In olden times, when a good sword was made, a forger first thrust the rough metal into a hot fire. When it had become heated to the point of softening, he withdrew the metal, hammered on it while it remained hot, then thrust it into cold water. This process was repeated over and over, until the raw material had been forged into a beautiful, powerful sword.

The same process can be applied to our own lives. I think this is very interesting.

Since its birth, our group has experienced something like that forging.  We have come through the hot fires of much severe public criticism and the hammering of many persecutions.  At other times, we have been thrust into the cold waters of rejection.

Many people have asked me why such things had to happen, when we have always been engaged solely in God's Work. I have used this story of the forging of a perfect sword by way of explanation, and it seems to have helped them to understand the reason we have had many problems.

Since civilization began, those who have accomplished truly great things have suffered unusual hardships, without exception. The spiritual explanation is that the greater a person's mission is to be, the harder are the trials he must go through first. So, whenever we have any difficult experiences, we should be grateful.

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