount Verde Plantation. It was then operating under the name of the Continental Commercial Company of which Mr. Haanel became the President. The Continental Commercial Company was one of the largest financial empires of this epoch.

In July 1908, Charles Haanel remarried with Miss Margaret Nicholson (born 1882) of St. Louis. Margaret was the daughter of William A. and Maggie Nicholson who were living next door to the Haanel family.

Moving from success to success, Charles Haanel extended his labors to other enterprises with which he is associated in a prominent capacity. He was one of the organizers of the Sacramento Valley Improvement Company and from the beginning has been its President. Since its origin, the company has enjoyed an era of prosperity and owned and controlled the largest Tokay vineyards in the world. He is also president of the Mexico Gold & Silver Mining Company, a company of some importance in developing the rich mineral resources of the southern republic.

He then resigned from being a businessman with a finger in many pies to write correspondence courses and publish books: The Master Key (correspondence study course between 1909 and 1912, book in 1916), Mental Chemistry (1922), The New Psychology (1924), A Book About You (1928), The Psychology Of Business Success (1930’s) and, with Victor Simon Perera, The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi (1937). His fortune was already amassed by 1909 (before he published the first lesson of the Master Key System) when Walter B. Steven mentioned him in his book “St. Louis - The History of the Fourth City”.

In 1920 Charles F. Haanel (aged 53 and author) was still in St. Louis (23rd Ward) living with Margaret (37), Esther (aged 27 and possibly working with her father), and two children he had with his second wife: Beverly and Charles Jr.

Jennie married Charles Frees of St. Louis and Beverly married Chester Hawke (she died 10th January 1994, aged 84). Charles Francis Haanel junior, corporal in the Army Air Corps, was killed in an automobile accident on 18th April 1942.

Between 1916 and 1921 Charles Haanel’s occupation was concerned with a correspondence school at 709 Pine. In 1925 he was a publisher of the Master Key on the 2nd Floor, Lesser Building, 709 N. 9th and this was the same in 1930 and 1931. In 1935 his occupation was down as printer with an office at 3847 Washington Blvd. Charles senior and Margaret were still there in 1946.

Busy with his pressing business and writing interests, Charles Haanel didn’t take an active part in politics. He seemed to prefer to use his influence for the election of candidates in whose principles he firmly believed.

Charles Haanel was a member of the Keystone Lodge No 243 at Webster Groves, St. Louis (joined in 1904 and became a Master Mason in the same year), a 32nd Degree Freemason of the Scottish Rite, a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine (joined in 1904). Mr. Haanel was also affiliated with many groups, including Fellow London College of Psychotherapy; member Authors League of America; American Society of Psychical Research; member of the Society of Rosicrucians; the American Suggestive Therapeutical Association; the Missouri Athletic Club; the Science League of America; Pi Gamma Mu Fraternity; A.F. & A.M.; created a Noble in Moolah Temple.

He also earned and received many degrees including hon. Ph.D., College National Electronic Institute; Metaphysics, Psychology D., College of Divine Metaphysics; and M.D., Universal College of Dupleix, India.

Charles died on 27th November 1949 at the age of 83 and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis. He was survived by his second wife and two daughters. Margaret died two years later in 1951.

Walter B. Stevens, in his book “St. Louis–History of the Fourth City” (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., St. Louis, 1909) wrote the following about Charles F. Haanel:

“Charles F. Haanel is largely associated with the business interests of the city, being affiliated with a number of enterprises of acknowledged financial worth. Beside being president of the Continental Commercial Company he is also president of the Sacramento Valley Improvement Company and president of the Mexico Gold & Silver Mining Company, Mr. Haanel is in every sense of the word a self-made man, having risen in the commercial world to his present station of worth and prominence by the utilization of his own natural resources.“

“He is a man of mature judgment, capable of taking a calm survey of life and correctly valuing its opportunities, its possibilities, its demands and obligations. He has wisely sought success along the lines of least resistance and yet when difficulties and obstacles have confronted him, he has displayed a force of character that has enabled him to overcome them and continue on the pathway to prosperity. Many a man whose life is one of untiring industry does not win success for he lacks the complement to industry a laudable ambition which prompts the individual to reach out into other fields and eagerly grasp the opportunities that are presented. In these qualities Mr. Haanel is richly endowed and has thus attained his present enviable position in financial circles.“

Reading these lines, it is clear that Mr Haanel lived a very significant life. He started from being a humble employee, became the creator of a financial empire and then wrote and published several highly sought-after books.

This tells us something very useful: what Mr Haanel shared in his books and courses were not just theories, he offered the principles he earned his success with and lived by.

As you may already have realized, the texts Haanel shares with humanity can’t have been written from the simple understandings of an ordinary human, however well educated he might be. Reading his books, one discovers an extremely high level of understanding and comprehension of the nature of our world and of the place of human, much more than was scientifically possible in the early 20th century, much more that is still scientifically possible as I write these lines.

Today’s science, through quantum physics experiments; neuroscience, biology or kinesiology (to mention a few) only begins to uncover these truths and begins to provide solid scientific evidences to some of the principles he shares.

Charles Haanel was without a shred of doubt an initiate of mystical knowledge related to ancient mysteries schools and secular traditions. He mastered this knowledge to such an extreme degree that he could demonstrate and apply this power in his life, with the success that we can acknowledge. This mastery allowed him to produce a comprehensive, definitive and scientific communication of these principles in his various books.

Where did this amazing man get his exceptional knowledge from?

Was it from his studies in metaphysics? Or from India (he holds a degree from Universal College of Dupleix, India)? From his involvement with secret societies such as Freemasonry and the Rosicrucian order? From Eugene Fersen (Lightbearer) who also taught many new thoughts leaders such as Wallace D. Wattles (The Science Of Getting Rich and The Science Of Being Well), Max Freedom Long (Leader of the Huna Teachings), Nikola Tesla, Manly P. Hall, Elizabeth Towne (Publisher of Nautilus Magazine)…

It may also be relevant that Haanel’s sister Honora Soward (born Haanel) was recorded as “practioner-healer” of the Christian Science Church.

Several possibilities can be suggested, but most certainly all of the above inspired and influenced him and his contribution probably consists of a synthesis of the essence of all the above.

The bottom line is that Charles Haanel could understand and master extremely deep wisdom on how to develop one’s latent power and tap into Universal Mind. His mastery of the subject allowed him to precisely describe the steps for anyone to understand and assert the same power.

This is what is available to you today.

Significant dates:

  • 1866: Charles Haanel is born
  • 1885: Mr. Haanel marries Miss Esther M. Smith
  • 1901: death of his wife Esther
  • 1901: Secretary of the Oaxaca Coffee Culture Co.
  • 1904: Secretary of the Continental Sugar Refining Co.
  • 1905: President of the Continental Commercial Company
  • 1908: Charles Haanel marries Margaret Nicholson
  • 1912: the Master Key System is published as a correspondence course
  • 1917: publishes the Master Key System published as a book
  • 1922: Mental Chemistry
  • 1924: The New Psychology
  • 1928: A Book About You
  • 1930’s: The Psychology Of Business Success correspondence course
  • 1937: The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi
  • 1949: Charles Haanel died at the age of 83

Researched and written by: C W Evans-Gunther

(c) 2006 CW Evans-Gunther and Kallisti Publishing

Sources for the article:

Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine

Book of St. Louisians, 1906

The Canadian Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men, Ontario Volume, 1880

Castle Gardens website

ChicagoGenealogy.com

Diana and Gayle’s Tipword-Soward Files

Dunn-Pinson Genealogy Files

Grand Lodge of Missouri

Latter Day Saints Family Search website

Rootsweb (several Lists, especially StLouis-MO)

It would be difficult to list all the folk on various Rootsweb Lists who sent information or images but without them a good part of the article would have been impossible. Special thanks to them.

St. Louis City and Missouri Directories, from 1871 to 1946

St. Louis - History of the Fourth City, Walter B. Stevens, 1909

St. Louis Library (to whom go many thanks considering their workload)

United States Census Reports from 1850 to 1880 and 1900 to 1930

Various websites for general information on St. Louis and subjects such as the New Thought Movement and Freemasonry.