"Can you imagine how much worse conditions would be in the world had these masters not lived?" replied President Anderson. "Many people did listen to the wisdom of the masters, and changed their lives accordingly. Even today, their great works are studied, and the way of life advocated by them is practiced by thousands of good people all over the world." "That is indeed true," replied President Adams. "But while the religious writings of today contain many pearls of wisdom and are most helpful in keeping one on the spiritual path; the governing body of the clergy of the various ages held back from the people the inner knowledge in order to maintain the power of the church: thus assuring their own, and the church's financial integrity and security. "Much of what the great spiritual masters actually said has become distorted over the years and key parts of their doctrine deliberately withheld. The ministers of today have no written record of those lost teachings and so do not believe that they ever existed. "If people were to realize their true relationship to the Source of all knowledge and all power and that they themselves were an integral part of that source, they would be amazed. They have no idea that they are divine beings in their own right, with no need for an intermediary. "It is not in the best interests of the established church to teach this, even if the ministers and priests believed it themselves. For the church would lose its hold over the masses and therefore lose much of its power. Far better to keep the people in ignorance, and make the path to salvation a very narrow one. "Reincarnation, as we all know, hasn't been taught by the church for centuries. Wasn't it in Constantinople in the sixth century that the church fathers decided that it would not be wise to retain the doctrine of reincarnation in the Holy Scriptures for fear that the people would not see the need to go to church if they knew they had many opportunities many lives in which to make amends? But the church thought it far better to teach that man only had one life. Only one chance to repent. "The church had nothing to fear if they had only realized it. But they were afraid that if the people were to know that they did not only have one chance to repent their wicked ways they would say, 'Why should I change? I will live forever regardless.' "But it would have been better for the church to teach men the truth. And to teach that as long as the children of God refuse to change they will simply be prolonging their agony through many lifetimes, and keeping what could be a delightful planet in a permanent state of agitation and misery. "It takes many lifetimes for a soul to work its way out of the mortal environment once entrapped there. For one's own mortal mind is the biggest obstacle to overcome."