Editorial October 13, 1928 Issue

Humility not Humiliation

Albert F. Gilmore

The quality of humility is a prerequisite to spiritual progress; it is the opposite to egotism, its antonym. Whereas egotism would exalt personality—the false sense of selfhood—humility depreciates this sense until it finally disappears as the true man, in God's image, appears. Mrs. Eddy says of this quality on page 1 of "Miscellaneous Writings": "Humility is the stepping-stone to a higher recognition of Deity. The mounting sense gathers fresh forms and strange fire from the ashes of dissolving self, and drops the world." Dissolving the false sense of self, the belief in material personality as man, is a necessary step toward the gaining of that humility without which spiritual progress is impossible.

How important that we gain the understanding which is the handmaid of humility! Christian progress depends upon it. Why? Because we can never envisage God's likeness, the image of Spirit, while holding to the belief of a mortal as man; and to become conscious of the spiritual facts of being, of the truth about God and man, is the Christian's paramount necessity. Therefore, the more rapidly we dissolve the false sense of self, the more quickly shall we come into our divine heritage.

The most outstanding example of true humility in all time is that of the Nazarene. Of all men the most humble, he was of all men the mightiest. He so thoroughly dissolved the false material sense of man that the spiritual and perfect stood forth as the handiwork of God, complete, perfect, indestructible. The Master's humility was beyond the comprehension of his foes. They had no more understanding of its quality and meaning than they had of the purpose of his mission. How great the abyss between the quality of humility and meekness he exhibited and humiliation, which results from pride abased! The former is indeed a steppingstone to greater heights: the latter is a valley of despondency accompanying the hurt which comes to pride and egotism when its qualities are exposed and its ambitions thwarted.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Prohibition and Liberty