Vera Stanley Alder Quotes

It is... becoming obvious to them that the cause must lie in their own ignorance, and in that they have allowed themselves to be misinformed, influenced and used.

Men are realizing that although this has been the case for some time, want, fear, disease and war are still allowed to make havoc of their lives, and that therefore someone or something is betraying them even unto death. They are becoming aware that they themselves are allowing this to happen, and are therefore somehow guilty, because in reality they, the people, are all powerful.

Nevertheless, recently certain things are becoming apparent which have hitherto escaped peoples’ consciousness in a most amazing way. They are beginning to realize that there could be in actuality More Than Enough of Everything in the World for Everybody, and that science, or man’s genius, has made it possible that everything in the world can now reach everybody everywhere; that this applies to both information and necessities; and that all amenities of living could now be made equally available to all peoples.

It is beginning to be realized, not by a few idealists but by numbers of the general public, that in spite of the countless triumphs of science and industry there has been something about humanity’s way of living that is proving to be suicidal. Fear, want, disease and war have been increasing in a steady crescendo until they have nearly engulfed the world altogether. This terrible state of affairs has, in spite of all the amenities of progress, been undermining the health, energy and mind-power of all the public everywhere, until most of them have been dulled into a blind acceptance.

The ancient writings all claim that a Golden Age is indeed due to follow the death of the present Dark Age. How long it will take to develop depends upon the people and the interest and initiative which they show in regard to the whole matter. It is therefore considered that a great deal may now be written or taught to people at this time on this vital subject, because for them it is still an unaccustomed topic, and it will take some time for them thoroughly to grasp the importance of it and the magnitude of the opportunity...

The difference between the Teaching in its past and in its modern guise is that in the olden days it was used principally for the self-development of the few, whereas at present humanity is considered to have moved forward to the point where the theories and ideals of the Mystery Teaching may soon be put into practice in the life of the community as a whole, because a sufficiently large number of people are now so advanced as to make this possible.

History tells us of wars and conquests and empires and revolutions, of cities and cultures, and of religions and persecutions. Yet actually it is a rather superficial survey. It leaves out almost entirely one vital part of the picture — the most important part. It has very little to say of man’s purpose in living, of his understanding of the reason of his existence and of his conception of life around him, and his interpretation of the mystery of creation and evolution. So little does history say about this aspect of man — the mainspring and motive of his living—that we are left guessing about the most important part of the story—the extent of man’s actual knowledge throughout the ages. We are given superficial and rather materialistic details of the outward forms and the bitter strife which accompanied the development of the various religions as they were interpreted and practised by the people, much of which leaves us with an impression of brutal and bigoted primitiveness. So much for orthodox history. Nevertheless, if we have the time ourselves to go exploring amongst less hackneyed literature than our average text books, we will soon find traces of an underlying, thrilling and significant way of life permeating the history of mankind... The legends of the Flood, the Virgin Birth, the World Messiah, the Resurrection, Paradise, Hades, Reincarnation, the progress of the soul and the Plan of Creation, are to be traced in every land and with great similarity of detail. p.6

We know so pitifully little about ourselves, about the universe, about the hidden forces which support and impel all life forward and onward; about birth and death and what lies each side of them; about our God and His Will and purpose for us; about that comprehensive side of ourselves called the subconscious; about the destiny of this earth, and our relationship to the millions and myriads of palpitating stars that fill space.

Those who seek to influence us always work on our individualities, either trying to stifle them with mass hypnotism or to spur them to life with such cries as 'Democracy!’ ... or fulfilment under some other name.

Who are we—the people? What is our significance, our purpose upon this earth? Can we know this? Have we ever known it? How comes it that we struggle so often like a helpless giant caught in the toils of those who wish to use us? Arc we only half alive, half aware of our power—and not aware of our own destiny at all? What is the significance and what the future of our individualities?

Whatever possibilities and potentialities are latent today, the fact remains that the last word and the final decision will rest with us — the people.

There are those who can prove that plans and ideals for a united world and a well organized Brotherhood of Men have existed for hundreds of years and have come to nothing. These are the ones who say “Human nature cannot change!” There are others who declare that we are living through a momentous epoch in history which is ushering in stupendous changes and the possibility for real world unity and a new and better civilization.

Anyone who tries to think or write about the world situation to-day needs courage. The subject is so enormous and so complicated that it is bewildering. It is a period in history vibrating with possibilities. The pessimist is able to wallow in forebodings until he submerges, whilst the optimist can be so stimulated that he nears combustion! Which of them is justified?

The purpose of this book is, firstly, to make a rapid survey, the barest outline, of the knowledge which has existed, all through the history of man, and guided his development from behind the scenes; and, secondly, to study how, upon the foundations of that knowledge there can be built an entirely new way of life, which would produce the final pattern of a sane and successful world civilization.

The secret which will solve this impasse is that true independence and individuality can only successfully exist in group form!