The lifework of Hermes seems to have been in the direction of planting the great Seed-Truth which has grown and blossomed in so many strange forms, rather than to establish a school of philosophy which would dominate, the world’s thought.  But, nevertheless, the original truths taught by him have been kept intact in their original purity by a few men each age, who, refusing great numbers of half-developed students and followers, followed the Hermetic custom and reserved their truth for the few who were ready to comprehend and master it.  From lip to ear the truth has been handed down among the few.  There have always been a few Initiates in each generation, in the various lands of the earth, who kept alive the sacred flame of the Hermetic Teachings, and such have always been willing to use their lamps to re-light the lesser lamps of the outside world, when the light of truth grew dim, and clouded by reason of neglect, and when the wicks became clogged with foreign matter.  There were always a few to tend faithfully the altar of the Truth, upon which was kept alight the Perpetual Lamp of Wisdom.  These men devoted their lives to the labor of love which the poet has so well stated in his lines: 

     “O, let not the flame die out!  Cherished age after age
     in its dark cavern—­in its holy temples cherished.  Fed
     by pure ministers of love—­let not the flame die out!”

These men have never sought popular approval, nor numbers of followers.  They are indifferent to these things, for they know how few there are in each generation who are ready for the truth, or who would recognize it if it were presented to them.  They reserve the “strong meat for men,” while others furnish the “milk for babes.”  They reserve their pearls of wisdom for the few elect, who recognize their value and who wear them in their crowns, instead of casting them before the materialistic vulgar swine, who would trample them in the mud and mix them with their disgusting mental food.  But still these men have never forgotten or overlooked the original teachings of Hermes, regarding the passing on of the words of truth to those ready to receive it, which teaching is stated in The Kybalion as follows:  “Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those ready for his Teaching open wide.”  And again:  “When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom.”  But their customary attitude has always been strictly in accordance with the other Hermetic aphorism, also in The Kybalion:  “The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding.”