(2) The purification and reformation of oneself for its reception, and (3) The improvement of the human race by striving for such purification.
Which is the principal aim of these three? Certainly self-reformation and self-purification.
Only to this aim can we always strive independently of circumstances.
But at the same time just this aim demands the greatest efforts of us; and so, led astray by pride, losing sight of this aim, we occupy ourselves either with the mystery which in our impurity we are unworthy to receive, or seek the reformation of the human race while ourselves setting an example of baseness and profligacy.