The Rudolf Steiner Archive

4. The Position of Members in Relation to the Society

[ 1 ] It is understandable that members of the Anthroposophical Society have different views on their position in relation to this Society. Those who join may believe that they will find within it what they seek from the innermost needs of their soul. And in this seeking and finding what the Society can give them, such members then find the meaning of their membership. I have already indicated that there is basically nothing to be objected to in such a view.

[ 2 ] For, because of the nature of anthroposophy, the Society cannot have the task of uniting a circle of people on whom it imposes duties upon joining that they have not already recognized, but are to perform solely for the sake of the Society. In the true sense, only the Society can have duties toward its members. .

[ 3 ] But it is precisely this self-evident fact that has another effect, which is not always viewed in the right way, and often not even considered at all.

[ 4 ] For the member who becomes active in the society in any way immediately assumes a great responsibility and a serious set of duties. Those who have no intention of taking on such a role should not have their quiet lives disturbed. However, those who want to do something in the society must not forget that they must make the affairs of the society their own.

[ 5 ] If someone wants to be a silent member, then it must be understandable to them when, for example, they say: I cannot concern myself with what the opponents of the Society say about it. This ceases immediately when they go beyond the circle of quiet sympathy. Then the task immediately arises for them to look at the opposition and defend what can be justifiably defended in anthroposophy and the Society.

[ 6 ] The fact that this absolutely necessary consideration has not always been taken into account has not been conducive to the Society. It must strike the members, who can quite rightly demand that the Society first give them what it promises, as strange when they are immediately required to fulfill the same duties as those who make these promises.

[ 7 ] When we speak of the duties of members with regard to the Society, this can therefore only refer to those members who wish to be active. This should not, of course, be confused with speaking of the obligations of human beings as such, which arise from anthroposophy itself. However, these things will always have a very general human character and will only broaden the scope of understanding as it arises from insight into the spiritual world. When anthroposophy speaks of such obligations, it can never mean that it is saying something that is binding only for the Anthroposophical Society, but rather something that arises from a correct understanding of human nature as such.

[ 8 ] But precisely because the nature of the Anthroposophical Society gives rise to a circle of duties for its active members, these duties should be taken as seriously as possible. For example, anyone who, as a member of the Society, wishes to pass on the insights of anthroposophy to others immediately has these duties when they go beyond the very narrow, quiet circle of such teaching. Such a person will need to be clear about the general spiritual situation of people in the present time. They will need to have a clear idea of the task of anthroposophy. They will need to maintain contact with the other active members of the Society as much as possible. Such a person must be far from saying: it does not interest me when anthroposophy and its proponents are portrayed in a false light or even slandered by opponents.

[ 9 ] The Executive Council, which was formed at the Christmas Conference, understands its task to be to help bring about the realization of what has been said here within the Society. And it cannot but ask all members who wish to be active to become co-workers in its intentions.

[ 10 ] Only in this way can the Society fulfill its promises to its entire membership and thus also to the world.

[ 11 ] It is truly saddening, for example, to have the following experience: It happens within the Society that members who want to be active in a particular place discuss the affairs of the Society from time to time. They hold meetings for this purpose. When one then talks to the individual personalities who sit at these meetings, one notices that they actually have opinions about each other, about their activities for the society, and so on, which are not discussed at all at the meetings. One may learn that someone has no idea what those who often associate with him think about his activities. To put such things on a better track, it would be absolutely necessary to follow the impulse given by the Christmas conference. The members who want to be active should try to understand this impulse above all. One often hears such active members say: I have the good will, but I just don't know what is right. One should not take too complacent a view of this “good will.” One should always ask oneself: Have I really sought out all the avenues available in society to find the “right thing” in good-will cooperation with others?

Continued in the next issue.