The Temple of Brotherhood

Universal Brotherhood is the supreme Ideal of Humanity, and towards that Ideal the world is slowly but surely moving.

Universal brotherhood is humanity’s highest ideal, and the world is slowly but surely moving toward it.

To-day, as never before, numbers of earnest men and women are striving to make this Ideal tangible and real; Fraternities are springing up on every hand, and Press and Pulpit, the world over, are preaching the Brotherhood of Man.

Today, more than ever, many earnest men and women are striving to make this ideal a reality. Fraternities are springing up everywhere. Newspapers and religious leaders around the world are preaching the brotherhood of humanity.

The unselfish elements in all such efforts cannot fail to have their effect upon the race, and are with certainty urging it towards the goal of its noblest aspirations; but the ideal state has not yet manifested through any outward organisation, and societies formed for the purpose of propagating Brotherhood are continually being shattered to pieces by internal dissension.

The unselfish parts of all such efforts cannot fail to affect humanity. They are surely urging humanity toward its noblest aspirations. But no outward organization has yet brought about the ideal state. Societies formed to spread Brotherhood are continually being torn apart by internal disagreements.

The Brotherhood for which Humanity sighs is withheld from actuality by Humanity itself; nay, more, it is frustrated even by men who work zealously for it as a desirable possibility; and this because the purely spiritual nature of Brotherhood is not perceived, and the principles involved, as well as the individual course of conduct necessary to perfect unity, are not comprehended.

Humanity itself keeps the Brotherhood it longs for from becoming a reality. Even men who work zealously for Brotherhood as a desirable possibility stand in its way. This is because they do not see that Brotherhood is purely spiritual. They do not understand its principles or how each individual must act to achieve perfect unity.

Brotherhood as a human organisation cannot exist so long as any degree of self-seeking reigns in the hearts of men and women who band themselves together for any purpose, as such self-seeking must eventually rend the Seamless Coat of loving unity. But although organised Brotherhood has so far largely failed, any man may realise Brotherhood in its perfection, and know it in all its beauty and completion, if he will make himself of a wise, pure, and loving spirit, removing from his mind every element of strife, and learning to practise those divine qualities without which Brotherhood is but a mere theory, opinion, or illusive dream.

Brotherhood cannot exist as a human organization as long as those who join together for any purpose still seek their own advantage. Such self-seeking must eventually tear apart the Seamless Coat of loving unity. But although organized Brotherhood has largely failed so far, anyone can experience Brotherhood in its perfection and know all its beauty and completeness. To do so, a person must become wise, pure, and loving in spirit, remove every element of conflict from the mind, and learn to practice those divine qualities. Without them, Brotherhood is merely a theory, an opinion, or an illusion.

For Brotherhood is at first spiritual, and its outer manifestation in the world must follow as a natural sequence.

For Brotherhood is spiritual first, and its outward expression in the world must naturally follow.

As a spiritual reality it must be discovered by each man for himself, and in the only place where spiritual realities can be found—within himself, and it rests with each whether he shall choose or refuse it.

As a spiritual reality, each person must discover it for themselves. They can find it only where spiritual realities are found: within themselves. Each person can choose to accept or reject it.

There are four chief tendencies in the human mind which are destructive of Brotherhood, and which bar the way to its comprehension, namely:

Four main tendencies in the human mind destroy Brotherhood and prevent people from understanding it:

Pride. Self-love. Hatred. Condemnation.

Pride. Self-love. Hatred. Condemnation.

Where these are there can be no Brotherhood; in whatsoever heart these hold sway, discord rules, and Brotherhood is not realised, for these tendencies are, in their very nature, dark and selfish, and always make for disruption and destruction. From these four things proceeds that serpent brood of false actions and conditions which poison the heart of man, and fill the world with suffering and sorrow.

Where these tendencies exist, there can be no Brotherhood. Wherever they rule a heart, discord reigns, and Brotherhood cannot be realized. For these tendencies are dark and selfish by nature, and they always lead to division and destruction. From these four things springs a brood of poisonous snakes: false actions and conditions that poison the human heart and fill the world with suffering and sorrow.

Out of the spirit of pride proceed envy, resentment, and opinionativeness. Pride envies the position, influence, or goodness of others; it thinks, "I am more deserving than this man or this woman"; it also continually finds occasion for resenting the actions of others, and says, "I have been snubbed," "I have been insulted," and, thinking altogether of its own excellence, it sees no excellence in others.

Pride gives rise to envy, resentment, and stubborn opinions. Pride envies the position, influence, or goodness of others. It thinks, "I deserve more than this man or this woman." It also constantly finds reasons to resent what others do. It says, "I have been snubbed," "I have been insulted." Because pride thinks only of its own excellence, it sees no excellence in others.

From the spirit of self-love proceed egotism, lust for power, and disparagement and contempt. Self-love worships the personality in which it moves; it is lost in the adoration and glorification of that "I," that "self" which has no real existence, but is a dark dream and a delusion. It desires pre-eminence over others, and thinks, "I am great," "I am more important than others"; it also disparages others, and bestows upon them contempt, seeing no beauty in them, being lost in the contemplation of its own beauty.

Self-love gives rise to egotism, a lust for power, and the belittling and contempt of others. Self-love worships the personality in which it lives. It is lost in worshiping and glorifying the "I," the "self" that has no real existence. That self is a dark dream and a delusion. Self-love wants to be superior to others and thinks, "I am great," "I am more important than others". It also belittles and scorns others. It sees no beauty in them because it is lost in admiring its own beauty.

From the spirit of hatred proceed slander, cruelty, reviling, and anger. It strives to overcome evil by adding evil to it. It says, "This man has spoken of me ill, I will speak still more ill of him and thus teach him a lesson." It mistakes cruelty for kindness, and causes its possessor to revile a reproving friend. It feeds the flames of anger with bitter and rebellious thoughts.

Hatred leads to slander, cruelty, insults, and anger. It tries to overcome evil by adding more evil. It says, "This man has spoken badly of me. I will speak even worse of him and teach him a lesson." Hatred mistakes cruelty for kindness. It causes a person to insult a friend who offers a rebuke. It feeds the flames of anger with bitter and defiant thoughts.

From the spirit of condemnation proceed accusation, false pity, and false judgment. It feeds itself on the contemplation of evil, and cannot see the good. It has eyes for evil only, and finds it in almost every thing and every person. It sets up an arbitrary standard of right and wrong by which to judge others, and it thinks, "This man does not do as I would have him do, he is therefore evil, and I will denounce him." So blind is the spirit of condemnation that whilst rendering its possessor incapable of judging himself, it causes him to set himself up as the judge of all the earth.

The spirit of condemnation gives rise to accusation, false pity, and false judgment. It feeds on thoughts of evil and cannot see the good. It sees only evil and finds it in almost everything and everyone. It sets its own standard of right and wrong for judging others. It thinks, "This man does not do what I want him to do. Therefore, he is evil, and I will denounce him." The spirit of condemnation is so blind that it makes a person unable to judge himself. Yet it also makes him set himself up as the judge of the whole earth.

From the four tendencies enumerated, no element of brotherliness can proceed. They are deadly mental poisons, and he who allows them to rankle in his mind, cannot apprehend the peaceful principles on which Brotherhood rests.

The four tendencies listed cannot produce any sense of brotherliness. They are deadly mental poisons. Anyone who lets them fester in their mind cannot understand the peaceful principles on which Brotherhood rests.

Then there are chiefly four divine qualities which are productive of Brotherhood; which are, as it were, the foundation-stones on which it rests, namely:

There are four main divine qualities that create Brotherhood. They are, so to speak, the foundation stones on which Brotherhood rests:

Humility. Self-surrender. Love. Compassion.

Humility. Giving up the self. Love. Compassion.

Wheresoever these are, there Brotherhood is active. In whatsoever heart these qualities are dominant, there Brotherhood is an established reality, for they are, in their very nature, unselfish, and are filled with the revealing Light of Truth. There is no darkness in them, and where they are, so powerful is their light, that the dark tendencies cannot remain, but are dissolved and dissipated.

Wherever these qualities are present, Brotherhood is active. In any heart where they are dominant, Brotherhood is an established reality. For these qualities are unselfish by nature and filled with the revealing Light of Truth. There is no darkness in them. Their light is so powerful that dark tendencies cannot remain where they are present. Instead, those tendencies dissolve and disappear.

Out of these four qualities proceed all those angelic actions and conditions which make for unity and bring gladness to the heart of man and to the world.

These four qualities give rise to all the angelic actions and conditions that foster unity and bring joy to human hearts and the world.

From the spirit of Humility proceed meekness and peacefulness; from Self-surrender come patience, wisdom, and true judgment; from Love spring kindness, joy, and harmony; and from Compassion proceed gentleness and forgiveness.

Humility brings meekness and peace. Self-surrender brings patience, wisdom, and sound judgment. Love gives rise to kindness, joy, and harmony. Compassion brings gentleness and forgiveness.

He who has brought himself into harmony with these four qualities is divinely enlightened; he sees whence the actions of men proceed and whither they tend, and therefore can no longer live in the exercise of the dark tendencies. He has realised Brotherhood in its completion as freedom from malice, from envy, from bitterness, from contention, from condemnation. All men are his brothers, those who live in the dark tendencies, as well as those who live in the enlightening qualities, for he knows that when they have perceived the glory and beauty of the Light of Truth, the dark tendencies will be dispelled from their minds. He has but one attitude of mind towards all, that of good-will.

A person who has brought himself into harmony with these four qualities is divinely enlightened. He sees where people's actions come from and where they lead. He can therefore no longer live by acting on dark tendencies. He has fully realized Brotherhood, becoming free from malice, envy, bitterness, conflict, and condemnation. All people are his brothers, whether they live by dark tendencies or enlightening qualities. He knows that when they see the glory and beauty of the Light of Truth, their dark tendencies will disappear. He has only one attitude toward everyone: goodwill.

Of the four dark tendencies are born ill-will and strife; of the four divine qualities are born good-will and peace.

The four dark tendencies give rise to ill will and conflict. The four divine qualities give rise to goodwill and peace.

Living in the four tendencies, a man is a strife-producer. Living in the four qualities, a man is a peace-maker.

A man who lives by the four tendencies creates conflict. A man who lives by the four qualities makes peace.

Involved in the darkness of the selfish tendencies, men believe that they can fight for peace, kill to make alive, slay injury by injuring, restore love by hatred, unity by contention, kindness by cruelty, and establish Brotherhood by erecting their own opinions (which they themselves will, in the course of time, abandon as worthless) as objects of universal adoration.

Lost in the darkness of their selfish tendencies, people believe they can fight for peace and kill to bring life. They believe they can end injury by injuring, restore love through hatred, create unity through conflict, and restore kindness through cruelty. They believe they can establish Brotherhood by making their own opinions objects of universal worship. In time, they themselves will abandon those opinions as worthless.

The wished-for Temple of Brotherhood will be erected in the world when its four foundation-stones of Humility, Self-surrender, Love, and Compassion are firmly laid in the hearts of men, for Brotherhood consists, first of all, in the abandonment of self by the individual, and its after-effect is unity between man and man.

The longed-for Temple of Brotherhood will be built in the world when its four foundation stones are firmly laid in people's hearts. These stones are Humility, Self-surrender, Love, and Compassion. For Brotherhood begins when individuals give up concern for themselves. This leads to unity between people.

Theories and schemes for propagating Brotherhood are many, but Brotherhood itself is one and unchangeable, and consists in the complete cessation from egotism and strife, and in practising good-will and peace; for Brotherhood is a practice and not a theory. Self-surrender and Good-will are its guardian angels, and peace is its habitation.

There are many theories and plans for spreading Brotherhood. But Brotherhood itself is one and unchanging. It means giving up egotism and conflict completely and practicing goodwill and peace. Brotherhood is a practice, not a theory. Self-surrender and goodwill are its guardian angels, and peace is its home.

Where two are determined to maintain an opposing opinion, the clinging to self and ill-will are there, and Brotherhood is absent.

When two people are determined to hold opposing opinions, they cling to self and bear ill will. Brotherhood is absent.

Where two are prepared to sympathise with each other, to see no evil in each other, to serve and not to attack each other, the love of Truth and Good-will are there, and Brotherhood is present.

When two people are willing to understand each other, see no evil in each other, and serve rather than attack each other, love of Truth and Good-will are present. Brotherhood is present too.

All strifes, divisions, and wars inhere in the proud, unyielding self; all peace, unity, and concord inhere in the Principles which the yielding up of self reveals.

All conflict, division, and war arise from the proud, stubborn self. All peace, unity, and harmony lie in the principles revealed when we give up the self.

Brotherhood is only practised and known by him whose heart is at peace with all the world.

Only someone whose heart is at peace with the whole world can practice and know brotherhood.