Supplements to Member Lectures

GA 246 — 13 August 1914, Dornach

63. Samaritan Course Introductory Address

My dear theosophical friends!

We who are gathered here around our building, which is to become a landmark of the spirit, are undoubtedly all under the impression of the events that have befallen Europe while we are still fully occupied with our building. Those of our dear friends who have listened more closely to some of the things that have been said within our circles in recent years know that we have always been under the impression of what has now so terribly befallen us in a certain sense, and that many things have been said with the perspective of what had to come upon the peoples of Europe and what for certain reasons did not come sooner - for reasons that will be superfluous to discuss at this very moment.

But just as we have the painful events here in our immediate vicinity on the one hand, and on the other hand are protected from them by what is happening in the country into which our good karma has carried us with our building - we, who stand in the immediate sight and yet protected from the events, we may and must actually place two thoughts quite seriously before our souls at this moment. The thought which we tried to express in the last of our reflections here - the thought which can inspire us in our deepest hearts: unshakeable trust in the power and effectiveness of the spirit, in the victory of the spirit and its life. And we would be poor members of our spiritual movement if we did not have this thought in our souls, if we had not acquired it in the course of the years in which we have stood within our movement, if we did not carry within us the firm certainty: whatever serious trials may come, whatever may befall us, we hold within us the unshakeable trust in the power and victoriousness of the spiritual life! - If we do not feel: In the end, the spirit will triumph!

But another thought must be added to all the confidence that pervades us. This is the thought of - it need not be misunderstood, but it may be expressed and can be understood - the present physical powerlessness of what can be done for the spirit. Let us think, to set this right before our souls, of a contrast which may ghastly oppress our hearts at this time, let us think that we have three principles, and that the first of these principles must be to form in ourselves a germ of men of brotherly feeling beyond all nations. Undoubtedly, the confidence we have in the Spirit will clearly imbue us with the awareness that this ideal too is a legitimate one, a great one.

But let us compare the present in which we live with this ideal; let us compare it not in abstract form, but in the immediate, concrete form that concerns us, each and every one of us: and then we can come to the thought of how little it has been possible for us up to the present to contribute even a little to the realization of this very first thought of ours! We do not need to consider in detail what is now being spread about the events, but the mood of the mind is something we must consider very carefully. And that is where we will feel: We are traveling around the world, a great number of us, from country to country, lovingly received everywhere, everywhere we feel how necessary it is to carry the spiritual germ everywhere, and we now see how across the borders and areas in which we have thus thought, lived and spoken lovingly, how across these borders moods of hatred and antipathy are sent to one another in such pronounced measure!

There the contrast stands before our soul's eye, how great the demands of the spirit are, and how little we have been able to do for our very first thought. And if we could, for example, in our own ranks, who are now gathered here around our building, which is to be an expression of our spiritual striving, could we now force a model image and model into our hearts, into our mutual behavior, a model of the brotherly attitude, it would have to be this thought.

May it serve to create in the heart of each and every one of us the recognition of each and every one of us! After all, every single thing that has to happen to our building can only happen with a bleeding heart, because we know how little what happens corresponds to what should happen. We can take comfort in the fact that the ideal that we have in relation to our building will triumphantly march through the world in the future: This is not a thought of weakness, it will be transformed in us into the thought of strength.

Many things will have to change, my dear friends, when we can once again approach the minds that are out there in this terrible life. There we will find many things transformed, many minds will meet us differently than before, and many things that have been done in our movement will have to be done differently in the future. And if we want to do something for the spirit out of the confusion that will develop, then we must not continue to cultivate old thoughts in the same way. We will need new thoughts; such thoughts will develop that will make what has been indicated necessary. But we will only be strong if we arm ourselves with the thought: wherever events will take us, whatever they will demand of us, we will do it with confidence in the victoriousness of the spirit.

In peaceful thoughts and in peaceful work our building rises up. In these times, when everything seems to be shaken, let us strive to be a group that cherishes peace and harmony in everyone's heart, so that everyone has the best thoughts about everyone else, without envy, without discord. This, my dear friends, will be the only thing that will make it possible to carry on what must be carried on in the face of painful events. For our work must and will continue, despite all the obstacles that are piling up. What must happen in the spirit of our movement will happen. It will happen, whatever obstacles may appear to us!

But it can only happen if we try to keep love and peace in our hearts, which should be generated by holding on to the spirit in our hearts. Without this, the world outside cannot progress either; but it is still a very special duty for the flock gathered here to keep love, peace and harmony in their hearts. For whatever is to happen in our building will be disturbed if it is not done in these feelings of love and peace; it will be disturbed by envy and discord. Only if thoughts of harmony, peace and love are built into the forms we are working on will they be what they should be for humanity when peace has once again descended upon the world. As much as we have a sense of harmony in our hearts, so much will adhere to these forms and means of expression that our building has in itself. If we really realize this, then perhaps it will be possible for us to become imbued in our innermost being with the attitude that is the ideal of our spiritual striving.

I wanted to send these words beforehand today as words which should justify the fact that we continue to work quietly here in these times and do not step out to take part here or there in the events which will take place outside. But with regard to what the individual is called upon to do in this respect, it can only be said that the individual should do his duty. If we now hold on to this ideal of ours with all our strength, courage and confidence, then it will grow more and more and will be able to fulfill its mission once peace has returned to the world. Of course, it will be necessary to a much, much greater extent than has happened in our ranks that we try to put aside our own personal aspirations, that we strive for that which should permeate our entire spiritual movement like a spiritual lifeblood.

As these words come deep from my heart, my dear friends, so I want them to penetrate deep into your hearts!