Editorial January 29, 1916 Issue

The Individual and the Race

John B. Willis

Individual man has been said to be a microcosm, an epitome of the universe. As in the image of God there must dwell in some great sense His fulness, so the man of human sense is also an epitome of the universe of human sense, and the more one meditates upon this thought of himself, the more interesting it becomes. We at once see that the personal problem embodies all the factors of the universal problem, hence in solving it each may render the race a redemptive service.

This realization makes possible that intelligent and saving compassion to which the writer to the Hebrews refers when he says of the Master, "In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." More than this, as one comes to understand in Christian Science that his own problem is identical with the world-problem, and that the annihilation of the alleged power of evil in his own instance speaks for what Mrs. Eddy has termed the "final destruction of all sin" (Science and Health, p. 339), a greater dignity and determinative value is given to the personal equation, and one can but be impelled to consecrate himself to his task of working out his own salvation with a greater abandon and enthusiasm, with a more knowing earnestness and devotion. He finds himself in a situation in which heroism is instinctive and in which it mightily prevails.

The depth of the significance of Christ Jesus' words, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world," now becomes apparent as never before, and something of the nature of the Christ-consciousness, its concept of world ministry, its consequent inspiration and triumphant joy, is apprehended. Jesus did not say "my world," but "the world," and this for him was the consummation of all achievement, the end of all struggle; even as he said, "It is finished." The fulness and comprehensiveness of the work which was wrought for mankind by the Master is not and can not be rightly estimated apart from the recognition of his self-identification with humanity, his embrace and mastery of the world's every temptation and trial.

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