U n i t y B u i l d i n g , 913 T r a c y A v e n u e

V O L . I I K A N S A S C IT Y , M O ., T H U R S D A Y , D E C . 29, 1910 N o . 34

What Does Christmas Celebrate?E xtra c ts from M r. F illm ore’s Sunday

m orning ta lk in U nity A ud ito ­rium, D ecem ber 25, 1910.

W alt W hitm an said, “ I celebrate m y­se lf.” W hen people heard th is they said, “ H ere is an egotist; pu t him out.” W hen Je su s C hrist arose in the synagogue and read the passage from Isaiah re fe rrin g to the M essiah he said, “ I am the fu lfill­m ent of th is S crip tu re ,” and the people cried, “ P u t him out.”

These men were not understood. T hey w ere proclaim ing th a t which is true of the rea l man. T he real self is both individual and universal, and it is rig h t for the in ­dividual to celebrate him self. T his is w hat men do when they find the re is som ething w ithin them above the personal conscious­ness.

M an is S p irit. E very one should re ­jo ice g rea tly in th is and bring fo rth his D ivine N a tu re under the Law . I f we th in k only of the h istorical Jesu s we do not celebrate ourselves. I f the occurrences in Je su s’ life are not of to -day they have no special significance. W e m ust perceive th a t the rea l m an is constantly com ing forth . T his is the m eaning of C hristm as. I t does not belong to the p ast, but is a v ita l, living, p resen t T ru th .

Jesus was a m an like unto us, yet there was som ething d ifferent in him. T he tim e seemed to be ripe for the advent into the race of a new kind of man. T he thought of all Is ra e l had long been concentrated upon the coming of one who should be the M essiah, and a ll the virg ins hoped for the honor of b ring ing him forth . A ll this should be applied to the individual con­sciousness. You know th e law of mind, and understand how an idea held in mind

takes form in substance and finds expres­sion. In this way the C hrist man is brought fo rth . T he I a m is constantly bringing f o r th ; first is the idea in mind, and then the rep resen tation of th a t idea. I f you are an a r tis t you make a rough sketch before pa in ting the final picture. I f you are a sculptor you first make a p laste r cast of your ideal statue before you begin to give it form in m arble. In this way everything is made. In th is way m an is made.

T he first and second chapters of Genesis are very puzzling un til you understand the law of a ll m ind action. T he first chapter te lls th a t m an was made p e r fe c t; the sec­ond says “there was not a m an to till the ground.” T he first chap ter describes cre­ation in the ideal. T he first man is the sp iritua l idea, the perfec t m an, the Christ. T h is creation is com plete, finished, and “ very good.” T he second creation is the m anifestation of the man idea, and its de­gree of perfection depends upon the man who expresses it.

T he L ord God “ form ed man of the dust of the ground.” This was the first plaster east of man by the G rea t Sculptor. This prim itive m an-idea was given life and feeling. T he L ord God “breathed into his nostrils the b rea th of life and man became a living soul.” B ut this man was a long way from the D ivine M an brought forth in Jesus C hrist.

Jesus and C hrist jo in tly form the per­fect m an— C hrist the ideal, Jesus the m an­ifestation . Jesus was above the average m an because of his fu ller realization of w hat m an is. W e have been identified with the A dam m an long enough. W e have called ourselves “dust” and have had the resu lt. L e t us call ourselves C hrist and a tta in perfection. B y seeing our perfec-

9 W EEKLY U N ITY

W E E K L Y U N I T YP U B L IS H E D W E E K L Y BY

U N I T Y T R A C T S O C I E T YUNITY BLDG., 913 TRACY AVE.

KANSAS CITY, MO.

L O W E L L F IL L M O R E , M a n a g in g E d ito r

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNITY SOCIETY

Vol. 2 f i .o o per year, 2 c. p e r copy No. 34

tion in mind we shall p ro jec t it into visi­bility.

This is being about the F a th e r ’s work. I t is not the van ity of the personal man th a t leads us to look upon our perfection , but the wisdom of the D ivine M ind. I f we are coarse and crude and homely in appearance it shows th a t we have been lax in thought. W e have not d iscerned and beheld the L o rd ’s body. M an is ju s t be­ginning to learn how to make a perfect body. H e is ju s t now coming into th a t un­derstanding of the laws of m ind th a t shall b ring into m anifestation the body of Christ. So long as he has a crude, m a­te ria l idea of a body, th a t long w ill he bring fo rth a crude k ind of a man. By following Jesus C hrist we produce the p e r­fect character, and out of the p erfec t char­acter shall come the p e rfec t body.

So we celebrate the good in ourselves and in all men. S p iritu a l understand ing leads us to look back of the appearance and see the “ image and likeness” in all men. T he bringing fo rth of the C hrist child is not a w ork th a t was finished in Bethlehem. I t is tak ing place in our m idst every day. I t is th is we celebrate.

As we watch the developm ent of the Christm as idea we see th a t the giving of presents was first a though t of love and good-w ill; but this g radua lly came more and more into the ex ternal, w here it has been separated from the idea and alm ost lost. T here would never be any weariness in the giving of gifts if we kep t the g ift balanced with the idea. W hen we become entangled in the e rro r th a t the value is in the thing, the tru e sp irit in us is quenched,

and having nothing to sustain us we grow w eary, and g ift-g iv ing becomes a g reat burden instead of a joy . T he boy of twenty-five years ago was satisfied w ith a tin w atch and a little red express wagon. Now he comes home from college with his ha t on the back of his head, eyes his C hristm as presen t— an automobile— and sa y s : “ D ad , w hat did they tax you for th a t ju n k ? ”

L et Us celebrate more in S p irit, send more messages of love and good-will, and not burden ourselves so much w ith th ings. This w ill be a blessed world when all men th ink less of th ings and more of th a t which th ings represen t. T he tru e C hristian knows th a t baptism , the L o rd ’s supper, and all the ceremonies of the church are outw ard observances of inw ard tru th s . So this C hristm as observance is really a cele­bration of the generosity of D ivine M ind.

A New Year’s ResolutionM ight be w orded to cover the giving up of some unnecessary luxury and placing the money thus saved in the U n ity B u ild ­ing Fund.

T he F inance Com mittee reports th a t if l6 6 of us will give as follows, the full am ount needed will be made u p :

2 persons $500 $100012 a 100 120012 a 50 60010 25 25030 a 10 300

100 a 5 500

166 $3850C an you, reader, be one of these p er­

sons? .______T he U nity S unday school C hristm as en­

te rta inm ent last S a tu rd ay n igh t was a g rea t success. T he ch ildren who took p a rt in songs and recitations brought the jo y of C hristm as to the hearts of all who were in attendance.

T he tree was loaded w ith presen ts, and a la rge pile of well-filled candy boxes and oranges was d istribu ted by old S an ta and his helpers-, to the g rea t satisfaction of all.

W EEKLY U N ITY 3

RESPONSIVE SERVICE

Sunday, January 1, 1911A cquaint now thyse lf w ith God, and be

a t p eace : thereby good shall come unto thee.

Behold, the fea r of the L ord , th a t is wis­dom ; and to d ep a rt from evil is under­standing.

T here is a sp irit in m an: and the in­sp ira tion of the A lm ighty giveth them un­derstanding .

H ea rk en unto m e: hold th y peace and I will teach thee wisdom.

Blessed is the m an th a t w alketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. . . .

B u t his deligh t is in the law of the L o rd ; and in his law doth he m editate day and night.

T he law of the L ord is perfec t, convert­ing the soul: the testim ony of the L ord is sure, m aking wise the simple.

T each me thy w ay, O L ord , and lead me in sc p la in path .

I w ill in stru c t thee and teach thee in the w ay which thou sh a lt go: I will guide thee w ith m ine eye.

B e still, and know th a t I am God.B lessed is th e m an whom thou chasten-

est, O L ord , and teachest him out of thy law.

T he fea r of the L ord is the beginning of wisdom : a good understand ing have all they th a t do his com mandm ents.

W herew ithal shall a young m an cleanse his w ay? by tak ing heed thereto accord­ing to th y word.

M ake me to understand the way of thy p recep ts: so shall I ta lk of thy w ondrous works.

T each me, O L ord , the w ay of th v s ta t­utes ; and I sliall keep it unto the end.

Give me understanding , and I shall keep tliy la w ; yea, I shall observe it w ith my whole heart.

T he en trance of thy w ords giveth l ig h t ; i t giveth understand ing unto the simple.

T h y righteousness is an everlasting righteousness-, and th y law is the tru th .

T he righteousness of th y testim onies is everlasting : give me understanding, andI shall live.

F o r the L ord giveth wisdom: out of his m outh cometh know ledge and understand­ing.

H e layetli up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them th a tw alk uprigh tly .

W isdom is the p rinc ipa l th in g ; th e re­fore get wisdom : and w ith all th y getting •get understanding .

Things to Be RememberedRem em ber th a t a joyous smile can be

seen in the dark .Rem em ber th a t our blessings come when

we stead fas tly fix our whole m ind on the good.

Rem em ber th a t you become like w hat you see.

Remember, then, to see the best in every­body and everything.

Rem em ber to be patien t.Rem em ber th a t you can sp read sunshine

about you by keeping sunshine in your heart.

Rem em ber th a t the U nity Sunday school is growing.

Rem em ber the election of d irectors next S unday morning.

Rem em ber to see the 1911 C alendars in the U n ity L ib rary .

Callers at Unity Headquarters During the Week

M rs. J . B. C o ttre ll, F ra n k fo rt, Kans.M rs. M atilda D unham , N orth Yakim a,

W ash.M rs. E . A. F reem an, K irw in, Kans.M r. and M rs. A. M. G ran t, Excelsior

S prings, Mo.M iss’ L au ra G regg , G arnett, K ans.M iss I). H irsch le r, New \ o r k C itv5 N.M rs. R. A. Jones, Canton, Kans.M rs. L. F . M artin , M uskogee, Okla. Ju d g e D eW itt C. N ellis, Topeka, Kans. V irgin ia M acabee N ellis, Topeka, Kans.

4 W EEKLY U N ITY

Unity GuildTile regu la r m onthly business m eeting

of U nity G uild will be held on Tuesday evening, Ja n u a ry 3d, in the U nity B uild­ing. A ll members are requested to be p res­ent. A t this m eeting, officers w ill be elected for the year 1911.

We wish to thank our m any friends for the ir kindness in assisting us in filling the Sunshine B arre ls. T he day before C hrist­mas y e sent two la rge barre ls filled with toys and clothing to the Thos. H . Swope Settlem ent A ssociation, and one barre l and a la rge box to the In stitu tiona l Church. W e are sure the hearts of m any little chil­dren were m ade happy and the ir lives brightened by such kindness. A gain we thank our friends for the ir generosity.

U n i t y G u i l d .

Annual ElectionThe By-laws of the U nity Society pro­

vide th a t four directors shall be elected each year, on the first Sunday in Ja n u a ry , for a term of th ree years.

N ext Sunday m orning a f te r the reg u la r service the m eeting w ill be called to order and ballots bearing the nam es of eight can­didates for election will be d istributed .

A ll registered m em bers are u rged to be presen t and take p a r t in the election. T he eight nam es will ap p ear on the ballo t as follows:

J . I. W allace, D aniel H oag land , M rs. Em m a H ay , Low ell F illm ore, C arl G lees- er, E dw in C lyde C urtis , F ra n k R. Lynch, M rs. F . L . Jones.

T he first four a re the p resen t d irectors, whose term now expires. T he voters are to elect any four of the eight for a th ree y ea rs’ term ending Ja n u a ry , 1914, by draw ing a line th rough four and leaving the four which are the vo ter’s choice.

W e are all th an k fu l to M iss E d n a L. C arter fo r her loving kindness in p re p a r­ing the ex tracts from M r. F illm ore’s Sun­day m orning ta lks for the W e e k l y U n i t y .

Unity Auditorium,U N IT Y B L D G ., 913 TR A C Y A V E.

Sunday, Jan. 1, 1911S u n d a y S c h o o l a t 10 a . m .

A d dress by C h a r l e s F i l l m o r e 1 1 a . m .

S u b j e c t : L e t there he L ig h t.T h e C o n c e n t r a t i o n C l a s s at 3 : 3 0

M any who cannot attend the Sunday m orn­ing m eeting are thus benefited, and a ll can preserve the lessons and study them.

I t was insp iring to hear the audience singing on a recent S unday, “ H a lle lu jah ! ’tis done,” etc. I t bu rst fo rth w ith the undaunted pow er and vigor of the ju b ilan t conqueror sw eeping aw ay all negative ideas of weakness, lack , and lim itation.

R E G U L A R M E E T I N G S

I n U n i t y A u d i t o r i u m

SUNDAY Sunday School, io a . m.

M rs . W. G. H aseltine , S u p erin ten d en t. R egular service, i i a. m. C harles F illm ore.

T h e C oncentration Class 3:30 p. m. MONDAY

H igh Noon Silence, 12 to 12:15. Lesson in H ealth and Harm ony, 2:30 p. m.

TUESDAY High Noon Silence, 12 to 12:15.

Lesson in H ealth and Harm ony, 2:30 p. m, WEDNESDAY

H igh Noon S ilence, 12 to 12:15. M id-W eek M eeting, 2:30 p. m.

H ealing M eeting 8 p. m. THURSDAY

H igh Noon S ilence, 12 to 12:15. Lesson in H ealth and H arm ony, 2:30 p. m.

FRIDAYH igh Noon Silence, 12 to 12:15.

Lesson in H ealth and Harm ony, 2:30 p. m. SATURDAY

H igh Noon Silence, 12 to 12:15. Lesson in H ealth and Harm ony. 2:30 p. m.