Social Gatheka Number 2

In working in the line of brotherhood our main object is to bring about a better understanding among the different classes, the followers of different religions, and people of different races and different nations. But by this we do not mean, to mix them up. If this were our idea, it would have been quite a different thing. We want to let the farms of wheat be farms of wheat; on the farms where rice grows, let rice grow; where there are woods, let there be woods; where there are gardens, let there be gardens; all things are necessary. Our ideas have not reached to the extreme of cooking all things in the same dish. We do not wish to stretch the fingers so as to make them all even, for their natural size is the proper size for them. Our imagination of equality has not yet reached that idea. Only our motive is that East and the West, the North and the South, instead of turning their backs to each other, may turn their faces to each other. We do not wish that all people in the world should be of the same religion or the same education or the same customs and manners; nor do we think that all classes must become one class, which is impossible. We wish that all classes may blend into each other and yet every individual may have his own individual expression in life; all nations may have their peculiarity, their individuality, but at the same time they may express good-will and friendly feelings toward one another; different races may have their own manners and their own ideas, but at the same time they may understand each other; that the followers of different religions may belong to their own religions, but at the same time may become tolerant to each other.

Therefore our idea of brotherhood is not in any way extreme. The motive is not to change humanity, but to help humanity on toward its goal. People may belong to one church and they may fight with one another. It is just as well that they should belong to different churches, and yet understand each other and respect each other's religion, and tolerate one another. People may belong to one institution and disagree with one another. Then what is the use of that institution? Therefore, it is not at all the mission of the Order to make the whole humanity followers of one special order, but to give to humanity what God has given us, and destined it that we may serve His cause.