Dear Friends,
I begin this new issue of our Unity newsletter with a double quote. Many of you may realize that I am an admirer of Rev. Paul Hasselback, who introduced me to the study of metaphysics when I first attended Unity Institute over a decade ago. Paul was one of the people who helped open my mind and heart to accept the genius of Charles Fillmore, who cofounded Unity in the late 19th century.
Unity of Missoula has used the twelve powers, as developed by Charles, for the focus of our monthly themes for many years. Perhaps you remember being a newcomer to Unity, and wondering, like me, “Just what is this twelve powers stuff, anyway?” I am always open to finding a new way, or new words and thinking, to help clarify this teaching. Unfortunately, sometimes I still find myself bogged down in the semantics and language of the original Fillmore writings. This is why I am always ready to read one of the newer Unity books about the twelve powers.
Rev. Paul Hasselback has toiled diligently for years to upgrade and renew the old religious language and usage to better reflect current thinking. He believes that Unity in particular needs to change the language it uses, even in The Daily Word, to be consistent with our teaching that the Divine can be found within each of us. In fact, the Divine IS us! To further that end, he sends an email each week with a Paul Hasselback rewriting of Sunday’s Daily Word. I have subscribed to his email for some years now, and this one particularly appealed to me, with its explanation of “Principle.” From Rev. Paul Hasselback:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Below are the first 219 words from an article by Lowell Fillmore found in the March 28, 1936 edition of Weekly Unity entitled “Principles.” His words are clear and straight forward. I hope you find them as juicy as I did when I read them a couple of nights ago!
Principles
(Fillmore, Lowell, Weekly Unity, excerpt, March 28, 1936)*
“Remember that you never see the most important things about you. For example, if you are working a mathematical problem, you see the figures and you may handle the apples or oranges involved in your calculations, but you cannot see the principle of mathematics that enables you to work out the problem. Likewise, you never see the Life Principle with which you are surrounded, filled and animated. You merely observe some of the effects of it. We do sometimes speak of seeing Life, but we really do not see the principle of Life itself. We see what “it is doing.” Neither do you see the principle of Love. You may feel its warmth and see the effects it is producing in the affairs of others, but the principle of Love itself is as intangible as the principles of mathematics. The principle of Intelligence cannot be seen either. But you can salute its light everywhere as it illuminates the faces of your friends. Life, Love, and Intelligence are called Principles because they are fundamental and unchanging and are not affected by time or space or by what we think or do. They are eternal having their being (beingness) as God or the Divine within. Order, Judgment, Faith, Strength, Power, Imagination, Will, Zeal and Renunciation are other Divine Principles. They are responsible for the whole creation.”
I hope this paragraph from Lowell Fillmore (one of Charles and Myrtle’s sons) has helped clarify things a bit. For the time being, we will continue using the twelve powers as monthly themes at Unity of Missoula. As we do so, let us begin to appreciate how their use in our lives helps us to overcome our sense of separation, and to know that we truly are Divine.
Blessings, Linda Andrus, Licensed Unity Teacher
