Yes, that business is already a "back number," stale and unprofitable.
I have found that work tells. While others fume and fret and sleep, and
now and then start up to criticise, if you go right on and work, and
let time, the great devourer, do the other work, you will see that in
a little while that others will wake up once more to find themselves
"left," as they say in the land of slang. Do, then, that way. Your own
duty is hard enough to find out, and by attending to that you gain,
no matter how small the duty may be. The duty of another is full of
danger. May you have the light to see and to do! Tell ---- to work to
the end to make himself an instrument for good work. Times change, men
go here and there, and places need to be filled by those who can do the
best sort of work and who are full of the fire of devotion and who have
the right basis and a sure and solid one for themselves. My love to all.
* * * * *
I am very sorry that so many efforts on your part to influence the
public press have been unsuccessful, but I feel sure that you will
ultimately be successful. I am inclined to think that you will almost
certainly find that articles written by Theosophists on the spot will
obtain more ready admission than if you send them articles which have
already been printed.
They have a more local colouring, and therefore a greater local
interest.... I feel sure that by persistent and steady work, such
as you are doing, you will win your way, and that even the most
conservative papers will find it to their interest to insert articles.
* * * * *
Both ---- and ---- are two weak, half-corroded spots. It is due to
(_a_) gossip about others, including me and others in the three lands;
(_b_) to the personal element; (_c_) most of all to the absence of real
faith in the Masters, for wherever that is not strong the work goes
down; (_d_) to a sort of fear of public opinion; (_e_) to incomplete
grasp of the elementary truths; and so on.
Stick to it that the way is to do all you can and let the results go.
You have nothing to do with results; the other side will look out
for that. This is really the culmination of the work of ages, and it
would be a poor thing, indeed, if the Lodge had to depend alone on our
puny efforts. Hence, go on and keep the spirit that you have only to
proceed, and leave the rest to time and the Lodge. If all the other
members had the same idea, it would be better for the old T.S. But let
us hope on, for we have some any way, and that is more than none.
You are right, too, about _The Secret Doctrine_, it is a mine, and is
the magazine for the warrior Theosophists, which is the description of
you and me and some others.
* * * * *
Let us all be as silent as we may be, and work, work; for as the enemy
rages, they waste time, while work shines forth after all is over, and
we will see that as they fought we were building. Let that be our
watchword.... I hope no weak souls will be shaken off their base. If
they get on their _own_ base they will not be shaken off.