There are, my brothers, weaknesses to be found in all the group members. Personality tendencies and errors exist and the mistakes which involve, primarily, a man's own interests and his own internal life; but these constitute no serious detriment to group work, for they can be overcome or rendered entirely superficial with a very little effort. Impatience with the results already achieved, a feeling of smug superiority, certain physical failings and personal ambitions of a superficial kind are present in several members in all of the groups. And in each group, at this time, there is one member whose difficulties are of a more serious nature, because they constitute a true detriment to the group life, providing (as they do) entrance for forces which do, most definitely, hold back the flow of spiritual life and prevent the work of a group nature moving forward to accomplishment. In these cases, what can I do? [65]

First of all, I must exert infinite patience and give to each person full time for change. This I have done - for years in some cases, and have thereby taxed the patience of the group members who were not implicated in the particular situation and weakness, and who longed to begin group work. The lesson of patience has not been lost and I would remind the group members that if they ever hope to have hierarchical standing, they must learn that love and that patience which can wait - thinking no evil and fostering only good.

I made clear to you this year that a drastic reorganization might be in order and that the groups might have to be rearranged somewhat before the united group work could be carried forward. This reorganization seems now to me to be unavoidable. It is not final. It does not touch the enduring, unchanging relation which has been established and which will persist among all of you eternally. Nothing can basically separate you.

The objective of the work of these seed groups is to familiarize people with the hierarchical Plan as it is working out today in this time of crisis. In these last three words you have the theme which is of paramount importance to you at this time. Is it? Your work is partly to dispel illusion, but primarily to impress the Plan upon the consciousness of the leading people in the world. It has seemed to us that this crisis is more keenly realized by worldly people than it is by world aspirants, who do have a slight vision of the objectives. Those who are not oriented to the spiritual Hierarchy and to the Path are now largely dedicated to activities of a world nature (either good or what you call bad) and this is not true of the world aspirants. They, instead of working actively to bring about the accomplishment of the ends indicated by the Plan (which are of a spiritual nature and unifying in their effect, breeding not hatred and separativeness, but world understanding and fusion) spend their time in speculation, in criticism of the various world leaders and in fearful foreboding - none of which is in the least helpful and, in the last analysis, is definitely [66] harmful. This harmfulness is due to a powerfully directed thought-form, constructed by men and women of a certain aptitude in spiritual advancement.

The responsibility of thought is little grasped as yet by those who are numbered among the world aspirants; yet their thought-making activity is now either definitely constructive or potentially destructive. I hesitate to enlarge upon this theme, owing to the probable personality reactions which those who read these words may generate. I am, therefore, speaking here of the world in general and not so specifically of the world aspirants and pledged workers. [69]