dear brothers and sisters:

i do not think that you will take it amiss that i again intrude myself before you. i am so far off, and the place where my old friend and teacher—the one who pointed out to me the way that must bring us, if followed, to the light and peace and power of truth—is so dear to me, i would fain speak with those, my fellow-workers, who now live where she worked, and where her mighty soul left the body she used for our advantage. this is surely sufficient reason.

refer to the master's letter in the occult world and you will find him saying that the masters are philanthropists and care only for that. hence, the very oldest f.t.s. who has been selfish, and not philanthropic, has never come under the notice of the masters, has never done anything, in fact, toward the development of the soul in his possession, nothing for the race of man. it is not membership in the t.s., or any other mystical body, that brings us near the masters, but just such philanthropic work with just the pure motive.

then i know, and say plainly—for as so close to each other we should plainly speak—that some of us, maybe all, have waited and wondered, and wished and hoped, for what? variously expressed thus: one wants to go to the master, not knowing even if it be fitting; another wants to know what is the vague longing inside; another says that if the inner senses were but developed and hopes the master would develop them, and so on; all, however, expressed by what the master has himself written, "you want to find out12 about us, of our methods of work, and for that you seek along the line of occultism." well, it is right for us to seek and to try and to want to reach to them, for otherwise we never will in any age get where such beings are. but as wise thinkers we should act and think wisely. i know many of you and what i am saying should help some as it does me also.

you are all on the road to masters, but as we are now, with the weak and hereditarily diseased bodies we have, we could not live an hour with masters did we jump suddenly past space to them. some too have doubt and darkness, the doubt mostly as to themselves. this should not be harboured, for it is a wile of the lower man striving to keep you back among the mediocre of the race. when you have lifted yourself up over that level of the race, the enemy of man strikes and strives at all times to bring clouds of doubt and despair. you should know that all, everyone, down to the most obscure, who are working steadily, are as steadily creeping on to a change, and yet on and on to other changes, and all steps to the master. do not allow discouragement to come in. time is needed for all growth, and all change, and all development. let time have her perfect work and do not stop it.

how may it be stopped? how many have thought of this i do not know, but here is a fact. as a sincere student works on, his work makes him come every day nearer to a step, and if it be an advance then it is certain there is a sort of silence or loneliness all around in the forest of his nature. then he may stop all by allowing despair to come in with various reasons and pretexts; he may thus throw himself to where he began. this is not arbitrary law but nature's. it is a law of mind, and the enemies of man take advantage of it for the undoing of the unwary disciple. i would never let the least fear or despair come before me, but if i cannot13 see the road, nor the goal for the fog, i would simply sit down and wait; i would not allow the fog to make me think no road was there, and that i was not to pass it. the fogs must lift.

what then is the panacea finally, the royal talisman? it is duty, selflessness. duty persistently followed is the highest yoga, and is better than mantrams or any posture, or any other thing. if you can do no more than duty it will bring you to the goal. and, my dear friends, i can swear it, the masters are watching us all, and that without fail when we come to the right point and really deserve they manifest to us. at all times i know they help and try to aid us as far as we will let them.

why, the masters are anxious (to use a word of our own) that as many as possible may reach to the state of power and love they are in. why, then, suppose they help not? as they are atman and therefore the very law of karma itself, they are in everything in life, and every phase of our changing days and years. if you will arouse your faith on this line you come nearer to help from them than you will recognise.

i send you my love and hope, and best thoughts that you may all find the great light shining around you every day. it is there.

your brother,

william q. judge.