|
New Era Community (1926) :
Tomorrow our path will be long and we may become exhausted. Let us walk together. We shall have joy and festivity. I shall sing for you the song your mother, wife and sister sang. You will relate for me your father's story about a hero and his achievements. Let our path be one. New Era Community (1926) - 162:
Once, according to an old legend, there came a messenger from a distant world to give people equality, brotherhood and joy. Long since had people forgotten their songs. They remained in a stupor of hate. The messenger banished darkness and crowdedness, smote infection, and instituted joyful labor. Hatred was stilled, and the sword of the messenger remained on the wall. But all were silent and knew not how to begin singing. Then the messenger assembled the little children, led them into the woods, and said to them "These are your flowers, your brooks, your trees. No one has followed us. I shall rest - and you fill yourselves with joy." Thereupon, timidly they ventured into the forest. At last the littlest one came to a meadow and sighted a ray of the sun. Then a yellow oriole sounded its call. The little one followed it, whispering. And soon joyously he sang out, "The sun is ours!" One by one the children gathered upon the meadow, and a new hymn to Light rang out. The messenger said "Man has again begun to sing. Come is the date!" Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 223:
223. New thinking does not mean the overthrow of all that is old. Indeed, it will be the best friend of all that already has been discovered. Such thinking does not reject a formula that is not understood merely because it is not clear at the moment. Our friend will carefully lay aside an obscure formula. Often something obscure is not a concealed attainment, it is dependent upon a great number of transitory idioms. Every language is not preserved; even in the course of one century the meaning of expressions is changed, which leads to a growing complexity of ways of thinking. Let us not regret running waters, but let us not forget that we are looking upon old achievements with new eyes. Even a great number of isolated ancient terms may appear strange, because they have been inserted into alien dialects and often are distorted in pronunciation. In antiquity people sang these significant words to memorize them, but the rhythms have been abandoned as something unnecessary. Yet by losing rhythm people have forgotten the significance of vibrations. New thinking does not forget about the basic laws. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 147:
History knows little about the Mother of the Great Pilgrim, who was as exceptional as Her Son. The Mother came from a great family and was the embodiment of refinement and nobility of spirit. She was the One who laid the foundation for His first high ideals, and sang a lullaby to Him in which She foretold His miraculous future. She took great care to safeguard Her Child, and was a source of strength for His great achievements. She knew several languages, and thus made the path easier for Him. Nor did She object to His long pilgrimages, and gathered all that was necessary to make the travels easier. She rightly valued the common people and knew that they would guard the treasures of His Teaching. She recognized the grandeur of the Culmination and thus could give heart to those of diverse character who were weakened by doubt and rejection. She was prepared to experience the same achievement as Her Son, and He entrusted to Her His decision, which was confirmed by the Teachers. It was the Mother who understood the mystery of His wanderings. For the fundamental truth about the Mother's life to be clear, one must understand the local conditions of those times. However, She was led by Her insight into the future and was able to rise above the customs of Her country.
|