Editorial July 7, 1951 Issue

TRUE IDENTITY AND INDIVIDUALITY ARE PRACTICAL

Robert Ellis Key

Referring to the Science of Christianity, Mary Baker Eddy, our revered Leader, writes (No and Yes, p. 21), "This Science demonstrated the Principle of all phenomena, identity, individuality, law; and showed man as reflecting God and the divine capacity."

True identity comes to view through spiritual enlightenment; it is revealed by the light of God, Spirit. Our identity is never lost, but the fictitious carnal, or mortal, mind, reversing the facts of Spirit, outlines identity as a corporeal material personality; and accepting its claim as reality we thereby lose sight of our true identity. This so-called carnal mind, which the Apostle Paul describes as "enmity against God," is a state of mental obscurity, or ignorance. Until the darkness is dispelled by spiritual understanding, mankind will continue to appear as vulnerable, unstable, subject to birth, growth, and decay, the victim of sin, accident, disease, and death. But this is a false identity. How important, then, to find our true identity as a son of God, for in so doing we are saved from nonentity.

In order to identify clearly any object it is necessary to have light. If one were to enter a dark room, it would be difficult to identify the objects it contained unless there were light. The room might be filled with beautiful furniture, but its identity would be hidden by the darkness. In order that we may examine the contents of a room in detail, adequate illumination is necessary. Let in the light and what do we see? First impressions perhaps reveal a table or a picture; but in a brighter light the character of the objects is clearly defined. More light brings out the individuality of each piece so that the eye of an expert can at once determine its character.

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