(Pir-O-Murshid asked those present each in turn to give an interpretation of the play "Una." It was a few days after the play had been performed. After many views on the subject Pir-O-Murshid said, to complete what had been said:

"One thing that we must remember is that Una, as a type of soul, has reached a stage of the soul's development, and has come almost face to face with the ideal of God. Therefore we cannot take her as a type of all souls. Because all souls have not come to begin to fathom that. She is a soul approaching the.... of the...., and coming face to face. The statue says, "By finishing me, thou fulfillest the purpose of thy life. " When she takes the bowl of poison she is passing an initiation, not as an ordinary being, but as a disciple who tries to build up her own life.)

Q. Is there any danger for us in working for brotherhood? A. We have our brotherhood in the Fatherhood of God. In God, we are secure; danger awaits him to whom it belongs.

Q. Is there any mystery attached to our Brotherhood Movement? A. No mystery; simply truth of our being. When not known, it is a great mystery; while it is being known, it becomes a small mystery; when once known, it is no longer a mystery. We do not connect with our brotherhood work any mysteries. It is in the path of initiation in the Sufi Order that life's mystery is solved.

Q. Must we study the Hegelarian philosophy? Must we practice communism to the best advantage of our work? A. We are at liberty to study and practice all we think best, but we must first seek the kingdom of God.

Q. Must we keep our mind free from all disturbing influences while we are on the path? A. Certainly; you, I, each, and all. Many forces from the seen and unseen work to pull one away from the line to which we are destined. And in guarding against it lies our test, whether we keep on our track or lose it. However, he who pulls a soul away from the path is first lost.

Q. Are ancient truths dead? Must we make new mysteries now? A. Truth is the very being of God; truth who is Alpha and Omega. The one who considers the truth dead is dead himself. Neither the truth is old nor is it new as Solomon said, "There is nothing new under the sun." How dare we say that we shall make new mysteries, if we had a bit of sense? Is the truth that Christ gave lost? Or what Krishna has given, has it gone? Is the truth which Moses gave forgotten? Has Muhammed's teaching disappeared? Is the teaching of Buddha not known? It is all but one truth. Once a person has solved the mystery of himself, he has solved the mystery of the whole life. It is towards this that the Sufi Movement works.

Cont. of Social Gatheka No. 3, on "Optimism and Pessimism."

When talking about optimism and pessimism I should like to say that there are times when the conditions do not allow man to be hopeful, even if by nature he is being optimistic. The one who is placed in a situation where everything seems to stand against his prospects in life cannot keep his eyes open, see the condition, and at the same time have an optimistic view.. When the conditions in life go against and everything stands in opposition, it is most difficult for one to have a hopeful attitude in life. Outwardly the conditions stand against belief; inwardly the reason supports the conditions. For reason is a slave to all that stands before it. Therefore, if under such circumstances an optimistic person shows no longer optimism, he is not to be blamed.

No doubt, the one who, in spite of all conditions against and in spite of his reason being helpless to find a way, still strikes the path of hope is much more advanced than the optimistic soul. For he, if he knows or does not know, is holding the rope which is attached to Heaven, and which is the only source of safety. This rope is the faith and trust in the greatness and power of God, which is within. And however much things may seem to be against, yet his faith in God can turn all things in time in his favor. It is denying what one does not wish to happen; even to the moment that the happening is knocking at the door, and still denying it.

That person will turn that happiness into something he desired. Misfortune will turn into good fortune, disease will turn into health, and death will turn into life. There is no such thing as impossible; all is possible. Impossible is made by the limitation of our capacity of understanding. Man, blinded by the law of nature's working, by the law of consequences which he has known through his few years' life on earth, begins to say, "This is possible," and, "This is impossible." If he were to rise beyond limitations his soul would see nothing but possible. And when the soul has risen high enough to see all possibilities that soul certainly has caught a glimpse of God. They say, "God is Almighty." And I say, "God is all-possible." Possibility is the nature of God; and impossibility is the art of man. Man goes so far, and cannot go any further.

Man makes a flower out of paper, giving it as natural a color as possible; yet he says it is not possible to make it fragrant. For he has his limitations. But God, Who is the Maker of the flower, and who is the Giver of the Fragrance, has all power. And man, who is weakened by this limitedness, becomes more and more limited the more he thinks of it. In this is created the spirit of pessimism. Man who is conscious of God Almighty, and who in the contemplation of God loses the consciousness of his own self, inherits the power of God. And it is in this power and belief that the spirit of optimism is born.