Life itself and your own religion warn you earnestly, according to the above, not to judge. You are not aware of whom you are dealing with whenever you are face to face with your neighbour. You do not know anything about the secrets of the heart or the mind. You can have no idea as to whether a comparatively unknown person is, or about to become, a divine revelation; he may, for all you know, be a messenger of God to man, a new herald of the principle of world redemption. No matter what his (or her) social position may be, whether or not, for some reason or other, he may have to live near the "manger", so to speak; that he (or she) may not go to church, be no member of any religious community, even be apparently irreligious; born and bred under conditions characterised as "sinful", e. g. be a so-called "illegitimate child", possibly neither "christened" nor "confirmed" – all of which does not preclude his (or her) susceptibility to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a veritable incarnation of divine consciousness. The humble position referred to, at any rate, even seems to be preferred whenever the divine spirit is to be revealed in this earthly zone of ours; for it was not from a luxurious cradle to a golden throne, but from the manger to the cross, that the greatest redeemer – and consequently the grandest manifestation of vital consciousness – was revealed.
      Do not, therefore, be too rash in your judgment, I beseech you! You never know when you may meet an adept from some higher zone of existence. The zones in question represent other realities as to rank, position and appearance than the earthly one which predominates by means of material prestige. And you must, by all means, not imagine that the initiated themselves are going to disclose their identity. Such individuals may obscurely move about amidst the rank and file of men without being recognised by them. As they have not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, such individuals may appear in the form of e. g. your errand boy, your housemaid, your charwoman, or the like; but you will not be aware of it, unless peradventure in your own bosom you entertain such an affection for these very people that it makes them respond by opening their hearts and minds to you. So modest a social position does not in itself, for the great majority, call for respect or deference, because affluence and luxury in bearing and conduct are more likely to appear as the ideal way of building up a reputation with the press, with scientists, and even with the laity. Nor must you expect to be able to see and understand an initiated adept as long as public opinion, whatever is in vogue, or consideration as to what is done or not done, etc. is the criterion of your attitude, even if you should come across such an individual. You will perceive nothing whatever but the "manger", the inferior form in which he will appear, possibly stressed by defamation, irony, and derision, whereby the uninitiated may attempt to hamper the passage of his earthly life. Hence, be on the lookout! The Holy Spirit, besides being identical with the profoundest knowledge of God, is also equal to the highest degree of love. But this quality can be recognised by only those that are themselves filled with and guided by the supreme principle of love. If, therefore, you are imbued with this quality in its purity and refinement, you will detect the spiritual revelation of divine love in the bosom of anyone else, whoever he (or she) may be, and irrespective of whatever "rags" may serve as a disguise. That you feel "saved" yourself, therefore, does not endow you with any qualifications to pass judgment on others. Love alone constitutes the distinctive mark of divine affinity.