Article March 26, 1921 Issue

Individuality versus Personality

MARGARET A. ACHESON

The dictionary defines individuality as a state of oneness; distinct existence. We are taught in Christian Science that man is one with God. Oneness means state or quality of being one; unity. Thus we see that man expresses distinct existence. And this is what we look for in Christian Science; that is, to express this distinct existence here and now. To express distinct existence we must come into accord with all good and express it, good which is ever present and ever operative. The daily living as expressed by mortals is but a counterfeit of the real existence; yet the only real man does express the real spiritual Life which is God.

In Christian Science we should be very careful to distinguish between individuality and personality. The more careful we are to do this the less apt are we to criticize, for we shall see the real individuality where before we saw the unreal personality. Human personality may be pleasing or displeasing. It is usually misleading. It is a belief of a mortal selfhood and is often selfish, unkind, deceitful, critical, proud, and arrogant, and it may be self-righteous. It is the counterfeit of true individuality, and has no real existence. "The verity of Mind shows conclusively how it is that matter seems to be, but is not," Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 123); and continues, "Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas." Thus we see that material personality has no power, even though it may try to mesmerize one into believing that it has.

The false sense of personality is entirely unknown to divinity. Therefore we as students of Christian Science must be careful not to accept as real an error in an individual, a thing, or any state of affairs. Error is quite apart from real individuality, the true individual, the child of God. When one goes to a practitioner to be healed, the practitioner endeavors to see the eternal, individual child of God, that which is always good and perfect, always lovable and loving. In our association in church work, personality may try to suggest itself as self-important, and may think it has to steady the ark. It is a good schooling and a necessary one for each one to study to see only good as present and to know that, no matter how we ourselves may look upon an affair, be it business or church, there is only good present and only God's law operating. Mrs. Eddy alludes to personality in the daily work, on page 117 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," where she says: "There was never a religion or philosophy lost to the centuries except by sinking its divine Principle in personality. May all Christian Scientists ponder this fact, and give their talents and loving hearts free scope only in the right direction!"

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