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Correspondence from Norman Mudd to Martha Küntzel
Weida,
November 3rd 1925.
Dear Miss Küntzel,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
We were very happy to get this morning your letter of Nov-3 about the O[pen] L[etter] to Rudolph [Hermann Rudolph].
Yes, we are all very busy, but this O.L. is perhaps rather urgent. 666 put it in the hands of his Frankfort colleague as long ago as October-8th expecting I think that the whole thing would go through easily and quickly. We did not get it here, from Frankfort, till October 19th—and then the translation was nothing like good enough. Saturnus [Karl Germer], Leah [Leah Hirsig] and myself at once set about revising the translation, using the Eberfeld German Bible to get the equivalents of the many biblical phrases in the letter which are familiar, as such, to the English reader, and which must be preserved, as effectively as possible, in the German version.
We will reconsider most carefully all your suggestions for changes in the translation that Saturnus sent you—for all of which very many thanks. I should be glad by the way if you would let me know which edition of the German Bible you yourself use in quoting Scriptural phrases and allusions. The point is that 666's work is constantly full of such allusions, and this same necessity for an effective translation of them may occur quite often in the future.
Now, about the "Fra[ter] O.P.V. [Norman Mudd]" question and that of an address, to be given after the end of the letter. I wrote 666 myself about this nearly a week ago, but have not yet had a reply. He seems to be quite a long way away by now, so that there may be a still further delay. This is unfortunate perhaps, but hardly avoidable. I am writing him finally to-day dealing with all the matters that have arisen in connection with this O.L., in the hope of making it possible for him to decide everything in one final statement.
There are quire a lot of points involved. For example:—
1. I think he would certainly prefer that the name Alastor should be given in Greek—Αλαστωρ. His actual instructions to us was "don't 'improve' on the letter, & it's not from 666; it's from Αλαστωρ".
2. Our printer (who did the Zeugnis) refuses to print this O.L. because it denounces T. [Heinrich Tränker] who is one of his regular clients. This means, I suppose, that it will have to be printed in Leipzig. For this reason, if for no other, it may be better to keep the addressed envelopes with you instead of sending them here, as you so kindly suggested.
On various grounds (for example, we may have to leave this house immediately after the sale on November 16th) I expect and hope that 666 will write his final decisions about the O.L. direct to you and Brother Gebhardi [Otto Gebhardi] in Leipzig.
The one thing we can do is to reconsider finally the actual German text of the letter—except for one sentence, the last in the letter. We will let you have this before the end of the week.
So much for the matter of the O.L.
We were all very glad indeed to see that you were back again in Leipzig with Brother Gebhardi and Wolfgang. We hope you had an interesting and successful tour, and are eager to have a little news of it, the first time you have leisure to write. Whether or not I myself can come to Leipzig—even for a few hours visit, which I should greatly enjoy—is wholly doubtful. It will depend on what 666 wants me to do in a score of different matters. But Saturnus may quite well be visiting Leipzig before November 16th, if only to see Leah safely there. I think we must take it for granted that it is out of the question for her to remain here during or after the upset involved in the sale of the house. In fact she is very poorly now, not able to do any work, and worrying a little because, instead, she thinks she is distracting us from our work. Her confinement is due just about the end of November, and we must all prepare and do everything possible to ensure that everything takes place safely and well.
Saturnus and I think (and I believe she agrees) that she ought to leave Weida and move to Leipzig just as soon as it is possible to make arrangements for the journey—which, in itself, is a fairly serious matter. We want you, once she is in Leipzig, to look after her, if you will, in a general sort of way, advising her, for instance, as to where she can best stay until her confinement is safely over. I think you will be happy to do this. Leah, as you have no doubt divined, is one of the big hinges on which the whole Great Work turns. She is physically delicate and highly strung even when in full health. Any mishap to her would be an irreparable blow.
I may say, frankly, that Leah's physical welfare is the one and only feature in the present situation about which, do what I will, I cannot help being anxious. For a physical ordeal of this kind is incalculable. Every other factor in the situation seems to be promising excellently well—I may say miraculously well—for the accomplishment of a decisive step forward in the common G[reat] W[ork] of all of us—though it may take some months for this to appear in its real nature.
I have a sort of idea that 666 may have spoken to you privately about this problem of Leah's confinement, or have suggested that this was one of the (many) matters in which we were relying on your bountiful stores of sympathy and energy.
There is, or course, a financial aspect to this problem, but I am pretty confident that once Leah gets settled down in Leipzig this difficulty will disappear. She has, for example, what we have never yet had for any other purpose—the practical certainty or a regular, if small, income of not less than five pounds a month. I have no real doubt that this can be increased, during the critical period, quite sufficiently to see her safely through her confinement in fair comfort.
Will you let me know what you think about the suggestion that Saturnus should take a day off of business here, and escort Leah to Leipzig, to meet you and discuss how best to get her suitably housed and looked after. Every day that she remains her now multiplies the difficulties of our work.
I wish I had time to give you a little news, but I have a report weighing (or so it seems) about a hundredweight to get off to 666, about all sorts of delightful events that are occurring in various parts of the world—not alone in Germany.
Br[other] R∴[ecnartus] [Heinrich Tränker] seems to be getting more violent (in some ways) but this was really inevitable from the start. I know that there is no need to remind you that the only attitude to him of each one of us is brotherhood and love always under Will.
"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth . . .", as you know. Do not despair, whatever may seem to be happening, that he will not yet win through to complete freedom and Light.
All here send their heartiest love and good wishes to Brother Gebhardi, yourself, and Wolfgang.
Love is the law, love under will.
Ever fraternally,
N. Mudd
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