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intensify strength： they often exaggerate weakness。 Byron was
never able to give us what he might have given us。 Shelley escaped
better。 Like Byron； he got out of England as soon as possible。
But he was not so well known。 If the English had had any idea of
what a great poet he really was； they would have fallen on him with
tooth and nail； and made his life as unbearable to him as they
possibly could。 But he was not a remarkable figure in society； and
consequently he escaped； to a certain degree。 Still； even in
Shelley the note of rebellion is sometimes too strong。 The note of
the perfect personality is not rebellion； but peace。
It will be a marvellous thing … the true personality of man … when
we see it。 It will grow naturally and simply； flowerlike； or as a
tree grows。 It will not be at discord。 It will never argue or
dispute。 It will not prove things。 It will know everything。 And
yet it will not busy itself about knowledge。 It will have wisdom。
Its value will not be measured by material things。 It will have
nothing。 And yet it will have everything； and whatever one takes
from it； it will still have； so rich will it be。 It will not be
always meddling with others； or asking them to be like itself。 It
will love them because they will be different。 And yet while it
will not meddle with others； it will help all； as a beautiful thing
helps us； by being what it is。 The personality of man will be very
wonderful。 It will be as wonderful as the personality of a child。
In its development it will be assisted by Christianity； if men
desire that； but if men do not desire that； it will develop none
the less surely。 For it will not worry itself about the past； nor
care whether things happened or did not happen。 Nor will it admit
any laws but its own laws； nor any authority but its own authority。
Yet it will love those who sought to intensify it； and speak often
of them。 And of these Christ was one。
'Know thyself' was written over the portal of the antique world。
Over the portal of the new world； 'Be thyself' shall be written。
And the message of Christ to man was simply 'Be thyself。' That is
the secret of Christ。
When Jesus talks about the poor he simply means personalities； just
as when he talks about the rich he simply means people who have not
developed their personalities。 Jesus moved in a community that
allowed the accumulation of private property just as ours does； and
the gospel that he preached was not that in such a community it is
an advantage for a man to live on scanty； unwholesome food； to wear
ragged； unwholesome clothes； to sleep in horrid； unwholesome
dwellings； and a disadvantage for a man to live under healthy；
pleasant； and decent conditions。 Such a view would have been wrong
there and then； and would； of course； be still more wrong now and
in England； for as man moves northward the material necessities of
life become of more vital importance； and our society is infinitely
more complex； and displays far greater extremes of luxury and
pauperism than any society of the antique world。 What Jesus meant；
was this。 He said to man； 'You have a wonderful personality。
Develop it。 Be yourself。 Don't imagine that your perfection lies
in accumulating or possessing external things。 Your affection is
inside of you。 If only you could realise that； you would not want
to be rich。 Ordinary riches can be stolen from a man。 Real riches
cannot。 In the treasury…house of your soul； there are infinitely
precious things； that may not be taken from you。 And so； try to so
shape your life that external things will not harm you。 And try
also to get rid of personal property。 It involves sordid
preoccupation； endless industry； continual wrong。 Personal
property hinders Individualism at every step。' It is to be noted
that Jesus never says that impoverished people are necessarily
good； or wealthy people necessarily bad。 That would not have been
true。 Wealthy people are； as a class； better than impoverished
people； more moral； more intellectual； more well…behaved。 There is
only one class in the community that thinks more about money than
the rich； and that is the poor。 The poor can think of nothing
else。 That is the misery of being poor。 What Jesus does say is
that man reaches his perfection； not through what he has； not even
through what he does； but entirely through what he is。 And so the
wealthy young man who comes to Jesus is represented as a thoroughly
good citizen； who has broken none of the laws of his state； none of
the commandments of his religion。 He is quite respectable； in the
ordinary sense of that extraordinary word。 Jesus says to him； 'You
should give up private property。 It hinders you from realising
your perfection。 It is a drag upon you。 It is a burden。 Your
personality does not need it。 It is within you； and not outside of
you； that you will find what you really are； and what you really
want。' To his own friends he says the same thing。 He tells them
to be themselves； and not to be always worrying about other things。
What do other things matter？ Man is complete in himself。 When
they go into the world； the world will disagree with them。 That is
inevitable。 The world hates Individualism。 But that is not to
trouble them。 They are to be calm and self…centred。 If a man
takes their cloak； they are to give him their coat； just to show
that material things are of no importance。 If people abuse them；
they are not to answer back。 What does it signify？ The things
people say of a man do not alter a man。 He is what he is。 Public
opinion is of no value whatsoever。 Even if people employ actual
violence； they are not to be violent in turn。 That would be to
fall to the same low level。 After all； even in prison； a man can
be quite free。 His soul can be free。 His personality can be
untroubled。 He can be at peace。 And； above all things； they are
not to interfere with other people or judge them in any way。
Personality is a very mysterious thing。 A man cannot always be
estimated by what he does。 He may keep the law； and yet be
worthless。 He may break the law； and yet be fine。 He may be bad；
without ever doing anything bad。 He may commit a sin against
society； and yet realise through that sin his true perfection。
There was a woman who was taken in adultery。 We are not told the
history of her love； but that love must have been very great； for
Jesus said that her sins were forgiven her； not because she
repented； but because her love was so intense and wonderful。 Later
on； a short time before his death； as he sat at a feast； the woman
came in and poured costly perfumes on his hair。 His friends tried
to interfere with her； and said that it was an extravagance； and
that the money that the perfume cost should have been expended on
charitable relief of people in want； or something of that kind。
Jesus did not accept that view。 He pointed out that the material
needs of Man were great and very permanent； but that the spiritual
needs of Man were greater still； and that in one divine moment； and
by selecting its own mode of expression； a personality might make
itself perfect。 The world worships the woman； even now； as a
saint。
Yes； there are suggestive things in Individualism。 Socialism
annihilates family life； for instance。 With the abolition of
private property； marriage in its present form must disappear。
This is part of the programme。 Individualism accepts this and
makes it fine。 It converts the abolition of legal restraint into a
form of freedom that will help the full development of personality；
and make the love of man and woman more wonderful； more beautiful；
and more ennobling。 Jesus knew this。 He rejected the claims of
family life； although they existed in his day and community in a
very marked form。 'Who is my mother？ Who are my brothers？' he
said； when he was told that they wished to speak to him。 When one
of his followers asked leave to go and bury his father； 'Let the
dead bury the dead；' was his terrible answer。 He would allow no
claim whatsoever to be made on personality。
And so he who would lead a Christlike life is he who is perfectly
and absolutely himself。 He may be a great poet； or a great man of
science； or a young student at a University； or one who watches
sheep upon a moor； or a maker of dramas； like Shakespeare； or a
thinker about God； like Spinoza； or a child who plays in a garden；
or a fisherman who throws his net into the sea。 It does not matter
what he is； as long as he realises the perfection of the soul that
is within him。 All imitation in morals and in life is wrong。
Through the streets of Jerusalem at the present day crawls one who
is mad and carries a wooden cross on his shoulders。 He is a symbol
of the lives that are marred by imitation。 Father Damien was
Christlike when he went out to live with the lepers； because i