the idea of Brotherhood. G.F. Knoche
The idea of brotherhood as a living, workable philosophy has surfaced time and time again. All illuminati of the spirit emphasise it as their chief objective. The lives of the great teachers are an exemplification of this ideal. Way back in time Prince Siddhartha (the Buddha) broke through the bigotry of the Brahmins and talked openly of these truths with the people. To him there was no greater rule than to love and to understand the brethren, and to him the whole of humanity was the brethren.
Every effort of a world teacher is towards fostering the ideal way of living that would loosen and eventually destroy the fetters binding human souls. In the renaissance several laboured to show that the microcosm, the little world of man, is a small part and a reflection of the macrocosm. Elaborate schemes were worked out by Quabbalists, Heremetists and Rosicrucians, their objective being to reveal a universal order of harmony throughout. No effort towards onehood is ever lost.
If in truth the universe groans under the burdens of selfish acts and thought, we are responsible insofar as we have individually contributed to that weight. Every one of us is human, every one of us has mixed motives to a degree, but we have a grand ideal of constantly endeavouring to make our lives truly altruistic. This is a goal that cannot be attained in a single lifetime, but it is a goal that we must never give up. It must be the predominating overruling influence in our lives and, if we can aspire towards this, then we can have confidence that at least a larger expression of unselfishness that of its opposite will flow from us. Selfishness is hostile to the growth of the soul. It is inimical to the growth of mankind, because it is a turning in upon oneself.
Many today have a deep pessimism concerning our world, they see so many expressions of unbrotherlyness, cruelty and dishonesty being almost accepted as the norm. In fact, pessimism has eroded much of the confidence of our civilisation. Part of our task is to replace that pessimistic outlook with its opposite - not a Pollyanna type of optimism, but with a confidence in the capacity of the human soul to open itself to the influx of its innate strength and light and purity.
