507. Terrestrial humanity has long since advanced so far in development that the majority of its individuals have become more or less conscious "cosmic chemists". Their intense longing for truth is, in reality, the same as a longing for peace and harmony, which again is the same as the way to God. And instruction after instruction has arisen by way of the prophets, thinkers and leaders. And what are such beings, actually, other than "cosmic chemists" and their teachings other than "cosmic chemistry"? They all give directions for modes of behaviour which should entail a "higher standard of morals" thus leading the way to God, to happiness and to perfection.
      As "morality" and behaviour are more or less conscious "cosmic chemistry", then this "chemistry" is thus not of a recent date, nor appears less than widespread. All conscious thought and any resultant mode of behaviour is a combination of thought-climates which again is the same as a combination of "matter" or "substance". Consequently, every being is in reality – as mentioned previously – a "cosmic chemist" who, consciously or unconsciously works towards creating a perfect combination of those conditions which actually form the foundation for the fulfilment of that same being's particular wishes or ideals.
      However, that terrestrial people are not yet especially proficient "cosmic chemists" is evident from the bodily injuries and suffering they bring upon themselves. To a large extent their world consists of battlefields, legal procedures, general unfriendliness, slander and so forth. All these phenomena show that they are just fumbling and groping when it is a question of creating their own happiness. Through their manner of thought and behaviour they have blindly mixed together incorrect energies, made incorrect combinations of thoughts and consequently have had to experience the reactions of that incorrectness. That these reactions do not constitute peace and happiness but – as stated above – are released as suffering, only shows that there are laws for the "mixing" of energies, just as much mentally as physically, for otherwise such reactions would never have come about. If those energies or "substances" had been mixed in another way the result would have been another kind of reaction. Just as the energies can be put together in mixtures or combinations which create reactions of suffering, they can also just as well be combined in such a way as to create the opposite reactions – humanity and a sense of well-being.
      It is in this direction that development is moving. Suffering makes for experience and this leads to new "mixtures" or combinations of matter. These, too, lead to experiences of being for or against the repetition of the particular "combination" of which they are the result; and so it continues. Eventually mankind will advance in this way, becoming more and more adjusted to discovering the correct or "perfect" "combinations" or "mixtures" of thoughts and thereby the correct attitude towards people, life and themselves; through this mankind will come to experience at last the actuality of true peace and harmony that is to be "at one with the Father".