Charles Fillmore

QUESTION: Who is Charles Fillmore?

ANSWER:

Charles Fillmore (1854-1948) is credited as the founder of the Unity School of Christianity. He was born on a Minnesota Indian reservation in 1854. Before age 2, Fillmore was kidnapped by Sioux Indians and many researchers feel he was used in some sort of mystical ceremony. During his teenage years, he was influenced by education in metaphysics and mysticism.

Myrtle became his wife in 1881. She was suffering from TB and was unable to find successful treatment. She sought help from New Thought (the ideas of P.P. Quimby focusing on the psychic and occult realm) and was apparently healed. This piqued Charles' interest and it resulted in his intense study of New Thought ideas and practices.

A few years later (1889), the Fillmores founded Unity and in 1891 the Society of Silent Unity began. In 1914, several of the Fillmore's societies and literature pieces merged into Unity School of Christianity. In 1893, Myrtle Fillmore began a children's magazine titled Wee Wisdomand she served as the editor for 35 years.

Charles Fillmore's teachings are the basis of the Unity religion, especially the Metaphysical Bible Dictionary and Talk on the Truth. He taught that people have problems due to false thinking and if everyone would be content and happy if they could reverse their thinking. Fillmore believed he could never die because he was in true harmony with universal law. His mind could control his body. But, that fact did not hold true. Charles Fillmore died in 1948.