Mrs. Bruce said her daughter wanted to know whether dogs continue to exist after life here, feeling that they must. “They do not come as animals, exactly. But there is no manifestation of force that is not purpose, and purposes are united and gather here, in ways not possible for you to understand, in the progress toward the great purpose.” Ten days later, Frederick stated this more explicitly. After a pause, Mr. Bruce said: “We are so full of our fine but tremendous task here, at this great moment of crisis, that I’m afraid I’m not very entertaining. We talk shop to you, because that is the reason we can come so freely now.” “You refer to the great crisis?” she asked. “Not to our present crisis here?” “Germany is bereft of all purpose. Purposes of destruction have left her. She has one sole, frantic force remaining—fear. After that, destruction, long followed, will turn and rend her, and fear will be lost in despair.” “Aren’t there some good Germans?” she suggested, adding that their daughter thought it unfair to condemn a whole people for the sins of some of them. “Many good Germans have admitted to consciousness the call of destructive purposes, and have for the moment joined forces against us. For many years this preparation has been going on. No German who has ever admitted the forces of disintegration is quite free from them now. There were some officers who took their own lives and faced the consequences, rather than join forces with the dominant purpose of their people. No person can live in Germany now who is not party to disintegration. No German lives in the world, who still calls himself German, who is not party to disintegration.” “You say they have ‘joined forces against us for the moment,’” I mentioned. “Some of them will see light, and build forcefully for true progress. Some of them will destroy while they live. Some will be for years deterrent, and the end is impossible to foresee.” A day or two after this, when I was alone, I asked Mary K. what Mr. Bruce meant by saying that once the call of purpose is admitted to consciousness, there is no choice but to answer. “He meant that your personal struggle is only with the purposes admitted to consciousness. All forces are constantly trying to reach you, to enlist you for the great struggle. Once admitted to your consciousness, you have no choice but to answer, and the struggle between opposing forces is fought with your help. Many waver between the two, now lending aid to this one, now to that. A few choose instantly; some to progress, some to delay, some to build, some to destroy. This is what men call character.” “He said also that no German who has ever admitted to consciousness the forces of disintegration is quite free from them now. Why?”