125. My young friends, again you have been gathered in the name of the Teaching and again you have had an evening with guests. You approach by roundabout ways, you surmount the fatigue of the working day, you bear a particle of the common good; but the accumulated objects of the familiar room break up your striving and imperceptibly you become dusty boarders. Moreover one of you, observing what is taking place, becomes a self-appointed overseer and sinks into the pettiest irritation. The fabric of the communion is torn and an unworthy mending is begun.
We urge you even if for only an hour to be consciously responsible people. If an hour a week is difficult for you then better meet only every fortnight. Learn how to exclude at that time all troublesome beastly habits--smoking, drinking, eating, shallow gossip, dealings in small affairs, censure, anger. Upon being assembled remain seated several minutes in silence. If then one of you will not find the strength to enlighten his consciousness let him silently go back into cold and darkness. We are enemies of all compulsive magic, but a natural control of consciousness must become the prerequisite of real construction. Surely for one hour one can dismiss personal ventures. If this be difficult how then can you think about progress and growth of consciousness?
133. The community, being a fellowship first of all, sets as a condition for entrance two conscious decisions--labor without limit and the acceptance of talks without rejection. It is possible to eliminate faint-heartedness by means of a twofold organization. As a result of unlimited labor there may be a broadening of consciousness. But many people, not bad otherwise, do not envision the results, being frightened by incessant labor and enormous tasks. And yet they have accepted basically the idea of the community. It would be harmful to include these yet weak people in the community; but in order not to extinguish their striving one should not cast them out. For this it is useful to have a second organization--friends of the community. Herein without forsaking the customary order of life these newcomers can become more deeply conscious of the community. Such a two-fold organization permits the preservation of a far more concentrated sincerity in the work. If however a formal entrance into the community itself be allowed, one will be obliged periodically to eject the unfit ones.
141. Every science is in need of new formulas. Likewise certain periods of life bring new expressions. One must rejoice at each new expression. Nothing is worse than the embrace of a corpse! As it is, you are attached to a sufficient quantity of dead objects. The burying of each dead letter is accompanied by lamentations, as if there do not exist progressive actions of enormous significance!
141. Every science is in need of new formulas. Likewise certain periods of life bring new expressions. One must rejoice at each new expression. Nothing is worse than the embrace of a corpse! As it is, you are attached to a sufficient quantity of dead objects. The burying of each dead letter is accompanied by lamentations, as if there do not exist progressive actions of enormous significance!
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